Photo credit: Yuryz | Dreamstime

In a shaking moment for correctional officers, every one of Florida's whopping 97,000 inmates are on lockdown in every correctional facility across the state.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Florida State Prison and all Florida prisons on lockdown <a href="https://twitter.com/ActionNewsJax">@ActionNewsJax</a> <a href="https://t.co/XaCBylGfwD">pic.twitter.com/XaCBylGfwD</a></p>— Bridgette Matter (@bridgetteANjax) <a href="https://twitter.com/bridgetteANjax/status/898262757052751873">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Not only has the Florida Department of Corrections locked down institutions amidst the threats of violent uprisings and attacks on staff, but they've also canceled every visit with family members and prisoners for the remainder of the weekend statewide.

All 50 major institutions in Florida received notice of threats of potential violence as rumors from credible intelligence have surfaced that there would be widespread prison riots in the state facilities.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Lockdown: Florida's 97,000 prison inmates confined through weekend <a href="https://t.co/zsXn2m1Pfx">https://t.co/zsXn2m1Pfx</a></p>— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) <a href="https://twitter.com/TB_Times/status/898269713066741761">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Not just the prisons, but annexes, work camps, rehabilitation and reentry centers are also affected by the lockdown.

There was no indication as of yet that any other restrictions had been instituted. Supporting that claim, a spokeswoman said specifically that no other "basic privileges'' would be affected.

All educational, vocational, rehabilitation, ministry and recreation programs have also been canceled until further notice from the Department of Corrections.

During this widespread lockdown all inmates in every facility are to be confined to their dorms, except at mealtime, FDC officials confirmed.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Florida’s Entire Prison System on Lockdown, Threats of Prisoners Uprising <a href="https://t.co/25PGgbLGw1">https://t.co/25PGgbLGw1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/3lectric5heep">@3lectric5heep</a></p>— Trump Texas (@3lectric5heep) <a href="https://twitter.com/3lectric5heep/status/898302932977819650">August 17, 2017</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The agency has not said specifically what types of threats or intelligence on possible violence at any specific location led to the lockdown, other than that the department had received "credible intelligence that "small groups of inmates were planning to cause disturbances.

"Everything we are doing is based on the safety of the institutions, the staff and the inmates,'' said Michelle Glady, FDC spokeswoman.

Many activists on social media have been advertising the "Millions for Prisoners' Human Rights" rallies on this upcoming Saturday in Washington, but it's not clear who is financing or spearheading the movement.

Those rallies seemingly advertise the effort as a way to raise awareness about the mass incarceration and human rights violations in various prisons across the country, not pinpointing any specific state or facility.

Glady said that the department's intelligence division has received credible information that the disturbances could be timed to coincide with the march, in such an attempt to make waves in the media headlines.

Florida inmates specifically, including their families and civil rights groups have long protested the state's prison conditions which are considered barbaric at best by some and medieval by others.

Over the past year alone, state Representative David Richardson, who is a Miami Beach Democrat, has made several unannounced visits into the Florida prisons and found inmates, especially in the restrictive status known as solitary confinement, without basic necessities, such as toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, pillows, sheets, shirts and soap.

Representative Richardson said on Thursday that he had been briefed on the current prison security precautions, but he would not go into details as to whether officials told him why all the prisons were on lockdown or for how long.

Prison violence has increased nationwide, especially amongst those in gangs which make up a large percentage of prisoners in southern and oceanic regions die to illegal immigration and is currently at an all-time high.

Corrections officers have been stabbed and beaten, and sometimes killed, as well as prisoner fatalities in clashes between competing gangs over the past year at a record pace.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections employment and staffing in their facilities is now being stretched so thin that limits have already been placed on educational and vocational programming at many prisons, often times due to the dangers involved versus the low pay that many aren't willing to take the job.

Florida has the nation's third largest prison industrial system, behind California and Texas.

The Florida Department of Corrections has a whopping 148 facilities statewide, including 50 major institutions, 17 annexes, seven private facilities, 35 work camps, three re-entry centers, two road prisons, one forestry camp and one boot camp. It has a budget of $2.4 billion, and more staff than any other state agency.

In attempts to recruit more officers for their facilities, state lawmakers recently approved the first pay raise in a dozen years and the agency is offering signing bonuses for new officers at institutions with serious staff shortages.

According to officials last year there were violent outbursts at several Florida Panhandle prisons in advance of a nationwide prison strike scheduled on September 9th, which was the 45th anniversary of the deadly riot at Attica prison in New York.

There were no serious injuries or fatalities last year during the scheduled protests, but three prisons were locked down amidst credible violence.

One rebellion which occurred at Holmes Correctional Institution, involved more than 400 inmates and caused damage to nearly every dorm inside the facility.

Glady said many of the prisons in the state's Panhandle have been preparing for any such possibilities of violence inside their gates, which is one reason they've been put on lockdown.

She also said most of prisoners are allowed to make phone calls during this time and all of them are permitted to shower and go to chow hall to eat.

Only Franklin Correctional Institution, in Franklin County, is on full lockdown, where inmates are not receiving any privileges whatsoever and will be served meals inside of their cells.

According to Glady that's because of a more serious security concern, which she would not detail.

—<i>[email protected]</i>

<i>On Twitter:</i>

<a href="https://www.twitter.com/IWillRedPillYou">@IWillRedPillYou</a>

Tips? Info? Send me a message!