@hissillysally how were you able to visit at tri cities? My brother is there we do not know his condition, but we were able to get information from a gentleman there. He said that he would approve visits for my brother, so I assume he is in bad condition. I keep calling CIM chino and they keep transferring me and I get no where. We want to visit my brother ….please help. Someone anyone

Oh I must have offended someone here on Corrections.com, in a forum for connecting with my peers. Where are my manners?

Thank you, Campi, Squeeze, and Mick for shedding some light on our family’s situation. It all makes sense to me now. The safety of everybody involved is #1. It’s too bad it has to be that way, but I truly do understand. Thanks again!

I am sorry to hear about your loss Jasoncom and sadly there are many stories just like yours. As Mick and Squeeze stated the issue is not us wanting to keep you away from your family members. As part of the rehabilitation process the prison I work at has many events that as long as you pass a screening process and clear security coming in you can have time with your family member and maybe even get something out of the events other than a visit with your family. These events are monitored and in a secure setting. The issues lie in places outside of secure settings. In our medical center you are allowed to visit just like other prisons. If the inmate is too ill to move to this setting then you will be hard pressed to get any face time with your family members. I have had to terminate medical trips because the inmate was combative. Fellow officers have had to terminate a funeral visit because a rival gang was waiting in the parking lot of a funeral home because they knew the inmate would be there. As people we can empathize with you. As people carrying out a job where we are not only responsible for the community, the inmate, and all staff members ourselves and the hospital. We cannot and I will jeopardize my safety just because people feel it is unfair they do not get a final fare the well with their family member when they are incarcerated. Sadly this comes down to a few people ruining it all for everyone. If there were not incidents the policy and procedures would not be in place to prevent incidents from happening. Think of it this way. It doesn’t sound like a big deal for an inmate to walk in the living area after dark with liquid in a cup. The fact I have policy that states I am to stop the inmate make them empty the liquid and issue them a conduct report sounds trivial and like I am a bully who has nothing better to do with my time but pick on poor thirsty inmates. The truth is this policy came about when an inmate took it on himself to boil water mix it with baby oil and throw it on another inmate during the night leaving the guy permanently disfigured. So instead of getting mad at the people who are simply doing their job get mad at the people who forced our hands into not letting you have the visit because they had the privilege and misused it. I know back a long time ago before my time they used to do death bed visits at hospitals. I am not sure the true reason why we no longer do it. I just know there is a retired CO that knows the story somewhere that would explain why it no longer happens.

Jason: As insensitive as it may seem, there are simply too many security issues that outweigh the needs of the family. Illustration #1:Officers(unarmed) transport an inmate to the emergency room(1986) met at door by armed brother of inmate. Result:escape of inmate and trauma to escorting officers(requiring psych evaluations) one officer out for good with ptsd. Example 2:Max prisoner (2004) went to dr. office. Family knew which dr. was contracted and when inmate went to dr’soffice found planted gun in a ziplock in the dr.s office toilet tank. Everyone in the dr.s office were terrorized and inmate escaped to Omaha where he eventually died in shootout with police. I know these weren’t your brother but corrections can’t take the chance that something really bad can happen when outside the control of the facility. I am sorry you lost your brother and your experience wasn’t as you would have liked but we must as part of the criminal justice system protect our officers,staff, and the public first.No consolation to your family I know.

jasoncom8984. In many cases of Prisoner Hospitalization its a matter of security. Unless your brother was diagnosed as terminally ill there is no onus on the Prison to contact any member of your family. They only had an onus to make contact because he died in custody.

First off, " Mr Correctional Professional, " I’m not looking for any sympathy. It sickens me every time I think about what he has done. But that doesn’t change the fact that he was my brother. I simply want to know why his family wasn’t contacted when he was placed in the hospital. He was there for about a week and they pretty much knew the prognosis. Is it the inmates decision weather or not family is contacted in that situation?

This may not be the best place to post something where your brother was going to commit statutory and then got caught. As a correctional professional and a father of 2 beautiful daughters you’ll get no sympathy here.

