"When I was raped for the first time by my uncle at the age of eleven, my aunt told me to smoke a joint to feel better."That's the story of one Northampton County female inmate. She never had a chance.
She's far from alone. Lafayette College's Dr. Bonnie Winfield has previously told Northampton County Council that seventy-five per cent of female inmates are themselves the victims of domestic abuse. Eight-five per cent become addicted to drugs. That's why Lorena's story of medical neglect and abuse, which I first told you last week, is so important. These women, no matter what their mistakes, are still human beings.
Because so few programs are available and so many women leave jail with nothing, Dr. Winfield has initiated a women's program, designed to create what she calls "circles of caring" on the outside. She hopes efforts like hers might reduce the recidivism rate, which Northampton County Exec John Stoffa has said is 69% statewide.
What I did not know is that Lorena was Dr. Winfield's inspiration. Here's a comment she posted yesterday.
"I have been going into the women's units of the county jail for three years. I designed a program 'The Journey Home' for the women and facilitate several therapy type groups. Lorena was my inspiration for doing this. She is a talented artist and writer.
"The bottom line is that a majority of women and men for that matter are returning to the jail after being released. 95% of those incarcerated today will be released and 3/4 of those released will return.
"Even if you can not get in touch with any compassion for individuals who have made a mistake, who have addictions, and gone down the wrong road for many reasons, it is in the best interest of the common good to at least explore if our criminal justice system is doing, what it needs to do. And more importantly, if our society, that includes you and me, is doing all it can when these people re-enter society.
"Are there jobs and safe affordable housing available when they have made a commitment to changing their lives? Can we see them as women and men who have made mistakes instead of seeing them as their mistakes.
"I take 11 Lafayette College students into the jail each week for a Women's Studies Class. Over 10 women who are incarcerated have also participated in this course. ALL of the students have read the 10 are required books, written papers and participated in hours of critical discussion. Lorena is one of them.
"There are good things happening and unfortunately there are questionable things happening. If you have any concerns about this and want to make a difference, I invite you to contact me. I am forming a county wide collaboration of groups and individuals who want to make a difference for these women.
"It will take more than these complaints by a caring mother, more than programming on the inside, more than building treatment centers, more than comments on blogs such as this, to change the conditions in a jail. The US incarcerates individuals at a higher rate than ANY other nation.
"I challenge you to become part of the solution. Contact me at: winfielb@lafayette.edu"
50 comments:
Doctor I commend your efforts, however how much time do you spend with these ladies and officers alike. I challenge you to spend 48 hours in one week on the floor watching in the distance to see with your own eyes truth not what you may not understand as the correctional officers duty. I was raped by my mothers boyfriend and my mother was an addict. I was raped every night for months the burning of his act woke me up, my mother too high to see what was happening. I am not a drug user I am a victim to the degree I allow myself to be. My God is my strength and he carries me through...
Bernie..thank you for keeping this issue before the net on this blog. When in the world is the press going to run this story? What has to happen before they let the public know what is going on at tax payer expense and in their names? Does this young lady have to die before anybody does anything? We don't need another martyr for the cause of decency and humane care..do we?
It is hard to find words to respond. I am awed by your courage, strength and most of all your faith. My heart breaks as I read your story; and yet, I know the complexity of the unit, the stories of many women being played out behind locked doors. I know that there are many things, truths,if you will, that I do not understand. I have the privilege of coming in for 2-3 hours at a time, 3x a week, meeting in the education room, making art and writing stories with a select group of women. At these times, the behavior of these women may be quite different from when they are on the unit. I have experienced manipulation and have been told lies by some of the women I have worked with. I am in no way discounting the work of CO's, the difficulty of the situation, the challenges of a sometimes thankless job.
My first response is to call the administrators and ask permission to come to the unit for a week! However, as I reflect on this, I do not think that is what is needed. (Although, I may still do that.) We need to have an open dialogue. Hearing all the voices, including yours. Seeking a better solution. Maybe I am an idealist; but I think we can find a better way to provide more healing for all involved and reduce the recidivism and suffering.
