Civil Commitment: Terrifying Policy that Pretends Prisoners are Patients

In 1998, Benjamin Alverson was sentenced to 22 months in prison. He completed his sentence, paid his debt to society, and at the turn of the millennium he was excited to be released. Why, then, is he still locked up (without having committed any new crimes) 26 years later? It’s due to a disturbing, frightening, unconstitutional, and horrific practice known as Civil Commitment, where courts pretend that prisoners are patients. “It’s not prison, it’s not punishment, it’s just mental health treatment,” they insist. The “inmates” must be referred to as “clients.” And their cell has to be called a “room.” That’s all the justification most judges need to certify that being locked away, often for one’s entire life, against their will and without any jury trial, is really just mental health treatment. How does this happen? In short, a prison clinician (often with a questionable degree from an online college) makes an assessment that an inmate has a mental illness and might pose a risk to society if he or she is released. Using unreliable “assessments,” as they’re called, prison clinicians around the USA have recommended Civil Commitments for over 10,000 men and women, many of whom have never been arrested for any crime. And what’s worse, they’re often treated far worse than actual inmates who committed actual crimes and are serving legal sentences. In this week’s episode, PenPals.Buzz founder Big Steve interviews Mr. Alverson about his 25+ years’ experience as a “client.” He also speaks with Jermy Walker, an Idaho prison inmate who works as a companion to the 64 (innocent) Civil Commitment men currently housed in solitary confinement at Idaho’s maximum security prison. We’ll share some contact info so that you can become pen pals with some of these captives. A letter from you might be just what they need to make it through another day.