Last Monday, the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against Pennsylvania for abuse of prisoners diagnosed as “seriously mentally ill.” DRNP claims that over 800 prisoners deemed seriously mentally ill are dumped, for long periods of time, into Restricted Housing Units, basically solitary confinement, where they are kept for 23 hours a day, during the week, and 24 hours a day, during weekends and holidays. No contact with others, no work or education or religious services or rehabilitative programs, and of course little to no mental health care. But the lights are left on in the cells 24 a days. So …
It’s a vicious, even criminal, cycle. People deemed seriously mentally ill end up in solitary, which then results in parole denial, which sends them back to the hole. If it weren’t so dreadful, it would be considered elegant.
The suit profiles twelve prisoners, 11 men and one woman. The woman prisoner is in SCI-Muncy. Pennsylvania has two women’s prisons, Muncy and Cambridge Springs. Muncy is both maximum security and the intake prison for all women prisoners in Pennsylvania. Muncy also houses Pennsylvania’s death row for women. Every woman prisoner in Pennsylvania first comes to Muncy, where her `security level’ is assigned, based on an assessment of criminal record, medical, mental health, and substance abuse. Lower security prisoners are sent to Cambridge Springs; the rest stay at Muncy. Guess where those with serious mental health issues go?
Muncy has a death row, but it doesn’t have a Secure Special Needs Unit, or SSNU. The profile of the one woman prisoner suggests why that matters.
Prisoner #6 is a 39-year-old female prisoner in SCI-Muncy. She has a long history of serious mental illness, including at least one suicide attempt and multiple admissions to state psychiatric hospitals, prior to her incarceration. Prisoner #6 has a “D” stability rating and has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, low normal intelligence (86 I.Q.), and a personality disorder. Prisoner #6 has been charged with disciplinary infractions and sentenced to disciplinary sanction in solitary confinement in the RHU based on behaviors directly attributable to her serious mental illness, such as throwing liquids, covering her cell window with paper, sticking her arms through her cell door food slot, harming herself and demanding to be placed in restraints, and flooding her cell.
“Between May 6, 2001, and January 14, 2012, Prisoner #6 received 115 misconduct reports, mostly occurring in the RHU. Her mental condition has deteriorated in the RHU. Although SCI-Muncy has no SSNU, according to the DOC website, prison records state she has been assigned to the SCI-Muncy “SSNU.” However, she has been returned to the RHU as a “time out” from this “virtual” SSNU for weeks or months at a time.
“Prisoner #6 received a negative psychological evaluation for parole purposes in July 2010 because of the behavior described in her numerous misconduct reports, most if not all of which arose from conduct directly attributable to her mental illness. An independent psychiatrist has recommended that Prisoner #6 receive psychosocial rehabilitative treatment, which cannot be provided in an RHU.”
The story of Prisoner #6 is in many respects like that of her eleven male counterparts, except for the phantom SSNU. Somehow, Prisoner #6 was sent to a “special needs unit” that doesn’t exist. After that, she was returned to solitary. If it weren’t so dreadful, it would be ironic.
Women prisoners, even those at maximum-security Muncy, report lower rates of recidivism than male prisoners, but “they are also all women.” Women prisoners also report much higher rates of mental health illness, much higher rates of abuse, much higher rates of needing help. Higher than whom? Higher than everyone. Higher than men prisoners. Higher than women in `the free world.’ And how does the State respond? It dumps their bodies, for months and years on end, in ferociously well-lit pits where their conditions can only worsen. That is the short and terrible life of Prisoner #6, designed, directed and produced by the State of Pennsylvania. Living with serious mental illness? Welcome to hell.
Dan Moshenberg dmoshenberg@gmail.com
About Dan Moshenberg
[...] cells of America are filled with people living with disabilities. Prisoners, like Prisoner #6 in Pennsylvania SCI-Muncy, are depressed, live with mental disabilities, act out, try to commit suicide, and they are thrown [...]
I know. I was just there.
[…] Sharon Wiggins was the criminal justice system in Pennsylvania. Sharon Wiggins died behind bars at SCI-Muncy, the maximum security and intake `facility’ for all women prisoners in Pennsylvania, as well as […]
Please get your facts straight before publishing anything!!! I worked for SCI Muncy and there is in fact a SNU (Special needs unit)!! I worked in that unit numerous times. Inmates receive medical care above and beyond what they would receive if they were out in society! They also are almost all on medications for their various mental illnesses!! Know what you are talking about before you post anything. Also keep in mind there are always to sides to a story!! They have it made at Muncy!! How about the puppy program there? Vollyball and softball teams?? Huh?
To all of the informed readers of WIBG, please dismiss the comments of “cj.” The comments are not appropriate, accurate nor helpful in anyway. As a “former worker at SCI Muncy,” “cj” seems like someone who should never have worked there in the first place and I am glad that she
doesn’t.
I did a lot of time in SCI Muncy. Please be well informed from an inmate that was released in 2012 that cj must not be talking about the same place. There are a lot of secrets in that prison and Mr. Moshenberg seems to hit the nail on the head!!
I was an inmate there here years ago. when I first got there I was.pregnant and the one guard threw me against the wall, I yelled at her and said look can’t you see that I am pregnant. I do agree with all that you said in the statement ABOUT inmate # 6 it’s all true. I too was at the RHU and they only let you have a bath three times a week even in the summer when it’s so stinking hot in there. I personally think that muncy prison should be closed.down because of horrible conditions.
cj yeah they do have a smu unit there but the only thing that they do is keep you drugged up, sorry that is not helping anyone. I know I was in smu and that’s all that they did do to me. so you get your story straight.
Can someone please help me????? My sister is there now and i realize she did a crime and must do the time but it seems that everytime i turn around she is on the RHU. She is in for drugs and not a violant person. That place has my head spinning, everytime i call with a question, im told three different stories. I got a package of her belongings! No idea why…… thought the worse as anyone would. In that box was writings and from what i read wow i am very scared for her! Is there some group or activist thst look into poss abuse? Please help…….
US: The short and terrible life of #Pennsylvania SCI-Muncy Prisoner #6 http://t.co/c6RxMHDeQs #prison #women
I have a nephew who was sent to solitary for most of his time in Pennsylvania SCI. He is mentally ill an had been diagnosed prior to entering prison, He was sent to solitary for over 2 years.
how can they charge 1600 dollars for a prisoner to go to their own familys funeral that in so inhumane and messes with a person mentally how can the prison system be so rude to the prisoners they are human pa legal system sucks aint nothing about money
I was at mint for two years and although they do have a special needs u there the inmates placed there do not receive any different treatment than the rest of the population the only difference is that they are usually housed separately and do not have access to the different types of “rehabilitation Programs” that everyone else does. When they experience behavior or mental health problems they are treated just as harshly and disrespectful aseeveryone else