Bernie..is JS aware of what is happening at the jail? We really need some leadership here and that is not an admission of guilt by any measure concerning the jail administration. They can't see everything that happens but they have to respond to this situation. At least be pro-active and put some new safe guards in place to assure us that change is in the wind here and that the status quo is not acceptable.
Keep faith and hope alive sister woman. And the last will be first and the first will be last when his kingdom comes. You are not alone and all is known to him. He will wipe away all the tears.
Bonnie..what would your presence accomplish? It would skew the picture and you would get the same results as you do on advisory board rounds. The truth is hidden because ugliness hides in the darkness and avoids the light at all costs. Keep doing what you do and keep asking hard questions of the administration when the chances arise. Be brave.
It is refreshing to know we have caring, kind and compassinate people like you doctor trying to make a difference in this world. Having never met lorena or her mother after reading there story i could only reflect on how lucky i was to have had the childhood i had and the one i gave my own children,i believe we are all damaged goods in some way,i can only imangine the pain and suffering this young woman must have gone through as a child. thank you for your good works helping these young women,the world could use more people like you.
"Bernie..is JS aware of what is happening at the jail?"
None of us is truly aware what is happening there except for the people directly involved. That's the problem. I am sure Lorena is being portrayed as some kind of manipulator, as some of the comments in my first post suggest.
I'll give you an example. They don't believe Lorena's main complaint, i.e. that she has been bleeding heavily as a result ofher miscarriage. They apparently want her to sit in an open cell so they can ALL watch her bleed into some bucket or something. Lorena, for her part, would rather just bleed. So the situation continues.
How hard would it be to take her to see a gynecologist, just to be sure? If they think she's nuts, then how hard would it be to have her evaluated? Either way, she needs better care than is being provided by the county's outsourced medical provider.
Why hasn't the press run with this story someone asked? Because they do a little something called FACT FINDING prior to running a story unlike this BLOG jobber writing here. To assume a jail moving to IBM, Inmate Behavioral Management, which is a program directed at the officers going above security to a more caring for their needs role, saying they would intentionally humiliate someone like this is laughable and ridiculous and there are too many people who are seeing the news of what went down in Gitmo and thinking all jails take pictures while their prisoners are piled up. Wow the general intelligence of this community is pathetic, lead by some lackey writer who doesn't do his homework before writing. Your breath must smell awful with all that s**t that you spew out of it.
Just because someone has a uniform on means squat! There is abuse at NCP..medical,physical and psychological by some of those in charge and you as a tax payer are subsidizing that abuse. All we are asking for is HUMANE treatment..what don't you understand? You are living in la la land if you think otherwise. Put your faith in no one except God!
I'd agree that more facts need to be developed before this becomes a news story. But it certainly is blogworthy. Becsuse blogs are interactive, people have a chance to fill in the rest of the story or provide different perspectives.
But the ultimate goal, whether a blog or newspaper, should be the truth. That's my goal. I'm not interested in slamming COs or Lorean. I'm interested in learning the truth.
Judging by the personal attacks being mounted, I'd have to say this story has struck a nerve.
In two stories abouit this matter, I've identified myself. lorena has permitted her story to be told, even though she is still on the inside, and may suffer repercussions. Dr Winfield has gone on record. One of her students has gone on record.
I have yet to hear from a single CO or medical care staffer who is willing to identify himself or herself. Instead, there have been some pretty vicious anonymous attacks.
All of this tells me there is something to lorena's claims. She may be off the mark on some points, and may not understand some things, but it's pretty clear to me that Lorena's story is actually gaining credibility.
That's your problem right there, judging which you have done here and in other blogs without fact finding. There's no such thing as "filling in", that's the most ridiculous thing you could've said. Here's a fill in....
Bernie O'Hare is a.......
Now people can just fill in what they want based on what they know. Being that you are bashing the jail and everything in it then saying fill in, your fill in you're referring to would read like this...
The guards at the jail are scumbags because......
You've already put it in everyone's minds. This is why you'll never amount to anything outside of a blogger.
