Earlier this week, I told you about Controller Steve Barron's audit pointing to overtime abuse at Northampton County's jail. Although no fraud is alleged, Barron's job was certainly made more difficult by the destruction of daily time sheets. At the time Barron's report was released, I was sitting on another lengthy memorandum about conditions at the jail, coming from one of the inmates. Let me tell you her story.Her name is Lorena Lee Hacker. She's a druggie, and like most addicts, has a criminal record. Charged in May with the latest batch of drug offenses, she was sent to jail as a parole violator. She's been sitting there since. During that time, Lorena has experienced and witnessed medical neglect, inhumane conditions and physical abuse.
Medical neglect and inhumane conditions
* At the time she was imprisoned, Lorena was still suffering from the effects of a miscarriage, which includes excessive bleeding, clots and cramps. She has complained about this situation repeatedly, but the prison will not let her see a gynecologist. The Physician's Assistant on duty, who has examined her from time to time, once pulled an uncovered speculum out of a drawer to do her work.
* There is one battery operatd razor for all women. Ten of them must use it at one time.
* An inmate named Tanisha Mathis was bleeding. She was pregnant, and it was a tubal pregnancy. In extreme pain and bleeding, she was finally rushed to the ER, where 2 1/2 liters of blood were in her chest. Half of her reproductive organs had to be removed. Although she was provided a follow up visit, no one would give her the results.
* An inmate named Mrs. Duckworth was throwing up blood, and was told to lie down. She did so, after which she had seizures and her appendix burst. Rushed to the hospital, she nearly died.
* An inmate named Chi complains she has high blood pressure, for which no treatment is offered.
* An elderly inmate named Mrs. Walton walks around all day, talking about being zapped up along with her husband. She clearly belongs in a mental facility.
* A physician who worked there for two weeks left in disgust because of the conditions, according to Lorena's mother, Lorraine Russo. He told her that one female inmate was actually walking around on a broken leg. He claims conditions at Guantanamo are better, and that the medications used at the jail are too old and ineffective.
* Woman are issued short-sleeved shirts, are unable to afford thermals and freeze during the day. Yet if they use a blanket for warmth between 8 AM and 8:30 PM, they are disciplined.
Physical abuse
According to the written report supplied to me, "Lorena and others have witnesses a woman being abused by male officers, beating a woman while being handcuffed and strapped to a chair. There were bruises, black and blue eyes and bruised arms from being grabbed. She saw a woman get thrown into a glass window in a hallway while handcuffed. [Lorena] heard her head hit the window. A female screamed to stop hitting her. There was a male yelling. They heard the woman being hit while handcuffed. They took her into another room, and shot her up with something. The told the woman to lock it up."
According to Lorena, this allegation of physical abuse is under internal investigation.
Lorena's mother, Lorraine Russo, has left no stone unturned in trying to get medical care for her daughter. She's approached County Exec John Stoffa, Council Prez Ann McHale, the Prison Advisory Board, State Senator Lisa Boscola and Corrections Director Bob Meyers.
Now I understand how easy it is to manufacture claims of abuse to get attention. Inmates do it all the time. They are convicted criminals, which puts a dent in their credibility. But how do you fake blood clots the size of tennis balls? How do you fake bleeding every 2 weeks for between 7 and 9 days?
In the meantime, Lorena is still bleeding.
Lorena's mom puts it best. "These are women, not dogs. They need to be treated with respect and at least medically. How on earth can we expect these women to want to change for the better?" I have warned Lorraine that she may be exposing her daughter to retaliation for these allegations, but she wants Lorena's story told.
119 comments:
As a fellow addict, I guess you really buy this crap when it serves your purpose.
Con's never lie or exaggerate, model citizens all.
Either she is making up some real wild stories that suit your current agenda ohare or she is making an indictment against an Administration that apparently is incompently mis-handling things at the prison so badly, peoples lives are in danger. Not good for the current Administration.
I am well aware she is a druggie and a convicted criminal. I pointed that out. She is also a human being who names names. Her story should be taken with a pound of salt, but should be told.
I'm not interested in playing the blame game. The jail is in its own little world and nobody except those inside knows what is really going on there.
I'm interested in seeing these allegations addressed. I do not know Mr. Meyers, but have a lot of respect for Todd Buskirk.
Lesson for the day: Don't do drugs and end up in prison.
Hey at least she got to see a P.A. that's more than 40 million Americans get who don't have health insurance.
Her story is sad, but no sadder than rape victims that are denied health coverage because it's seen as a pre-existing condition. Things are tough on the outside too.
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/143426/rape_is_a_pre-existing_condition_the_heartlessness_of_the_health_insurance_industry_exposed/
The allegations should be independently investigated. If she is not telling the truth that will come out in the end.
Addiction is a medical condition. I have seen middle aged professionals scoring dope on the street after they got hooked through treatment of legitimate medical conditions. Addiction is not as simple or clear cut as some claim here.
How would you want this person treated if she were your daughter?
Bernie, this is horrific to read. What must it be like to be these women? Why is this allowed? Where is Ann McHale? Why doesn't she try to help her fellow women?
Why doesn't the Express Times do a story about these conditions?
Anonymous said...
Hey at least she got to see a P.A. that's more than 40 million Americans get who don't have health insurance.
12:55 AM
This is a ridiculous comment. Hospitals across the country see anyone who comes through the ER. It is law. Give us evidence of where you did not receive medical attention, poster 12:55.
