Inquiry Into Jail Break and Riot Incidents at Department of Correction Facilities

Two visitor conspirators and a construction design flaw at Elmwood enabled the July escape. The construction defect has been corrected and visitor procedures have been modified to prevent a similar incident. At the main jail, a problem with the guards’ doorway access from the cell common area to the prisoners’ sundeck recreational area contributed to a delay in the guards gaining access to control the situation. This delay escalated the seriousness of the riot incident. Defeated or inoperable cell door locking mechanisms may have contributed to the mixing of the prisoners and the fight in the common area in front of the cells. This event probably would not have gotten out of control had the guards been able to gain quick access to the sun deck recreational area. Bruce E. Capron Foreperson Norman N. Abrahams, DDS Foreperson Pro Tem Joyce S. Byrne Secretary