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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Inhumane conditions' at Idaho maximum security prison prompt planned hunger strike
Dozens of men incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution have been refusing to eat to protest 'inhumane conditions' at the prison, according to a news release from Return Strong, a Nevada-based advocacy organization for incarcerated people. The Idaho Department of Correction confirmed that nearly 90 men refused to take their breakfast Friday morning as part of 'what appears to be a peaceful, planned demonstration,' spokesperson Sanda Kuzeta-Cerimagic told the Idaho Statesman. She said the prisoners have been asking for visitation rights and better programming at the institution. Friday's protest marks the second time men incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution organized a mass hunger strike to demand better treatment and services within the last year and a half, though IDOC leadership in the past has taken issue with use of the term. According to the agency's policy definitions, the demonstration is only a considered a 'hunger strike' when the men have refused to eat or drink for at least three days. In May 2024, roughly 90 men primarily housed at the maximum prison refused their meals for six days. Several of them told the Statesman they were protesting the substandard living conditions, including long bouts of isolation and 'cages' IDOC used for recreation time, covered in human feces. Prisoners also brought up concerns over access to certain religious practices, rehabilitative programming and a lack of visitation options. Return Strong Executive Director Jodi Hocking on Friday again pointed to 'systemic medical neglect and indefinite isolation without rehabilitation' in its news release, and said the organization is urging the state prison system's leadership to take 'immediate steps to address these dangerous and degrading conditions.' Return Strong said the prison offered months of delay for one individual with a broken wrist and finger, limited mental health care, mold covering the shower walls, restricted visitation, took away access to fruit and stuck prisoners with years of solitary confinement. 'When incarcerated people feel they have no voice and no path to dignity, they turn to peaceful protest,' Hocking said in the news release. 'These men are standing up not just for themselves, but for the humanity of all people in prison.' Kuzeta-Cerimagic said that about six months ago, the prison implemented a reward system for people in close custody, a high-security custody level often used for maximum security prisoners. Individuals who meet certain criteria, like being at least six months free of disciplinary offense reports and agreeing to live in a mixed unit not separated by gang affiliation, receive double dayroom time, one physical visit a week and additional opportunities for programming and jobs, she said. Fruit remains restricted because it's used in homemade alcohol, and it has been substituted with fresh vegetables, Kuzeta-Cerimagic said. She denied allegations of black or green mold, adding that some showers within the prison are expected to be repaired or refinished. 'We hope to resolve the situation without escalation,' Kuzeta-Cerimagic said. Dewey Lewis, who's 53 and has been incarcerated since the '90s, said many of the concerns he and others raised from Idaho's maximum security prison last year still exist. He reiterated allegations that recreational areas were littered with human urine and feces, since they don't have access to a bathroom for hours. It's the second time he's recently participated in a planned hunger strike at the prison. He said he's taking part in the protest again with the hope of raising awareness of the prison's conditions and to push for change.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
When Nevada charges prison fees, mothers pay the price
(Getty Images Plus) Over the past four decades, the number of women incarcerated in the criminal justice system has surged by more than 585 percent, placing a growing financial burden on them through fines and fees. This burden is especially devastating because women often enter the system at a significant economic disadvantage, making it even harder to navigate and recover from monetary sanctions. Amber Foster — a commercial truck driver, advocate with Return Strong, and mother of four based in Las Vegas — experienced the financial and psychological burdens of fee debt during her eight year sentence in Nevada. When Foster was incarcerated, her mother took over primary care of her children, even though she was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and surviving on SSI benefits. 'What many people don't really understand is that it's not just the person who is incarcerated, our families are incarcerated with us,' Foster said. Research shows that when prisons impose fines and fees, it is entire families – specifically women – who pay the price. One study on the fees imposed on incarcerated people across 14 states found that 83% of the family members shouldering these costs were women. Most often, it's mothers who pay. These fees are not about accountability—their primary function is to raise revenue. And when you consider the full weight of court debt on incarcerated people and their families, it becomes clear: these monetary sanctions amount to a form of double punishment, compounding the consequences of incarceration long after a sentence has been served. Though often framed as a tool for accountability, in reality, the imposition of fines and fees often extract money from people with no means to pay, driving them further into debt that follows them for years after release. The burden of court debt falls especially hard on women, particularly mothers. It erodes their sense of identity and the pride that comes from being a provider. 'Being a mom to me means being their financial provider and protector. It hurt for me not to be able to be there financially. There was a time when they were homeless and I wasn't able to help,' said Foster. A study from the Center for American Progress underscores this, finding that almost two-thirds of women, and more than two-thirds of Black women, were either the primary or co-providers for their households. Even when families are able to send money to their loved ones inside, those funds are often siphoned off for debt repayment. As Foster notes, 'let's say my mom put $100, I would only get $20. They were taking like 80% of it [for restitution, fines, fees, and medical bills], Foster explained. 'A couple of times I had to call my uncle because my mom was out of food, because she would send the money to me.' In Nevada, as in the majority of states across the country, fees imposed on a single person often translates into a decades-long debt sentence for their entire family. A recent national survey on the impacts of fines and fees found that 99% of parents impacted by court debt were forced to cut back on at least one essential need. This translates to 17 million households facing food or housing insecurity or lacking another basic need. For women who are already at socio-economic disadvantage, the burden of court debt is doubly amplified. As Foster noted,'Without all the fines and fees payments, I could have gotten a car, a down payment for an apartment, clothes for my daughter and son, money for my mom,' she added. 'It could have done wonders.' With multiple fee-traps laced throughout the criminal legal system, Nevada is one of the most expensive places to be incarcerated in the U.S. Commissary markups — or fees on items purchased from commissary — once climbed as high as 66%, resulting in massive profits for the state at the expense of families. Thanks to recent reforms, however, markups capped at 35%, meaning families will now see their dollars go further when supporting loved ones. In addition, Nevada passed legislation eliminating markups on hygiene items, room-and-board fees, and medical co-pays, taking an essential step toward protecting the health of incarcerated people and easing the financial load on families. But we still have work to do. One man released after nearly 15 years in prison received a letter from the Nevada Department of Corrections demanding $7,216.76 in medical debt, payable within 30 days. To meet that demand, one would need to earn $115,000 annually without spending a dollar on basic needs. It's not just cruel, it's impossible. The financial toll is just one part of the story. The emotional and psychological toll is just as crushing. Foster noted how difficult it was to be a mother when your only means of connection to your child is being blocked by fees. 'Letters and phone calls were how we stayed connected. There were times I couldn't call them because I didn't have money for the phone call fees. The system is made to break you. If you don't have a strong mindset it will break you.' Right now, the Nevada Legislature has another opportunity to support mothers and families of people who are currently and formerly incarcerated by passing SB88, which would discharge medical debt upon release from prison, and SB323, which makes a pilot program that allowed 15 minutes of free phone calls for women in the women' s prisons permanent. Additionally, lawmakers have the chance to pass SB120, which would require judges to offer payment plans, at no cost, for fines and fees and end public defender fees. These critical reforms recognize that incarceration should not come with a lifelong debt sentence that prevents people rebuilding their lives and caring for their children. Nevada has already demonstrated leadership in eliminating exploitative fees that burden struggling families and hinder successful reintegration. This session, the state has a chance to actively support women like Foster, who have risen above unimaginable trauma and hardship to rebuild their lives and provide for their families. By continuing to eliminate these court-imposed costs, and passing reforms like SB 88, SB 120, and SB323, Nevada can serve as a model for a compassionate, rehabilitative justice system that puts people first – not profit.
