Are prisoners denied necessities? CNN article

[GoodNP]

This article on CNN caught my attention this morning and really got me fired up.

Why women in Arizona are sending a state representative pads and tampons - CNN

Are you kidding me? What kind of uncivilized country do we live in? As a generally conservative-ish libertarian-ish person (point being no one has ever called me a "bleeding heart"), I find this to be abhorrent.

Maybe my reticular activating system drew me in to this article because my brother was recently arrested and held in a detention center for weeks. He had to buy underwear! Guess how much it costs to make a phone call from a penitentiary? It's like calling Japan in the 1980s. The penal system is a scam, run by opportunistic self-righteous A-holes exploiting a vulnerable population. And their families.

Anyway, I guess I have two questions:

1. Is this movement exclusive to Arizona, or can I send tampons and pads to my state?

2. To those of you who work in or have experience in penitentiaries, are their needs well provided for?

[Emily Mellinger]

Hi! RN for supermax with the Minnesota Dept. of Corrections here. I work in a male exclusive facility, however my co workers at the female facility say that pads are given away for free. While they are not the best, if they chose to they can order a different brand from canteen. If they are indigent or chose not to buy the upgraded products they are given them at no charge. As to your second question I believe that they are provided for very well. I’m sure this varies state to state.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

On 5/31/2019 at 5:39 PM, Orca said:

We have grievances (and lawsuits) filed by inmates who haven't been seen in a tenth of the time that it would take me to get in to see my own doctor. They neglect their own care for their entire lives, and we are supposed to fix everything in one (non-chargeable) visit.

As far as there being innocent people here, they have gone through the court system and been found guilty of a crime. This isn't North Korea, where people are randomly hauled off the streets and thrown into prison for little or no reason, never to be heard from again. Yes, mistakes are sometimes made, but my job is to deal with what happens after inmates get here. If they are indeed innocent, that is the court's job to sort out.

One's wealth or lack of it definitely influences one's "luck" in court.

One thing I was referring to was the fact that some people in jail have not yet been to Court or have not yet completed their trial and have not yet been found innocent or guilty. Therefore, these people are considered innocent in America.

And some people are more likely to be stopped and frisked or even arrested than are others. Hard fact of life. Males, minorities, those who are not courteous and cooperative with police, those who appear strung out or poor or who are homeless have a much higher frequency of hassles with and arrests by law enforcers.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

On 5/30/2019 at 6:30 PM, nursesunny said:

I don't care one bit. Innocent or guilty doesn't impact my ability or will to participate in healing. I am not invested in the punishment aspect of prison because that isn't my job it is the job of the court. I know the care exceeds what is available to the community 100%.....because I moonlight there so am well aware of the disparity of care

You will care if it ever happens to you or your loved ones.

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

On ‎7‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 4:14 PM, Kooky Korky said:

One's wealth or lack of it definitely influences one's "luck" in court.

Among the inmates in my facility have been three doctors, three professional boxers, and one well-known NFL Hall of Famer.

[Oldmahubbard]

On 7/26/2019 at 8:43 PM, Orca said:

Among the inmates in my facility have been three doctors, three professional boxers, and one well-known NFL Hall of Famer.

I worked forensics for 12 plus years and nearly all of the patients, 98%, were people, mostly of color, with no GED or high school.