I am finally reading this. My heart sank and I felt like you were in my head when you explained the vacuum feeling! I can relate to much of what you wrote and how these moments your son has spent in solitary has made you feel. I'm right there with you, sending you strength and a big mama bear hug! Hearing about my son last month spending 9 hrs on a bathroom floor in a medical gown, asking for help (medical observation) because he felt he was going to "loose" it... sitting and waiting for a meal to be brought, only to be told we can't feed you anything while your sitting there on the bathroom floor. Making no temporary accommodations for him to eat breakfast and lunch else where, while he "waits" for a medical observation room to become available on a cold bathroom shower floor. He requested a psa - another inmate whose job is to be with someone who requests it while having mental health crisis. No one ever came. He had a psych visit him, speaking thru thr crack of the door, with all the inmates from gp in the hole, surrounding him, who could hear every word the psych said, including his name and why he was there, what meds he was on. Think violation of HIPPA laws?! Hmmm. File a grievance?! It will never get action. It is beyond disgusting, exhausting and draining to hear and see what our sons endure, feeling helpless - to a point. Until us mama bears decide to attempt to help... yet most times get no where. Again, my heart goes out to you and your son. Thanks again for sharing!
Omg, the psych taking through the crack in the door is INSANITY. I wanted to scream reading that becuz I have seen it, I know that's exactly what they do. It's a complete violation of all erhics and every oath in our profession. And it goes on every day.
I'm sick for you and your son. This is not okay. I'm sending you a huge hug and prayers and vibes up for him. God, bring them home.
I think solitary increases profitability by reducing management costs. I recently learned that for-profit prisons are not required to keep statistics regarding prison conditions and they do not have to respond to Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests. This has been in the news lately as journalists try to report the immigration story. The incarceration of “immigrants” is revealing the lack of transparency in the prison system. I think prison records should be public records, even if the prison is a private for-profit enterprise. The public should have real time access to prison management statistics.
100%. I have been able to FOIA some things but it took seven months of tenacity and lots of money out of pocket to get documents that were full of redactions. They simply do not want us to know what's going on in there. It is shocking that statistics on solitary and deaths in confinement aren't tracked nor made public!
My sister was in solitary for almost a year "for her own protection" because she's autistic and other inmates would get frustrated with her lack of communication skills. And she was only incarcerated for a non-violent misdemeanor: failure to comply with court ordered counseling in the appropriate amount of time. The system is beyond broken.
It seems like solitary confinement, while occasionally an appropriate penalty for severe violations, results in the complete opposite of reform. There are multiple other ways a prison system can respond to infractions that will result in better behavior moving forward. And some of the reasons for putting an inmate in solitary confinement are severely unfair. Thanks for bringing this to light. It really makes you think.
Yes! In thinking about all of this, I have come to see that prisons and prison employees use it simply because it is an option. When you take away this ‘tool’ (a hammer, for instance), you can see other options to descalation and treatment. Any prison that reduces solitary policies has seen reductions in violence. We use it because it's there. If we take it away as a first line of behavior treatment, we'll see better outcomes. It's not as ‘easy’ in the short term but waaaay more rational, safe, and cost effective in the long run. 🖤
You'd think prison system leaders and legislators would pay attention to the facts and stats and move away from something that isn't working. Your work in this field may open someone's eyes. Keep at it!
Thanks for breaking down the finer points of solitary confinement. It really is easy to gloss over the various forms of discipline in prison unless you know the decisions that go into assignment them. The zoological comparison really makes you think. Humans deserve AT LEAST the same considerations.
There is nothing I can say. But I want you to know I am reading everything in your posts. Informing and bringing awareness is always the first step. Sending you love, my friend. 🤍
I am with you in spirit and prayer every single day. I wish I were still able to do more but I preach about injustice and the folly of all our 'corrections' systems often and with passion. Godspeed.
