Legal action can be taken if it is (proven) that he was denied adequate care. As for the visits, as an Officer for a State agency we do not allow visits in the hospital because of the security issues, he may not be able to run, hop or skip but he can shoot, stab or eat a big mac before the officer can protect him or herself or protect the inmate form poor eating habits, Theres also the chance that the visiting party can do the same in a attempt to aid him in an escape. Not that this is what you are planning to do but security always comes first.

My 50 yr. old brother has been in jail for 2 yrs. waiting to go to trial, On a Friday, he as attacked by another inmate, which left my brother with a Punctured Collapsed Lung, 4 Ribs, that were completely broken into, 3 fractured ribs, etc. He immediately ask to be t, aken to the hosptial, because he could not breathe, and was in severe pain, I made over a dozen phone calls, trying to get him taken, with only being told that the week-end nurse, would have to authorize it, but she didn’t only thing she done was prescribe ibuprofen, They finally took him on that following Monday evening, to the hospital and was immediately admitted for the conditions listed above, also since his kidneys has not worked since friday, today Tuesday, they had to catherize him, He has a chest tube in to drain the lood from his body, where he has been laying at the local jail for 4 days hemmoraging, They are going to have to do surgery to wire the 4 broken ribs together, Needless to say he is in Critical Condtion, My problem is they won’t even let him have a visit, from me, since I am his sole provider throughout all of this, My parents passed away 2mth apart, so since being his only sister, I treat him like he was one of my children, But tell me why in his condition, why i could not visit, He has a Officer there 24/7 at his door, they even said, its not like he could get and and run, he can’t even get up to walk yet. So do you think when I file papers against the jail for neglect, for letting him lay for days before getting medical treatment, this will open there eyes up, And if the worse was to happen, and he dies, i bet they would want me to have his body removed before it even got cold. He has a long road to recovery, and i have been told do you know what this is causing the state? Any advice on what I should do in this circumstance? Where to I start from, do I wait to file papers, or wait until he is released? Thanks for any help & advice.

In my experience, the care your brother is receiving is an abberation. Back here, if your brother was choking you’d not have seen it… same with the bed sores… because you wouldn’t be in his room. But since an officer would be with him 24/7, a nurse would be summoned any time he was in distress. It also sounds like he’s in (or should be in) critical care, and around here that means constant watch by medical staff. I obviously don’t understand the situation he’s in and can’t wrap my head around what’s going on, so permit me to back pedal and allow me to say that my previous comments are much more general in nature and there is no way I can relate to or comment on his situation. Sounds like there’s more to this than you know.

I highly appreciate all the positive feedback from everyone. I agree with a lot of what you’re saying, and I understand. I understand that it’s for the safety of everyone. But I disagree that everyone gets the same care. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like every hospital I go to, the nurses are totally mean and unhelpful. Before, I stated that I believed my brother wasn’t getting proper care, and I found out he wasn’t. He had multiple bed sores, and the nurses never do anything for him when he’s choking. I’ve been there, and seen it with my own eyes. I just found out that they don’t know if he’s going to get better, and he’s on feeding and breathing tubes. I completely understand why the ADoC can’t release any information, but I’m just so frustrated that the hospital won’t. I haven’t been able to speak to a doctor yet, to find out what the ACTUAL prognosis is, and he’s been in the hospital for over three weeks. He can’t even move, and people are saying it’s for everyone’s safety. That’s crap. What’s he going to do? Breathe us to death? It’s just crap, and I hate almost everything at this point. I am just at a loss; I simply can’t fathom why there are hurtful, mean, stupid, and crazy people in the same world that there are babies, and kittens, and flowers. Life is too mysterious, and I’m tired of feeling so much. What is it going to take to change this world? :(

Good response, Crash.

Some inmates could receive visits and there would be no problem a’tall, but there are ALWAYS those who would play the system. I know (as well as anyone in corrections) that it’s true.

However, we can’t allow some families to visit (read the “good” guys) and deny others (read the “bad” guys), because that would obviously lead to complaints of “favoritism”. The only way we can maintain security and keep the really “bad” guys separate is to treat everyone the same, meaning no visits for anyone. I can see the complaints come pouring in if we allowed the guy in one bed have a visit and deny a visit to the guy in the bed next to his.

In Ohio the inmates receive good care. I’ve been on hospital duty and have NEVER seen the health care providers treat an inmate like a second class citizen just because he was an inmate. And, since the inmate is under guard, he also has an extra set of eyes on his condition while the nurses are busy with other patients. Sometimes there is a conflict of health care needs and security needs, and everyone wants to be safe, but the bottom line is that everyone wants the patient to get healthy.

Obviously, a death bed visit is (and should be) an exception to the rule.

