Current Issues in Prisoner Rights

Student’s Name

Institution

Current Issues in Prisoner Rights

Women in Prison

The story entails a woman named Tammy Jackson, who was a prisoner at Broward Country, Florida. Jackson was thrown to preseason without trial due to her mental health issues. She gave birth to a child while in prison without the assistance of medical officers while in confinement. The correction officers did not contact medical officers in time to help her deliver her child. The story follows other related stories about mental health patients, who comprise 70 percent for inmates in women prisons. At the heart of the challenges facing mental health patents in women, prisons are Wellpath, a correction center that deals with the provision of healthcare for women. Despite the multi-billion profits made by the organization, it is well-known for the neglect of women’s health, especially pregnant women in correction facilities.

Medical and Mental Healthcare

In the featured story, J. I, a prisoner in solitary confinement at Broward County Jail, cut his penis with a razor. J.I was a mental health patient who was taken to prison despite his mental issues. While in prison, J.UI displayed meal issues such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, pubic masturbatory episodes, and refusal to take food and medicine. However, his mental struggles and issues were ignored by the doctors at the facility. Instead of treating him, he was placed in confinement for more than 112 consecutive days. The case follows that of several other prisoners who are kept under solitary confinement without the possibility of interacting with other prisoners. Such incidences compromise their mental health, and lack of mental treatment leads to severe mental issues.

Violation of Constitutional Rights

Several violations of constitutional rights can be drawn from the two cases. One of the violations of the constitutional rights which emerge from the featured story on women in prison is a violation of child maltreatment laws. Child maltreatment laws were violated when Tammy Jackson was allowed to deliver her child while in confinement and without proper medical attention. Consequentially, her child suffered from neglect as she was not attended to until later on the day. Another constitution violation that is highlighted in the featured story on women in prisons was detention without trial. Jackson was illegally detained without being tried in a court of law. Another constitutional violation that occurs in the two featured stories is access to health care services. The constitution guarantees prisoners the right to access to proper healthcare. However, both Jackson and J. were denied medical attention. In the case of Jackson, she was denied access to a medical officer when she called for one to help her when she experienced contractions. Lack of timely medical attention put her life and that of her baby in danger. On the other hand, medical doctors in the case of J.I ignored the signs of telltale displayed by J.I. In the end, it led to J.I causing himself physical damage.

Conclusions

Prisoner rights should be upheld at all costs. Putting people in prisons, regardless of their crimes, does not mean that there are lesser citizens compared to the other people. Their status as prisoners should not be a reason why they should be treated differently and denied fundamental rights such as healthcare treatment. They should be accorded equal rights as written in the United States constitution. Therefore, the prisoner rights are well within the acceptable levels in advocating for the rights of prisoners.

References

Balaban, E., & Kuhlik, L. (2019, May 9). No one should be forced to give birth alone in a jail cell. aclu.org, https://www.aclu.org/blog/prisoners-rights/women-prison/no-one-should-be-forced-give-birth-alone-jail-cellBalaban, E., & Kuhlik, L. (2019, March 28). A mentally ill man in solitary cut off a body part at the Broward County Jal. aclu.org, https://www.aclu.org/blog/prisoners-rights/medical-and-mental-health-care/mentally-ill-man-solitary-cut-body-part-broward