I need to do a little venting myself. It should depend on the offense of the inmate, I mean come on!!! The prison knows pretty much everything about the inmate, as in current and previous offenses. My brother had a clean record up until a year in a half ago when he responded to an app on his phone that detects people using GPS. The person that messaged him was a police officer posing as a 15 or 14 year old asking him to come over to have sex. My brother apparently drove to the bait house, but didn’t stop. Drove right past then they pulled him over and arrested him. He never said he didn’t do anything wrong. He admitted he “fucked up” and they sent him to prison for a year in a half. He only made it 6 months. He died in a hospital on July 9th 2014. NO CONTACT FROM ANYBODY when he was admitted to the hospital!!!! I do understand security should be the most important thing when an inmate is admitted to a hospital, but consider the offense. So now I have to live with the fact that my brother died thinking I was mad at him for what he put the family through. Has anybody else been through something similar?? It’s just soooo hard…..

Well ice turns to water so I would say yes ice chips are liquid. Now I agree this is a bad spot to be in. Sadly from the sounds of it he will be lucky to last much longer. You can try and get the docs to give him a time frame for death and then get a medical release. This is probably your only option to do anything in this situation. This will take time to get done but if you try and have money to throw at it. You may just get him home before he passes.

My husband of 23yrs is a imate in a Pennsylvania pa prison.he has 2yrs left to do but his health has turned for the worse he now is ending stage off liver failer and cancer.it has taken him down fast.I’ve wrote the judge,parole board the lawyer and also everyone that works in the prison.I am fighting to get my husband home to rest in the comfort off his own home with r kids and grandkids.its like pulling teeth getting. Any info from the doctors and nurse at the prison.u can tell they hiding a lot of info and keeps telling my husband he not allowed to see or know test results.I been waiting 2 wks for test results off what stage cancer is in liver which I no its not good his kidneys r failing his legs r so swollen with fluid and lungs.he is bleeding out he has had blood transfusions and units off platlits that’s the only reason he still alive.I am not gone away or giving up I will fight till the end for my husband who has worked his whole life and taxpayer.one wrong decision that’s all it takes put my husband in prison for 5yrs which now has turned to death sentence to him and r family.its terrible the way they treat inmates who r sick I pray every night for the ones who don’t have family to keep there eyes and ears open for them.as me being a nurse this is the hardest thing for me when I see the wrong treatments going on with my husband and trying to proof it.I feel and so does my husband they hiding things more noting I a nurse.when I call everyone is always out or in meeting so I will drive 5 hrs to go see husband then its all a different picture they act so concern.but the moment I am not there he will ask for yes to get a cup off ice do to fluid restrictions and all he gets is let me check u can’t have water…. REALLY!!!!!!!!! ice chips r not fluid where the hell u get or nursing license. smh …fighting for inmates who r sick for proper treatment…….

The issue lies in security and safety sadly once crimes are committed or allegedly certain precautions must be taken. Is this fair to the family. Not really. Then again this should be crossing the minds of people before they commit crimes. What would this do to my family? If that thought crossed their minds and they care enough about their family this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. I have had family in prison and like stated before I didn’t provide them anything to make that stay comfortable. When they got out and decided that their life needed to get back on track I gave them hands up and besides a few bumps along the road they are doing well. I am sorry your family fell ill but I will not put my life at risk for visits be they funeral/bedside (Terminal patients either inmate or the inmates family)/ Hospital visits/Ect. I have my own family to go home to at the end of the day and one emotional family member with a pistol who wants their dying family member to stay with them in their last days will not keep me from them.

I meant to say below that we were told we could not see him UNTIL the arraignment. sorry..

