NCJ Number
54280
Journal
Southern Exposure Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 32-38
Date Published
1978
Length
7 pages
Annotation
LOUISIANA'S PRISON FARM AT ANGOLA IS DISCUSSED, WITH EMPHASIS ON ITS HISTORY AND DOCUMENTED CHARGES OF INHUMANE TREATMENT AND OVERCROWDED, UNSANITARY, AND DEHUMANIZING LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS.
Abstract
ORIGINALLY A FAMILY PLANTATION, WITH AN ANTEBELLUM MANSION OVERLOOKING THE RIVER AND THE DELTA LAND ADJACENT TO BATON ROUGE, ANGOLA (A NAME DERIVED FROM A LATIN WORD FOR 'PLACE OF ANGUISH') WAS CREATED IN 1900 FOLLOWING THE PRISON CONTROL BOARD'S PURCHASE OF THE 8,000 ACRE PLANTATION. CONSISTING OF SEVERAL SMALL CAMPS BUILT WITH INMATE LABOR WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE PLANTATION COMPOUND, ANGOLA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SEVERE ABUSES, INCLUDING THE SANCTIONED USE OF FLOGGINGS, PUNISHMENT CAMPS, AND TORTURE. DURING THE ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR HUEY LONG, OFFICIAL BRUTALITY THRIVED AT THE PRISON FARM; INMATES WERE UNDERFED, BEATEN, AND TORTURED AND GUARD CAPTAINS HAVE ADMITTED TO SOME 10,000 FLOGGINGS BETWEEN 1928 AND 1940. THE BRUTAL PRACTICES AND POLICIES OF LONG'S APPOINTEES CONTINUED INTO THE 1950'S AND ONWARD WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND GUARDS RESISTING OUTSIDE ATTEMPTS AT REFORM. ALTHOUGH PUBLIC INQUIRIES INTO CONDITIONS AT ANGOLA RESULTED IN SOME EARLY PROGRESS, BY THE 1960'S SUCH REFORMS HAD TAILSPINNED AND THE LASH AND PUNISHMENT CAMPS WERE REPLACED WITH MORE MODERN FORMS OF BRUTALITY. HOWEVER, AFTER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT CLEARED THE WAY FOR PRISONERS TO BRING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR 'CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT,' FOUR ANGOLA PRISONERS FILED SUIT AGAINST THE STATE IN 1968. IN 1975, A FEDERAL JUDGE DECLARED THE CONDITIONS AT ANGOLA UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND PROHIBITED THE PRISON FROM ACCEPTING ANY NEW INMATES UNTIL THE POPULATION DECLINED. HE ORDERED THE STATE TO IMPROVE SECURITY, MEDICAL CARE, AND FOOD SERVICE AND TO DECENTRALIZE THE PENITENTIARY BY BUILDING FULL FACILITIES ELSEWHERE AS WELL AS AT ANGOLA. HE ALSO ORDERED THE STATE TO ELIMINATE FIRE, SANITATION, AND HEALTH HAZARDS AND TO DESEGREGATE THE PRISON. WHILE SOME CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED, ANGOLA REMAINS 'A SEWER OF DEGRADATION--PRIMITIVE, COERCIVE AND DEHUMANIZING.' PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)