Welcome to the New Federal Supermax Prison (Thomson, IL)

[Mutatis Mutandis]

The recently acquired "Gitmo North" doesn't jibe with the government's stated goal of reducing solitary confinement.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/thompson-federal-supermax-solitary-illinois-dick-durbin


Even as it announces a review and reduction of its solitary confinement practices, the US Bureau of Prisons has confirmed that a newly acquired prison in Illinois will hold federal prisoners in supermax conditions. "Thomson will be a high security prison holding inmates with various security needs, including SMU and ADX type inmates," BOP spokesperson Chris Burke said via email.

Thomson is the unused prison that the federal government recently bought from the state of Illinois. ADX, the notorious federal supermax in Florence, Colorado, holds its prisoners in 23-hour-a-day isolation with virtually no human contact. Federal SMUs, or Special Management Units, such as those found in Lewisburg Penitentiary in Pennsylvania, hold their prisoners in round-the-clock lockdown in two-person cells. Both are forms of long-term isolation, and both have been denounced by human rights and prisoners rights groups as an inhumane and ineffective form of punishment, sometimes amounting to torture.

The revelation of the BOP's plans comes on the heels of an announcement that the bureau has agreed to undergo a "comprehensive and independent assessment of its use of solitary confinement in the nation's federal prisons." The assessment, to be conducted by the National Institute of Corrections (an agency of the BOP), will reportedly be oriented toward reducing the population of "segregated" prisoners.

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A complaint filed last June on behalf of ADX prisoners alleges that the supermax's torturous long-term isolation has produced a variety of psychotic and self-destructive behaviors:

Many prisoners at ADX interminably wail, scream, and bang on the walls of their cells. Some mutilate their bodies with razors, shards of glass, sharpened chicken bones, writing utensils, and whatever other objects they can obtain. A number swallow razor blades, nail clippers, parts of radios and televisions, broken glass, and other dangerous objects. Others carry on delusional conversations with voices they hear in their heads, oblivious to reality and to the danger that such behavior might pose to themselves and anyone who interacts with them. Still others spread feces and other human waste and body fluids throughout their cells, throw it at the correctional staff and otherwise create health hazards at ADX. Suicide attempts are common; many have been successful.

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[pipoman]

1. Of coarse some of these issues are

symptoms of the type of people held in ADX facilities. The lock down may not be necessary for all of the prisoners who warrant ADX confinement. However for many it is the safest plan. Most in ADX Florence are "disruptive group" leaders who have lead gangs, ordered hits, ran vice, harmed staff, and have enough prison time racked up as to have lost hope of ever getting out..this is a dangerous condition for anyone coming in contact with them.

General population has proven disastrous for some of the "disruptive group" members (gang leaders). Gangs develop communication between prisons and run illegal activities within the entire system. For instance, I was appointed by a US District Court judge to assist in the defense of one such gang leader who was in charge of gambling operations for the Aryan Brotherhood. He maintained a network of prisoners throughout the federal prison system who taxed gambling, kept track of markers, blackmailed inmates who had debt, and ordered hits of enemies of the AB, competition, guards, people who failed to pay their "taxes", and AB members who get sideways with the gang. They communicated between the prisons even though communication is strictly prohibited.

The other group I found in ADX were notorious criminals..the unibomber, Terry Nichols, Tim McVey, terrorist leaders captured on US soil or extradited to the US...etc.

No, of all of the people in the federal system, the ADX prisoners are the absolute least of my concern. They (for the most part) are a danger to humanity. They are the ones who will never be 'reformed'. Who have proven that they cannot be trusted in general population. Even with my deep seated beliefs as a civil libertarian, many who I have become acquainted with in AdMax are people I never want to get out...I have a family and am also acquainted with other prisoners who could be victimized by the ruthless held in ADX...we're not talking about garden variety drug offenders here..

[el_bryanto]

2. Well maybe they need to build one with proper psychological care

But if these are really dangerous types who can't be allowed to mix with other prisoners, I'm not sure what we should do with them.

Bryant