Struck a nerve is right. Best defense a good offense. The attacks will continue as we get closer to the heart of the matter at hand. Will someone on the inside come here and be honest with themselves and us about the situation? Does anyone have the guts to tell the truth?
Credibility because people point out how stupid some people are for listening to one side of a story? Wow your journalistic skills are weak at best. That was a grand attempt at getting someone at the prison to give your sorry blog some ratings by replying and having a back and forth with people. Lame attempt from a lame "writer".
P.S.
Spell check works wonders. No wonder you don't have a real journalistic job.
You are correct to criticize my bad typing skills in the comments. But my posts are spell-checked.
We have some serious allegations of medical neglect and actual abuse. I have not called COs scumbags. Lorena's story is, in and of itself, worthy of attention. She has identified several other inmates who have been victimized, mostly by shabby medical care.
True, it is only one side of a story, but it is one side. I'd rather see one side told than see these allegations swept under a rug.
I have identified myself. Lorena, her mother, Dr. Winfield, her student, have all identified themselvs. We have said what we said and accept responsibility for our words.
The CO defenders, in contrast, have been hiding behind a veil of anonymoity. I have no problem with that, but it should not be a veil behind which you try to smear and debase others. if this is what you do here, I can only imagine what you do inside prison walls.
And let's be honest. Prison abuse happens. There are bad COs. There are jails with substandard care.
NC has had its share of problems at the jail, dating back many years. It is, as Angle has often stated, in its own little world.
We need to determine the truth. Anyone in the public sector should expect some public scrutiny.
There is a reason that a corrections Officer will not sign his or her name on this, is that is prohibitted by the "COUNTY & PRISON" "Code of Ethics"!!!
I am sure that many officers would like to come forward, but most need to feed and house their families and themselves so they need to not violate any of the standards set by the Commonwealth, or the County.
"The CO defenders, in contrast, have been hiding behind a veil of anonymoity. I have no problem with that, but it should not be a veil behind which you try to smear and debase others. if this is what you do here, I can only imagine what you do inside prison walls.
And let's be honest. Prison abuse happens. There are bad COs. There are jails with substandard care.
NC has had its share of problems at the jail, dating back many years. It is, as Angle has often stated, in its own little world."
Here you go again running under assumptions. These are officers posting on here right? And you have proof, right? How about the possibility of an officer's relative or friends of them genius?
I'm guessing you know so much because you worked in the prison? Oh no that's right you didn't, you just listen to people like Angle (an open racist piece of garbage). Or Stoffo or whatever the heck his name is running off at the lips about inside the prison walls in the paper that were completely inaccurate.
Again great job doing your homework............except running under assumptions is the complete OPPOSITE! That is called lack of doing your job of finding out the truth and posting blogs to get a reaction from people inside like some form of bait doesn't count, that's just pathetic. BTW I have been doing journalistic work for over 7 years and someone showed me these blogs that's on the inside, you are definitely not qualified to do the job of a journalist, that is for certain.
I know, unfortunately,that abuse occurs within and outside of the prison system. We are doing an event that will hopefully prevent or inspire women who have already been incarcerated.
It is called the
"QUEEN FOR A DAY EVENT"
and it is being held on 11/21/09 from 1:00pm - 6:00pm. It is being held at 1101 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA. It is a FREE event and we are inviting all young ladies and women, with their families, to come and get involved, listen to some phenomenal guest speakers (women leaders/business owners in the community), and eat some great catered food!
Please come out and/or spread the word!
Alfonso Todd
BLURB Media/Promotions
www.gsands.jimdo.com
I have deleted and will continue to delete all comments suggesting Stoffa be sued. I do this bc the person who continually posts this comment is motivated solely by a hatred of Stoffa, as evidenced in his first comment. He does not care about any issue except insofar as it enables him to take a shot at Stoffa.
You do realize Mr. Ohare that suing County Council and the County Executive are actually excellant ways for this woman to get her concerns reviewed.