I am sure that these women were getting top notch care on the streets as well. It is a sad situation, but what we must look at is the respect that these women have given themselves. It was their lifestyle that contibuted to these medical problems and society is NOT resposible for that. Should they have gotten care sooner, of course, but addresss that at the perssonel level, Overtime is out of control becasue of the union and the scamming by the guards, If that were discouraged more guards could be hired...in fact if there were a TREATMENT CENTER, they would have been where drug offenders belong.= and not inthe that atrocious pit of dispair.
6:47 is right. It's time to stop locking up druggies in the name of the failed war on drugs. Druggies fill prisons and provide steady work for cops, lawyers, judges, court officers, corrections officers, etc. It's a government jobs program that's created more crime, more addiction, and more abuse of a very lucrative system. The story's subject may be a bloody mess who doesn't belong in prison, but she represents many jobs and lots of overtime.
The Express Times has been sitting on this story for two weeks now. Their reporter was present when this inmates mother came and read this litany of abuse into the advisory board tape recorder in front of Mr's McHale and the entire jail administration. The mother has formally requested her daughters medical records for independent examination. The paper chose to run a fluff piece on the quality of the food at the jail instead of the reported abuse. Who's covering up for who here? The mother said she contacted Mr. Stoffa and Mrs. McHale before approaching the board. A closed society like the jail is a ripe situation for abuse because it is hidden from site and sadists and abusers roam the halls because no see/no tell is the code of conduct among them. This is a sad story but it is not a fairy tale. If this was your daughter..what would you do?
Plenty of justice but no sign of mercy at our county jail. Who's gonna step up and advocate for this womans daughter? Who will speak for her? This is third world stuff here. As a NH county resident and tax payer I protest the abuse of inmates i this manner and want answers from the top and an investigation of the claims of abuse and neglect. As the mother stated..grievances and formal complaints were thrown in the garbage by officers. Is this America?
I kind of see it in my mind as compatible to one of the many recent raids on homes with neglected animals.
Here we have put people into a cage like misbehaving animals. Some are more animals then people. I understand that.
Imagine taking your family pet who keeps snapping at people and locking them in a cage and expect a good outcome. I find it interesting that people are expressing mass outrage how animals are being mistreated. Animal enforcement at least gets them treatment.
Please understand I'm not going soft on these violators, but there needs to be basic human empathy. After all that's what many of these criminals lack. If we lack that as well, are we behaving better then they?
Believe me, I am the first to complain that inmates should NOT receive FREE medical treatment. But come on. What are we teaching these inmates? Neglect and possible abuse? Are we the good guys or not?
As far as medical costs.. it just reinforces my rant over at my own blog for months. We need a national healthcare reform that would not place a burden on the county prisons' budgets that taxpayers are forced to provide. Perhaps if we had national healthcare, the prison wouldn't be so reluctant to run up big medical tabs for these people.
I've often speculated what would happen if someone took me away and locked me in a cage with hardened animals what I would become. I don't care how good a person you are, when someone locks you in a cage you can only imagine how your life's attitudes would change. When they finally open the cage and set you free with a record. No hopes of a decent job. Wife, kids and home all gone. Good luck with that. Wonder why we have repeat offenders?
Naysayers would say well that's why it's called a deterrent to crime... you should have thought about that before you did the crime. Well how's that working for ya?
America has the highest number of prisoners per capita of any other nation in the world. 7,200,000,000 of them in 2007. Pa. alone 51,000.
To Send To Prison or Not?
At least we can sell our county open space to pay for the legal defense fund.
If that isn't enough we can raid the open space funds.
Right, Angle and Bernie?
Bernie...how's that new computer Angle bought you?
Had these women not been incarcerated, they probably would have gotten no treatment at all. They would been found dead in a crack house someplace. They have not taken care of themselves, they have abused themselves and then expect the prison guards to be sympathetic. These women are abusive to the guards as well and are constantly lying to them to get whatever they can from the system.
Is it right? NO But lets face the facts and move forward to get practical solutions. like perhaps a treatment center for the addicted and prison for the violent so that we can provide appropriate care or justice for these people.
When the fluff piece on the food quality at the jail ran , I commented on that story that it wasn't the real story several times until they removed it from comment by the public. What should our reaction be when a reporter ignores a story of this magnitude? They report alledged reports and charges all the time and they ignore this? The Express Times and especially their reporter need to tell us why they passed this story by. Listening Joe?
to annonymous 8:28 AM
maybe you need to contact network TV nancy grace
Newspapers (thankfully) have different standards than we bloggers. Because of the interactive nature of this blog, i am more willing to let something fly w/o gewtting more substantiation. Newspapers, which come out in hard copy, would want to get some corroboration to determine whether this is just some disgruntled inmate or a real problem. They probably would also want to get reactions from the prison and the county. I imagine there would also be a concern that going with this so soon may prevent other details from coming out. Finally, I think we all have to be concerned about retaliation. Although I decided to let this fly, that was my chief concern.
"Bernie...how's that new computer Angle bought you?"
I love it. When it turns on, my wallpaper is one of Ron's baby pictures.
This is a very complicated situation. When someone is sentenced to a county prison, the county is responsible for the health and well-being of that person. If they had health insurance prior to incarceration, it is no longer active once they are incarcerated. Medicaid will not pay for any medical care once someone is locked up, so all health care expenses have to be picked up by the County. It is safe to say that most inmates are not exactly healthy (whether that is because of drug abuse, poverty or lack of access to any health care). That's an incredible burden to put on the county.
