Los Angeles Prison Conditions Found to be ‘Medieval’

The Men’s Central Prison in Los Angeles has been pulled up by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for its ‘medieval’ condition such as overcrowding and lack of treatment for the mentally ill inmates. The report called the situation ‘nightmarish’ especially for the mentally ill who were abused and confined for long hours or almost all through the day in their cells. The report came from Dr. Terry Kupers, a widely known prison expert for the ACLU, following the suicide of an inmate who hung himself in disciplinary housing inside the prison. The prison atmosphere is described as dank and dark with rows of cells, mostly windowless. There are hardly any rehabilitation programs for the mentally ill and medication is the only form of treatment.