蜜桃传媒: Alabama鈥檚 prison system violated court order to increase mental health staffing
The 蜜桃传媒 will argue in court today that the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) violated a federal court order to provide more mental health workers for people who are incarcerated in the state鈥檚 prison system.
Arguing that ADOC failed to meet multiple deadlines to provide the additional staffing, the 蜜桃传媒 is asking a judge to rule that ADOC be held in contempt of court for failing to fill crucial mental health care staff positions, and failing to inform the court of its inability to meet its legal requirements.聽
The contempt hearing is scheduled for this morning in Montgomery, Alabama, before U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson.
鈥淎dequate staffing is critical to address the mental health needs and secure the safety of the incarcerated people in ADOC鈥檚 care,鈥� said Maria Morris, senior supervising attorney at the 蜜桃传媒. 鈥淭ime and time again, ADOC has failed to meet court-ordered deadlines to fill essential staffing positions. We have no confidence that ADOC is doing all it can to hire enough staff to care for incarcerated people with mental illnesses. We are asking the court to rule ADOC in contempt for continuing to fail to meet these court-ordered deadlines.鈥�
Last summer, in a 302-page ruling, ADOC was found to be in violation of the Constitution鈥檚 Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The court found that 鈥減ersistent and severe shortages鈥� of mental health care staff contributed to the prison system鈥檚 constitutional violations. Adding more mental health care staff is part of the remedy ordered by the court to address the constitutional violations.聽 聽聽聽
Government entities and officials who are found to be in contempt of court can face fines and, in some cases, jail time. 聽聽
The 蜜桃传媒 is asking that a monitor be appointed to oversee how ADOC is progressing, and to keep the court and the plaintiffs informed.