Many counties (NC may be one of them) contract their medical services to private companies that do nothing but provide prison health care. You think HMOs are bad!
Another reason to think about who we are incarcerating and what we are trying to accomplish.
BTW Anon 6:40- the ER is no place to access health care. If there's one quick fix we can make to control health care costs, it would be to make primary care accessible to all, so they they don't have to go to the ER
Wait, Prison sucks?
There is only one solution for this, stop going there!!!!
It's my belief that the un-traditional media outlets such as the Express-Times still do not understand new media at all.
Unsubstantiated claims?
Guilty!
This kind of shit spreads out on more toilet paper than the prison has in stock...
The old day's of so called traditional media reporting have been long gone and so is its' conservative trial by what they think.
Anonymous said...
Wait, Prison sucks?
There is only one solution for this, stop going there!!!!
We have a winner!
11:06 said:
"Medicaid will not pay for any medical care once someone is locked up, so all health care expenses have to be picked up by the County. It is safe to say that most inmates are not exactly healthy (whether that is because of drug abuse, poverty or lack of access to any health care). That's an incredible burden to put on the county."
That's right and at $5.00 for a visit to the dentist in jail, who wouldn't take advantage of that??????
Moral of story:
"Stay out of jail!"
FALSE REPORT - FALSELY INCRIMINATE ANOTHER
FALSE IDENTIFICATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT
IDENTITY THEFT
Gee, do you think she's a liar?
I agree this woman's credibility is suspect, but would not dismiss her out of hand. She is a human being and can't fake bleeding.
To the uninitiated..prison culture is brutal and women are the most vulnerable to abuse as they can't defend themselves and fight back if and when provoked or assaulted. Stand in this womans place for a minute and imagine what she is enduring and what it's teaching her about authority and the price she is paying for being an addict. God have mercy on her and us for allowing this to happen right under our noses. I'm ashamed of our jail administration and they need to answer why?
Lorena is not a liar by far. When she gets out she wants to do something about all of this to help other women. No matter what you think, she may have made some mistakes but she is really bright, loving and helpful. She helps everyone she can while she is there. No one deserves this treatment. In the handbook, they are entitled to be warm, yet cold air blows out of their vents constantly and most women cannot afford a thermal shirt, nor use a blanket, while officers and C.O's wear jackets!! So no matter what mistakes have been made, AND WE ALL HAVE MADE THEM, no one should be treated like this. Especially needing medical treatment. I asked the head nurse for her medical records 11/3/09. Lorena and I both signed to get them that day. The Corporate office who handles them said she sent me a letter 11/11/09 stating the cost and when they get it back from me they will send the records. I asked them to fax me the letter to my fax so I could expedite it and she said no. I have to wait sorry. She also said my grievance letter was sent to another office there, (I did not send her one!) At the Prison Advisory Board meeting I attended, I was later told by the Easton Express Reporter, that a note had been posted not to write anything I said by someone anonymous. She has contacted me twice now waiting for the Release to go and speak to her in person!! I was told by Mr. Argeros, the Board Chairman that I would be responsible for all medical bills, etc. and I told them that would not be a problem. SO we are not asking for hand outs. Just fair medical attention. Oh and by the way, it took us many weeks until I stepped in to insist they check her before the PA used an unsterile, unwrapped, speculum out of a drawer and being told don't worry we throw them away! What the germs?
Lorena's Mom
Lorena's Mom,
What I'd like to know is why your daughter is not seeing a gynecologist. Because medical care is privatized, I am concerned there might be some motive to minimize needed medical care in the name of the Almighty Dollar.
While I have no desire to cast stones, and am sure there are three or four sides to every story, I find it incredible that your daughter could go from My util now w/o seeig a gynecologist.
Hang in there.
What..no more snide remarks now that the womans Mom has spoken? You have my sympathy and prayers and God help your daughter survive to tell and help her sisters in the jail weather the storms in the future. Takes guts to stand and fight all alone. Stay strong.
Did I forget to mention, that as she bleeds now they want her in a cell restriction with a full glass door so they she can be seen by anyone passing by, bleeding into a bag and have a pad count? Also they are never allowed outside and there is no exercise equipment.
Lorena's Mom
I'vr just deleted one of those typically insenitive comments, made anonymously, slamming both the inmate and Stoffa. Some people are just nuts.
One, who cares. These are prisoners and, frankly are in prison to be punished. Perhaps they will think twice about commiting their next crime. Two, as a taxpayer, I do not want to pay for one speck more than the bare bones minimum care for these people. A PA doing oby gyn work is more than adequate. Lastly, prison is supposed to be a nasty, nasty place. Perhaps if more of these stories get out, it will have a deterant effect on prospective criminals. PS: I don't believe one word that a druggie has to say. And, if any of it were true, yeah well.
What a tender soul you must be! I'm sure you'd eat those words in a hurry if it was someone you loved behind those bars, assuming you are capable of that emotion.
So sue the County. Wow a multiple offender addict claims that prison sucks.
Lorenas Mom wrote:
:Also they are never allowed outside and there is no exercise equipment.
Lorena's Mom"
BULLSHIT!
looks like they could shoot a sequel to the movie "papillon" at this place! Treating prisoners as dirt says a lot about our society and our values
It's amazing how much hate there is out there when you don't even know someone or their circumstances. And no there is no outside or exercise equipment.
