Insanity, Meet the Insane--Enter the "Goon Squad"

This past week I had to sit for several hours in prison medical services because of a strained wrist (a softball injury), simply so I could have permission to wear an ace bandage. Without a "medical detail" to wear an ace bandage, which I could have easily applied myself, the corrections officers are liable to take the wrap from me, regardless of my injury. While I'm not particularly excited about having to wait nearly two hours to see a nurse for five minutes, I understand that this is not a phenomenon exclusive to prison. Most walk-in clinics also have long wait times. However, what is exclusive to prison is watching both medical staff and corrections officers preparing for an "extraction" in the temporary segregation hallway next to medical. 

Apparently, a prisoner, who has been locked up for over thirty years, decided he didn't want to keep "doing time." As a result, he refused to come out of his cell, even to shower, and he required an intervention. This prisoner, who also has a fairly severe mental illness, refused to follow officer orders, so they decided to extract him forcefully from his cell. As the officers walked back and forth past medical's waiting room, those of us waiting observed officers and medical staff alike gleefully commenting on the use of pepper spray and combat gear to extract a mentally ill, elderly prisoner from his cell. 

I understand the complexity and difficulty of this situation, and I applaud any officer who is able to show any empathy and understanding, while still enforcing the rules. But what I can't understand is the clear disregard for this man's mental illness and severe depressive state. Rather than forcing an extraction using a highly irritating spray and full tactical gear, perhaps another less excessive method could have been used. I'm no expert when it comes to dealing with mentally ill people, and undoubtedly some responses may appear inhumane at times. However, from the viewpoint of another (healthy-minded) prisoner who, like other prisoners, feels the daily dehumanization of how we are sometimes treated, I have to imagine that there is a better way to humanely deal with these difficult scenarios. 

Prison is dehumanizing to everyone involved. It is dehumanizing to prisoners who experience abuses of power from some officers and staff and live in an oppressive environment; it is dehumanizing to officers and staff who experience the daily disrespect of prisoners and who work in an oppressive environment; and I imagine it is also dehumanizing to medical staff who often see prisoners who they are not allowed to give proper medical help to because of demands for profit increasing cuts to care. It is also frustrating to see abuses of power and dehumanizing treatment and yet be powerless to do anything about it.

I'm grateful that, despite the wait, my own experience in medical services was good this time. My condition didn't require a medical visit as I could have wrapped my own wrist, but if sitting for several hours to get a piece of paper giving me permission to have a wrap on my arm is the worst I experienced that day, I guess I can deal with it. It's better than being pepper sprayed and forcefully extracted by the "good squad" to take a shower.