Tag: understaffing prisons

Understaffing in Women’s Correctional Facilities

The epidemic of understaffing is growing rapidly. For as long as I’ve been incarcerated, since July of 2020, the staffing issue is getting worse not only in prisons, but in jails as well. The first jail I was housed at held no compassion whatsoever. It was filthy, bias, and inhumane. The guards decided to pick and choose what they paid attention to. When it was important, they were nowhere to be found. A girl was drug around and beat up in an open dorm with cameras while another girl screamed at the top of her lungs yet no guards came for hours. This is one of the many examples I experienced just from my first year in jail, whether it was due to negligence or understaffing. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed. Once I got transferred to prison, I truly understood the crisis. From nurses to officers to counselors, they are all overworked and it affects our daily lives as much as theirs. A recent incident drives this point home and I believe everyone needs to hear it. Over the weekend in my building, a girl that I’ve known for two years now, cut another girls arm wide open with a blade. The sole reason is that she is a schizophrenic housed in general population with too many triggers and not enough help for her. She is a highly intelligent individual. She’s had many outbursts before, suicidal threats, episodes, etc. She has been housed in acute and then released back into population, which then makes her a danger to not only herself but others for obvious reasons. She had no beefs with this other girl. They were actually friends. People saw them hanging out at rec together, laughing and joking, doing arts and crafts. Something triggered her to do what she did and the girl had to go the hospital to get eleven stitches. It could have been a lot worse. Both of these girls are victims as well as the many people that witnessed the incident. Later that day, the building attempted to hold a peaceful protest in the chow hall because this incident was major and needed attention. There are no mental health counselors on staff during the weekend. Why is that? We don’t have staff to support the need for on call weekend shifts. So, the initial answers from administration was to lock up individuals in segregation that were involved in the protest because it’s actually considered “inciting a riot.” They didn’t even know the whole situation, once they did they decided against seg. We incarcerated are instantly in the wrong just because we want change and have to show out for what we want/need and there’s no other way. I have actually heard from a counselor that they don’t have enough staff to see everyone that wants or needs to be seen. THAT’S A PROBLEM!

This understaffing crisis makes our living environment even tougher to navigate. Just human warehouses to stuff us in by numbers and the lowest status possible. We must look after one another and work harder to keep others afloat and safe. This environment is so much for self. It truly needs more unity. There are many that go against the grain and establish so much change and rehabilitation. They are resilient against all odds. The system needs revival and staff to make changes. There are plenty of opportunities coming about after the Covid hit, only we need staff to help operate these things. These matters need the spotlight to bring about difference in prisons all across the nation.

My name is Jennifer Zukerman. (DOC #2080583) I am currently housed at Fluvanna Correctional center for Women.

The Nation’s Correctional Staffing Crisis: The Toll on Incarcerated People

Recently, the editor of Brilliance Behind Bars was called before the U.S. Senate to give testimony on the understaffing crisis effecting prisons nationwide. She represented our interests with great compassion and much needed perspective. It is now our turn to support her efforts with our own experiences and insights. Let’s allow the public a real glimpse into our struggle as incarcerated people living in a prison understaffed…

For decades, prison has been held as an institution designed to mete out punishment to “evil-doers.” As time has progressed, so too did the caricature of the inhuman prisoner within the social conscience of the public. This depiction has led to a dangerous lack of concern for prisoner security, treatment, and adequate staffing to conduct daily, essential operations.

In the wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic, no areas of industry was left unscathed by understaffing issues. But there is a stark difference between the need for fast food service workers to tighten up lapses between combo meals served to various customers and the need for correctional staff to maintain the order and operation of a coercive institution and its hundreds of long-term residents.

Correctional facilities are more akin to state hospital and nursing homes fundamentally, being that its residents are forced to stay in such facilities. Residents of these type of facilities are solely dependent on the facility to provide critical medical care and treatment programs designed to aid in social and psychological health and development.

Given that prisons are institutions filled with residents living in close quarter communities, lack of proper staff often leaves responsibilities of security and treatment to fall to the hands of other prisoners. I, myself, have even had to serve as an interim first responder during medical emergencies involving other incarcerated. Ironically, the institution has enacted policies to deter the incarcerated from lending aid to others, but have yet to solve the very real crisis of understaffing in prisons in this state and nationwide. Also worthy of recognition is the incarcerated community’s drive to create treatment programs amongst themselves in spite of the lack thereof provided by the facility.

It is well documented that some private corporations have exploited the widely accepted practice of understaffing prisons in order to increase their profit margins. Although, we cannot exclude the fact that this was made possible by governments diverting interest in funding prisons as institutions of rehabilitation, and opting to view prisons as human warehouses for the disadvantaged. This is a framing that is more favorable to the rhetoric on the economic benefit than actual social benefit. Also, it’s no secret that working in a prison isn’t the most desirable work environment.

2020 did not cause prisons to be dangerously understaffed. 2020 only unveiled a deep-rooted practice that has been the void of compassion for human life for over 25 years in the making. The current state of prisons in America are echoes of the prison ‘reforms’ of ’95. Thirty years later, we clearly see the product of debased political agendas and public susceptibility to crime-based propaganda. That is, mass incarceration, a nationwide prison understaffing crisis, and instability socially and economically.

Note: I do not wish to end this writing without stating how very proud I am of each and every one of the incarcerated who have utilized their time and effort seeking not only the rehabilitation of themselves, but also that of their fellow incarcerated. Each member of the incarcerated population was forced into this situation and have so much stacked up against them, but these individuals have maintained the strength in spirit and the depth of human will that is undeniably world-changing. I pray that each one of you find your freedom physically one day, because you have already achieved a level of freedom mentally that few will ever experience.

Your spirit is tried and your spirit is, without a shadow of a doubt, TRUE. You are the torchbearers–your light leads the way through some of the thickest darkness known to the civilized world…

Love and Peace,
Q

Prompt: As mentioned above, we want to know about your experiences. Feel free to free-write, or to use the thought starter questions below:
1. How has short staffing affected your livelihood as an incarcerated individual?
2. What do you think is the cause of understaffing of prisons nationwide?
3. Are there any highlights of positivity that you have witnessed during your incarceration in regards to staffing?