May I start another story since it is similar in some circumstances? My brother committed a crime (not murder) and was taken to a hospital/detention center while waiting to be arraigned. I should say attempted crime since he never was convicted. He had a gunshot wound and was in critical condition. The next of kin (my parents) were called and told they could not visit him, no communication. We were told we could see him at the arraignment. Obviously the family wanted to be able to show our support and love him. He was in the hospital/detention center for 10 days. (Dec. 22nd- 2013 to Jan. 2nd, 2014) and DIED. One the last day, he had to be resuscitated at 5:02 pm, and they got him back. No notification to the family…He had another episode where he quit breathing and he had to be resuscitated again at 7:23 pm, and they got him back. No notification to the family….then around 10:27 pm, he had to be resuscitated again, and Shocked, and he died. They called the family 2 1/2 hours later to tell us he was dead. WHO dropped the ball and failed to call us. ?? The hospital says they don’t make the calls in this hospital/detention center situation. and the Sheriff’s dept in control of the detention center doesn’t want to answer any questions. Do I have any recourse? I have read some of the other posts and agree to some degree about the safety concerns you raise. but there’s a balance between safety and the families’ right to see their dying family member. There should be much more care for Law Enforcement to work out ways to achieve Safety AND honor the rights of a family to see their dying family member. In a case where someone is near-death, there should be a place/room to take the patient where there are no safety concerns. There should be a place for near death patients. In our case, we could have at the least talked to him on the cell phone. No safety issue there. Letter, Christmas card. a Facebook message. In short, Safety is not the only factor in this situation. It’s bigger than one factor. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to tell him that I loved him, and placed my hand in his hand and prayed with him. (I have a son who is a Police Officer and a Police Dispatcher. ) Thank you.

Praiser45, Thank you for you story about your brother. I do believe that out of 53 years and three sons 28.30 and 36, that this is one of the most difficult things that I have ever gone through and I broke my back in 8 places and my neck in 2 places. May I ask! was your brother let out on a Compassion Release? We are waiting for an answer on ours right now and my guy is doing good considering! :) :(

My brother was in prison and diagnosed with a terminal illness….Unfortunately he died on Sept 2013. I must say that during his time of hospitalization and surgeries!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we were able to visit with him twice. Once when the Warden gave us permission to see him and the second time was when the Drs asked that the family be called in due to him having only a few weeks/months to live! The ENTIRE process of dealing with the Camp where he was housed was TERRIBLE! Calling just to get medical information was bad…He was not taken to a lot of his appoiintments etc….Long story short…we fought and sent a letter to the Parole board nad eventually we were able to get him out of prison and he came to live with me before he passed about 2 weeks…So we, the family, was just very grateful my brother did not have to die alone and in prison. They sent my brother home with nothing more than a depend and a nasty tshirt on! I can not tell you how UPSET I WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh and did i mention the NASTY sheet they had wrapped around him! Those people that work in the Prisons that are responsible for all that happened to my brother and others have to answer for all that! i think it is just sad…because regardless of what they did to put them in prison! they are still hurman and ar not animals…I could go on and on with the story but I just wanted to say that little bit and Will be praying for all families that are currently having to deal with terminally Ill inmates at any prison…My brother was located at CENTRAL PRISON in Durham NORTH Carolina. He was in Johnston County at first, but was moved to Central Prison because of his constant medical care and surgery that he had…..GOD help the PEOPLE that have the jobs in PRISONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I believe in HisSillySally’s case the FACT he was terminal and the general condition of the patient (risk factors) HSS was allowed to visit at the Hospital with few restrictions. This type of Hardship situation was considered I believe. While we always look at safety and security first we in general(Corrections) are not discompassionate to the families of those who are our wards.

due to the many esues with the security out side the prision, and the risks who every correctional officer carry with their profetion, I think that is time to put some restrictions to the people how are visiting inmates at the hospital. It ’s not the fisrt time that officer get in to confrontations with the families and other relatives to the hospital with an unautorized visit. How the system can help with this matter is the big question, and how to stop this visits who can put the security of the officers and the inmates itself in many cases.?

