continuation of same report: 2 conditions that prisoners with SMI face while in solitalY confinement are harsh. They are routinely confined to their cells for 23 hours a day; denied adequate mental health care; and subjected to punitive behavior modification plans, forced idleness and loneliness, unsettling noise and stench, harassment by correctional officers, and the excessive use of full-body restraints. • The manner in which PDOC uses solitary confinement on prisoners with 8MI results in serious harm: PDOC uses isolation on prisoners with SMI in a way that exacerbates their mental illness and leads to serious psychological and physiological harms. Indeed, our expert-consultants interviewed and reviewed the records ofmore than two dozen prisoners whom they concluded were seriously harmed by solitm'y confinement in various ways, including severe mental deterioration, psychotic decompensation, and acts of self-harm. For instance, even though only a small fraction of the prisoners at the prisons we toured were housed in solitary confinement units, most ofthe suicide attempts occurred in those units. Specifically, more than 70% of the documented suicide attempts between January 1, 2012 and May 31,2013 occurred in the solitary confinement units. • Numerous systemic deficiencies contribute to PDOC's extensive use of solitary confinement on prisoners with 8M!: PDOC routinely resorts to using prolonged solitary confinement on those with SMI primarily because systemic deficiencies interfere with its ability to provide adequate mental health treahnent. When we initiated our investigation in May, prisoners with SMI were placed in solitm'y confinement at twice the rate ofprisoners without SM!. Too often, instead ofproviding appropriate mental health care, PDOC's response to mental illness is to warehouse vulnerable prisoners in solitmy confinement cells. • The manner in which PDOC uses solitary confinement also harms prisoners with ID: PDOC uses solitmy confmement on a significant number ofprisoners with ID, as defmed below. Prisoners with ID are especially susceptible to the hmmful effects ofPDOC's use of solitary confinement They have limited coping mechanisms mld their mental health is prone to deteriorating when subjected to the stressors present in PDOC's solitary confinement units. We believe PDOC is not adequately addressing such concelllS.
this is part of a Justice Report on PA prisons put out 2/24/14. I thought you might want a look. due to limited space, i had to chop it up. The mistakes were already in the report. I. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS PDOC has begun reforming the way in which it uses solitmy confmement on prisoners with SMIIID. In recent months, PDOC has implemented new procedures for the disciplinary process. It has also implemented new protocols for the treatment of prisoners with SMI in certain specialized housing units. These reforms have led to a reduction in the nmnber of prisoners with SMI subjected to solitary confinement. Moreover, PDOC is in the process of drafting policies geared towm'd fhrther reducing the number of prisoners with SMIIID housed in isolation units and improving mental health care for prisoners with SM!. While the Commonwealth has made impOliant improvements, much more work needs to be done to ensure sustained compliance with the mandates of the Constitution and the ADA. Below we summarize our factual detelminations and our ongoing concems: • The manner in which PDOC snbjects prisoners with SMI to prolonged periods of solitary confinement involves conditions that are often unjustifiably harsh and in which these prisoners routinely have difficulty obtaining adequate mental health care: In the one-year period between May 2012 and May 2013, PDOC confined more than 1,000 prisoners on its active mental health roster in solitary confinement for more than 90 days.3 Nearly 250 of those prisoners were in solitary for more than a year. There are still roughly liS prisoners PDOC identifies as having SMI who are in solitary. Our expert-consultants have concluded that the liS number grossly understates the number ofprisoners with SMI currently subjected to solitary confinement, estimating that there are hundreds more.4 The 2 In making these findings, the Department of Justice does not intend to suggest that every use of solitary confinement on persons with SMIIID is a per se violation of the Eighth Amendment or the ADA. 3 PDOC separates its active mental health roster into two categories: (1) those prisoners designated as having "the most serious need for mental health services;" and (2) those designated as having a ~'present mental health need." 4 PDOC has newly revised its active mental health roster. It designates only those in the first category as having SM!. However, after reviewing medical records and interviewing prisoners, we and our expert-consultants in mental health have concluded that a very significant number ofthe prisoners cU!'rently designated as not having SM!
Rich, I tried to comment on a post you made about imagining Homeland Security could do to freeworld people what guards do to prisoners. I could not tell if my comment went through or not, so I'm repeating myself. You are welcome to reuse things you have posted as part of your chapter submission. You are very clear in your presentation and easy to read; even though your vocabulary presents you to be an educated man.
Please hone in on the fact that treating people with so low regard only makes the situation worse, for the guards as well as prisoners. Also pointing out the mis-information that is presented to justify the mistreatment is important. I am working on getting evidence that officers are trained to be felonists by policies that propagate fear among staff and promote the idea that prisoners are unworthy of kindness or consideration. If you know of any specific policy numbers (from your state or facility) fitting that description, please relay them to me. I can probably find them on the internet and use them as footnotes.
