A federal judge wants to know why 131 inmates with mental illnesses remain in solitary confinement

[TexasTowelie]

A federal judge has ordered the Alabama Department of Corrections to provide an update on why 131 prisoners with serious mental illnesses remain in solitary confinement even after a court order last year ordered the prison system to move them out of segregation when possible.

The request for information from Federal District Judge Myron Thompson on the 131 inmates comes after Thompson last week ordered the Department of Corrections to act on 21 other inmates who were being kept in solitary confinement for a significant amount of time. Thompson ordered ADOC to either take the inmates out of confinement or provide an update by last week.

ADOC complied with that order.

Last summer, Thompson ruled that Alabama prison mental health care was “horrendously” and constitutionally “inadequate.” One portion of his 300-page opinion found that ADOC kept inmates with serious mental illnesses in solitary confinement for far too long. Confinement has been shown to worsen mental illness and safety.

He found that they were left in segregation for weeks, often without even being able to see corrections officers for sometimes days. Without any contact, they received inadequate treatment.

Read more: http://www.alreporter.com/2018/02/13/federal-judge-wants-know-131-inmates-mental-illnesses-remain-solitary-confinement/

[mr_lebowski]

1. Solitary for more than very short stints is f***ing TORTURE and should be abolished

in all but the most extreme of cases ... perhaps like if you have an El Chapo on your hands where it's likely people WILL DIE if they're allowed to interact with the General Population ...

There also needs to be a better 'middle ground' for people that are there for 'protection' ... they should not be treated the same as people there for punishment, but they are in many cases. And it should NOT be completely up to Wardens (who are in some cases, just Corporate PINHEADS not even Gov't workers) to decide who goes 'in the can' and for how long. There needs to be a robust review process in place for ANY stays in solitary exceeding, say, 1 week.

This whole practice is deplorable ... and Obama to his credit responded and took some positive actions. Suffice to say once the Orange Shitgibbon hears about THAT he'll set about reversing it cause that's all he EVER does. It'll be SOLITARY FOR ALL!!!

[TheDebbieDee]

2. The solitary confinement may actually cause the mental illnees from which these inmates suffer...

However, plenty of people who are mentally ill become entangled in our justice system, as well.