Lee Correctional Institution
Lee Correctional Institution is a high-security state prison for men located in Bishopville, South Carolina. On April 15th 2018, seven inmates were killed in the Lee Correctional Prison Riot. It was the deadliest U.S. prison riot in the past 25 years.
Location | 990 Wisacky Highway Bishopville, South Carolina |
---|---|
Security class | maximum security |
Capacity | 1785 |
Opened | 1993 |
Managed by | South Carolina Department of Corrections |
History
The facility opened in 1993 to replace the decommissioned Central Correctional Institution which had been the state's primary prison for over 130 years.[1][2]At the time, Lee cost $46 million dollars to construct.[3] It remains the largest maximum-security prisons for males in the South Carolina state system. It is often characterized as being the most dangerous.[4]
Prisoners took control over portions of the prison on two separate incidents prior to the 2018 riot which was the deadliest U.S. prison riot in the past 25 years.[5] The prison has had a long history of violent incidents.[6][7] The prisoners at Lee can find work with private sector companies in several different industries. They can work packing products, manufacturing apparel, or recycling old mattresses.[8]
The riot was the inspiration for the 2018 U.S. prison strike.
Further reading
- Thompson, Heather Ann (April 28, 2018). "How a South Carolina Prison Riot Really Went Down". New York Times.
References
- https://huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/06/prison-guard-held-hostage_n_1573245.html
- Corrections, South Carolina Department of. "SCDC - South Carolina Department of Corrections". www.doc.sc.gov.
- "Inmates, guards talk about SC prison that housed Death Row | The State". 2018-03-11. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
- http://www.doc.sc.gov/research/SystemOverview/population-report.pdf
- "Lee prison riots fuel a call for more funds".
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-01-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/seven-inmates-killed-south-carolina-maximum-security-prison-after-hours-n866216
- http://www.doc.sc.gov/pubweb/institutions/lee.jsp