AP: Young Calif. Inmates Caged, Drugged
By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press Writer

Young California inmates are often locked in cages as punishment, and those with mental problems are frequently drugged and improperly cared for, a state-funded study says.

The California Youth Authority is supposed to rehabilitate its 4,600 young wards, but instead often focuses on punishment such as isolating offenders in wire cages, two experts said in a confidential report obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Inadequately trained therapists frequently treated youths suffering mental illness and substance abuse problems with prescription drugs instead of providing proper therapy. A majority of the wards suffer mental or drug-abuse problems.

State officials are not disputing the findings, and Youth and Adult Correctional Agency spokesman Tip Kindel said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration inherited the problems but is trying to fix them "on a fast track."

"The vast majority of youths who have mental health needs are made worse instead of improved by the correctional environment," reported University of Washington child psychologist Eric Trupin and forensic psychiatrist Raymond Patterson of Washington, D.C.

Drugs are frequently administered to restrain misbehaving youths who are of no apparent danger to themselves or others, while, "In a number of facilities, psychiatric evaluations are cursory and do not meet accepted professional standards," the report said.

Widespread use of so-called "chemical restraints" is intolerable, said Sen. Gloria Romero, who chairs a corrections oversight committee.

"This is not the 1930s. Even in mental hospitals, I thought we'd gotten rid of these practices long ago," she said.

The state-funded report is the first of six being conducted as part of a class-action lawsuit by the San Francisco-based nonprofit Prison Law Office alleging poor conditions and treatment at the state's 11 youth institutions, which handle young people up to age 25.

The experts said there's been some progress, but cited wide variations among the nine institutions they reviewed.

The report's release comes a week after two teenage boys hanged themselves at the Preston Youth Correctional Facility in Ione, east of Sacramento.

"We have got a serious problem, and before another teenager commits suicide the California Youth Authority has got to get its act together," Romero said.

AP News

I agree, if we don't take a stand against the problems, and abuses, it will only continue.

IN FACT, IT WILL GET !

I think that sometimes we have to write the proper people in charge, I know I've contacted several State Governmental offices, and voiced my concern.

What we need to do is identify a problem, find out who we should contact, and take it on, head-on,

We ought to get the contact info, and everyone that will, send letters, phone calls, e-mails, whatever, and tackle this NOW.

I'm willing to help,

Tex

By the way... that article was dated January 27th, 2004.

Matt

I have read about that sort of thing myself.
Drugging inmates and putting them in cages. Camouflaging problems instead of treating them.
When you think that the greater majority of prisoners will one day be released back into society, its not only inhumane to treat inmates in this manner, its totaly brainless.

Seems more like we are back in the Dark Ages (

Matt

I would like to help on this issue. Being Bi-polar by Heriditary and past Drug use. I will be medicated for the rest of my life. Where I go for Mental Health, I see a lot of Prisoners with Social workers there. These Humans HAD no one to speak on there behalf. Family members, Friends or affliates need to step in and help someone. We have to educate the care giver first. Also the Mental Health of someone is ignored by that someone, because sometimes we dont want anybody to help us. Some have to wave their own WHITE FLAG. But, throwing them in a cage because you dont know how to deal with them is a punishable crime in itself. Only a Lic. Dr can restrain someone Mentally sick. There could be a lot of suites against these inside haynish crimes...Can we get the Bad guys who work like this? Create a New type of Lawyer who handles only illegal actions to Prisioners of all age, race, and HEALTH!
Or do I watch to much TV?

I have Schizotypal Personality Dosorder (basically borderline Schizophrenic) plus Undifferentiated Somatoform Disorder (meaning I don't live in reality). So I really feel for these folks... I truly mean it.

Matt