Prison authorities expert witness Richard Lichten gives an inside view on the causes of jail and prison riots:
Some of the reasons inmates riot are power issues between races, revenge for an assault/killing on the streets, showing disrespect to others, stealing from each other, being ordered to riot by the prison gang leadership, and power over who controls the drugs and other contraband such as cell phones and cigarettes just to name a few. When I talk of disrespect, I’m not talking about forgetting to say please and thank you. I’m talking about failing to use the “right” toilet, walking through someone’s personal space, using the “wrong” telephone, not cleaning up your assigned space, speaking with someone of another race, not standing up for your own race and so on.