Top 7 Weapons Confiscated From Inmates In New York State Prisons

Violence in prisons is a reality. Even minimum security prisons and jails have their share of violent incidents. Even though inmates are not permitted to have weapons, they manage to get their hands on them one way or another. Sometimes they are smuggled in by visitors, sometimes they are stolen, and sometimes they are handmade by prisoners. Regardless of where they originate, weapons in prisons can cause serious harm or death.

Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash

2021's Top 9 Deadliest Prisons With The Most Deaths In New York State

Before we get to the most popular weapons confiscated from incarcerated individuals in New York prisons, let's take a look at the deadliest prisons in the state.

The New York State Department of Corrections released a report of how many incarcerated individuals have died in its facilities for the year.

Over the past ten years, there have been a total of 1,360 inmate deaths at state-run facilities. These deaths include all facilities - maximum, medium, and minimum security prisons, as well as Regional Medical Units.

The facilities with the most deaths in 2021 were the four medical units - Coxsackie RMU, Fishkill RMU, Walsh RMU, and Wende RMU. A total of 48 inmates died at these facilities with 47 being classified as natural deaths and 1 classified as unknown. For the purposes of this list, the medical units are not included in the top 9 prisons.

4. (Tie) Mid-State Correctional Facility (Medium) - 4 Deaths

Google Maps

Natural - 3
Suicide - 1

4. (Tie) Fishkill Correctional Facility (Medium) - 4 Deaths

Google Maps

Accident - 1
Natural - 3

4. (Tie) Coxsackie Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 4 Deaths

Google Maps

Natural - 3
Suicide - 1

4. (Tie) Sing Sing Correctional Facility, formerly Ossining Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 4 Deaths

Google Maps

Natural - 1
Suicide - 2
Unknown - 1

3. (Tie) Green Haven Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 6 Deaths

Google Maps

Accident - 3
Natural - 2
Unknown - 1

3. (Tie) Five Points Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 6 Deaths

Google Maps

Natural - 3
Suicide - 3

3. (Tie) Attica Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 6 Deaths

Google Maps

Accident - 1
Natural - 4
Unknown - 1

2. Clinton Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 7 Deaths

Getty Images

Accident - 3
Natural - 3
Unknown - 1

1. Elmira Correctional Facility (Maximum) - 9 Deaths

Google Maps

Natural - 2
Suicide - 6
Unknown - 1

If the classifications of manners of death are accurate, surprisingly, there may not have been any intentional homicide deaths in 2021. There were 5 "unknown" manners of death, which could potentially have been murders.

These Are The Top 7 Weapons Seized From Inmates In New York State Prisons

When it comes to weapons found on prisoners in 2021 (the most recent data provided by the DOCCS), there was no shortage, especially when it comes to cutting weapons.

7. Can Lid - 140 Confiscated in 2021

Photo by Ian Talmacs on Unsplash

6. Scalpel/Exacto Blade - 167 Confiscated in 2021

Photo by Matias Luge on Unsplash

5. Razor Blade - 262 Confiscated in 2021

Photo by Максим Рыжкин on Unsplash

4. Toothbrush - 292 Confiscated in 2021

Photo by Marcos Ramírez on Unsplash

3. Ice Pick - 337 Confiscated in 2021

Photo by Vince Veras on Unsplash

2. Cutting Instrument - 338 Confiscated in 2021

Photo by Matt Artz on Unsplash

1. Shank - 421 Confiscated in 2021

Photo by Vaughan Willis on Unsplash

For clarification purposes, usually, toothbrushes are filed down to have a point or have some razor or sharp object attached to them. A shank is a makeshift cutting instrument, so it could be anything from a knife to a piece of a broken bottle.

Am I the only one who finds it pretty disturbing that so many ice picks found their way into prisons???

Get our free mobile app

These 7 Prisons Are The Most Violent In New York State

New York released a report with the most recent number of violent assaults on inmates in state prisons. There were 134 inmate deaths noted in the report, although it doesn't break down the prisons where each death occurred or who caused them. Here's a look at some of the general violent incidents reported for 2020, which is the most recent data reported by the state. Compared to 10 years ago, inmate assaults have almost doubled. In 2011 there were 666 and in 2020 there were 1,205 reported. These numbers do not include inmate assaults on staff members. Overall, the number of unusual incidents includes things like assaults, deaths, accidents, sexual misconduct, and disruptive behavior. According to the state,

"The number of unusual incidents has increased 132% from 5,980 in 2011 to 13,870 in 2020. These higher incident numbers were largely due to increases in assaults on incarcerated individuals (+81%), assaults on staff (+86%), contraband (+130%), disruptive behavior (+372%), and staff use of weapons (+1,035%)."

In 2020, 1,836 weapons used to cut or stab, including ice picks, razor blades, can lids and shanks were discovered in state prisons around New York.