I really look forward to working with you further. Thanks, Linda Polk
Rich, Thank you for responding when you could. There is no page limit on your submission, but I think 10 to 20 pages would be great - as long as all of it is focused on felonism. You are welcome to write out your submission instead of typing and mail it to the address in my first email. I'd be happy to repeat it if you need it. I do have one story that is only 4 pages long, but it's a great story. We hope to have the book finished by Christmas but have not set a deadline.
Since writing the request for proposals, my husband (the legal mind in the family) tells me I can't pay people for their submissions. If I'm understanding Andy, such an act puts publishers in a bind and reduces our chances of publication. I hope that will not prevent you from making a submission. It will still be good publicity for your situation and give you the right to say you have been published. We are currently reducing our income by half so that I can write and research full time, and we have no promise of making money ourselves. Andy is now driving without me, but he contributes to what I have written when he's home. Our main goals are to eliminate felonism and see prisons converted into healing centers.
If you do make a submission, and I hope you will, please make sure the focus is on felonism. It is easy to focus on corruption within the system, but if that corruption is not directly and clearly connected to felonism, we won't be able to use it in the book. We want to show how large groups of people are motivated by a small group who profit or gain power by propagating felonism and manipulating the masses. I can validate claims made by others with specific laws, criminal statistics, and historical facts. That would come at the end to support claims (assuming they are true) mentioned within a person's story. Since I have re-written my two chapters several times, I doubt submissions will be a one-step process. Only one prisoner has made a submission so far. I have made some changes and returned the edited chapter to him for his approval. We may go back and forth like that for 2 or 3 versions, so please don't be discouraged. Nothing will be printed in the book until both of us agree 100%. Please feel free to ask questions and make comments, even if it seems we might disagree. Like the Beatles sang, we can work it out. Hang in there, Linda Polk
Hey Robbie, I'm Jen, I was googling "prison dad" and your blog came up, to my surprise I realized I "kind of" know you. A friend of mine used to date your brother J.J. like 9/10 years ago (awesome guy, that Christmas was my sons first and it was without his father who passed away and J.J. came through with a $100 Toys R Us gift certificate for him and saved the day!) I know Dawn and have met Bev, I was actually friends with Justine in school and had no idea what had happened to her until I read your blog (I am so sorry for your loss she was a great girl, I still cant believe it) Anyway I was told of your situation before hand so when I realized whos blog it was I was shocked! Small world... but anyways I just wanted to let you know that I'll pray for you and your fam... I hope your mom is ok and the stories about your daughter just break my heart so she will also be in thoughts and prayers. I wish I could give her something now but I am struggling myself with the 2 kids I have, but trust and believe one day if and when I have it I would like to do something for her, anything she needs. Just like J.J. did for me. People might think im nuts even writing this but I feel like nobody is perfect and who am I to judge? I just know sometimes kind words and knowing someone out there is thinkin positive for you can go a long way... you all will be in my prayers! (Tell J.J. Kellys friend Jen from the Boro says thanks!)
RSS
2 conditions that prisoners with SMI face while in solitalY confinement are harsh. They are
routinely confined to their cells for 23 hours a day; denied adequate mental health care; and
subjected to punitive behavior modification plans, forced idleness and loneliness, unsettling
noise and stench, harassment by correctional officers, and the excessive use of full-body
restraints.
• The manner in which PDOC uses solitary confinement on prisoners with 8MI results in
serious harm: PDOC uses isolation on prisoners with SMI in a way that exacerbates their
mental illness and leads to serious psychological and physiological harms. Indeed, our
expert-consultants interviewed and reviewed the records ofmore than two dozen prisoners
whom they concluded were seriously harmed by solitm'y confinement in various ways,
including severe mental deterioration, psychotic decompensation, and acts of self-harm. For
instance, even though only a small fraction of the prisoners at the prisons we toured were
housed in solitary confinement units, most ofthe suicide attempts occurred in those units.
Specifically, more than 70% of the documented suicide attempts between January 1, 2012
and May 31,2013 occurred in the solitary confinement units.
• Numerous systemic deficiencies contribute to PDOC's extensive use of solitary
confinement on prisoners with 8M!: PDOC routinely resorts to using prolonged solitary
confinement on those with SMI primarily because systemic deficiencies interfere with its
ability to provide adequate mental health treahnent. When we initiated our investigation in
May, prisoners with SMI were placed in solitm'y confinement at twice the rate ofprisoners
without SM!. Too often, instead ofproviding appropriate mental health care, PDOC's
response to mental illness is to warehouse vulnerable prisoners in solitmy confinement cells.
