Elizabeth Jorgensen, Dem. Now 4/6

Elizabeth Jorgensen

Dr. kubal/soc. mov

4/6/14

Drugging America’s Veterans: Painkiller Abuse Spreads as VA Becomes Vets’ "Drug Dealer of Choice"

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/4/drugging_americas_veterans_painkiller_abuse_spreads

VA treatment hospitals throughout the United States are being questioned for the treatment of veterans after service and the amount of pain-killers prescribed to the soldiers when seeking mental health help. The department of veteran affairs has published statistics showing the high number of veterans and addiction rates within the last few years. The Center for Investigative Reporting won a Peabody award for exposing the truths behind how the Department of Veterans has created a growing problem for veterans. There are little resources available for veterans in need of mental health assistance and often the solution for the military doctors is to prescribe large amounts of drugs to offer an artificial solution for the soldier until the duration of service is completed. 

Veterans wanting treatment and detox are pumped with narcotics and opiates only escalating the problem and resulting in more overdoses. No actual treatment is given to the soldiers, who are often highly addicted to pain-killers due to injuries suffered during service. Soldiers are often discharged with large numbers of prescriptions which can result in the veterans death. There is little control over the dangerous prescriptions, resulting with the veterans being highly susceptible to addiction and overdose. VA often pays off families after long court trails, with little compensation given to the majority. 

Treating Humans Worse Than Animals: Prison System Voices Decry Solitary Confinement of Mentally Ill

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/4/1/treating_humans_worse_than_animals_prison

The prison system’s use of solitary confinement is receiving an immense amount of pressure for reform following the deaths of two inmates at Riker’s Island in New York and the arrest of a correctional officer responsible for one of the prisoner’s deaths. Prisoners are often treated incredibly inhumanely and receive little treatment or acknowledgement of mental conditions that they are documented of suffering from. 

The judicial system often abuses the tool of solitary confinement, and soldiers are dehumanized regardless of charges placed on them. Often inmates receive punishment while incarcerated resulting in their placement in solitary. This is drastically different than the picture painted towards the public of the dangerous worst offenders being the ones in solitary. This type of mental abuse also plays a detrimental affect on the prisoners re-socialization in society once released. 

One of the stories covers a mentally ill inmate’s death as a result from the punishment he received for defecating in his cell. Jason Echevarria was forced to eat a bag of laundry detergent which resulted in his death. The linings of his throat and tongue were burned off by the highly toxic chemicals found in the detergent and the pleads from the inmate were disregarded by officials. The second inmate’s death covered was of a homeless veteran who baked too death after temperatures in his cell skyrocketed, correctional officers disregarding the 15 minute checks. 

Solitary confinement within itself is a dehumanizing process for a mentally stable person let alone a mentally ill inmate and its’ use should be decreased drastically. This tool isn’t used effectively and the mistreatment of the inmates while incarcerated results in more harm than good. The behavior of inmates isn’t rehabilitated while incarcerated in solitary confinement and the little stimulation results in more problems for the inmates. This creates an even bigger problem once mentally ill inmates are released and often helps perpetuate the cycle of the judicial system and repeat offenders. We should provide treatment for people, both incarcerated and not. Veterans should be provided with the similar resources to help ensure rehabilitation rather than mistreating or drugging mentally ill soldiers and inmates.