1.Chaos Behind Bars: Violence Erupts at Miami’s Low-Security Prison

Panic ensued at the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami (FCI-Miami) this past weekend as a violent brawl left four inmates injured and the entire facility on lockdown. According to sources who spoke to NBC6, the bloody clash unfolded Saturday afternoon inside one of the housing units, with at least two prisoners suffering puncture wounds amid the turmoil.

The troubling incident represents just the latest in a series of issues plaguing FCI-Miami in recent years, despite its designation as a low-security facility housing around 700 inmates just west of the world-famous Zoo Miami.

A Harsh Reality

While more dangerous criminals are meant to be housed at higher-security prisons like penitentiaries, those familiar with the situation at FCI-Miami claim the guidelines aren’t always being followed – a dangerous lapse that can lead to explosive confrontations.

“We’ve seen stuff like this before, unfortunately,” shared Jose Rojas, a retired federal correctional officer who spent 28 years on the job before his recent retirement. “Just back in April 2023, there was a full-blown riot in the exercise yard. These kinds of incidents keep occurring.”

Troubling Inmate Mix

Rojas, who previously led the local union and still consults with current staffers, believes one of the key drivers of violence is the presence of medium- and high-risk inmates housed at the supposedly low-security FCI-Miami.

“You’ve got some real hard cases mixed in with the low-level guys here,” Rojas explained. “They absolutely should be in far more secure facilities based on their classifications and histories. But instead, they end up in a low-security camp like this one that simply doesn’t have the staffing levels to properly control and separate those different populations.”

A Paradoxical Program

Part of the reason for the troubling combination of security risks, correctional officers have long complained, is FCI-Miami’s unique role housing the nation’s only drug treatment program tailored specifically for Spanish-speaking male inmates.

“These guys have a legal right to that program,” Rojas notes. “But the catch is, once they complete it, they tend to just get reassigned to the general population here rather than getting shipped out somewhere else. So you end up with a real mismatch of inmates who simply don’t belong in a low-security environment like this one.”

While a whistleblower complaint raising similar concerns about the drug program was filed back in 2018, an internal Department of Justice investigation ultimately deemed the claims unsubstantiated.

Lingering Dangers

Even so, Rojas and at least one other current FCI-Miami officer insist the core issue persists: The presence of gang members and inmates serving decades-long or life sentences creates a volatile, predatory atmosphere ill-suited for a low-security operation.

“At a real low-security joint, you’re basically talking about guys with just a few years left on their bit,” Rojas explains. “They’re on their best behavior, trying to keep their noses clean before getting back out on the streets. But when you have lifers, gang bangers with 20-plus-year stretches, they try to run the whole show. It creates a really tense, predatory situation that this place just isn’t equipped to properly handle.”

The retired officer expressed relief that Saturday’s brawl didn’t result in any staff injuries, though he fears such violence against correctional officers is inevitable given the current climate.

“I’m just thankful none of our officers got hurt this time around,” Rojas said. “But that’s my biggest worry – one of our guys getting seriously injured because they’re simply not appropriately staffed or prepared to be managing that combination of low- and high-risk inmates. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

Lockdown Life

In the aftermath of Saturday’s melee, conflicting reports have emerged about the extent of the lockdown measures currently in place at FCI-Miami as the investigation proceeds.

Some inmates reportedly face harsh restrictions, with all visitation privileges, commissary access, phone calls, and computer usage suspended. These prisoners remain confined to their cells around the clock except for being escorted to shower every three days.

Other accounts suggest a more limited lockdown protocol, though an unmistakable sense of tension undoubtedly blankets the facility following such an alarming eruption of violence.

One thing is clear: Saturday’s bloody brawl has once again cast a harsh spotlight on the paradoxical mix of security levels and inmate populations contained within FCI-Miami’s supposedly “low-security” walls. A potentially combustible combination that may require serious reevaluation to prevent the next tragic flare-up.

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