Hev,
I have watched more individuals at hospitals than I care to. I can tell you that the HIPAA laws are very strict on what we can do, even if we feel otherwise, federal laws is very exact. I can easily say that your post made me tear up, but at the same time I would have to have to take the safety of my peers and clients more seriously than your (and my) feelings. Stand strong, your brother needs and wants you too.

hevvyn_synn, I feel sorry about the position you are in. However, it is the policy of my department, and I totally agree with it, that no family member will be contacted unless death is imminent. At that moment, our facility Chaplain will notify the family to make arrangements to visit. But for the safety of the officers AND inmate, the inmate will have an alias or the hospital will keep the information from the public. This is to prevent escapes, public endangerment, and prevent any type of violent retaliation against an inmate who may have wronged someone. I feel you are genuine about your brother, but in today’s world, there are family members killing each other so we cannot take any chances. So who do we trust? For everyone’s safety, I think it is best we trust no one and not reveal any information about an inmate to anyone. Discussing the injuries sustained in an attack pose a security threat or could hurt an investigation. With all the legal crap that go on, as hard as it is to understand, it is in the best interest not to disclose any information until he investigation is completed. I am not trying to sound cold-hearted hevvyn_synn, but it is my opinion we should not jeopardize the officer, inmate, or public’s life. (How would you feel as a patient, that the local news and family/friends knew an inmate was in a room next door and the possibility of a confrontation could occur?)

As for as the hospital care, once an inmate is admitted into the hospital, it is reasonable to assume that inmate will receive the best care available to him just like any free person from the street would receive. Only difference is, the inmate will not have to pay the bill because they are under the CARE of the jail. (Remember the old saying, “Care, Custody, and Control”?) In order to limit liability and prevent lawsuits, it is much cheaper to provide the best healthcare available rather than provide inadequate healthcare which results in a death and a multi-million dollar lawsuit. I have escorted many inmates to the hospital and I must admit, they receive plenty of extra care and are afforded all opportunities to recover fully. I am sure he is receiving the proper nourishment and treatment. Inmate or not, I hope your brother will get the treatment he deserves and recovers fully so that he may repay his debt to society for the crime he committed. (Or be a free and healthy man if he is innocent)

I quite agree that inmates shouldn’t get any visits if they aren’t in serious danger. At this very moment, my brother, an inmate, is in a hospital, in an extremely critical condition; near death. I disagree that you should tell the hospital that every inmate is a gang member though. Frankly, that’s pretty idiotic. You have no idea what that inmate was sent to prison for, OR if he/she even committed the crime for which they were accused. I know; you think that “if they didn’t do it, they wouldn’t be in prison,” but how many people are wrongly accused of a crime each year? The average is 10,000. If you don’t believe me, search it yourself. Anywho, the hospital and the prison guards aren’t giving my family and information as to what’s wrong with my brother, if he’s going to be ok, how he was attacked, or even what his exact injuries are. I haven’t heard anything about what medications he’s on, if he’s been getting proper medical attention, if he’s been given nourishment. It’s just a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE feeling. And I know many heartless people will just say to get over it, or something, because my brother is an inmate, but think to yourself; this could be ANYONE you care about. This could’ve been YOUR brother, just as easily as it is mine. It could’ve been YOUR father, or son, or cousin. What then? I’m sure you’d want THEM to get the best hospital care possible? Think about it. :( Would YOU want your little brother to worry and cry because he didn’t know if his big brother was gonna live or not, criminal or otherwise? Please provide feedback.

If they are not on their death bed, they should not receive a visit, plain and simple.

In my opinion from a medical standpoint (I am also a Cert. CO) NO!!!! These inmates usually manipulated the admin to allow them to go to the ER, because they called Mommy. Mommy calls the Sheriff to tell them we are neglecting their baby medical attention. The ER Doctors see a chance to make money and decised to carve on the inmate to remove the boil or infection. This in turn requires hospitalization at the expense of the county. Forget the fact that this these alments can be treated by antibiotics. It all rolls down to money. The safey and security issue for us goes out the window, but I can bet my life on it. When a family member or a gang member comes into the hospital and lights up the ward with gun fire to assist in freeing this person from our custody. The picture will be loud and clear. Then things will change immediately. When an inmate is being admitted I always tell the hospital staff that this person is a gang member regardless if they are or not. Then the hospital staffs’ flags go up It helps

At my prison it is common practice to call a family member of an inmate anytime they are admitted for anything. I feel this opens up a whole new can of worms because now you have family members showing up wanting to visit. Many times it has been ok’d by our major for an inmate to receive visits even though the inmate is not critical. What is to stop a friend, family member, or gang rival from bringing a gun there? Even a double lifer will have his family notified because he was admitted for something as simple as cellulitis. The danger that the officers and the public can face are not being taken seriously in my view.