Registered Nurses Must Speak up about U.S. Prison Human Rights Violations

Written by Dianne Dupuis, RN, A.S., B.S.N., M.P.A., September 6th, 2018

Dianne Dupuis
Sep 6, 2018 · 5 min read

Preventable neurologic and psychological injuries are far too common in jails, prisons, state and privately owned managed institutions and other forms of incarceration in the U.S.

I noted a trend among newly incarcerated youth when conducting nursing intake screens. Youth often self reported a history of head injuries. When I was fortunate enough to obtain additional historical health records for these new admissions, I saw that many youth had histories of head injuries, often without having received any prior medical attention.

These youth were subsequently placed in environments which were violent and without any consideration given to their prior head injuries despite nurses bringing these concerns to administration. When these youth did sustain subsequent repeated and preventable head injuries, little intervention occurred until serious symptoms were displayed.

With the advent of serious neurological symptoms, youth were eventually taken to the local Emergency Department. The medical orders from the Emergency Department Medical Providers were frequently ignored preventing any true continuum of care.

Neurologically damaged patients may display aggression or other behaviors. These often involuntary behaviors resulting from neurological trauma often incur punishment instead of a multi-disciplinary holistic approach appropriate necessary for such complex behavioral dilemmas.

Punishment perpetuates the vicious cycle of more charges such as custodial assault.

A true rehabilitative response assists the patient to understand his or her medical and psychological symptoms and intervenes to ensure appropriate medical and psychological follow up including aftercare when released.

This is systemic and endemic deliberate indifference throughout the U.S. penal system. The neurological injuries youth and adults alike have endured are clearly a significant component of their behavior and impair their ability to comply with institution rules or to get any semblance of real education.

The on-site public school, on the campus of the maximum security juvenile rehabilitation institution I worked in as a Registered Nurse, was managed by the local school district and was inherently dangerous and violent. They local school system leadership knew about the dangers. They failed to ensure student safety.

When a neurologically and psychologically traumatized youth is afraid of assault in the classroom and experiences and/or witnesses repetitive preventable assaults, there can be no true learning.

These students are not being provided with their constitutional right to an education. Many of these youth never receive appropriate diagnostic services. If they do receive diagnostic services the recommendations are ignored.

Many incarcerated people have neurological trauma that is ignored. They are punished for their inability to comply with institutional rules which are imposed arbitrarily at best.

This is tantamount to cruel and unusual punishment, also a constitutional right.

Furthermore many incarcerated individuals are disabled and their rights under the American Disabilities Act are ignored.

My conclusion is that leadership in the U.S. penal system dehumanizes inmates in subtle, yet very effective ways, that in turn profoundly influence staff to disallow fundamental human rights of those in their care. These same staff often would never imagine treating their loved ones in the ways they are directed to behave toward the incarcerated. They are skillfully manipulated into complicity by a corrupt system that sets everyone up for failure.

Staff are coerced, intimidated and retaliated against if they break the code of silence. I broke the code of silence and have now for over one year been systematically disenfranchised. I am not allowed access to my work email. I have been forbidden to call the institution. They have not terminated me because I have done nothing wrong other than follow Doctors orders. I am on extended unpaid leave and they have canceled my health insurance. Every single individual who works in this 24 hour per day, 365 days a year, ‘rehabilitation’ community has stopped communicating with me. I speak from personal experience in the present tense.

I speak for those whose voices are oppressed and censored.

I speak for myself as a Registered Nurse and conscientious objector to mass incarceration without true justice. If not me, who? If not now, when?

#publicity #human rights

#prison reform

    Dianne Dupuis

    Written by

    I am a Registered Nurse.

    Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
    Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
    Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade