The news from Florida’s prison system is all over the Internet. One inmate is in an outside hospital, fighting for his life. He was allegedly beaten over a two-day period after flinging feces on a correctional sergeant. Seven officers — including the aggrieved sergeant and a lieutenant — are on administrative leave pending the outcome of investigations by the state of Florida and the FBI. Even more shocking, four nurses were fired for failure to report the alleged abuse. By the time the investigations are finished, more people may be facing criminal prosecution. The newspapers, needless to say, are having a field day.
For correctional officers in any state to do what these men are accused of doing is inexcusable. It may be unpleasant and disgusting to be the target of flung feces, but there are appropriate ways to respond to an agitated inmate and legitimate channels for disciplinary action. Beating an inmate within an inch of his life does not come under either heading. It is doubly inexcusable for a senior officer, one entrusted with the supervision of others and with setting the example, to be involved in such a breach of the regulations governing a prison. The grim symmetry to the situation is that, if convicted, these officers will find themselves at risk of the same treatment they have allegedly dished out — quite possibly from the other inmates. As the old saw says, what goes around comes around.
Yet, as horrible as the alleged actions of the accused officers were, the fired nurses failed at an even more fundamental level. By profession and oath, they are bound to work for the health of all the human beings who come within their circle of care. To ignore that obligation for whatever reasons and to fail to take whatever action was possible are sins of omission every whit as culpable as the officers’ alleged sins of commission. Not one of the four fired nurses laid a finger on the injured inmate, but should he die, they will bear part of the responsibility for his death. Even if it turns out that the officers are exonerated, the nurses still had a duty to see to it that the inmate received appropriate care for his injuries and to make any needed reports regarding a use of force.
Aside from the family of the injured inmate, the people who ought to be maddest of all about this are the correctional officers and prison health care staff across the country who carry out their duties to the best of their abilities within the scope of the law. Once again, the actions of a few will taint the reputations of the many and make what’s usually a thankless job anyway that much more difficult.
Tags: mental health, prison, social issues
