McHenry County Blog

Last week was so busy I didn’t get to read the three daily newspapers that land on my driveway every morning.

When I picked up the Wednesday Sun-Times, I saw Mark Brown’s column entitled,

Apparently Brown sat in on a weekly meeting that new Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has with the heads of various parts of the jail.

Apparently it wasn’t a pretty picture, but not as bad as it could have been.

I am sure one of the eternal problems of a Cook County Sheriff is lack of adequate funds to do what the sheriff things should be done.

Certainly the devastating Federal report, about which I wrote below, convincingly show major improvements are needed. Those changes will require lots of money.

The best chance for Sheriff Tom Dart to pry that money out of the Cook County Board is to allow the Feds to put the jail under court supervision.

Indeed, to maximize his image as a reformer, Dart could urge the Federal Court to take over the jail.

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

Part 5 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Access to Medical and Dental Care

See Part 2.

Last week was so busy I didn’t get to read the three daily newspapers that land on my driveway every morning.

When I picked up the Wednesday Sun-Times, I saw Mark Brown’s column entitled,

Apparently Brown sat in on a weekly meeting that new Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart has with the heads of various parts of the jail.

Apparently it wasn’t a pretty picture, but not as bad as it could have been.

I am sure one of the eternal problems of a Cook County Sheriff is lack of adequate funds to do what the sheriff things should be done.

Certainly the devastating Federal report, about which I wrote below, convincingly show major improvements are needed. Those changes will require lots of money.

The best chance for Sheriff Tom Dart to pry that money out of the Cook County Board is to allow the Feds to put the jail under court supervision.

Indeed, to maximize his image as a reformer, Dart could urge the Federal Court to take over the jail.

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

Part 5 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Access to Medical and Dental Care

See Part 2.

This is the seventh and last installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It looks at maintenance, housekeeping, sanitation, pest control, plus the report’s conclusions.

There seems to be a real problem with maintenance at the Cook County Jail (page74).

Some of the problem can be traced to the jail’s not doing its own work (the Cook County Facilities Management Department has jurisdiction) and some just to union work rules (a work order and a union electrician is needed to change a light bulb).

“Maintenance and sanitation are categorically inadequate throughout the facility, exposing inmates and staff to unhealthy and unsafe environments as a result,” the Justice Department report concludes.

Pest control?

One person takes care of the 96-acre facility, except for the food service and Cermak Hospital parts (page 76).

Concerning sanitation,

“We consistently observed conditions that should not have existed if staff were being held accountable for conditions in the housing areas (page 77).”

Criticism is also leveled at jail staff for not holding inmates responsible for housekeeping lapses.

Housekeeping is described as “very poor.”

There are 17 pages of recommendations (pages 79-96), a veritable blue print should the Cook County Jail be placed under federal control.

One last thing.

Early on in the report, criticism was levied at jail administrators for allowing draped clothes lines to hide what goes on within cells.

The same problem existed in Illinois state prisons with George Ryan’s new Director of Corrections took control. He ordered them taken down.

Guess what?

It happened.

The full report should now be posted on the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division web site.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

This is the seventh and last installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It looks at maintenance, housekeeping, sanitation, pest control, plus the report’s conclusions.

There seems to be a real problem with maintenance at the Cook County Jail (page74).

Some of the problem can be traced to the jail’s not doing its own work (the Cook County Facilities Management Department has jurisdiction) and some just to union work rules (a work order and a union electrician is needed to change a light bulb).

“Maintenance and sanitation are categorically inadequate throughout the facility, exposing inmates and staff to unhealthy and unsafe environments as a result,” the Justice Department report concludes.

Pest control?

One person takes care of the 96-acre facility, except for the food service and Cermak Hospital parts (page 76).

Concerning sanitation,

“We consistently observed conditions that should not have existed if staff were being held accountable for conditions in the housing areas (page 77).”

Criticism is also leveled at jail staff for not holding inmates responsible for housekeeping lapses.

