A Story Of Professional Irresponsibility and Ethical Indifference By A Virginia Sussex l State Prison [SXISP] Mental Health Official By William Thorpe

On 8/30/18; a prisoner soon to be released was removed from Sussex l State Prison [SXISP] General Population [GP] and placed in Solitary Confinement Unit because he was allegedly cursing and acting out because SXISP guards wouldn't allow him use of a phone to set up an alternate home release plan because his mother was refusing to let him live with her once he was released.

On 8/31/18; a SXISP Mental Health official came to the prisoner's cell door, identified herself and said she was here to talk to him because he'd got locked up last night. To which the prisoner responded, and I paraphrase, he goes home in a week and his release plan fell through because his mom wouldn't let him live with her, so he had to use the phone to figure out alternatives and the officers wouldn't allow him its use. The prisoner was cogent and clear in expressing what his issue was. To which the Mental Health official responded and I am paraphrasing, the counselor for the Solitary Confinement unit didn't show up for work and Monday is Labor Day so she'd email the counselor about his situation after the Labor Day holiday.

Professional Duty and Ethical Responsibility 

Virginia Law provides a generalized requirement for a Mental Health official's contact with a prisoner initially placed in Solitary Confinement and Virginia Department of Corrections Operating Procedure [VADOCOP] 730.4, 730.5, 841.1 861.3 all specifically detail and define a VADOC Mental Health Officials Responsibility. This "Story" about a SXISP Mental Health officials contact with a prisoner initially placed in the prisons Solitary Confinement unit reveals, the legal obligations, professional duty and ethical responsibilities of a Virginia prison Mental Health official. But what it also seriously exposes is official misconduct and the culture of professional irresponsibility and ethical indifference that grows unchecked when prison officials accountability to the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia, which particularly includes its prisoners are allowed to be demagogued away by political reaction.

This Story: A Second Aspect  

The prisoner then told the SXISP Mental Health official that he had spent the entire night in the cell without a blanket and sheets and he was cold to which the Mental Health official responded: and this is a direct quote, you look pretty warm to me, your face is red", then she turned around and left the prisoners door. The Mental Health official never bothered to look through the glass window to verify the prisoner's claim of being without a blanket and sheets. Which the U.S. Supreme Court has long since settled the question: that prison officials have the legal obligation to provide prisoners with adequate clothing and not to do so violates the U.S. Constitution 8th Amendment dicta against the cruel and unusual punishment of prisoner. Also the Virginia Constitution and formulations of Virginia Statutorial Law also prohibits cruel and unusual punishment of prisoner.

Prisoner Official Accountability: It's Lack

For the reader and the Virginia public, I ask:

• Is the behavior of the SXISP Mental Health official reflective of the professional duty and ethical responsibilities anticipated by the Virginia taxpayer?
• The Virginia Department of Corrections is a sprawling $1.5 billion a year behemoth of taxpayer money and if it's function is so integral to Virginia society, are the watchdogs: Governmental and non-governmental up to it?                                                                                                                                                    

The callousness displayed cavalierly by the SXISP Mental Health official on 8/31/18; besides those specific violations of VADOC OP's i.e not even a pro forma inquiry into the state of the prisoner's mind, or a follow up on the inadequacy of the prisoners clothing. Instructs of and illustrates what endemic, systemic indifference looks like. We are constantly lectured by Senior Virginia Governmental officials and VADOC executives that Virginia penology is on the just side of history because for one, "low" recidivism says so [this work isn't dealing with recidivist claims by Virginia's Government] yet the actual behavior of Virginia prison officials in its prisons are anything but. From acts, which if were committed by a regular taxpaying citizen would be seen as felonies and prosecuted as such. To administrative malfeasance of the like existing at the U.S. Department for Veterans Affairs of which the Virginia mainstream media presumes its disclosures satisfies and completes its duty to educate the taxpaying citizen, while serious acts of governmental misconduct and unaccountability play out as nauseam behind the concertina wire and storm fences of its prisons, without a squeak from its mastheads.

Re-Entry Into Society

The release of a prisoner back into society is serious business and those responsible for its process should see it as such. When a prisoner within days of release informs the only prison official with administrative authority, he had contact with, within hours of his placement in Solitary Confinement, due to an issue with his home release plan because it has fallen through and he virtually has nowhere to go upon release and that prison official only sees the issue as an emailing one, for another prison official, a counselor who wouldn't be back to work till after the holidays, then the question has to be asked to what extent is this SXISP Mental Health official cognizant of her professional duty and ethical responsibilities and what exactly are the taxpayers of Virginia paying for?

Furthermore what has become of Brian Moran's Virginia Secretary for Public Safety and Homeland Security much vaunted "Re-Entry Program" and the assertion, no prisoner is released from Virginia prisons without Re-Entry Programming? Because had this prisoner been in the SXISP "Re-Entry Program" this wouldn't have been an issue necessitating critique.

By William Thorpe who is in Solitary Confinement currently at Sussex l State Prison