A bombshell investigation found that guards at a Mississippi jail have been using inmates as enforcers, encouraging them to help carry out violent assaults against fellow prisoners.
The investigation, conducted by Mississippi Today and the New York Times, centers around jail culture in Rankin County, where dozens of former inmates and guards said violence was routine and often occurred in blind spots where cameras couldn’t record. According to the informants, guards regularly ordered a group of trusted inmates, known as trusties, to beat others for minor infractions such as talking back or possessing contraband.
Former trusties said they were expected to “back up” guards during confrontations or attack other inmates so guards wouldn’t have to. In return, the group would receive special privileges, including unlocked cells, freer movement, outside work, food, and cigarettes. The most senior trusties, identifiable by blue jumpsuits, were known inside the jail as the “Blue Wave,” according to the investigation…