I find it amazing that just because these reasonable actions impact your friend John Stoffa you call it a mean spirited attack.
So you are all for helping this poor woman unless it makes Mr. Stoffa uncomfortable. With friends like you she doesn't need anymore enemies.
I am NOT suing, have never said I would, I just want what is fair in health care for my daughter!! WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THIS? We are not looking for money what else can I say???????
"You do realize Mr. Ohare that suing County Council and the County Executive are actually excellant ways for this woman to get her concerns reviewed."
I have no problem w/ that I do have a problem with that plus all kinds of vicious personal attacks. they will be deleted.
From what I understand is the health care company inside is contracted out. Obviously they know what they are doing as they have been there for several years. If your daughter was that bad off I am sure they would send her to who they thought she needed to she. I am sure she is not or never has been sitting there bleeding into a bucket!! If that were the case I am sure she would have bled out by now. Think about it. No one can be as bad off as what you are portraying and not go into shock. Maybe, just maybe this is a case of a Mother being fed a line of B.S. by her addicted thief of a daughter and buying into her lies. Which I am sure has happened most of their relationship. That gullible mother then turns to a wanna be journalist/ex lawyer who was disbarred for dishonesty and other serious offenses to "get her word out." Then this wanna be journalist post a story with only the statements of an addicted multiple offender. Way to get the scoop Bern...great work on your part!!!! Lorenas Mother...if you feel your daughter needs medical help she is not getting from the professional services provided offer to pay for them yourself!!
Thanks for the above positive thoughts and solutions to Lorena's situation. Geez..what an AH you are!
One phone call to John Stoffa could end this if he wants to. Ohare keeps hiding that fact but he is ultimately responsible for the prison.
Either he cares or he doesn't. It is that simple. One call and she could be at an emergency room in ten minutes. Those are the facts whether Ohare deletes them or not.
I will delete anonymous personal attacks and OT comments. Note my policy.
Stoffa is County Executive, not King. Contrary to your assertion, he has no jurisdiction over Lorena. And he has been trying to get her to see someone.
I have tried everything I could to get someone to help Lorena see a Gynecologist. There was no leaf unturned. I did offer to pay myself. I got help from no one, including the Prison Society who claims they go in and check these claims out and speak to inmates. No one has yet to speak to her about her complaints from there. Everything is dismissed with a mention of a possible lawsuit against me! MY GOD what is the problem there? A gynecologist that I pay for? What are you afraid of? Over this past month of trying I have found out some VERY interesting news the public might like to know and as a right of free speech you will. I would also like to know where a package with a game in it from Barnes and Noble, which was sent out on October 13th, scanned and delivered on October 16, 2009 is. Who signed and kept it? This is far from over. This is my daughter and I will fight for her just like hopefully all of you parents would. This will not be swept under the rug as you so seem to think. This place needs a lot of help as far as I can see.
P.S. Anonymous 4:39 of course she does not bleed continually, she would be dead. I said every two weeks. When it happens they want her to bleed in a bag! I have offered to pay for it. Before you make outrageous remarks read about it. She has a Gynecological problem that needs to be addressed. If you are a woman, do you bleed every two weeks? Would you like to?
Also 4:39 check into the facts before you call someone a thief. That is one thing she never was and it was proved!
Hang in there. There are people out here who are on your and Lorena's side. We are still making calls and gathering info to support your cares and concerns. This isn't over by a long shot. We will continue to press the issue as long as it takes. Again we urge you and your daughter to keep hope alive. You and Lorena are not alone in this.
Lorena wrote this for me to put in the blog.
1. Why do men have a rehabilitation program with group activities all day and are able to be housed on their own separate unit, not with the rest of the prison population? The women of NCP are not so lucky.
2. Out of all the classes provided for the women, how many are volunteers and how are actually paid facilitators?3. The prison has now begun a program called IBM. We are supposed to be provided with games and art supplies, etc. A majority of these have been donated and some Correctional Officers have even bought the female inmates games and supplies out of their own pockets. Where is all the money going? Why don't people start holding this county accountable for receipts? I mean, really, how much does a pack of construction paper cost? Yeah, okay, add in a couple of glue sticks, etc. Where are the thousands of dollars for our programs going?
