Recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month for over 70 years, May is a time to raise awareness of mental and behavioral health issues. Resources and resources are available to you and your incarcerated loved ones throughout the year; Support does not have to end at the end of the month.
In 2022, the National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that 2 in 5 inmates had a history of mental illness (37% in state and federal prisons and 44% in local prisons). Almost 66% of incarcerated women reported a history of mental illness, nearly double the percentage of incarcerated men. However, less than a quarter of these individuals receive treatment while in detention. As a family member of an incarcerated person, it is important to talk about the challenges, stigma and needed solutions related to mental illness.
How to avoid danger on the phone:
- DO NOT forget that all calls are monitored and recorded and anything you say can be used against them. Family member or loved one in your current (or possibly future) case
- DO NOT ask questions that the answers may contain harmful information. It is not uncommon for the prosecutor to file NEW charges based on telephone testimony
- NOT to discuss the pending case at all. Escalate your questions and concerns to an attorney who can then decide how to proceed
- REMEMBER the dangers of calling and give this information to anyone you think he or she may be she is in contact with her loved one while he or she is incarcerated
- Explain to your loved one how the phone system works and let them know that they remain in responsible control of the number and duration of such calls must
- Explain to your loved one that they can’t pay for the number of calls they want to make. It is natural to feel pressure or even guilt for not doing everything that is asked of you. However, having a temporarily angry loved one is better than a shattered credit report and bankruptcy. A great way to avoid this is to use the PrisonConnect service to significantly reduce your bills.
It is imperative to know what the possible “danger zones” are in the system and how best to avoid falling victim to them. We’ve discussed the dangers of the inmate phone system and the best way to keep in touch with your loved one without worsening your legal situation. By following these suggestions, you will avoid the traps that those without this information easily fall prey to.
PROVIDE A LINK BETWEEN LAWYERS AND CLIENTS
Waxman signed a letter to the Corrections Department on Jan. 31 along with a dozen other opponents, mostly public defenders and nonprofit legal aid groups, who need to contact inmates to identify them you. Who are they supposed to represent? They regularly sue the DOC for allegedly cruel and illegal conditions and practices, often in class action lawsuits.
“The proposed revision raises a number of legal, constitutional and logistical difficulties that will result in persons deprived of their liberty being unaware of their rights and preventing them from accessing legal assistance take,” the letter reads.