I have been doing “exit interviews” with soon -to- be- departing inmates for years, and I like to put some of them on the blog.
This young lady is educated and intelligent, so I thought you would enjoy her perspective. Of her 1.5-year sentence, the last 6 months were spent in prison. She leaves on November 2nd. I asked if she received any “rehabilitation” from the DOC. Her quick answer was, “NO!”. Of the so-called “programs” the DOC likes to brag about, she only qualified for one. She was interested in all the programs in Perryville, but was repeatedly told she “didn’t have enough time.” She did qualify for the SAGE program but that takes place entirely outside, not in the prison.
Alicia had enough time here to form an opinion of Medical, specifically Provider Tim Johnson, whom she intends to sue once she gets out. Johnson refused to give her the medical treatment she deserved, even after she had her outside records sent to his office. She quotes him as saying, “I’m not required to treat you based on outside medical diagnosis, nor their plan of care.” Because of his belligerence, she fell off the top bunk twice on a torn rotator cuff that had not healed correctly and requires surgery. After finally being transferred to a lower bunk(cubicle), he refused to issue a no-work chrono, or follow any of her outside doctor’s orders.
Alicia has graced us with her parting quote regarding the DOC. “Calling themselves the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry is beyond sad. Most things don’t even get addressed let alone corrected, and most inmates aren’t rehabilitated or ready for release (reentry) into the community. If resources and funds were more thoughtfully and properly allocated, parole violations and recidivism might actually decrease.”