Rahway State Prison

Rahway State Prison is the former and still most commonly used name for the East Jersey State Prison, a prison facility of the state of New Jersey's Department of Corrections.

Related Topics:
Prison - New Jersey

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The prison is actually located in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. However, because it is located less than a half-mile from the town of Rahway, it was originally named after that town. The name was changed in 1988 at the request of the citizens of Rahway.

Related Topics:
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey - Rahway - 1988

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The prison is perhaps best known nationally for the fact that three high-profile professional boxers were at one time incarcerated there. The most famous of these men was former middleweight contender Rubin Carter, featured in the 1999 movie The Hurricane, but the best was probably Dwight Muhammad Qawi, who became a two-time world champion after leaving Rahway. A contemporary of Qawi, James Scott, was a title contender of the same era who fought many times inside the prison itself, including a fight against Qawi in 1981.

Related Topics:
Boxers - Rubin Carter - 1999 - The Hurricane - Dwight Muhammad Qawi - James Scott - 1981

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On November 24, 1971, a riot took place at the prison that resulted in several deaths and injuries to both inmates and prison personnel.

Related Topics:
November 24 - 1971

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As of May 2003, the prison holds 2,099 inmates in maximum, medium and minimum security sections.

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