On 50th anniversary, former prisoners, activists recall when inmates ran prison without incident during guard strike
The topic proved painful, even explosive.
In fall of 1972, inmates at the state prison in Walpole, Massachusetts, peacefully organized themselves into a labor union called the National Prisoners Reform Association. The following March guards went on strike, and NPRA members were given full responsibility for internal operations — including cooking, cleaning, and new prisoner intake. . .