Penitentiary of New Mexico
Encyclopedia
The Penitentiary of New Mexico (PNM) is a men's prison
located in unincorporated
Santa Fe County
, 15 miles (24.1 km) south of central Santa Fe
, on New Mexico State Road 14. It is operated by the New Mexico Corrections Department.
The complex consists of three separate facilities. The facilities are now referred to as Level V (opened 1985), Level VI (opened 1985) and Level II (opened 1990) for the minimum restrict facility, based upon the New Mexico adaptation of the Federal Bureau of Prisons
system for inmate classification
and restriction. The regular daily population is about 790 inmates, whose average age is 32.
The Level VI Supermax
site contains New Mexico's Death Row
. This is where Terry Clark
was executed in 2001. He remains, as of 2008, the only execution in New Mexico since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
The recent implementation of the Level System within the New Mexico Corrections Department requires that inmates who cannot be managed in general population, or cannot function in general population due to criteria established by policy, will be separated from the general population. Management of such inmates will be based upon behaviorally based step programs, in which increased privileges are granted for inmates who demonstrate appropriate behavior for a specified period of time.
and Joliet.
The first prison industry produced bricks Beginning in 1903, New Mexico became the first western
state to employ prisoners in building highways.
On 19 July 1922, prisoners at the pen rioted against overcrowding, the poor food, and the use of excessive force by the prison authorities. When the inmates refused to return to their cells, the tower guards opened fire, killing one inmate and injuring five others. In the report following the riot, the prison authorities were blamed for lack of experience, and failure to understand how to control a prison population.
The second riot was 15 June 1953. Inmates protesting the use of excessive force seized Deputy Warden Ralph Tahash and twelve guards and held them hostage. In the resulting melee, guards killed two inmates and wounded a number of others. This second riot led to the abandonment of the original facility as a prison and the construction in 1956 of what came to be called "the main unit".
In 1980 "the main unit" was the scene of one of the most violent prison riot
s in the correctional history of America. Over two days 33 inmates were killed and 12 officers were held hostage by prisoners who had escaped from cell blocks in the main unit. "The main unit" was closed in 1998 and is now called the "Old Pen".
Systemic reforms after the riot and the Duran v. King consent decree, including implementation of the Bureau Classification System under Cabinet Secretary Joe Williams, led to the modern New Mexico prison system.
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
located in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Santa Fe County
Santa Fe County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*76.2% White*0.9% Black*3.1% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*14.9% Other races*50.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, 15 miles (24.1 km) south of central Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, on New Mexico State Road 14. It is operated by the New Mexico Corrections Department.
The complex consists of three separate facilities. The facilities are now referred to as Level V (opened 1985), Level VI (opened 1985) and Level II (opened 1990) for the minimum restrict facility, based upon the New Mexico adaptation of the Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
system for inmate classification
Prisons in the United States
Incarceration in the United States is one of the main forms of punishment and/or rehabilitation for the commission of felony and other offenses. The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world. At year-end 2009 it was 743 adults incarcerated per 100,000...
and restriction. The regular daily population is about 790 inmates, whose average age is 32.
The Level VI Supermax
Supermax
Supermax is the name used to describe "control-unit" prisons, or units within prisons, which represent the most secure levels of custody in the prison systems of certain countries...
site contains New Mexico's Death Row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
. This is where Terry Clark
Terry D. Clark
Terry Doug Clark was convicted of the murder of nine-year-old Dena Lynn Gore. He was executed by the State of New Mexico by means of lethal injection...
was executed in 2001. He remains, as of 2008, the only execution in New Mexico since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
The recent implementation of the Level System within the New Mexico Corrections Department requires that inmates who cannot be managed in general population, or cannot function in general population due to criteria established by policy, will be separated from the general population. Management of such inmates will be based upon behaviorally based step programs, in which increased privileges are granted for inmates who demonstrate appropriate behavior for a specified period of time.
History
Opened in 1885, the New Mexico Penitentiary had been authorized by Congress since 1853. The design was based on the same plans used for Sing SingSing Sing
Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services in the town of Ossining, New York...
and Joliet.
The first prison industry produced bricks Beginning in 1903, New Mexico became the first western
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
state to employ prisoners in building highways.
On 19 July 1922, prisoners at the pen rioted against overcrowding, the poor food, and the use of excessive force by the prison authorities. When the inmates refused to return to their cells, the tower guards opened fire, killing one inmate and injuring five others. In the report following the riot, the prison authorities were blamed for lack of experience, and failure to understand how to control a prison population.
The second riot was 15 June 1953. Inmates protesting the use of excessive force seized Deputy Warden Ralph Tahash and twelve guards and held them hostage. In the resulting melee, guards killed two inmates and wounded a number of others. This second riot led to the abandonment of the original facility as a prison and the construction in 1956 of what came to be called "the main unit".
In 1980 "the main unit" was the scene of one of the most violent prison riot
New Mexico State Penitentiary Riot
The New Mexico Penitentiary Riot, which took place on February 2 and 3, 1980, in the state's maximum security prison south of Santa Fe, was one of the most violent prison riots in the history of the American correctional system: 33 inmates died and more than 200 inmates were treated for injuries...
s in the correctional history of America. Over two days 33 inmates were killed and 12 officers were held hostage by prisoners who had escaped from cell blocks in the main unit. "The main unit" was closed in 1998 and is now called the "Old Pen".
Systemic reforms after the riot and the Duran v. King consent decree, including implementation of the Bureau Classification System under Cabinet Secretary Joe Williams, led to the modern New Mexico prison system.
External links
- Penitentiary of New Mexico, Santa Fe - New Mexico Corrections Department