This truly is a heartbreaking story, we treat prisioner at gitmo better and more humane than we treat her own.i just love how easy it is for some people to throw stones as though they never made a mistake in there own life.people desrve a second chance in life and they deserve to be treated humanely.lorena's mom i will keep you and your daughter in my prayers.
I tend to agree that there needs to be some form of open forum about all of this.But the bottom line is County prisons have a certain obligation to provide the best care that our Taxpayers can provide.Humane treatment is a Constitutional right as well as any other rights such as Freedom of speech. My heart goes out to this woman and her family. I too, have the utmost respect for the individuals that are dealing with these issues and Todd Buskirk is an effective,compassionate man who happens to be in a position where the buck stops here.
WE and i emphasize the WE need to be proactive and support alternatives to incarceration but if everyone continues on the "not in my backyard" mentality it is sad to say that no matter who,what or where everything will remain statsus quo.
In today's day it is hard pressed to find a family that has not been affected by the DISEASE of Addiction. It matters not if it is drugs,alcohol ,gambling,sex, etc.they all fall under the category. So all you judgmental folks ,make sure you change your underwear everyday ya never know what's gonna happen and today is Friday the 13.......
Just a question: Isn't claiming prison/police brutality when captured, in the Al Quaeda Play book?
I would bet some of these hateful comments are from the council members...
Lorena's mom: Sue our asses off. I would. Good lawyer: Joe Corpora in easton.
The women have no rights in this prison system. They cannot go out, cannot exercise except to run around the room. They cannot work for pay except hall runner. The men on the other hand can go out, exercise and work for pay. Again all we ask is for fairness. If a crime is committed there needs to be punishment, but humane punishment. She is only asking for help from losing too much blood. Where is the compassion? No one is asking anyone to pay for it!
Lorena's Mom
Lorena's Mom
I mean if she is still losing all this blood she must be borrowing it. Hell even slow leeches would have finished the job by now.
This is one big bullshit sandwich!
To the bleeding heart liberal supporting this so called poor mistreated woman's plight.. shame on you. You are the reason why this country has gone soft and can no long afford to run its many governments. Nowhere did our founding fathers ever state that we as a society must be kind and gentle to our prisoners. While we are not to torture them, we are to punish them. Eastern State Pen is a clear example of how prisons should be designed and run. Prison/Jail is to be a very scary place that no right minded individual should ever want to be. To often, we are worried about coddling and treating these people thinking that they will somehow be rehabilitated. Well, punish them and they will leave wanting to never return. I do not feel sorry for this woman. I feel sorry for the taxpayers that have to fund her incarceration.
I see the Fox news viewers have torn themselves away from the TV to come here and spill their vile thoughts on a defenseless young woman they don't even know. Lorena is my daughter and her Mom's daughter and Gods creation and everyone's child/grandchild/sister/niece...Justice and mercy..the NH county seal trumpets those two thoughts. Even our founding fathers knew the value and virtue of humaneness.
ONE AGAIN I WILL SAY THAT I ONLY WANT MY DAUGHTER TO BE ALLOWED TO SEE A GYNECOLOGIST. THAT IS ALL. WHAT IS SO WRONG ABOUT THAT?
One more thought, may you all always be well and not need medical treatment, if you do think of this situation. Then if you are one of the lucky ones, may you get the treatment you deserve. Always remember that we all sin and should treat people the way we would want to be treated.
Its amazing that crimminals families seem to be the most religious. There is this prostitute from Easton, has a billion illegitimite kids and she came from a family that does nothing but qutoe the Bible.
Again, I think if this is true the family should sue County Executive Stoffa since he is responsible for the prison management.
How could you print these accusations with out completing your research. Your making these hard working people look like no bodies. Could you do their work look at a child molester and serve his food hot then make sure he had clean clothes knowing what he did to a child. Treating them humane even holding conversation.This lady sounds like she is building up a case a monetary case your money for her future drugs...
An interesting article about incarceration and addiction problems as they relate to Pa.
"We spend more on prisons than we do education" Senator Greenleaf.
http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2009/11/14/news/doc4afe48891822c865435631.txt
what makes you think you are any better than this woman? her crime is abusing drugs,and you with your harsh words toward someone you've never met, a mother who loves her child who's concern for her daughter's health is understandable ,you verbally abuse somehow makes you better? shame on you !!!!! i never once heard her say her daughter shoouldn't be punshished for her crime all she's asking for is humane treatment which everyone deserves.
Never once was she sentenced to a Rehab for rehabilitation. Wouldn't you think they would start somewhere around there? As of now she has maxed out her time on November 9th, still she has had no trial and still has no idea what is going to happen or when. No one tells her anything including her own attorney! At this point she has lost her spirit and does not even want to talk to anyone because no one will give her any answers. We are not looking to sue or for quick money, just some plain courteous justice and some answers. Why are we being attacked for something as simple as that?
My child is not a child molester, everything she did, she did to herself. She is a human being who needs and wants help to straighten out her life. There are people like that you know! She should die for hurting herself? You watch too much TV. You are reading much more into this. There have been many people helped by rehab and turned their lives around. If you knew her you would be so surprised at how loving, talented and smart she is. She would help anyone and never looks down on one who is down and out. She tries to pick them up. That's how she got in this mess, trying to help the down and outers. She is not innocent as I said before but we all have made mistakes just never got caught. Because if we didn't, we would all be God. Now isn't that just plain ridiculous? For those of you who think we have holier than though attitudes, it is the plain opposite. Remember this whole thing started just for equal rights to get medical help.