I am finally reading this. My heart sank and I felt like you were in my head when you explained the vacuum feeling! I can relate to much of what you wrote and how these moments your son has spent in solitary has made you feel. I'm right there with you, sending you strength and a big mama bear hug! Hearing about my son last month spending 9 hrs on a bathroom floor in a medical gown, asking for help (medical observation) because he felt he was going to "loose" it... sitting and waiting for a meal to be brought, only to be told we can't feed you anything while your sitting there on the bathroom floor. Making no temporary accommodations for him to eat breakfast and lunch else where, while he "waits" for a medical observation room to become available on a cold bathroom shower floor. He requested a psa - another inmate whose job is to be with someone who requests it while having mental health crisis. No one ever came. He had a psych visit him, speaking thru thr crack of the door, with all the inmates from gp in the hole, surrounding him, who could hear every word the psych said, including his name and why he was there, what meds he was on. Think violation of HIPPA laws?! Hmmm. File a grievance?! It will never get action. It is beyond disgusting, exhausting and draining to hear and see what our sons endure, feeling helpless - to a point. Until us mama bears decide to attempt to help... yet most times get no where. Again, my heart goes out to you and your son. Thanks again for sharing!
Omg, the psych taking through the crack in the door is INSANITY. I wanted to scream reading that becuz I have seen it, I know that's exactly what they do. It's a complete violation of all erhics and every oath in our profession. And it goes on every day.
I'm sick for you and your son. This is not okay. I'm sending you a huge hug and prayers and vibes up for him. God, bring them home.
Thank you for sharing you story, Bridget!
Thank you for being here with me. 🖤
I think solitary increases profitability by reducing management costs. I recently learned that for-profit prisons are not required to keep statistics regarding prison conditions and they do not have to respond to Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests. This has been in the news lately as journalists try to report the immigration story. The incarceration of “immigrants” is revealing the lack of transparency in the prison system. I think prison records should be public records, even if the prison is a private for-profit enterprise. The public should have real time access to prison management statistics.
100%. I have been able to FOIA some things but it took seven months of tenacity and lots of money out of pocket to get documents that were full of redactions. They simply do not want us to know what's going on in there. It is shocking that statistics on solitary and deaths in confinement aren't tracked nor made public!
My sister was in solitary for almost a year "for her own protection" because she's autistic and other inmates would get frustrated with her lack of communication skills. And she was only incarcerated for a non-violent misdemeanor: failure to comply with court ordered counseling in the appropriate amount of time. The system is beyond broken.
It seems like solitary confinement, while occasionally an appropriate penalty for severe violations, results in the complete opposite of reform. There are multiple other ways a prison system can respond to infractions that will result in better behavior moving forward. And some of the reasons for putting an inmate in solitary confinement are severely unfair. Thanks for bringing this to light. It really makes you think.
Yes! In thinking about all of this, I have come to see that prisons and prison employees use it simply because it is an option. When you take away this ‘tool’ (a hammer, for instance), you can see other options to descalation and treatment. Any prison that reduces solitary policies has seen reductions in violence. We use it because it's there. If we take it away as a first line of behavior treatment, we'll see better outcomes. It's not as ‘easy’ in the short term but waaaay more rational, safe, and cost effective in the long run. 🖤
You'd think prison system leaders and legislators would pay attention to the facts and stats and move away from something that isn't working. Your work in this field may open someone's eyes. Keep at it!
You would think!! ;)
Thanks for breaking down the finer points of solitary confinement. It really is easy to gloss over the various forms of discipline in prison unless you know the decisions that go into assignment them. The zoological comparison really makes you think. Humans deserve AT LEAST the same considerations.
Shocking, right?! We definitely treat animals better.
There is nothing I can say. But I want you to know I am reading everything in your posts. Informing and bringing awareness is always the first step. Sending you love, my friend. 🤍
After a very long week and a lot of self doubt, this comment meant more than you know. 🖤
I am with you in spirit and prayer every single day. I wish I were still able to do more but I preach about injustice and the folly of all our 'corrections' systems often and with passion. Godspeed.
I am grateful for every thought and every prayer and everyone who talks about these issues at all. Thank you for caring and for being here with us. 🖤