4. Why are the C.O's walking around the unit wearing coats because it is so cold, while the inmates, have short sleeved jumpers? Then on to of it, we aren't allowed to use our blankets from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
5. Why are there three battery operated razors for 40 women, and none of them are soaked in Barbisol solution, ever. All we have is a spray bottle to squirt them down with. Why don't we ask a hair salon how sanitary that is?
6. Why should women who have been abused by men on the outside have to bear witness to the same thing on the inside? Being subjected not only to physical abuse but mental and verbal as well?
7. Why is it that violet offenders who have been convicted of a violent crime against another human being are released back into society, before me? When I am in prison for a non-violent drug offense due to my drug addiction and am guilty of moving without notifying parole of my change of address?
8. Why are men in this prison allowed to have visits without glass in between them and their visitor, but women, who carry our children in our wombs for nine months are not granted contact with our children?
9. Why are men allowed the privilege of earning money by doing kitchen work, laundry, maintenance and commissary, while the only paying jobs for women are three females who receive one dollar per day for cleaning the hallways. Out of all the females incarcerated here, only three can get a paid job. What about the tray runners who do their job three times a day, only to receive an extra tray as payment and sometimes not even that? So basically,they work for free because how much does one inmate meal cost? Any really, who wants to eat this county food anyway?
10. Why would people expect prisoners to change by locking them up without sunshine or even a window to see the outside? The only light we get is artificial. I haven't seen the sun in 6 months all because I never received counseling for some trauma I've gone through, so I turned to drugs to numb my painful memories. So now I still don[t receive counseling and am removed from society, not to mention the light of day. On top of my sorrow and traumatic memories I can become bitter and angry because I'm locked up and ignored.
From Lorena:
To whom it may concern:
I am currently an inmate in Northampton County Prison. My name is Lorena Hacker and I have been incarcerated since May 17, 2009 for a technical parole violation and my max date was up on November 9, 2009. I also have new charges pending for a non-violent drug-related offense. I have yet to go to court regarding this matter and have been rescheduled for the third time, so my preliminary hearing is now scheduled for December 22, 2009 at Magistrate Marinkovits in Northampton. I have a public defender. There are no drugs as evidence. I have never had a violent charge or physically harmed anyone but myself. All of my past criminal history was drug-related. I have spent years of my life in and out of jail due to mistakes and bad choices I have made because of my addiction to drugs, and not once have I been sent to a rehab. Sure I have been sentenced to a rehab, however the county paroled me to my home plan instead. I feel that jail is the last place I need to be. I never received any in-patient rehabilitation or counseling. I just don't understand this criminal justice system.There are some women who have been sent to a rehab 2-5 times, yet I have never been given the opportunity even once. Why? I know that I have made bad choices and many mistakes, but I do not deserve to be locked up in a prison with no rehabilitation, no counseling and no help.
I cannot even get proper medical treatment much less dental care in here. I have cavities and all the dentist will do here is pull teeth. So basically, because I get cavities, I should get teeth pulled and along with losing them,lose some more of my self esteem?
My addiction grabbed a hold of me in 1996. I first came to jail in 1998. I think. It's sad to say this, but it's been so many years that I don't even remember which year exactly that this nightmare began. I'm tired. I'm crying out for help. I'm crying out for justice.
Yes, I have a criminal record, but that doesn't mean I am a bad person, that doesn't mean that I don't deserve to be treated like a human being. I need help, not to be locked up and ignored. All I am asking for is some help. Please
Sincerely and respectfully,
Lorena Hacker
I finally, after almost a month now, received Lorena's medical records. I have found many sheets where she asked for help and there was no written explanation as to what they did for her at the time. I also note that on the Initial Release for Medical Records I was authorized a discharge summary, History and physical info. lab studies, and x-ray reports (which they never did). The entire medical record was not initialed for me to have!!!!!!!!! I wonder why! Whenever Lorena wrote a medical slip out she was very courteous and in most instances said thank you. This was as early as, I believe May, for the bleeding. Now I need to have a doctor look them over and let me know. So you see my bills aren't over yet. I a I am not asking for tax payers money. I am still looking into the Gyn specialist exam. I asked the Prison Advisory Board for a gynecologist almost a month ago and have not heard a sound. By the way, if the old prison has a place to go outside wouldn't you think they could schedule everyone to go outside at certain times?
