About this episode

This episode discusses the Attica Prison Riot of 1971, highlighting the inhumane conditions faced by inmates and the aftermath of the uprising.

In 1971, Attica New York one prison was housing almost double the maximum number of inmates it should. They showered once a week, their food was inedible, they received only one roll of toilet paper a month. If you were Muslim, you didn't have any non-pork options and weren't allowed to conduct any religious services. After tensions mounted, a riot broke out. For four days it lasted in which inmates demanded humanity. They brought in the media to see their deplorable conditions. The prison was taken back on the fourth day in a poorly executed plan. The responding officers killed ten of the hostages, almost thirty inmates, and wounded ninety more. A civil suit on the case wasn't resolved until 2000, when the state had to pay over $12 million to the affected inmates. Sources: Charles Rivers Editors: 2026. The Attica Prison Riot: The history and legacy of America’s most famous prison uprising https://www.menloschool.org/live/profiles/1450-the-attica-prison-uprising-a-symbol-of-the https://www.law.nyu.edu/news/attica-uprising-anniversary-impact-robert-mckay-alumni https://www.archives.nysed.gov/research/topic-attica-timeline https://www.britannica.com/topic/Attica-Correctional-Facility

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