▁to ▁the ▁prison . ▁The ▁prison ▁became ▁dangerous ▁and ▁failed ▁several ▁assess ments ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁the ▁cart el ▁in m ates , ▁with ▁the ▁last ▁assess ment ▁before ▁the ▁ri ots ▁de em ing ▁it ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁govern ance ▁and ▁an ▁und erm ined ▁security . ▁The ▁prison ▁is ▁section ed ▁so ▁that ▁members ▁of ▁different ▁organizations , ▁and ▁those ▁una ff ili ated , ▁are ▁separated . ▁However , ▁when ▁rep or ters ▁from ▁El ▁Universal ▁visited ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁authorities ▁reported ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁infrastr ucture ▁to ▁operate ▁the ▁prison ▁optim ally . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁prison ▁was ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁a ▁high - profile ▁escape ▁that ▁fre ed ▁ 5 3 ▁in m ates ; ▁a ▁state ▁official , ▁speaking ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁said ▁that ▁steps ▁had ▁been ▁taken ▁to ▁improve ▁security ▁after ▁that ▁event . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁plan ▁to ▁cause ▁a ▁ri ot ▁on ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁E ve ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁to ▁allow ▁another ▁escape , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁un cover ed ▁and ▁prevent ed . ▁ ▁Ri ots ▁ ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁E ve ▁ri ot ▁▁ ▁The ▁ri ot ▁broke ▁out ▁at ▁ 2 : 3 0 ▁pm ▁local ▁time ▁( 2 0 : 3 0 ▁G MT ) ▁and ▁last ed ▁until ▁about ▁ 5 ▁pm ▁local ▁time . ▁In m ates ▁used ▁weapons ▁including ▁kn ives