Prison officials say the isolation unit is used only for
`the worst of the worst.' But prisoner rights advocates say it's an
increasingly common -- and unjustifiable -- form of punishment.
C. A. ``Cal'' Terhune
Sunday, April 9, 2000
©2000 San Francisco Chronicle
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/04/09/SC10SUN.DTL
Most of the 161,000 inmates in California's prisons simply want to do their time and get on with their lives. But for 2,750 inmates -- the 1.7 percent of the population who represent the worst of the worst -- we have Security Housing Units, or SHUs.
Among those is an inmate at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi who slings human waste at anyone who comes near his cell. Since being sent to prison on robbery and assault charges in 1991, he's been disciplined repeatedly for assaulting both employees and inmates. After being charged with battery on a peace officer on February 10, his case was referred to the Kern County district attorney for prosecution. Such behavior has put him in the SHU.
At Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, similarly vicious behavior landed a leader of a white supremacist prison gang called the Aryan Brotherhood in that prison's SHU. He has a record of violent criminal acts dating back to 1970. During his current commitment, he was convicted of first-degree murder after he knifed a fellow prisoner in the back and then slit the inmate's throat. He also has convictions for repeated assaults on employees and black inmates.
Inmates housed in SHUs have committed violent crimes after being sent to prison, or have threatened the safety of employees or other inmates. They land in the SHU for murder, assaults, rioting, threats, possession of a weapon, gang activity, drug trafficking, escape, arson, extortion or bribery. The SHUs have maximum-security cells where inmates have limited contact with their custody staff and often have no physical contact with each other. The SHUs keep inmates in a highly restricted, carefully controlled environment, yet still allow them access to a law library, medical and dental clinics, a canteen, exercise yard and a visiting room. Most staff assaults occur when inmates are being escorted to those facilities.
There currently are four California prisons with SHUs. In addition to those in Tehachapi and Crescent City, we have SHUs at California State Prison, Corcoran and Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla.
It's true that cases of staff mistreatment of inmates have occurred in prisons with SHUs. But in those cases, we have taken appropriate action to correct the misconduct. Overall, the work of SHU employees -- as they face danger and the grossest kind of behavior from inmates on a daily basis -- has been exemplary. The courts also have validated SHU confinement for dangerous inmates -- both in California and in other states.
In response to a lawsuit claiming Pelican Bay's SHU constituted cruel and unusual punishment, a court ruled: ``. . .there is nothing per se improper about segregating inmates, even for lengthy or indefinite terms. There is also little question that prison gang activity and violence within California prisons are serious problems that require strong measures from prison administrators.''
At Pelican Bay, which has the most tightly controlled SHU, a pre-release program is designed to prepare inmates for the transition from prison life back into society. Inmates are schooled in employment preparation, successful interview techniques, conflict resolution, improving and maintaining healthy family relationships, parenting, preventing domestic violence, and are given other tools to help them make it on the outside.
Since 1996, Pelican Bay has also operated a transitional housing unit designed to reintegrate long-term SHU inmates into the general population. This 12-week program features expanded yard activities and other privileges not available to SHU inmates. The curriculum includes basic education instruction, stress management, conflict resolution, substance abuse treatment, art activities, physical fitness, group discussions and presentations by guest speakers. An optional Alcoholics Anonymous group meets weekly.
People who work in our system are convinced that the SHU concept has been effective in reducing prison violence. Security Housing Units may not be the only answer to prison violence. We continue to seek other solutions. Nevertheless, the SHUs offer a practical means of separating the most dangerous and predatory inmates from those who just want to get along and do their time.
C. A. ``Cal'' Terhune is the director of the California Department ofCorrections.
Letters to the Editor about this article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/04/16/SC103569.DTL#sections
Editor -- Thank you for opening a window into a part of this nation's culture too infrequently seen by the general population (Sunday, April 9). For whatever reasons, the United States is creating a fast-growing federally mandated subculture that has few outside controls. Once locked up in jail or prison, an inmate is literally at the mercy of individuals and a system where abuse is common and unchecked. There is little real opportunity to lodge complaints, follow a grievance process or appeal to a higher authority.
Some may argue that, once convicted of a crime against society, a person gives up all rights and privileges. The Constitution, not to mention international conventions and agreements, disagrees. All humans have certain unalienable rights and privileges, primary among these is protection from ``cruel and unusual punishment.''
The most chilling article in your excellent series was by C.A. ``Cal'' Terhune, director of the California Department of Corrections. His primary example of ``vicious behavior'' that necessitated extended use of the Security Housing Unit (SHU) was an inmate ``who slings human waste at anyone who comes near his cell.'' One need not be a mental health professional to see such behavior as more indicative of mental disturbance than uncontrollable violence. It's easy to assert (as Director Terhune does) that SHU inmates receive ``access to . . . medical clinics'' if you ignore clear indications of the need for such care.
San Francisco
Editor -- I would like to know how the prison administration came to the conclusion that 12 weeks of ``therapy'' will make someone ready for society after having spent years in isolation?
It takes the average person years of counseling to overcome a variety of problems. Here we have someone deprived of outside contact, likely dehumanized over the years and they spent a whole 12 weeks getting them ready for us?
Why not start the day they enter the system? Wouldn't it make more sense to provide those same tools during the first year(s) of incarceration, thereby decreasing violence and anti-social behavior all the way around? I believe it's called rehabilitation?
Just a crazy thought!
Prison News Network