Saying the institution is notorious for the incidents of extreme violence that take place within its walls, sources confirmed Wednesday that the Marion County Correctional Center is home to Floridas most dangerous and hardened population of prison guards. Officials from the states Department of Corrections told reporters that the maximum-security facility is occupied by its cruelest and longest-serving officers, men with documented histories of ruthlessness, uncontrollable bouts of rage, and an apparent inability to feel empathy of any kind. The guards in here are some of the most disturbed individuals you will find in the American penal system, said warden James Uphorn, remarking that the hostile behavior of employees under his administration has created an atmosphere of fear and unpredictable retribution throughout the prison. Many of them carry out frightening acts of brutality for no reason whatsoever, feeling no remorse over the heinous offenses they commit and often going back to their daily routines as though nothing has happened. Its almost as if they enjoy inflicting pain on others, he continued. Some guards have never learned any sort of restraint, and so they dont hesitate to take out their frustrations on anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path. I shudder to think what kind of damage they cause when they walk out of here and attempt to interact with civilized society. According to the warden, these intimidating, hostile corrections officers roam the corridors of the Marion County facility with impunity, often exploding into terrifying outbursts in response to perceived slights as minor as someone speaking to them in a disrespectful tone or making eye contact with them in a way that is interpreted as a threat to their standing within the prison community. Uphorn described numerous incidents in which a furious guard has lashed out against a helpless inmate after little or no provocation, ganged up with others against a prisoner within the confines of his cell and beaten him so badly he requires medical attention, and repeatedly targeted an arbitrarily chosen individual over the course of several months or years, assaulting him until he becomes deeply traumatized and withdrawn. Though the guards actions are severe and have even proven lethal at times, Uphorn explained that the violence is rarely reported, as victims know that doing so will only lead to vicious reprisals. A lot of corrections officers arrive at this facility with undiagnosed mental problems and unresolved anger issues, and I worry the time they spend in here only worsens their behavior, said Uphorn, noting that emotionally stunted guards tend to suffer from the negative influence of the similarly unstable officers around them. Some of them have been in here for decades, and this cycle of constant abuse is all they know. I shudder to think what kind of damage they cause when they walk out of here and attempt to interact with civilized society. But a penitentiary is exactly where these types of people belong, he added. Can you imagine these guys out patrolling the streets? 