Even in a system known for its brutality, what New York State prison guards did to Robert L. Brooks and Messiah Nantwi stood out.
Both men were handcuffed before guards beat them viciously, leaving them unable to defend themselves or even shield their faces as the blows rained down. Both died soon after being attacked, victims not of justified force but, essentially, of torture.

The killings caused a brief reckoning this year within the walled-off world of New York’s prisons, resulting in criminal charges against 20 of the officers involved and sending officials scrambling to try to portray the episodes as unacceptable aberrations.

But a New York Times investigation has found that state prison guards have been credibly accused of engaging in such behavior — putting inmates in restraints and then assaulting them — far more often than was previously known.

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Across the prison system, the rate at which staff members have used force against inmates has been climbing steadily for the past decade.