No promises but help may be a phone call away. I have sent Bernie a phone number of a person who will advocate for your daughter. He will at some point visit with her and she will need to be honest with him which I am sure she will. Call him in complete confidence as his credentials are excellent and he is a respected citizen of the community. Take hope.
THANK YOU- THANK YOU- THANK YOU!!!!
If this "respected" person is the ex-alky who runs a drug rehab place, you would be better off not calling.
Please let us know if you made contact and how things go from here on. Don't let the negative people sway you from your belief in your daughter and her future. This chapter of her/your story can and I feel will have a good conclusion. Many are praying for Lorena and you. Hope..is a good thing.
Bob Daday is a bitter man because Stoffa caught him illegally taking unemployment compensation. He briefly co-hosted a radio show that took every opportunity to slam Stoffa untl he was called on it by Ron Angle and by me. He then ran for the hills like the coward he is, claiming he had meetings every Friday with Att'y John Karoly.
I am relatively certain that the crazy person who tries to blame everything on Stoffa is this disgraced and bitter old Reibman crony. I find it hard to believe tow people could be that nutz.
I will delete anything he posts here.
Still so far, nothing,no medical records, etc
I have just been released form NCP and i got to see the copy of this claim from Larena Hacker... I was on her unit and she is far from down she colors and talks to all the staff she eats and she is infact not very truthful... If she doesn't get what she wants when she wants it then she calls mommy crying... I'm educated and went to jail because I couldn't pay my fine because I got laid off... No one treated me bad... She accussed staff of mistreating her over a job when the she had a no work order slip from medical but when she couldn't have the job she wanted then she pulled the card out and wanted to challenge the guard. This who she is...
I do not believe you were just released, maybe a CO. I have a hunch who you are.
"I have just been released form NCP and i got to see the copy of this claim from Larena Hacker..."
Yeah. Someone just released from jail would somehow go on the Internet, find my blog, read a post from last Thursday (it is now Monday) and take the time to comment.
I'll make you a little promise. I'm going to track down women recently released from NCP and I'll talk to them myself. Should be very interesting.
You are going to stalk and harass released female inmates. Stay classy Ohare!
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
Well put Dr. Winfield. Something has got to change!! I am willing to do what you want me to do.
Lorena's Mom
Unfortunately..caring eyes and ears are only present at certain times. No 24/7 oversight is present at the jail. Abuse is part of the fabric of all jails and NH is no exception. I believe the hiring process for CO's is flawed. A security/criminal background check is not enough. This is a small minority of officers but the others protect them as a fraternity does. A psychological profile should be used during the hiring process. Look what happened at Monroe county..guard kills child and girl friend and he was a model guard? The system is flawed but where to start? To do nothing..is criminal. Do whatever you can to lessen the danger of abuse. We need leadership or it totally spins out of control.
I am a student at Lafayette College and I am a part of the Inside Outside program under Dr. Bonnie. Looking back at the 3 years of schooling up on the hill, I have learned quite a bit of information, ways of intellectualizing, and how to be a college student as well as all of the other facets of a liberal arts education. That was until I entered Dr. Bonnie's class in Northampton County Jail. It is astonishing to be involved with such an enlightening program. Coupled with the literature, supplemental articles, and most importantly the inside students, I can walk away from the class and feel truly knowledgeable and to some degree a deeply ingrained responsibility and excitement to continue to be involved, continue to ignite the change of the prison system, and the treatment of the prisoners medically and psycholgically. For me, personally, Lorena is the individual who fostered the growth of my passion in becoming a student of the U.S. Criminal Justice System and a volunteer within Northampton County Jail. During class one day, early on in the semester, Lorena peered into Bonnie's eyes and the class fell silent. The only thing that Lorena said was, "How can we have our voices heard?" As tears welled up in my eyes something struck me, how as a society can we treat people this way, despite their infractions? What people tend to forget is that the individuals within the section,those that we have class with are nonviolent PEOPLE, who have made mistakes and now imprisoned fight becoming their labels. These are people like you and me, and based on their offenses, ultimately have made bad decisions, wrong place and wrong time. If you just sit back and listen these women will show you in context the reasons leading up to their crime and you realize most of the time it was to care for their kids, ensure shelter or giving in to an untreated addiction. Ultimately, society stigmatizes prisoners as all violent, ruthless, deviants of society but let me tell you these beliefs dissipate as soon as you enter the classroom. I have learned so much from the inside and outside students, as well as from the program as a whole. We sit in a circle because we are one cohesive group, we are equal, we are all human. Just because they are incarcerated does NOT make any of these men and women subhuman or deserving of this neglect.
-Megan
I have just heard of this blog today, after reading this story and the comments I feel I must comment myself. I have read several comments on here about the shortcomings of prison staff, (administrators, medical, and officers). Also, Lorena's story as basically told by her mother. I can absolutely see her point and would not want to be standing in her shoes, wanting to protect your child is at the front of every parents list. I hope that Lorena does get the proper treatment and that there are not any lasting effects.
I would also like to say to a few posters that have commented, that there are hiring criteria for officers in the county to include:
written testing, interview, background check, medical evaluation, psychological testing, topped off with a 5+ week state certified training academy, & a probationary period. With this in mind the days of knuckle dragging officers is over, and a profesional staff is now the norm. With a staff of 200+ officers could a few knuckle draggers still be in place yes, but they will weed themselves out.
