Trusty system (prison) | In the trusty system, some prisoners were given more power than others

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022

The trusty system was a system that Mississippi State Penitentiary and other prisons used to control prisoners. In the trusty system, some prisoners were given more power than others. These trusties guarded the other prisoners.

The trusty system worked out well for prison officials because they did not have to pay civilian (non-prisoner) guards to control the prisoners. However, the trusties kept the other prisoners under control through physical abuse, torture, fear, and humiliation. Finally, in 1974, a federal court ruled that the trusty system, and the whole prison, were violating the United States Constitution by giving out cruel and unusual punishments. This ruling ordered the trusty system to be shut down.

Questions and Answers

Q: What was the Trusty System?

A: The Trusty System was a system used by Mississippi State Penitentiary and other prisons to control prisoners, in which some inmates were given more power than others and acted as guards for the other prisoners.

Q: How did the trusties maintain control over the other prisoners?

A: The trusties kept the other prisoners under control through physical abuse, torture, fear and humiliation.

Q: When did a federal court rule that the trusty system violated the United States Constitution?

A: In 1974, a federal court ruled that the trusty system violated the United States Constitution by giving out cruel and unusual punishments, ordering it to be shut down.