These three most recent comments will be posted as a separate blog on Monday.
There has been recent talk of expanding the drug and alcohol addiction program to the womens block. I think that will happen but don't know when due to the cost to the county but it is reducing the recidivism rate so far with the men who have completed it. Some men have passed up their own releases to stay and finish the program.
Entrenched culture and mind set is hard to reform. If it works..their response is don't fix or change it. Cruel and unusual punisment is at the core of what we are talking about here. Again I ask that Lorena and her mom keep up the fight as well as they can. This situation will not stand forever and the light of day will shine inside the county jail. Keep hope and bless you.
The County Executive is responsible for denying care to your daughter. One phone call and she could see a specialist.
Mr. Ohare keeps deleting this truthful statement but it is the only way you can get movement. If he refuses call Channel 69.
The above statement is posted by someone who believes John Stoffa is the cause of all things evil. He posts comments that are intermixed with all kinds of personal attacks at Stoffa, me, and Angle. He regualarly violates the very simple rules I set forth for comments here. I will continue to delete the off topic references and personal atttacks.
His claim, incidentally, is untrue. Stoffa, as I've already mentioned, was not elected King. He is County Exec and only has so much power.
I just deleted and will continue to delete attempts to blame Stoffa for everything. You are welcome to start your own "I hate Stoffa, Angle and O'Hare" blog. You will be deleted here.
Today at 6 a.m., they, at the prison are going to perform an untrasound with 32 ounces of water. I hope this does not mean that's the end of it. he was supposed to see a real GYN this week. Today is Friday.
Well, as was promised this week for sure, again no GYN!!!!! She was given 32 ounces of water and an ultrasound 2 hours later, with the door open until she finally asked two more times and the ultrasound doctor pulled the curtain. She says she will receive reports in several days. WHY NO GYN???????
My daughter is at and has been at the mercy of the court medical system and this is just inhumane. If she must serve time so be it but at least leave her healthy or get her help NOW. If you can't do your job health department, get her some NOW. Trade in your jobs for something more suitable. No one wants to see their child this way, EVER!!!!!!
On December 10th there was an article in the Express Times about the Lafayette College Students in class with the NCP students graduating, in which Bonnie Winfield leads. It was a nice story. Lorena is pictured in it with student, Lexy.
Thanks to all, Ann McHale, Warden Buskirk, William Argeros and nayone I may not have mentioned at NCP who got Lorena checked by a Gyn doctor. We are not sure what the next step was but at least she was finally seen.
My mistake, the picture is on PennLive.com on Dec. 10th
you know, considering what i am reading about these courageous women, i find it odd that there are alleged "anonymous" comments on here which sound a little too privy to personal information which has not been offered in these articles. I would suggest to Lorena and her mother that there are people around you who are knifing you in the back with a smile.
I guess I'll never know. But I would like to say that although she has finally seen a GYN clinic and has a 3 in. fibroid in her uterus, no one is doing anything. The least of all treatments is birth control to try to slow down the bleeding but we have heard nothing. No matter who I talk to nothing gets done. Then there's a problem with it freezing in there. I complained along with a list of all women inmates. The heat went to the 90's and they said it was awful over the weekend, they could hardly breath. Come Monday night, it was cold again. It's like they're kids getting even and the babysitters went home and the bosses came back.
Lorena told me the pains she gets during these episodes are contractions as though she were having a baby. Imagine going through that once a month!! Men will never understand but we women will. It's a shame there aren't more women in charge!
By the way the Doctor confirmed the labor pain contraction feelings. It was not something she made up.
Post a Comment