'Killing Rational' and Prisoner Control in NSW : Melbourne Indymedia

Dear Justice Action,

I'm writing to you regarding xxxx, he has rung me a few times in the past weeks and has been drugged to the max, he rang today twice and could hardly speak to me, he said he was going to ring you and talk to you about it but he couldn't so I told him I would get in contact with you and see what you could do! He has told them he doesn't want the sedatives but they hold him down and give it to him anyway, they have drugged him 4 times in the last 2 days he said.

He also told me they don't have fans in the cell and no air conditioning either and it reaches over40degrees. at times. Is this right? I know he's done the crime so he does the time but do they have the right to drug him and deprive him of basic needs?

It just doesn't seem right sometimes.

Yours truly
Pauline.

Ps) Please contact me with any info you can give me about his basic rights.

Hi Pauline,

In response to your e-mail about xxxxx I can tell you I have had the same experience listening to xxxxx drugged up on the phone, knowing they are controlling him by drugs.

What has concerned me is that he is not a 'forensic patient' and was never given either 'diminished responsibility' or found not guilty by reason of 'mental illness' for his crime, yet the Department of Corrective Services and Justice Health continue to control him with drugs in a mental health facility at Long Bay Prison Hospital.

That's not how it starts though. What happens next is called 'Killing Rational'

What the Department of Corrective Services (DCS) does is make up some allegation about a prisoner's behaviour, usually nominating an internal offence.

The prisoner was in a gang, had a mobile phone, was trying to escape, etc. Then they send those 'selected prisoners' to the (HRMU) High Risk Management Unit at Goulburn Correctional Centre (A Supermax prison). And place him or her in solitary confinement (isolation) with no fresh air , sunlight or constructive lifestyle.

This person could even be a remand prisoner or worse someone already suffering a mental illness.

The prisoners are deprived of all basics and made to earn small things in order to survive. DCS do this until the prisoner's head caves in or self harms. Once the damage is done DCS send them to the Long Bay Mental Health Facility and put them on drugs to control them.

See: Where the Norm is Not the Norm: Goulburn Correctional Centre and the Harm-U

In the absence of public policy, this paper is an attempt to shine a light through the rhetoric and test for coherency in the policy and function of NSW's only supermax prison, the High Risk Management Unit. Its present use will be compared with the 'vision' flogged by the Premier and the Department of Corrective Services (the Department) at its inception in 2001.

Click here: http://www.geocities.com/nswac14/archive1/WNNGCCHU.pdf

Effectively the 'Department of Corrective Services' and 'Justice Health' (the new clean name given to the Corrections Health Service) are causing prisoners mental illness as a means of retribution and prisoner control. How daunting!

See: Isolation, psychiatric treatment and prisoner' control

The 2003 NSW Corrections Health Service (now Justice Health) Report on Mental Illness Among NSW Prisoners states that the 12 month prevalence of any psychiatric disorder in prison is 74%, compared to 22% in the general community, and while this includes substance disorder the high rate cannot be attributed to that alone.

Incidentally "Justice Health" may seem more 'just' that's why they changed their name "common government ploy" because they were not "correct" and even worse than hospitals outside the prison- about 10 times worse.

Click here: http://www.geocities.com/nswac14/archive1/IPTPC.pdf

And here is some info about his basic rights. xxxx's file notes were included anonymously in these submissions below:

Indigenous Social Justice Association & Justice Action Mental Health Act Review Submission

Indigenous Social Justice Association & Justice Action Mental Health Act Privacy/Carers Submission

Mental Health Act Discussion Papers

Click here: http://home.iprimus.com.au/dna_info/mh/

If I were you I would contact the Department of Corrective Service and ask them what xxxx's Case Management Plan is?

You may need his permission to do so if you're not related just get xxxxx to send you a Statutory Declaration he's good at that.

Related:

See: Crime and Punishment

Prisons, by their nature and the communities they house, suffer more acutely from the social exclusion that characterises the underprivileged parts of Australian society. Without the exacerbation of a custodial experience, these characteristics alone militate against the successful reintegration of prisoners back into the community.

Click here: http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2004/12/84172.php

Let me know how you get on (jA)

No calls for six days.

Dear Justice Action,

The last calls that were made out of Parklea Correctional Complex by my partner, an inmate in remand at Parklea, was on Wednesday 2 February. The phone lines for the inmates have been out of service to this date.

This is proving to be a major emotional struggle, which triggered my thoughts and actions to take drastic measures as with the Hunger Strike.

I am not coping well with this isolation. I am sincerely saddened, and I don't know how to deal with the pain.

I went through this same distress the week beginning 23 January 2005, where again the same problem existed. The phones were down for a whole week.

What can be done?

Anita

Hi Anita,

Did you try writing to your partner?

Contact: Parklea Prison
PO Box 6148
Blacktown 2148
Ph: 9626 7122

Sometimes there is little or no phone access in prison because of overcrowding, excessive lockdowns or measures having regard for the ultimate control by the Department of Corrective Services 'For the good order and security of the gaol'.

However there should be a welfare officer at Parklea so contact the prison on the phone number above and ask the welfare officer to get your friend to ring you up. Welfare can arrange emergency calls if they want to.

Let me know if there is no welfare officer at Parklea?

A hunger strike is an extreme measure and I would like to invite you to the idea that there is never 'only one-way to solve a problem'. On a scale from say, 1-10 your extreme measure rates 10.

By writing a letter to your partner it will serve at least two purposes.

It will get what is bothering you off your chest.

And get you around the phone problem for now.

If you remain on a hunger strike you will only do your self harm.

Let us help you and be our friend because we already know other ways to help you without you taking extreme measures that probably won't work in your endeavour to contact your partner.

Ask the prison if there are any problems with the phone and explain your situation about not being able to make contact with you partner for six days.

JA

http://www.justiceaction.org.au