Some of the most dangerous prisons and jails in the United States are in Alabama. Being locked up is often linked to danger and violence. Behind the high walls and barbed wire of its prisons are places that are very tense, where staying alive often depends on making dangerous friendships and staying out of fights at all costs.
As part of this investigation, we go deep into Alabama’s five most dangerous jails to show what the inmates and staff go through. From a lot of gang activity to serious overcrowding, these prisons are a sobering look at the problems in the state’s prison system.
1. Donaldson Correctional Prison
The Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama, has been home to more than 1,500 prisoners since it opened in 1982. In the past few years, violence at the center has been a constant problem, including stabbings and assaults on staff. The jail is very short-staffed—there are only 228 guards to keep an eye on all the prisoners.
2. St. Clair Correctional Prison
More than 1,500 prisoners are locked up in Alabama’s St. Clair Correctional Facility, which is a maximum-security jail. There is a past of violence and neglect at this institution, and inmates have said they were abused by guards and didn’t get enough medical care.
It was decided by a federal judge in 2014 that the state had to fix things at St. Clair Prison because they were against the inmates’ civil rights.
3. Limestone Correctional Prison
Limestone Correctional Facility is a maximum-security jail near Harvest, Alabama, that can hold more than 2,000 prisoners. At one point, a federal judge called the institution “a dark, cruel, and unusual place” because of how poor it is and the violence and protests that have happened there. There are also reports that prison guards work 12-hour shifts without breaks because the facility always needs more staff.
4. Julia Tutwiler: Women’s Prison
The Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women has gotten a lot of bad press because of the horrible and violent conditions there. Inmates have said that guards sexually abused them and that guards traded sexual favors for toilet paper and soap.
This adds to the past of sexual harassment and abuse at the facility. In 2016, the Department of Justice put out a harsh report saying that Tutwiler had violated the prisoner’s civil rights and failed to stop sexual assaults.
5. Holman Correctional Prison
Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama is said to be one of the most dangerous jails in the state by some. Reports of four prisoners sharing a cell that was made for two prisoners show that the jail is way too full; it can hold up to 998 prisoners. The institution has also been the site of many violent protests, and a federal court has called the living conditions there “a cesspool of unconstitutional and inhuman mistreatment.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, Alabama’s prisons have a lot of problems, like violence, overcrowding, and a lack of staff. From the infamous Donaldson and St. Clair Correctional Facilities to the scandal-plagued Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women, these prisons show that neglect and abuse are common in the state’s prison system.
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