Prisoners’ rights laws deals with the rights applicable to inmates. Once locked up in prison, an inmate is still given basic human rights that are protected under the 8th amendment. Prisoner rights have become such a controversial issue because once fundamental civil liberties of these inmates are violated people begin to ask themselves if all these natural rights are suitable for someone who has committed a crime. What privileges should be given to individuals kept in custody? The 8th amendment allows for the liberties and basic human rights of a prisoner to not only be covered but followed. Prisoners’ rights have been violated in many cases such as guard brutality, sexual abuse, solitary confinement and lack of medical care. Unsafe physical and mental conditions will only worsen the overall health of an inmate and be seen as inhumane treatment.
Many will argue that prisoners need to be ensured with basic human rights while behind bars while, at the same time, others believe that an inmate's rights should be reduced and in some cases be taken away completely. The US Constitution is obligated to defend these rights. Guards often take abuse of their power and treat the inmates harshly. In Chad, prisoners are chained together in a small cell, filled with many people in over 100-degree weather.The mistreatment of prisoners led to the death of many people due to asphyxiation and dehydration. This is one example of how inmates are deprived of many rights.
The Supreme Court has always put the police and their power over the liberties of a prisoner. Millbrook vs. The United states was the first supreme court case brought attention to inappropriate behavior by law enforcement officials towards an inmate. In this supreme court case the victim, KimLee Millbrooks, rights were abused. When she was placed in a federal prison for a drug-related crime in 2010, the prison guards who whom were working at the prison, took advantage of Millbrook and sexually assaulted him.
One major prisoner’s rights issue comes from the use of solitary confinement. Solitary confinement should be eliminated since the use of this practice has shown to be both harmful and counterproductive.
The mentality of an inmate who is placed in solitary confinement would only worsen since being locked up in a cell and disconnected from reality would drive anyone insane. Solitary confinement is unsuccessful since it has negative impacts on the mental state of those who are locked up. Long-term isolation has proven to exacerbate mental illness, causing psychological harm and cost a lot of money. A huge example of how prisoners have been threatened and abused.
