Escape From Asylum Analysis

The Frontline episode “The New Asylums”, dove into the crisis mentally ill inmates face in the psychiatric ward in Ohio state prisons. The episode shows us the conditions and every day lives of mentally ill patients in Ohio state prisons, and explains how these inmates got to this point. It appeared that most of these prisoners should have been patients in an institute of some sort, out in society, but unfortunately due to whatever circumstances they ended up in prison. According to the episode, most of the inmates end up in prison due to them not coping with the outside world on their own. Prior to becoming imprisoned, the inmates had difficulties dealing with the outside world. Mainly due to lack of necessary

When it comes to mental illness, there is no denying that it is one of the most intractable problems in our day-to-day lives. About 500,000 mentally ill people are in jails or prisons in the United States, while 50,000 are treated in psychiatric hospitals. People often can’t help asking if jails or prisons are really the new asylums for those who are mentally ill? I used to think that it is hard to answer, but now I will not hesitate to say “No!” after watching the video “The New Asylums”.

Hard Rock Returns to Prison from the Hospital for the Criminal Insane by Etheridge Knight

Paper 2: The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog and Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist’s Notebook

During the 1800s, treating individuals with psychological issues was a problematic and disturbing issue. Society didn’t understand mental illness very well, so the mentally ill individuals were sent to asylums primarily to get them off the streets. Patients in asylums were usually subjected to conditions that today we would consider horrific and inhumane due to the lack of knowledge on mental illnesses.

The conditions of the prisons and asylums of the 1800’s were archaic even for that era but by today's standards are criminal in themselves. The march 26th, 1880 edition of The New York Times ran a story titled Out of an Insane Asylum, which described one patient's first hand treatment. According to the story that The New York Times ran this particular patient was beaten on several occasions seemingly at the whim of the people in charge (The New York

Overseers at Claflin University made a startling revelation Thursday morning when they found a child kid relinquished and crying inside a junk pack.

I enjoyed this book very much and consider it to be one of my favorites, mainly due to the interesting events in the ward revolving around disease. It was interesting how Donaldson explained the illnesses, symptoms, and medicines along with their purposes, without sounding like a textbook. The Lassa Ward was definitely informative, but personally, I wish the author would have included more description on the conflict in Liberia. The battle was brought up frequently, however, I felt as if his explanations as to what was happening were somewhat redundant. Most of them were constantly repeating that President Bush wouldn't send troops. Donaldson also informed us on some cultural beliefs that the Sierra Leoneans hold. For instance, the children were afraid of white people, because they thought they were ghosts, considering it is not often that they see somebody of another race. Additionally, I can connect the book to my personal life and the world that I live in. When Dr. Conteh leaves the ward in Ross's hands, Ross gets a massive load of responsibility placed upon him. He is now in charge of keeping the ward in tact while trying to save multiple patients lives. A large amount of responsibility comes with babysitting, so I can relate to Ross when I am left alone with my brothers and sisters. While babysitting I have to keep a close eye on my siblings, so that they can stay safe. In Ross's case he must pay attention to his patient's symptoms and treatment. Another way I can connect to the book is on page 75, when Ross wonders if coming to Kenema was courageous and an extremely dumb idea. Usually, I have many regrets whether it is over how much I studied or spend my summer days. Even though my decisions typically aren't as deadly, I still tend to make some impulsive decisions that can cause harm in the long run.

Last week I got an email from Marcos, the detention relief coordinator for an LGBT migrant’s rights organization here in Phoenix. Marcos, who I interviewed for the Undocumented Voices project, asked me if I wanted to join him and others on a trip down to the migrant detention center in Eloy to witness an asylum hearing. The hearing in question was that of Alfred, a gay/bisexual Ghanaian man who spent over a year in detention already. Excited with the prospect of seeing how America treats some of its undocumented citizens, I accepted Marcos’ invite.

The Australian Human Rights Commission headed an inquiry into the children living conditions in detention centres and through this inquiry accumulated evidence of human rights breaches, breached by to Australian Government in relation to children. One such area they documented was concerning the provision of clothing and footwear provided to children. After conducting this inquiry they found that the delivery of essential goods was inadequate for many children in detention centres. A 13 year-old girl living on Nauru explained her struggles living with little clothing,

According to a 2003 report conducted by Human Rights Watch, “[it is] estimated that one-fifth to two-thirds of those held in isolation had some form of mental illness” (Breslow). In an interview of solitary confinement inmates conducted by New York’s Correctional Association, the inmates were “actively psychotic, manic, paranoid or seemingly overmedicated” (Solitary Watch). Robert Foor is just one of the many people who have been placed in solitary despite a mental illness. During his time in isolation, he “became more mentally ill, mutilating himself by cutting and biting, and [attempting] to hang himself, eventually dying in confinement” (Dusty Rhodes). Another instance of a man with a mental illness taking his life in solitary confinement is Anthony Gay. Anthony “cut off a part of his genitalia, which a physician identified as ‘possibly a testicle’ and hung it from a string tied to his cell door. He was treated and then sent to a ‘strip cell’ as punishment. Though his mental health has been notably declining, he has faced increasing isolation and longer sentences due to incidents of throwing feces and urine at guards” (Solitary Watch). For someone who is suffering with a mental illness, solitary confinement is a vicious, never ending cycle. The isolation and harsh conditions make the inmate more unstable and ill, and because they are sick, they tend to mutilate their bodies or act out in inappropriate ways. The inmate will get treated for any inflicted injuries, but will ultimately be punished for his/her behavior, getting a longer sentence in isolation. The cycle then starts again, but the inmate is not treated for his/her mental illness, but, instead, gets sicker and sicker while being punished in solitary

For centuries societies have been superstitious and afraid towards mental illness; mainly due to a lack of knowledge. While there were “cures and treatments” for individuals that were deemed insane many were sent to either prisons or asylums. The conditions of these facilities were unsanitary, the physical and sexual abuse was frequent, and the staff was not properly trained to care for patients. Patients were also chained, caged, or restrained to beds in rooms that were often unheated.

Wright, D. (1997). Getting out of the asylum: understanding the confinement of the insane in the nineteenth century. Social History of Medicine, 10, 13

Prisoner B-3087 is about a boy named Jack Gruener. He lived in Krakow, Poland. Jack was ten when the nazis invaded his home town, and made his neighborhood into a ghetto. While he was was in the ghetto the nazis raided the apartments in the ghetto for valuables. Those who gave nothing were killed, or sent of to concentration camps. Jack and his family survived by live on the roof of their apartment in a pigeon coop. Jack saw his family deported and was alone in the pigeon coop for a while.

In “Out of Gitmo” by PBS’ Frontline, it examines the struggles of Guantanamo Bay prisoners inside, but mostly after they are release from this notorious detention camp. It focuses mainly on an ex detainee named Mansoor al Dayfi. He is from Yemen and spent 14 years at Gitmo without being charged. In the program it explains how detainees from Yemen are banned to go back home after they are released due to the political instability there.Therefore, since Mansoor is from Yemen he was sent to Serbia after his release. In “Out Of Gitmo” it shows how Mansoor is struggling to rebuild his life again due to him being sent to a place where he doesn't know the language and constantly feels threatened by the Serbian government. The program shows a series of interviews with Mansoor and him explaining why he is fighting to get out of Serbia. It also shows how the Serbian government is treating Mansoor, for instance them putting cameras in his