This article was written by a woman in Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville. This articel highlights the issues with federal prisons and suicides that we need to give more attention to.
Another Native American woman in the SHU (Special Housing Unit) took her own life at Aliceville, FCI's compound on Thursday. These women were young, had families waiting for them at home, yet struggled to cope for unknown reasons. Over the past 4 months, there have been multiple suicide attempts by various women in the SHU. The frequency of these incidents raises concerns about the environment and circumstances leading to such distressing actions.
Ms. Peters recently visited our compound, where a Derek (someone) wrote an article detailing her encounter in a classroom full of Spanish-speaking individuals. She then asked the instructor if she spoke Spanish, only to discover that they were all there to fill seats for the upcoming 60 Minutes episode. (Excited to see the outcome of this!)
The morale within this prison is extremely low. Today, while heading to the kitchen, I overheard a group of inmates discussing how the items in their unit hold no real value, referring to drugs. Over the past month, we have experienced multiple incidents such as a lock-down due to a drone on the compound, drugs and cell phones being discovered in the recreation yard, and a suicide. The Warden has adorned the building walls with large murals, yet there is a severe lack of programming. The psychological support offered is primarily focused on drug-related issues. Additionally, a "SAY NO TO DRUGS DAY" event where work was suspended for a day only featured a brief speech emphasizing how drugs contribute to inmate suicides, with an unrealistic expectation to report any drug-related activities.
I am expressing my concerns, but I am genuinely alarmed by the high number of women attempting suicide within a brief time-frame. It raises questions about the level of care provided by the staff towards the inmates and their mental well-being. With the holiday season approaching, I fear that the situation may deteriorate further before any improvements are seen, given that women are inherently emotional beings.
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