"These are men and women suffering in jails, prison, camps and cages around our country. Please sign this petition to show support and demand change for these loved ones behind the wall." -- Justice Warriors
"The eighth amendment provides prisoners with limited rights of protection against cruel and unusual punishment during the course of confinement. These rights extend to the existence of humane living conditions, adequate medical care, and protection from violence by other inmates." -- ojp.gov/prison-overcrowding-eighth-amendements
Humans should NOT have to beg jail staff, jailers and Department of Corrections to treat them humanely. The following story highlights what one person at Warren County Jail, in Bowling Green, Kentucky has had to endure. Thank you for reading!
(I chose not to edit the inmate's writing, because this shows that he/she is not only dealing with unfair treatment, but is doing so with a limited ability to process the situation via correspondence.)
July 19, 2021
Dear Ms Crews,
My name is *********. I am being housed @ W.C.R.J. 920 Kentucky St, Bowling Green, Ky 42101. Ok. now. let me please explain my issue, ok. when I was housed here in the year of 2020 and out of the Blue I Became very ill and had to get surgery on my lower GI and liver, cause I was Bleeding and I had to get a Blood transfusion cause . . .
***this JAILER said I was FAKEN BEING SICK, But later prove I WASN'T. So they had judge Steve Wilson to let me out and set my court . . .
. . . until this year where they gave 5 YEAR PLUS 1 YEAR cause of the Covid-19 I LOST MY HOME and didn't have a address to use . . . and at the time of the surgeryes I was about to have a nother one done on my Right side Lower part to fix a Hernia which does cause me pain.
****The JAILER here, pull me out of my cell and told me with his FINGER POINTING at me that 'I COST THIS JAIL TOO MUCH MONEY, every time I come here and HE NEEDS HIS MONEY to do other things's THEN TO FIX A HERNIA . . . and He got the whole medical staff here against me, I fill out a medical request and they just trash it.
ok. what I'm saying here is I'm a sick person was given 2 years to live, and the judge was going to give me (?) but changed his mind. cause (?) didn't have time to find me housing/treatment, I know I'll make (?) soon.
I hope, and I have a 1/2 way house who will take me in I just Don't want to Die in prison, I just need that mesh put in, and you won't hear a word out of me, Because I'm trying to Do (?) and go home. Please would help me on these issues,
Reseptfully Submitted,
**********
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RESPONSE: FROM CHRIS HOLT, EXECUTIVE STAFF ADVISOR, DIVISION OF LOCAL FACILITIES, DOC
AUGUST 23, 2021
Your letter regarding your concerns at Warren county Regional Jail was forwarded to this office for review and response.
Warren county has contracted Southern Health Partners to provide medical services at the jail. The licensed medical professionals employed by Southern Health Partners are responsible for making all medical decisions within the jail. Neither this office or jail staff can dictate your medical treatment.
If medical staff believe they are unable to provide you with the medical treatment you require, they will inform the Jailer who will take steps to get you the treatment you need.
Please continue to follow the jail's procedure for requesting medical assistance when needed.
Jail staff members are county employees which means any issues regarding their behavior or conduct are the responsibility of the jail administration to investigate and correct if warranted. The issue regarding a staff member has been forwarded to jail administration for their review. In the future, please report any issues regarding staff behavior or conduct immediately so an investigation can be initiated quickly.
Chris Holt, Executive Staff Advisor, DLF
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***The same inmate wrote a letter back about 8 months later and had new and worsening health issues.
FEBRUARY 10, 2022
Division of Local Facilities,
I am ********. I wrote before and received a response on August 23, 2021 that if I should have an issue with the staff regarding getting medical treatment; I should write to your office immediatly.
The nurse practicioner and my doctor, Dr. Abrar Arshad are trying to help me with my conditions of a Hernia and Hepatitus B & C.
I am supposed to start Hepatitus C treatment; however, some of the nursing staff here are real hateful towards me and is sabotaging my efforts to get the shots.
Specificially, Nurse Sammy, lied to me saying it's against the law for me to get this life saving medication.
When I called her out on that, she told me she would personally make sure I don't get those shots while I'm incarcerated here.
All my doctor and I are doing is trying to save my life. I need this medication. I have responded well to the Hepatitis B treatment.
I suspect she has stalled me on getting my herina fixed as well as I have yet to receive the surgery for even though I wrote to you and the response was for it to be fixed.
Nurse Sammy is also always trying to make adjustments to my medications and has been very rude; often cruel towards me during the times she is doing the pill call.
I know I might be an inconvience but, that is no reason to let me die.
Please help.
Cordially,
********
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RESPONSE: Harley Allen, Jail Services Specialist, Division of Local Facilities
FEBRUARY 23, 2022
Your letter regarding your concern at the Warren County Regional Jail was forwarded to this office for review and response.
Upon review of your letter, it appears you are alleging unprofessional behavior or misconduct of a medical staff member employed at the Warren County Regional Jail.
The jail has contracted with Southern Health Partners to provide medical services at the jail.
Although Jailer Stephen Harmon cannot dictate the medical treatment you receive, he can investigate issues regarding the behavior or conduct of contract staff working in his facility.
In collaboration with the contracting agency, those substantiated issues can be addressed.
The issues reported in your letter have been forwarded to Jailer Harmon to review and investigate.
In the future, please report such issues immediately to Jailer Harmon so he may quickly investigate the issues and promptly correct, if warranted.
In reporting such issues, please provide any information which will assist in the investigation such as names, locations, times, and dates.
I hope this information has been helpful.
Sincerely,
Harley Allen, Jail Services Specialist, DLF
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CONCLUSION:
The conclusion of the matter is this:
There are laws in place to protect the humane treatment of people being held in jails, prisons and cages; but across our nation there is a great dereliction of duty as to the medical needs of those forgotten. This allows those in charge of men, women and children to mistreat, abuse and retaliate against them. It's high time that "JAIL STANDARDS" are AMENDED and ENFORCED throughout our nation.
In this case of "Story #3" . . . this person has been in jail for quite some time and has a Hernia and Hepatitus B & C, and is NOT getting the care they need. In addition to dealing with extremely poor health, this person has also dealt with alleged psychological abuse from the Jailer and medical staff of Southern Health Partners. In future stories on this petition, you will see a disgusting pattern of abuse by those in power at this facility.
This person has followed the protocol for accessing medical care and has been denied, blamed, accused of faking it, and was alegedly outright retaliated against. The only other option this person felt that they had was to reach out to someone with more authority, or so he/she felt. Once again, they were given a bandaid fix and systematically referred back to the same Jailer and Medical Staff that had mistreated him/her to begin with!
Run around -- Run around! Out of sight -- Out of Mind! These are the forgotten people of America!
Thank you for reading!
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