Review Finds State Prisons Grew More Violent and Deadly as Guard Ranks Shrank
A government-funded review of 12 state prison systems found a sharp rise in inmate deaths and assaults coinciding with chronic guard shortages and heavy overtime spending. Between 2019 and 2024 the death rate in the sampled systems rose 47% and assaults on inmates and staff increased by 54% and 77% respectively. The analysis, conducted by the Safe …