Living in a prison community can be rewarding in the sense that it often provides good-paying jobs to the people in the area. But, on the other hand, there's always the lingering fear that a prisoner may escape or that there could be a riot. No matter how secure a prison is, there is always a chance that something bad can happen. That is especially true when you live near a maximum-security facility that houses the most dangerous criminals in the state. In New York, there are 15 correctional facilities that are deemed maximum security. These prisons are generally where the worst of the worst are housed. According to Cambridge Dictionary, a maximum-security prison is

a type of prison where prisoners have the least amount of freedom because they are considered dangerous and are not trusted not to escape.

Here are New York State's maximum security prisons:

1. Attica Correctional Facility
Located in Wyoming County, Attica houses male prisoners.

Attica is widely known as the scene of a deadly riot that occurred in September 1971, resulting in the death of 11 staff and 32 inmates.

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2. Auburn Correctional Facility
Auburn is located in Cayuga County. It is a male-only facility.

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3. Bedford Hills Correctional Facility
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison located in Westchester County.

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4. Clinton Correctional Facility
Clinton Correctional Facility is located in Clinton County and has a male-only population.

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5. Coxsackie Correctional Facility
Located in Greene County, Coxsackie Correctional Facility houses male incarcerated individuals.

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6. Eastern NY Correctional Facility
Eastern NY Correctional Facility is a men's maximum security prison in Ulster County.

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7. Elmira Correctional Facility
Elmira Correctional Facility is located in Chemung County. It is a male-only facility.

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8. Five Points Correctional Facility
Five Points Correctional Facility houses male prisoners. It's located in Seneca County.

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9. Great Meadow Correctional Facility
Located in Washington County, Great Meadow Correctional Facility is a men's facility.

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10. Green Haven Correctional Facility
Green Haven Correctional Facility is a facility for males only, located in Dutchess County.

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11. Shawangunk Correctional Facility
Located in Ulster County, Shawangunk Correctional Facility houses men.

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12. Sing Sing Correctional Facility
Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum security level facility for males located in Westchester County.

The facility has a history of housing both men and women, having the first correctional library with books other than bibles, construction of the “Death House” for executions of both men and women, professional
baseball games played at the prison, several escapes and riots, and numerous programs implemented for
the welfare of the inmates housed at Sing Sing.

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13. Sullivan Correctional Facility
Sullivan Correctional Facility is located in Sullivan County. The population is male.

The SDU has been established to assist the hearing and/or visually impaired inmate to function at his
maximum capability in a “mainstream prison setting.

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14. Upstate Correctional Facility
Located in Franklin County, Upstate Correctional Facility houses male prisoners.

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15. Wende Correctional Facility
Wende Correctional Facility is located in Erie County with a male-only population.

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According to the Prison Policy Initiative,

New York has an incarceration rate of 376 per 100,000 people (including prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities), meaning that it locks up a higher percentage of its people than almost any democracy on earth.

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These 10 New York State Prisons Had The Most Assaults On Staff

Top 5 Worst, Most Problematic Prisons in New York

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.

Gallery Credit: Yasmin Young

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