In regards to the medical and kitchen staffs, both of these services are outsourced by the county. Hold them accountable for their actions. Their mistakes equal our tax dollars when it comes to liability.
Love a Con, they need to make da babies!
Plenty of money for more guards but nothing for treatment! Build another prison with more unfit guards and nothing for treatment. Addicts are not criminals! Homeless people are not criminals! Mentally ill people are not criminals! Our jail is crammed full of the above people who have become charges of the county. Wake up and help stop the madness before you or a loved one makes a wrong move..a misstep..drive drunk..it can and will happen to you!
As for unfit/stressed out officers..no amount of testing will eliminate the abusers and sadists in the jail. When was the last time an officer was dismissed or brought up on charges? It doesn't happen because it's all covered up and made pretty by the frat boys. This is prison culture and it remains hidden from the public's eyes. As good as the administration makes things appear and they are decent people..the culture remains unchanged.
At present the members of the prison advisory board go into the jail on a monthly basis and visit the inmates and ask for their opinions about their care. They then turn that info in and revisit the next month to see if things have improved. Evidently this doesn't work for some reason. Are the inmates intimidated and afraid to really voice their concerns? Are the board visits contrived to not let them see and hear the truth? Do we need another system to hear the truth about conditions there? Something is wrong when a young woman is slowly bleeding to death and nobody gives a crap!
I was told the Prison Advisory Board was going right over there after our meeting on October 27th to speak to the women about what's going on. Lorena voiced her opinion and was mostly greeted with, "Uh huh, uh huh"
and then they were gone. Nothing changed. It is freezing in there right now. She was told it was to cut down on the germs. I am not so sure about the Prison Advisory Board and what they really do.
No one mentions the $500 the officers at the jail donated to the Blue Star Mothers who send goodies to our local troops overseas. Or the donations made by the officers to the local schools with supplies for children who are struggling financially. Other officers who take it upon themselves to support needy families during the holidays. OR the drive they did last year around the same time for the kids in the hospital. Don't let one sided ramblings fool you, there are very good people that work at that jail. When is the PARENT going to take some responsibility for raising a child that's been to jail 5 or 6 times?? Is it possible YOU failed somewhere down the line and now just look for an easy pay day from the county using your daughter?
Maybe some of you should try working in a high stress environment like a jail and see how it mentally affects you when all you do is get bashed and no one recognizes anything good you do instead feed off fabricated stories that don't tell the whole truth, i would not want any part of that job as a relative of mine does.
This blogger stuff is nothing but a failed journalists way of getting attention by acting like the National Inquirer and stretching the truth to garner attention. LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME, I'm a failed attorney who was disbarred and i need attention!!! A real journalist fact finds before printing rubbish, and that's what this is...rubbish. Oh wait that's right you're not a real journalist, never mind!
Total BS! Can the sob story officer and do your job or get out! Feeling some guilt pangs? Your there to protect as well as guard..be a man!
Who says they aren't aside from one addict and her mother and some uninformed readers?! Two sides to every story, some of you people are so ignorant to anything logical or fair. You want to talk about fair for inmates, how about fair for the people working there and their side of the story? HYPOCRITES!!!
The guy admits he's stressed out and gets no respect and that is admirable? A recipe for abuse is more like it. Who's he taking his stress out on? His bosses don't respect him so who does he take it out on and get respect? Read between the lines! Who's the lowest person on the totem pole? Crap flows downhill and guess who is at the bottom?
Fair is fair. But proper health care for someone who can't help themselves while on the inside, and not being taken care of by health care on the inside, is unfair. There is good and bad in all employees of the system. I am talking about the ones that could do something and won't.
Believe me I had no idea how not getting proper health care in NCP could bring about all these stories. We are all created equal and deserve to be treated as human beings. Who can argue that?
Created equal? Some are more equal than others or so it seems. Criminals are less than equal as far as the prison is concerned or we wouldn't be here discussing abuse! America..if only we practiced what we preach maybe other countries would actually emulate us. We're blowing it and prison abuse is just one thing we condone that is inhumane.
Yes he admits it's unfair to always attack the place for the negatives but never the positives, a thankless job. Who said anything about having to take it out on anyone? You're just reaching for anything and it's extremely sad.
I stick by what i said, you are all hypocrites because you believe something on a blog that is written by a mother and daughter looking for a shortcut in life (as thieves do) by getting a lawsuit and you crap allover the jail without even knowing FACTS. That is fair? Really? Really?
omg i got text from a friend i worked with at the jail telling me about this! lol i use to work there i won't say what department but i will say i wasn't a guard i just don't want to be involved in any legal battles that may come out of this. the medical dept at that jail is so horrible! it's the worst medical staff i have ever seen almost like they couldnt get a job at a real hospital so they went there. they don't care about anything. the guards though were always real nice. i always seen the guards talking to the inmates like they were friends. when i first started there it looked really weird cause i only seen the inside of a jail in movies but then you get use to it and you start to fall in to it. there were a lot of inmates who were nice and some not so nice. almost all the guards were nice but there were a couple like any work place that were assholes. they were usually alone with no friends. but the others were really cool. some looked too old to work there but they were nice too. lol i think the people talking about the medical are probably right but not the guards unless it has changed a lot since i been there but i dont think so cause i keep in touch with a few still. i dont know the girl involvd though the inmate.
Facts? We have one side of the story and await the other. Who is gonna come forward with the facts? Mental abuse is the most common tool used by CO's to have their fun and pass the time. Cruelty is an approved sport cause all you gotta do is say the criminal is a liar. Fun and games..heh?