• The manner in which PDOC uses solitary confinement also harms prisoners with ID:
PDOC uses solitmy confmement on a significant number ofprisoners with ID, as defmed
below. Prisoners with ID are especially susceptible to the hmmful effects ofPDOC's use of
solitary confinement They have limited coping mechanisms mld their mental health is prone
to deteriorating when subjected to the stressors present in PDOC's solitary confinement
units. We believe PDOC is not adequately addressing such concelllS.
I. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
PDOC has begun reforming the way in which it uses solitmy confmement on prisoners
with SMIIID. In recent months, PDOC has implemented new procedures for the disciplinary
process. It has also implemented new protocols for the treatment of prisoners with SMI in
certain specialized housing units. These reforms have led to a reduction in the nmnber of
prisoners with SMI subjected to solitary confinement. Moreover, PDOC is in the process of
drafting policies geared towm'd fhrther reducing the number of prisoners with SMIIID housed in
isolation units and improving mental health care for prisoners with SM!. While the
Commonwealth has made impOliant improvements, much more work needs to be done to ensure
sustained compliance with the mandates of the Constitution and the ADA. Below we summarize
our factual detelminations and our ongoing concems:
• The manner in which PDOC snbjects prisoners with SMI to prolonged periods of
solitary confinement involves conditions that are often unjustifiably harsh and in which
these prisoners routinely have difficulty obtaining adequate mental health care: In the
one-year period between May 2012 and May 2013, PDOC confined more than 1,000
prisoners on its active mental health roster in solitary confinement for more than 90 days.3
Nearly 250 of those prisoners were in solitary for more than a year. There are still roughly
liS prisoners PDOC identifies as having SMI who are in solitary. Our expert-consultants
have concluded that the liS number grossly understates the number ofprisoners with SMI
currently subjected to solitary confinement, estimating that there are hundreds more.4 The
2 In making these findings, the Department of Justice does not intend to suggest that every use of solitary
confinement on persons with SMIIID is a per se violation of the Eighth Amendment or the ADA.
3 PDOC separates its active mental health roster into two categories: (1) those prisoners designated as having "the
most serious need for mental health services;" and (2) those designated as having a ~'present mental health need."
4 PDOC has newly revised its active mental health roster. It designates only those in the first category as having
SM!. However, after reviewing medical records and interviewing prisoners, we and our expert-consultants in
mental health have concluded that a very significant number ofthe prisoners cU!'rently designated as not having SM!
I tried to comment on a post you made about imagining Homeland Security could do to freeworld people what guards do to prisoners. I could not tell if my comment went through or not, so I'm repeating myself. You are welcome to reuse things you have posted as part of your chapter submission. You are very clear in your presentation and easy to read; even though your vocabulary presents you to be an educated man.
Please hone in on the fact that treating people with so low regard only makes the situation worse, for the guards as well as prisoners. Also pointing out the mis-information that is presented to justify the mistreatment is important. I am working on getting evidence that officers are trained to be felonists by policies that propagate fear among staff and promote the idea that prisoners are unworthy of kindness or consideration. If you know of any specific policy numbers (from your state or facility) fitting that description, please relay them to me. I can probably find them on the internet and use them as footnotes.
I really look forward to working with you further.
Thanks,
Linda Polk
Thank you for responding when you could. There is no page limit on your submission, but I think 10 to 20 pages would be great - as long as all of it is focused on felonism. You are welcome to write out your submission instead of typing and mail it to the address in my first email. I'd be happy to repeat it if you need it. I do have one story that is only 4 pages long, but it's a great story. We hope to have the book finished by Christmas but have not set a deadline.
Since writing the request for proposals, my husband (the legal mind in the family) tells me I can't pay people for their submissions. If I'm understanding Andy, such an act puts publishers in a bind and reduces our chances of publication. I hope that will not prevent you from making a submission. It will still be good publicity for your situation and give you the right to say you have been published. We are currently reducing our income by half so that I can write and research full time, and we have no promise of making money ourselves. Andy is now driving without me, but he contributes to what I have written when he's home. Our main goals are to eliminate felonism and see prisons converted into healing centers.
If you do make a submission, and I hope you will, please make sure the focus is on felonism. It is easy to focus on corruption within the system, but if that corruption is not directly and clearly connected to felonism, we won't be able to use it in the book. We want to show how large groups of people are motivated by a small group who profit or gain power by propagating felonism and manipulating the masses. I can validate claims made by others with specific laws, criminal statistics, and historical facts. That would come at the end to support claims (assuming they are true) mentioned within a person's story. Since I have re-written my two chapters several times, I doubt submissions will be a one-step process. Only one prisoner has made a submission so far. I have made some changes and returned the edited chapter to him for his approval. We may go back and forth like that for 2 or 3 versions, so please don't be discouraged. Nothing will be printed in the book until both of us agree 100%.
Please feel free to ask questions and make comments, even if it seems we might disagree. Like the Beatles sang, we can work it out.
Hang in there,
Linda Polk