Tuesday, April 01, 2003
Our work team was told again today that we're not meeting our obligations to the mentally disordered inmates under our care. These are some of the most difficult and sometimes dangerous inmates at San Quentin. The institution has been ordered by the court to provide them with 10 hours of structured therapeutic activity each week. This can include individual and group therapy, exercise, and other activities generally thought to benefit people with severe mental disorders.
Court monitors are growing increasing inpatient with us, even threatening "consequences" if our statistics don't improve. Today we were given a new plan designed to improve our performance, and most of us, including myself, nodded as if we thought it would work.
But it's unlikely to work. I think most of us know this but won't say so out loud.
Not enough staff. Not enough facility. Not enough systemic support.
posted by Ron 8:49 PM
Monday, March 31, 2003
This is the gate I go through to work. From where I park, it takes about 12 minutes to get to my office. As I walk, I usually notice the tension rising, wondering what inmate problems I have to immediately attend to.
posted by Ron 4:39 PM
I've worked as an Administrative Segregation Psychologist at San Quentin State Prison for almost a year now, and have often come home with a thought or story. Here is where I hope to post those fit to print. San Quentin is a 150 year old prison is California, near San Francisco. I mention its age immediately, because in many ways working there is made more difficult by the poor condition and layout of the buildings.
Administative Segregation is the "prison within the prison," the place where inmates who have broken prison rules are placed for additional punishment. The inmates on my caseload all have major mental disorders. Some are condemned to die. Before they do, most languish for years in small dark cells.
posted by Ron 1:20 PM