Easy to make claims outside of the prison. I guess all the guards there are mentally abusive. I guess all blacks are thieves, Jewish are slefish, etc. Nice generalization dumb dumb.
Pay attention. No one said they are all sadists. All it takes is a few and the rest cover for their brethern. It's a frat environment just like the police. Open your eyes and ears for once in your life and look at what is done in your name! They do not have my permission to abuse inmates under any circumstances. I don't care if their stressed out or what their mental state is. Do the job correctly or get out of the business!
Thank you for being open with your stereotyping, discriminatory views and opinions. So if you work at McDs, the next time someone is accused of molesting a child on the street i'll just assume all the people at that McDs does it cause they all cover for each other. You're a class A moron.
Good comeback..sticks and stones..there's smoke..time to find the fire and put it out with or without your help. Another fairy tale believer who can't see the forrest for the trees.
Anon 4:07, I'm beginning to thimk there are problems w/ medical neglect there. I also think there is poor communication, and that prison workers are not used to being questioned when really, they should welcome it.
Sticks and stones?? Aren't you the one with stereotyping? Another hypocrite.
Bernie i can't believe you can't see how dumb your posts sound. Not use to being questioned?! Do you ever read a real journalistic piece of work? The real newspapers are ALWAYS talking about the prison and questioning the warden, director, etc. Not only are you not smart enough to be a real journalist, now you're proving to be inept at something simple as blogging, just stop.....seriously.
Unfortunately, our newspapers have a rough time covering a lot of stories. But when they do question what goes on at the prison, you sound just as defensive as you do here.
I'm quite comfortable with everything I've written, and intend to write more once I've finished speaking with some former inmates. They are not all lying.
I've looked at the comments coming from defenders of the status quo. They consist largely of mean-spirited and vicious personal attacks, which more or ledd convinces me theree is something to this story.
But since I'm apparently too stupid to be a "real" journalist or even a blogger, why are you wasting your time still commenting on a post that published a week ago?
I guess if the jail's medical department wasn't PRIVATIZED the health care would be better. Just another case of privatization gone wrong. You get what you pay for. Now why don't you morons go ahead and privatize the rest of the county so you can really screw it up.
Hey Bernie, smart guy, stop insinuating i work there, i said a while back that i know someone and am close to someone who works there, i already told you what i do.
"I'll talk to inmates"....yea great credibility. How about going and finding some people that work there instead of wasting time looking up former inmates. Don't just hope they find their way to a lame site. That's called unbiased points of view, something you're obviously unfamiliar with.
Comments from who?? Members and friends of a female inmate who are craving attention to try and get her and her mother a cheap lawsuit. Those are great people to judge your perception on instead of any kinds of factual evidence. Again, I'll stop telling you how to do your job since this really isn't a job anyway and you're just a poser of a journalist. I only wasted time when i had time to waste just because you're so easy to make a fool of with your ridiculous points of view. Failed lawyer...failed blogger, great career you got going buddy.
Blanket request..will anyone supposedly in charge at the county jail please address the issues? Any statement at this point would be welcomed compared to the silence coming from the fortress on the hill. Todd? Bill? Prison board members other than Dr. Winfield? We're waiting.
Stonewalling is all we will get. To acknowledge the taxpayers is not the way they do business. It is a WORLD unto itself and God forbid anyone questions what they are doing! So much for government transparency.
Talk about a money pit..How much of the county budget goes toward this august body? Anybody even question where the money goes? Where do the commisary and inmate phone sytem charges profits go? When was the last time the light of day shone on these details? Last audit? We need leadership here..they have violated our trust.
All of this for a plea to see a gynecologist!!!! How sad and useless. No One is mentioning a lawsuit... Honest health care is all this woman wants for her child. Are they afraid something will turn up and it's their fault for not doing what should have been done long ago?
Not all of the personal attacks here are coming from COs. Some are being posted by a well known troll from A-town who is mentally ill. I have juist deleted two of them and will continue deleting anything I even think is posted by him.
i hear there was a audit or something over there and what they came up with was some lost paperwork from the suit and ties that work there that track there hours. so i would have to say it is those ties who are the ones to be questioned here they are very very suspect.
Bernie..are any of our council people aware of what we are discussing here? Ann McHale is aware for sure as she sat there and heard the mother read her statement to the prison board. No comment from our council president..what a difference the topic can make..otherwise she'd be screaming..Off with their heads!
Tell me I'm wrong on this one..The prison administration does their own yearly auditing and plays with the numbers. Transparency does not exist at the jail in their business practices or how they conduct business in the name of us taxpayers. Let the sun shine in and let the chips fall where they may. Time for an investigation inside the fortress on the hill.
Cover Your A$$ is the mantra of prison culture especially for those dispensing the justice behind closed doors. It only takes a few and we have some of those as does every jail. Are they afraid that someone will be found culpable? You bet they do! Circle the wagons and say nothing.
i think everyone needs to look at the courthouse since they oversee and run the jail with all their politics and promoting their friends. the guards are pawns who probably just do the job at hand to take care of their families while as the suits that were mentioned care about only one thing, themselves! corruption is bread at the top not the bottom. there are guards with pending racism suits because of those politicians. that's a whole other topic in and of itself that should be a bigger issue than it has been.
