Politico — Jail and Prison Conditions — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

Jail and Prison Conditions

Even if an inmate's sentence is not oppressively long, their treatment while incarcerated can still constitute subhuman treatment. Prisons are not medical facilities, but they regularly are forced to deal with mental health problems and care for elderly and terminally ill inmates. Food, if it's even edible, usually lacks enough nutrition for inmates' health to not deteriorate. Plus, with a lack of opportunities to see family, read, or gain skill sets, inmates are placed in buildings which lack any resemblance of the civilized world.

New stats show surge in violence at Rikers Island

“Violence between inmates surged to 69.5 incidents a month for every 1,000 people in the jail population during the 2019 fiscal year, from 55.8 incidents the year before. Serious injuries in those attacks also jumped, from 2 to 2.5. Inmate assaults against staff jumped to 12.6 for every 1,000 detainees, up from 9.2 in 2018. Use of force by correction officers against prisoners jumped nearly 30 percent, from 5,175 incidents in 2018 to 6,670 in the most recent fiscal year, which ended in July.“

Politico

September 17, 2019

Prison ViolencePhillip ReevesSeptember 17, 2019Politico, Rikers IslandComment

Houston’s biggest jail wants to shed its reputation as a mental health treatment center

"Harris County believes it’s the first to formally create a separate bureau responsible entirely for mental health and jail diversion. It has equipped deputies with tablets that connect to a psychiatrist for on-the-spot treatment or triage and will set up a central booking desk this fall to better sort those arrested into treatment before they get charged with a crime."

Politico

July 9, 2018

Mental HealthAnthony BradleyJuly 29, 2018Politico, Harris County, Houston, Mental Health

Jail and Prison Conditions

Galsworthy CJR Program

Info