Lee Correctional Institution is a high-security state prison for men located in
Bishopville, South Carolina. On April 15, 2018, seven inmates were killed in the
Lee Correctional Prison Riot. It was the deadliest
U.S. prison riot in the past 25 years.
History
The facility opened in 1993 to replace the decommissioned
Central Correctional Institution
The South Carolina Penitentiary (renamed the Central Correctional Institution in 1965) was the state of South Carolina's first prison. Completed in 1867, the South Carolina Penitentiary served as the primary state prison for nearly 130 years unti ...
which had been the state's primary prison for over 130 years. At the time, Lee cost $46 million dollars to construct. It remains the largest maximum-security prisons for males in the South Carolina state system. It is often characterized as being the most dangerous.
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. The prison has had a long history of violent incidents.
The riot was the inspiration for the
2018 U.S. prison strike The 2018 U.S. prison strike was a series of Work stoppage, work stoppages and Hunger strike, hunger strikes in prisons across the United States that began on August 21 and ended on September 9. The strike was conducted at least in part in response t ...
.
Further reading
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See also
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Attica Prison riot
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Lee Correctional Prison Riot
References
External links
South Carolina Department of Corrections
{{State prisons in South Carolina
State prisons in South Carolina
Buildings and structures in Lee County, South Carolina
1993 establishments in South Carolina