Justice Department Cites Unconstitutional Conditions at Orleans Parish Jail
Crime & Safety, Health, Politics
September 22nd, 2009 1 Comments
A report by the U.S. Department of Justice cites abusive and poor health conditions inside Orleans Parish Prison, according to wwltv.com.
“We find that OPP fails to adequately protect inmates from harm and serious risk of harm from staff and other inmates; fails to provide inmates with adequate mental health care; fails to provide adequate suicide prevention; fails to provide adequate medication management; fails to provide safe and sanitary environmental conditions; and fails to provide adequate fire safety precautions.”
The report also criticizes criminal sheriff Marlin Gusman and his staff for their poor system for reporting or investigating allegations of excessive force.
Citing Gusman’s own internal documents, the report lists several cases where inmates were severely beaten by corrections officers and says the department’s expert witnessed a pattern of unnecessary and inappropriate use of force sometimes “so flagrant it clearly constituted calculated abuse.”
In most cases, disciplinary action was taken by the sheriff against the officers involved, the report states. It also notes the effects of Hurricane Katrina are still evident at the prison and that improvements have been made since the storm flooded the prison facilities, many of which have been rebuilt or are in the process of being renovated with FEMA funding.
Click here to read Gusman’s response to the report.
Main link: http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/wwl092209cbdojopp.1a71afff9.html
COMMENTS
It should be a dungeon! The report is disappointing.