Cummins Unit

The Cummins Unit is a maximum-security prison located near Grady (Lincoln County), Arkansas. It was established in 1923 as the state penitentiary and has been operated by the Arkansas Department of Corrections since then. The facility gained notoriety for its harsh conditions, including the use of chain gangs, inadequate healthcare, and systemic abuse, which led to legal challenges such as the landmark 1974 Supreme Court case *Gates v. Collier*, which abolished the trusty system.

The prison has a history of housing death row inmates and executing individuals by lethal injection from 1982 onward. Notable inmates include serial killers and other violent offenders, many of whom were executed at the facility. The Cummins Unit also played a significant role in the work of ethnographer Bruce Jackson, who documented life inside the prison through photographs and research on African-American work songs.

The facility has faced criticism for its treatment of prisoners over the years, including allegations of poor living conditions and human rights abuses. Despite reforms, it remains a controversial institution associated with Arkansas's penal history.