Prison Conditions
CURE Position:
- Control Units and long-term lock-downs should be abolished. No prisoner should be confined in conditions of isolation and reduced sensory stimulation.
- Mentally ill prisoners and those at risk of mental illness should be removed from control units. Psychologically-advanced programs should be developed for those who are mentally ill and emotionally disturbed.
- Cognitive restructuring should be emphasized early in the prisoner’s incarceration before severe problems develop.
- In the past ten years, there has been a proliferation of Control Units. Prisoners in such settings are often locked down 23 hours a day. They are denied physical contact with other human beings, and have very limited verbal contact.
- Isolation is devastating to the human (or animal) psyche. Such settings constitute cruel and inhumane treatment.
- Transition to the free world is difficult for most prisoners. Prisoners leaving such facilities will have a more difficult time than the normal prisoner in adjusting to the free world.
- The control unit facilities are expensive to operate. They consume resources which should be devoted to programming, therapy and education.
- Spiritual, psychological and or physical breakdown can occur through:
- Arbitrary placement not based on pre-established standards and procedures.
- Years of isolation from both prison and outside communities while being housed in solitary or small group isolation.
- Extremely limited access to services such as education, worship or vocational training.
- A closed environment that facilitates physical abuse such as forced cell extraction, strap-downs, beatings after restraint, and sexual intimidation.
