Oct 17, 2006 8:06 pm US/Eastern
Forgotten Floor: Judges Order More Inmates Removed
(CBS4)
MIAMI Three more court orders were signed
Tuesday, where judges demanding that inmates with
mental illnesses be taken out of floor nine of the
Miami-Dade County Jail. But once again, the response
from the state was not very comforting.
You seemingly can't escape, if you are confined to the forgotten floor.
“I've been in Vietnam, this is worse,” were some of the words we heard from inmates on the floor.
The legal fight is on to find help find a forensic hospital bed for three more inmates diagnosed with mental illness who are currently confined to the 9th floor. The sister of one man says he sleeps naked on the floor and desperately needs treatment.
Each judge agrees that the detainees were supposed to be removed from the jail and transferred to a state treatment facility within 15 days of their confinement. That never happened, lawyers for the department of children and families services saying again, again and again that there are no beds, and a long waiting list.
But representatives of three South Florida hospitals showed up in court today saying that together they have 50 available beds in secure areas in their facilities that could used. They said it its up to the State to decide whether it wants to spend the money and fill these beds, and transfer inmates out of floor 9.
One inmate is being transferred to a short-term crisis facility, but without a long-term bed he could end up back on floor 9 in days.
Meanwhile, a case emerged today of a woman at the female detention facility who is reportedly in desperate need of a forensic bed. She allegedly hasn’t eaten in weeks. The judge was very concerned and wants to review her circumstances.
You seemingly can't escape, if you are confined to the forgotten floor.
“I've been in Vietnam, this is worse,” were some of the words we heard from inmates on the floor.
The legal fight is on to find help find a forensic hospital bed for three more inmates diagnosed with mental illness who are currently confined to the 9th floor. The sister of one man says he sleeps naked on the floor and desperately needs treatment.
Each judge agrees that the detainees were supposed to be removed from the jail and transferred to a state treatment facility within 15 days of their confinement. That never happened, lawyers for the department of children and families services saying again, again and again that there are no beds, and a long waiting list.
But representatives of three South Florida hospitals showed up in court today saying that together they have 50 available beds in secure areas in their facilities that could used. They said it its up to the State to decide whether it wants to spend the money and fill these beds, and transfer inmates out of floor 9.
One inmate is being transferred to a short-term crisis facility, but without a long-term bed he could end up back on floor 9 in days.
Meanwhile, a case emerged today of a woman at the female detention facility who is reportedly in desperate need of a forensic bed. She allegedly hasn’t eaten in weeks. The judge was very concerned and wants to review her circumstances.