WoW! I get this is old postings but My boyfriend went into the hospital as an inmate and I got to go everyday to see him. He was sent back to prison a few days ago to die! The doctor said there’s nothing more they can do for him so they put him back in a cage! He has end stage 4 liver cancer, he can’t walk because his legs are so full of bio toxin fluid as is 80% of his body. We did our homework when he could still think clearly and he gave me power of Attorney over all of his medical dealings and so on. I got updates from the doctors or nurse they let me know how much fluid they removed from his belly and his lungs as they filled up. He was still an inmate at the end of the day. Now with not knowing if today is going to be his last and I haven’t heard from him in a week, I treasure those days we had at Tri City Medical Center in Oceanside, CA.. Lets hope for the best on a visit this weekend? Peace Out!

It is a huge security issue. First off people in emotional states or near death are very dangerous. They feel like they have nothing to lose so let your mind wrap around that fact. Now that person who is held against their will with little time left and put them in an uncontrolled environment with only a few chains and a few guys with guns keeping them from freedom. This is why trips are kept from family members. It is too easy for a few people to surprise a trip probably with superior fire power and facilitate an escape probably at the expense of the guard’s lives. So if you want to spend time with your families then make sure you help lead them down the right path. I myself had a family member incarcerated and I never once visited them. I am sorry but they got themselves in the mess I never made them commit their crime so why is it my job to provide them comfort in their punishment. They didn’t get a food box or $20 of goodies from a vending machine on a visit. I never gave them money to blow at commissary. I was told prison sucked and they never wanted to go back.

When an inmate is hospitalized in critical condition is there anyway or someone that can be called to find out how they are doing? If not, then we more than likely won’t hear from my brother for about a month or so. He has cancer and had to have a 15 hour surgery ! They say no news is good news…I was just wondering if there is a way to at least know how he is doing?

It is amazing that people comment about inmates that are critically ill should not receive visits from their family unless they are dying! I am willing to bet the ones making these comments don’t have anyone in prison and if they do! they are not sick. I agree that it is a security issue, but I think it very unfair of the system that an inmate’s family even though they are not allowed to visit, they are not informed or given any kind of update on how their family member is doing! Now tell me how is that hurting anything for someone to call a family member to say how the inmate is doing?

Visits in outside hospitals are only allowed with permission of Head of Correctional Centre and only where the offender is very critical,on his death bed.The only exception are for pregnant mothers giving birth; may get visits based on security classification.Hospital Visits are a big security risk for the guarding official as well as the publc;hospital staff.We had several incidents where gangs visit these hospitals and shootings result in innocent parties losing their lives.Hospital staff also do not always adhere to security rules;we have eleven official languages and the official do not always understand the language that is spoken between offender and certain staff.The offender would request staff to phone friends and family on their behalf and some of the staff do so; placing innocent peoples lives in danger.At most of the public hospitals offenders are placed amongsts other patients which in contact with other patients and visitors.Offenders also have to wait the exact same time and in the same waitng room as all other patients in direct contact with the public.No effort is made from hospital staff to assist offenders first to avoid the security risk that exists one understands that patients in critical care should be asisted first but offenders should be seen as high risk.

I do believe that all his treatments/heatlh issues fall under patient confidentiality clauses and that bars them from informing you or anyone outside of those who are treating him any information about his issues. He can tell you but they can’t ( well, they’re not supossed to anyway).

Oh, I completely understand the security issues, My concern is why I cannot get a status report on his condition, I was told that if possible, before they take him to surger that they might contact me, I just think about the 3 nights & 4 days he layed at the local jail, in the pain he was in, Even being told by a sgt. on duty that indeed he needed to go to the hospital, but they couldn’t do anything until the nurse gave permission to, also was told do you know how much it cost the state for an imate to be hospitalized, Now what is going to happen to him, when & if he gets returned to the jail, are they going to take care of him, esp. pain wise, because it will take a long time, for the injuries he has to heal. Time is a big issue here, I did leave a message for another attorney not the one who is representing on his case, but one who can give me advise, for legal steps in starting a lawsuit against the local detention center for the neglect of my brother. Thanks for any help in this matter.