Hello, I am a former inmate of Lorena Hackers. I served 60 days on a dui charge. In those 60 days I have witness the suffering that Lorena has gone through, not just emotionally and physically but mentally... As an inmate At NCP it's emotionally draining to know that you have a medical problem but yet you cannot get help for it. It's physically draining because when incarcerated you have a lot of time on your hands to think about all the things you have done, or haven’t done in life, and you try to reform yourself into the person that you always wanted to be so when you do get released you can live the life "God" intended for you. But in Lorena's case how can she begin to want a good life for herself when she feels that "No one" cares... Isn’t healing and building self esteem apart of rehab recovery? Isn’t this why NCP implemented the IBM program? The answer is "YES" according to NCP, but the truth is it's all a joke. Instead of buying new plasma TV’s for the inmates. Don’t you think they should get a real medical staff. A staff that can actually diagnose head lice. “Yes” I first hand witnessed that the medical staff did not know what head lice looked like so a corrections officers had to diagnose the inmates. So when a woman has a medical problem that causes sever bleeding and blood cots that are the size of tennis balls how can the medical staff give her the proper diagnoses of her problem and treat her correctly. My heart goes out to Lorena. She is a woman and any woman would agree that when you are bleeding and discharging blood clots in such a manner as Lorena is the situation becomes extremely scary. The one thing that god solely blessed women with is the gift to be able to bear a child. How is anyone suppose to mentally cope knowing that, that one gift might be taking from them. Lorena has to deal with this day in and day out. Just because she has committed a nonviolent crime does that mean part of her punishment is to sit in jail with the chance that she could never bear children or lose her own life because she has a medical condition that if properly examined by a gynecologist the threat could be treated or cured for. Does it have to take a tragedy to happen for someone to finally hear her and help her… What kind of inhumane world do we live in???????
Lorena is diagnosed with a 3 in. possible fibroid. The only way to make sure is with an MRI that they say is too expensive so guess what, nothing! The alternatives are injecting some pellets to stop it from collecting blood, from what I hear, or an MRI to find out the truth or a hysterectomy or birth control pills to try to slow the bleeding. Now what? She says it was very degrading they made her sit in a back room with boxes so no one would see her. Anyway, there's the news.
Lorena is diagnosed with a 3 in. possible fibroid. The only way to make sure is with an MRI that they say is too expensive so guess what, nothing! The alternatives are injecting some pellets to stop it from collecting blood, from what I hear, or an MRI to find out the truth or a hysterectomy or birth control pills to try to slow the bleeding. Now what? She says it was very degrading they made her sit in a back room with boxes so no one would see her. Anyway, there's the news.
There was a picture and write up in the Lehigh Valley Live Newspaper today with Lorena and her graduating class in NCP today, 12/10/09
There is a write up and photo of Lorena in NCP today in the Lehigh Valley Live Newspaper today with their graduating class with Lehigh Students with Bonnie Winfield.
When these women get out who will hire them or give them a chance? How can they make a fresh start? What are their chances to make a better life?
"Let he amongst you cast the first stone"
It is ridiculous that so many people (although I suspect it is actually only one or two people) are so ignorant to think they can preach on Spirituality, Women's Medicine, Hematology, and Moral and Ethical responsibilities to our fellow humans, with so little factual basis or ethical/constitutional teeth. Lorena is a very brave woman to offer such a personal story alone. Any person with common sense and a conscience can see that the main focus of "Lorena's story" was actually the physical maltreatment of other women. It is more her mother's plea for Lorena's health. Who are any of us to judge? It is shameful to think I live surrounded by people harboring these vile thoughts.
I was there. We were not treated well. Someone in our cell had syphillis and they could not even treat us all. They just tossed us all in the cell. One girl was in there for having to many cars on her own property serving 30 days. The nurse that tried to help just said wait. We waited and waited for two days before they gave us the medication to treat whatever they thought it was which they said was syphilis. Locked down for three days! Not all in the prison are there for drugs. Some get tossed in there for property issues and other. The main thing is. I have been out six months, wasn't in before and don't plan on going again. Stay out of jail and follow the rules, cause you are in a whole other world in there and there is not anyone you can speak to to help you. It is their way their thoughts and their solutions even if it is the 1950's way. Sadly prision life has not moved from that eara. the 50's. Inmates are treated like dogs and dogs are treated better. I am a control officer and damn...it is sad to see humans treaating humans like this.
For all of you with the horrible, derogatory comments I would like to update you on my daughter, Lorena Hacker. Through no help by the Northampton County Prison System nor that of their healthcare system, and I use that term loosely, she is currently on the Deans List at NCCC, raising her child as a single parent and I could not be more proud of her and her achievements. This is all due to her family support and her strong belief in God. You see we never wanted lawsuits or anything for her but for her well being. So we proved all of the evil minded comments wrong. People do change and she was worthy of that chance!! Lorena's Mom
For all of you with the horrible, derogatory comments I would like to update you on my daughter, Lorena Hacker. Through no help by the Northampton County Prison System nor that of their healthcare system, and I use that term loosely, she is currently on the Deans List at NCCC, raising her child as a single parent and I could not be more proud of her and her achievements. This is all due to her family support and her strong belief in God. You see we never wanted lawsuits or anything for her but for her well being. So we proved all of the evil minded comments wrong. People do change and she was worthy of that chance!! Lorena's Mom
To Ms Russo -
I am so happy to read that your daughter is doing well! Just please know that there is some compassion out here and not everybody is a troll. I am sorry hat she went through what she did and I hope she continues to do well!
Thanks
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