Illinois General Assembly, Governor Blagojevich Should Support Rep. Hamos Bill to Transfer Mentally Ill Prisoners from Tamms Supermax Prison

(Chicago, IL) — The transfer of mentally ill prisoners from the Tamms Supermax prison, as one of the reforms advocated by State Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), could move Illinois out of the constitutional cross-hairs that the prison’s mental health policy has created.

Courts have ruled that the placement of seriously mentally ill prisoners in a Supermax is unconstitutional because the confinement is known to cause severe psychiatric morbidity, disability, suffering, and mortality.

Tamms has had a written policy against placing mentally ill inmates at the facility since 1999. However, this policy is only as good as its implementation. While the existence of this policy is a step in the right direction, it is useless, unless there is an adequate screening process. According to the lawsuit Boyd v. Snyder, mentally ill inmates have been placed at Tamms.

The extreme social isolation, severely restricted movement, and an environment that severely restricts stimulation contribute to the psychological damage for those suffering mental illnesses. The combination of the structural design as well as the functional program acerbates the psychiatric damage of inmates.

Inmates with serious mental illnesses placed at Tamms have experienced destructive psychological effects because of the long-term isolated confinement of the facility.

This is unconstitutional and it is inhumane. The Illinois General Assembly should approve Rep. Hamos’ legislation and transfer mentally ill out of Tamms and Gov. Rod Blagojevich should sign it—before the courts inevitably order such a transfer.

What’s your opinion?

Should mentally ill prisoners be transferred from the Tamms Supermax Prison to secure mental health facilities?
( surveys)