There were 8,200 unusual incidents during January-December 1996. The rate of unusual incidents was 119.0 per 1,000 inmates. The rate of unusual incidents was highest in maximum-security facilities, with 212.1 incidents per 1,000 inmate population. Weapons were used by inmates in 34.3 percent of unusual incidents; weapons were most often used during inmate-on-inmate assaults. There were 330 inmate deaths in 1996. These included 7 homicides (4 occurred while inmates were in the community) and 13 suicides (1 death while the inmate was out to court). An additional 298 deaths were due to natural causes, and 11 deaths were due to accidents or other causes. There were 889 inmate assaults on staff in 1996. The annualized rate for maximum- security prisons was 28.7 incidents per 1,000 inmates; the rate for all facilities was 12.9. In 1996 there were 1,641 inmate-on- inmate assaults; the rate for all facilities was 23.8 incidents per 1,000 inmates. Most unusual incidents were resolved without injuries to staff. Of 21,415 staff persons listed in unusual incidents, 93.3 percent did not incur an injury. Staff persons used force in 13.2 percent of unusual incidents in 1996. Force was used most often in inmate-on-staff incidents. 10 tables, 10 figures, and appended description of the rate calculation method