Housekeeping is described as “very poor.”

There are 17 pages of recommendations (pages 79-96), a veritable blue print should the Cook County Jail be placed under federal control.

One last thing.

Early on in the report, criticism was levied at jail administrators for allowing draped clothes lines to hide what goes on within cells.

The same problem existed in Illinois state prisons with George Ryan’s new Director of Corrections took control. He ordered them taken down.

Guess what?

It happened.

The full report should now be posted on the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division web site.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

This is the sixth installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It addresses suicide and fire prevention.

There is a section entitled, “Inadequate Suicide Prevention” (page 66).

Even the written policy is inadequate.

Four-point leather restraints are the way those who talk about suicide are treated (page 66).

“This is grossly inappropriate,” the report says.

“Correction officers have no access to cut-down tools for quick response in the event of a suicide attempt by hanging.”

On January 1, 2008, a correctional officer tried to hold the victim up to remove the sheet from his neck, but wasn’t strong enough. After six minutes paramedics cut the inmate down with “a key” (page 67).

The jail even took a hit on fire safety (page 70).

“No smoke detectors in most inmate housing areas…Keys are not marked for rapid identification in an emergency… poorly prepared for an emergency… 1.8 fires per week… setting fires beneath their beds in order to utilize the metal bunk as a hotplate to heat food… [or] get correctional officers’ attention… monthly fire ‘safety inspections’ cursory.”

Tomorrow: Maintenance, housekeeping, sanitation, pest control and recommendations.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

This is the sixth installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It addresses suicide and fire prevention.

There is a section entitled, “Inadequate Suicide Prevention” (page 66).

Even the written policy is inadequate.

Four-point leather restraints are the way those who talk about suicide are treated (page 66).

“This is grossly inappropriate,” the report says.

“Correction officers have no access to cut-down tools for quick response in the event of a suicide attempt by hanging.”

On January 1, 2008, a correctional officer tried to hold the victim up to remove the sheet from his neck, but wasn’t strong enough. After six minutes paramedics cut the inmate down with “a key” (page 67).

The jail even took a hit on fire safety (page 70).

“No smoke detectors in most inmate housing areas…Keys are not marked for rapid identification in an emergency… poorly prepared for an emergency… 1.8 fires per week… setting fires beneath their beds in order to utilize the metal bunk as a hotplate to heat food… [or] get correctional officers’ attention… monthly fire ‘safety inspections’ cursory.”

Tomorrow: Maintenance, housekeeping, sanitation, pest control and recommendations.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

This is the fifth installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It concentrates on prisoner access to medical and dental care.

Hos about sick call?

Here’s how bad access to medical care is. And, this is from July 25, 2007, six months after Dart was sworn in as sheriff:

One of the investigators brings to the attention (page 56) of the medical staff that a prisoner has “requested medical treatment (several times) for staples and sutures left in his scalp and sutures that had been left in his arm.”

No response from the medical types.

Now get this next sentence:

”He reportedly was placed in lock down for ten days for making repeated requests for medical care. It is inappropriate to punish inmates for requesting medical care.”

Dental care?

One dentist for 9,500 prisoners.

Extractions only (page 57). Twenty-five percent resulted in chronic infections (inflammation/disease of the bone or dry sockets).

The jail has lost its accreditation (page 58) from the National Commission on Correctional Health.

With that loss went the incentive to measure performance of the medical system.

And mental health care?

Not too high on the priority list when budget cutting time comes (page 59).

Tomorrow: Suicide and fire prevention.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

This is the fifth installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It concentrates on prisoner access to medical and dental care.

Hos about sick call?

Here’s how bad access to medical care is. And, this is from July 25, 2007, six months after Dart was sworn in as sheriff:

One of the investigators brings to the attention (page 56) of the medical staff that a prisoner has “requested medical treatment (several times) for staples and sutures left in his scalp and sutures that had been left in his arm.”

No response from the medical types.

