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The Violence Against People Behind Bars That We Don’t See


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

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

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

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

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.

Lack of Access to Basic Services

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.

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