Community members, volunteers and San Quentin inmates joined forces the first weekend in October to fight breast cancer at the 10th Annual “Walk for a Cure.” The two-day event featured live music, personal messages, poetry and prayer to entertain and inspire about 100 participants. SQ CARES - Volunteers and organizers on Lower Yard The inmate-run program San Quentin CARES (Compassionate Accountability Responsibly Expressed through community Service) organized the “Walk for a Cure.” SQ CARES is a committee of a dozen inmates and four … [Read more...] about 10th annual San Quentin CARES “Walk for a Cure” builds community
Health Care
Damaging effects on female prisoners’ care and critical services
Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is plagued by staff shortages that are having damaging effects on female prisoners’ care and critical services, re- ported Jeff Mordock of The Washington Times. The BOP is experiencing a shortfall of trained staff nationwide. This shortage has prompted the Justice Department’s Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz to call for an increase in trained prison employees because it has been restricting the access of female prisoners to necessary care and services. “The lack of sufficient staff is most noticeable at larger … [Read more...] about Damaging effects on female prisoners’ care and critical services
Colorado Department of Corrections to spend $41 million for hep-C treatment
Colorado has agreed to provide medical treatment to cure hepatitis C among 2,200 prisoners. The action came in the settlement of a lawsuit against the Colorado Department of Corrections. The prison system said it would spend $41 million over the next two years to finance the treatments, according to a Sept. 12 Westword story. The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) and the Fox Rothschild law firm. “The funding and policy changes in the settlement will help solve an immense public health crisis in Colorado’s … [Read more...] about Colorado Department of Corrections to spend $41 million for hep-C treatment
NC introduces bill prohibiting shackling during childbirth
North Carolina’s Democratic legislators have introduced a bill that would prohibit the shackling of incarcerated women while they give birth. After a story came out about two women who gave birth at a Triangle region hospital with their hands and feet shackled, advocates complained to prison officials about the practice, according to a North Carolina Health News article. “When someone is handcuffed to a bed, they can’t roll over, can’t get up and walk freely,” Sarah Gillooly, with North Carolina’s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) told … [Read more...] about NC introduces bill prohibiting shackling during childbirth
Mental health bomb-shell report on care inside state prisons
The chief psychiatrist of California’s prison system is accusing state officials of misleading both a federal court and lawyers for prison inmates fighting to improve mental health care inside state prisons, according to court documents. Dr. Michael Golding sent the 160-page report to the court-appointed federal receiver overseeing reforms inside California prisons. Golding filed the report without his superior’s knowledge. Dr. Golding’s “lengthy, detailed report” contains “serious allegations” that data reported to the federal court … [Read more...] about Mental health bomb-shell report on care inside state prisons
Suit alleges Tennessee neglected diabetic inmates
Tennessee’s largest prison, Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility, now faces three lawsuits filed on behalf of prisoners suffering from diabetes. The inmates were allegedly unable to access insulin during prison lockdowns, the Nashville Tennessean reported. In a prisoner complaint form, inmate Douglas Dodson described several nights during a three-week lockdown during which he and about 60 other diabetic inmates were not called to the prison clinic to receive insulin shots. In his complaint, Dodson said the insulin was either provided … [Read more...] about Suit alleges Tennessee neglected diabetic inmates