*NEW YORK – Yesterday, the New York Times (NYT) reported that more than a thousand inmates have been stuck in freezing cells, without heat and limited power, at a federal jail in Brooklyn for at least a week.
This comes on the heels of a report earlier this week that a woman died in an Indiana jail after her complaints of stomach pains were ignored for two days. In response to these developments, Beatriz Beckford, Campaign Director at MomsRising, released the below statement:
“Too often our criminal justice system shows no regard for detained peoples’ health and safety, frequently costing them their lives. The conditions in this New York jail are nothing short of cruel and inhumane — and sadly all too common. We must improve jail conditions to ensure they meet basic requirements and protect the human dignity of incarcerated individuals.
“But stories like Lamekia Dockery’s also illustrate that our criminal justice system also needs comprehensive reform. Communities of color bear the brunt of this system’s unjust mistreatment, as Black and Hispanic people continue to be overrepresented in the criminal justice system — and the cost is often deadly.
“Jails and similar institutions have a legal and moral obligation to provide all detained people with basic living necessities, especially heat and medical care. Federal, state, and county officials must investigate all instances of abuse and neglect, as well as provide adequate funding for medical staff and utilities in jails across the country.”
source:
Jordan Brueckner
[email protected]
