41 years ago, the Attica Uprising came to an end when Governor Rockefeller (the same governor whose excessive drug laws would increase mass incarceration at astounding rates in NY) ordered State Troopers into the prison to kill and humiliate prisoners and the hostages, thereby ending three days of negotiations. Why many may say that it is wrong to suggest that the prisoners did something that was commendable by taking over the prison in the first place, I think it is important to remind folks of the facts. This is in no way to be anti-government and pro-crime, but to remind us that those we call criminals can be organized, intelligent, even ethical, and still deserve to this day basic rights even while imprisoned. While it is 2012 and 41 years later, we can still learn a lot from those days at Attica in 1971.
You can check out a comprehensive primer of the Attica uprising here. It provides a timeline of events, negotiation details that includes the manifesto, practical proposal, and declaration to the people of America. It also contains testimonies and poetry from prisoners, sample activities for youth, and list of resources.
The Documentary links below provide a good overview of the four days.
20 Minute Documentary of the Uprising
Attica: 40 Years Later
Muhammad Ali Attica Poem (Amazing)