Controlling the Narrative

Thompson dedicates this book to not only a retelling of the story of Attica but to its legacy, and one of the most poignant lessons to be learned from Attica is the importance of controlling the narrative. From the first moments after the violent retaking of the prison, the state mobilized a massive public relations campaign to control what the public and the victims could decipher about the situation. Recognizing that the state would be held accountable, state officials from correction officers to Governor Rockefeller launched an offensive against the public’s image of Attica’s inmates. The first official statement made by the state after the retaking of the prison revealed information that would define the course of the investigation; the Department of Correctional Services’ public relations director told press that the slain hostages had their throats slit, and thus were killed by prisoners. Reports...