A class action lawsuit filed by 15 former and current gay, bi and trans (GBT) inmates of San Bernardino County Jail in California alleges gross mistreat and discrimination based on the prisoners’ sexual orientations.
Among the accusations are claims of being held in solitary for longer than is allowed — up to 22 hours a day in some cases — and being denied access to rehabilitation programs.
They all went through, or are currently in the ‘Alternative Lifestyle Tank’ at the West Valley Detention, where self-identifying GBT inmates are sent to keep them separated from the general prison population.
The lawsuit says that the, “inmates are not given equal access to opportunities to reduce their sentences, services, programs and facilities, and are often treated in an abusive and neglectful manner. In short, GBT inmates at WVDC serve longer sentences and endure substantially worse conditions of confinement simply because they are gay, bisexual or transgender.
Unlike the male, non-GBT general population, sentenced GBT inmates at WVDC are generally not allowed to participate in the inmate work program, and, to the extent they may occasionally have limited access, it is substantially less than that available to non-GBT inmates.”
They also claim that due to guards’ “unwarranted feat of AIDS,” they, “do not conduct the required safety checks for GBT cells,” and that GBT inmates are routinely subjected to abusive conduct and derogatory name calling.
The suit has been filed on behalf of all GBT inmates at the West Valley Detention Center. They are being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a local Californian law firm, and are seeking damages for their treatment.
“Gay, bisexual and transgender people housed at West Valley Detention Center are punished twice, first for the crimes the allegedly committed, and again, simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,’ said attorney Brenden Hamme of the ACLU to CBS.
They’ve been told most frequently that it’s for their own safety, but jails are quite capable and are constitutionally mandated to not only provide for the safety of their charges but to also provide equal access to jail programs and facilities.”
If successful, the lawsuit could affect how GBT prisoners are treated throughout the California detention system.
h/t Gay Star News
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redcarpet30
It’s something, but this only scratches the surface of the massive moral sin that is our prison system.
Captain Obvious
Well you could always not commit a crime in the first place… I guess people forget that part while ramping up the sob stories.
It’s prison, not daycare, and not a trip to the mall. Who ever presented it in a light of being a happy place where you’ll be safe and protected? You’re surrounded by murderers, rapists, pedophiles, weapons dealers, drug smugglers, and more. Get real, people.
barkomatic
@Captain Obvious: A person who is in prison is there to serve their sentence. Being abused by guards, other prisoners or being deprived of access to programs is NOT part of the sentence.
I don’t understand the idea in this country that prisons should be torture chambers.
Saint Law
@Captain Obvious: Christ but you’re a fatuous tard.
Bauhaus
@Captain Obvious:
1) Sanctimonious
2) Obtuse
3) Read article again
iggy6666
@Saint Law: tard?? Wow.preach about fair treatment and then use a bullshit word like that…….
imperator
@Captain Obvious: Actually yes, one is absolutely supposed to be “safe and protected” in prison– while incarcerated, a person is a ward of the state. They’re meant to serve their sentence and, if at all possible, be rehabilitated so they can contribute to society someday. And preventing abuse has the added purpose of training inmates to control their own behaviour and follow pro-social rules rather than continuing to act in the same way that got them incarcerated in the first place.
But if the state allows them to be abused while in its custody– or worse, practices abuse against them directly– not only is it derelict in its duty to protect its citizens, but abusing them risks instilling *hatred* of society where it might not have been present, and when/if they’re released they’ll be misanthropic and more dangerous.
Add to that the fact that there are people who get coerced into false confessions by police abuse and wrongfully imprisoned, and people who get imprisoned on account of unjust laws written for antidemocratic interests, and your prison system better be absolutely scrupulous in treating its charges as righteously as possible.
But no, sure, you go right ahead and assume that everyone who gets thrown in prison is some inhuman monster who deserves to be terrorized at the whim of guards and other inmates alike. Why don’t you show us a bit more of your character by describing how you’d mistreat vulnerable people in the custody of the justice system.
NoCagada
@Captain Obvious: How many hours a day do you watch FOX?
Billy Budd
Captain Obvious is an *****.
restoretherainbow
@redcarpet30, I completely agree with your statement. It’s terrible to realize that there are so many more gates to Hell than Dante wrote about. 22 hours in solitary confinement would make anyone go insane and commit breaches that would be cause ego deny them parole and or other basic privileges.
Saint Law
@iggy6666: STFU you sanctimonious tard.
iggy6666
@Saint Law: make fun of people in wheelchairs as well?
Condor221
Want a real eye opener on being a gay inmate? Read a book by an Archbishop in the U.S., called, “If he’s Queer, he musta done it.” It’s disgusting and it’s done in the name of “we the people!” I defy you to read that book and not be angry!
Lanikai
Prisons and jails are punitive only, and society as a whole believes inmates get what they deserve while they are there. Often, the punishment extends far beyond the sentencing, including various dangers while in the tank as well as a multitude of legal and economic hoops to jump through once released.
Life in prison or jail is all about the hustle of commanding respect without giving any because everyone has low or no self-esteem. Preying upon others who are different is a tried-and-true tactic to boost one’s image and confidence.
Americans like this black-and-white, puritanical simplicity of current criminal justice thought. It alleviates one’s mind and conscious of the laborious task of preventing crime or being humane rather than conjuring up new and self-satisfying ways to make people atone for their sins.
Saint Law
@iggy6666: Of course.
Any more stupid questions, pusillanimous tard?
iggy6666
@Saint Law: do you know the muffin man?
iggy6666
He lives on druryanimous lane
Virge
from being a correction officer for 4 years in a large county detention facility where inmates sometimes served as much as a ten year or more sentence I can tell you this is not as simple it looks from the outside. Precautions are taken to keep ALL inmates from being victimized and sexually assaulted by other inmates and unless COs find out about it there’s nothing that can be done.
Gay inmates segregated into gay pods present more problems than in general population. Believe it or not.. in segregated gay only pods consensual sexual activity and assaults plus other problems increase. With that so do STDs, scabies, lice and conflicts revolving around sexual activity.
We went through a short period in which DAs attempted to move gay inmates out of incarceration into probation or rehab facilities until THE VERY SAME ORGANIZATIONS quoted in the article pressing for better treatment for gay inmates was taking up cases for straight inmates serving time for the very same crimes gays were getting off with little or no time. The idea of gays being treated equally under the law has to apply on both sides of the razor wire.
And there’s more but you guys will have fun beating up on me for what I’ve told so far, so I’ll stop and shut up.
Raquel Santiago
@Captain Obvious:
Only about 1% of the prison population actually need to be incarcerated long term. I actually volunteer for programs at San Francisco County Jail and some (not all) of the people shouldn’t even be there.