Now get this next sentence:

”He reportedly was placed in lock down for ten days for making repeated requests for medical care. It is inappropriate to punish inmates for requesting medical care.”

Dental care?

One dentist for 9,500 prisoners.

Extractions only (page 57). Twenty-five percent resulted in chronic infections (inflammation/disease of the bone or dry sockets).

The jail has lost its accreditation (page 58) from the National Commission on Correctional Health.

With that loss went the incentive to measure performance of the medical system.

And mental health care?

Not too high on the priority list when budget cutting time comes (page 59).

Tomorrow: Suicide and fire prevention.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

Part 4 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Medical Care

This is the fourth installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It concentrates on medical problems.

As you might expect, medical care is not up to par. Acute care is “grossly inadequate” (page 46). Only one of the five examples were while Dart was sheriff.

Inadequate care of chronic cases, such as asthma, diabetes, bed sores (skin ulcers) are described as “gross deviations from generally accepted correctional medical standards” (page 50).

Four cases are mentioned (pages 44 and 45) after Dart took office in which intake exams by physicians assistants were botched or adequate care was not provided, including one where HIV medicine was withheld.

And, don’t have heart problems at Cook County Jail and expect prompt attention from EMTs. It took 45 minutes to get one guy in an ambulance (page 50).

“The EMTs were chatting and inattentive,” while “the dispensary nurse was trying to revive the inmate.”

This happened in front of the Justice Department report writers.

And verification of inmate identification before administering medicine?

Forget it (page 51).

Staff also did not witness the prisoners swallowing the medicine.

Six Dart-era cases of gross medication problems are pointed out (page 52), including one with a man who had a kidney transplant.

Severe understaffing (page 53) was offered as an explanation to some of the problems.

Infectious diseases?

Inadequate attempts to control the spread of TB was labeled egregious (page 54) with a threat to correctional officers. One guard posted in the hall outside of a room incorrectly thought to have negative pressure and others there were pressurized to keep the germs from spreading left the door to the unit open.

Medical records?

“Critical medical information missing” (page 55) “not readily accessible” (page 56).

Tomorrow: Access to medical and dental care.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse

This is the fourth installment of what was contained in the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division report about Cook County Jail. It concentrates on medical problems.

As you might expect, medical care is not up to par. Acute care is “grossly inadequate” (page 46). Only one of the five examples were while Dart was sheriff.

Inadequate care of chronic cases, such as asthma, diabetes, bed sores (skin ulcers) are described as “gross deviations from generally accepted correctional medical standards” (page 50).

Four cases are mentioned (pages 44 and 45) after Dart took office in which intake exams by physicians assistants were botched or adequate care was not provided, including one where HIV medicine was withheld.

And, don’t have heart problems at Cook County Jail and expect prompt attention from EMTs. It took 45 minutes to get one guy in an ambulance (page 50).

“The EMTs were chatting and inattentive,” while “the dispensary nurse was trying to revive the inmate.”

This happened in front of the Justice Department report writers.

And verification of inmate identification before administering medicine?

Forget it (page 51).

Staff also did not witness the prisoners swallowing the medicine.

Six Dart-era cases of gross medication problems are pointed out (page 52), including one with a man who had a kidney transplant.

Severe understaffing (page 53) was offered as an explanation to some of the problems.

Infectious diseases?

Inadequate attempts to control the spread of TB was labeled egregious (page 54) with a threat to correctional officers. One guard posted in the hall outside of a room incorrectly thought to have negative pressure and others there were pressurized to keep the germs from spreading left the door to the unit open.

Medical records?

“Critical medical information missing” (page 55) “not readily accessible” (page 56).

Tomorrow: Access to medical and dental care.

Previous stories:

Part 1 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Sheriff Tom Dart’s Goals

Part 2 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – 2007 Complaints of Physical Abuse to Inmates

Part 3 – Pervasive Problems at Cook County Jail – Causes of and Cures for Physical Abuse