Prison can
be a terrifying place, even for experienced inmates. In even the best-run
prisons, the lack of freedom and contact with the outside world can have a
serious impact on inmates’ mental health.
Unfortunately,
not all prisons are well run and some don’t place a priority on inmates’
wellbeing. In those prisons, it’s not uncommon for inmates to suffer a wide
range of abuse. If you have a loved one in prison, they could suffer abuse
without you even knowing. They may not be able to communicate the abuse in
letters, phone calls, or visits.
If you
suspect your loved one is suffering abuse, read this article
about what you can do. Also, below are a few different
types of abuse that can happen in prisons.
Torture is
fairly common in prisons and can be inflicted by either guards or other
inmates. Guards could mentally or physically abuse inmates to enforce certain
behaviors, gain information about other inmates, or simply for no reason.
One of the
most common forms of abuse by inmates can be solitary confinement and exclusion
from contact with other inmates. Social interaction is a basic necessity for
many people. Long-term isolation can have a corrosive effect on a person’s
mental health.
Other forms
of mental torture can include keeping lights on while an inmate is trying to
sleep, playing loud obnoxious music in a cell, and even denying the inmate letters, phone calls, and contact with friends and family.
Sexual
violence is fairly common in many prisons. Inmates are denied access to their
outside partners so they often turn to other inmates for sexual activity. In
some prisons, sexual violence can be used as an enforcement tool by gangs and
inmates to gain cooperation from other inmates.
Rape is
common in both men's and women's prisons. It can be used as a dominance system in
which an inmate establishes dominance and authority over others by raping them.
Sexual abuse
can also be inflicted by guards. This is especially true in female prisons.
Guards may take abusive liberties with female inmates during inspections,
health care checks, or even during showers or isolated periods. In the most
extreme cases, male guards may even rape female inmates.
Physical
violence is another common activity in the prison world. Fights are common and
can be started for very trivial reasons or even no reason at all. If an inmate
is perceived to be “weak,” he or she could be targeted for a fight.
It’s also
common for inmates to use violence to obtain money, food, or other items of
value. An inmate could be assaulted because they are viewed as being “rich”
because they have gifts from the outside. Physical violence is a common part of
the prison experience.
Medical
neglect is a very common form of abuse inflicted by prison staff. Some prisons
have access to adequate healthcare and others do not. Either way, the prison
staff must make the determination that a person needs healthcare before they
have access to it. Very often, guards simply ignore an inmate’s condition and
deny them care.
Of course,
this can have obvious serious consequences if the inmate is in pain. It can
also lead to more serious issues. Perhaps a health problem could be resolved
easily if there was treatment right away. However, the neglect from guards may
force the condition to become more serious and untreatable.
Finally, one
of the biggest but lesser-known abuses is lack of access to basic services like
toilets, showers, beds, and outdoor activity. Many prisons are overcrowded and
inmates are forced to sleep in crowded cells.
There may
only be one toilet for a group of inmates, without any basic privacy. Showers
may be limited to once a week or every few days. Some prisons can restrict
outdoor time, denying access to exercise and sunlight.
While this
isn’t as egregious as rape or physical violence, a lack of access to basic
services is still abuse. Humans have a right to toilets and showers, even if
they are incarcerated.
If you
believe your friend or loved one is being abused in prison, contact an
attorney. They may be able to gain access to the inmate and gain a level of
understanding about how they are being treated. They may be able to have the
inmate treated better or even moved to a nicer facility.