Title: Overcrowded Prisons and Officer Safety
Headings: Overcrowded Prisons and Officer Safety
Overcrowded Prisons and Officer Safety
Inmate classification
Heath care and mental heath care
Telephone availability
Inmate recreation
Clothing exchange
Increase in sickness and diseases
Visiting
Inmate stores
Increased assaults on officers and increased inmate on inmate assaults
Lack of equipment
Emergency response teams
Housing areas
Feeding
Evacuations
Security checks and counts
Searches
Discipline housing
Inmates sleeping in "canoes"
Supervision
Training
Staffing
Conclusion

Content: Heath care and mental heath care
Inmates in prisons that are overcrowded do not have the same access to health care or mental heath care as do inmates in prisons that are not overcrowded. It is important to ensure that the medical service provider-to-inmate ratio is at an acceptable level. Of special concern are inmates who may be suicidal and in need of increased supervision. If an inmate attempts or commits suicide, and the investigation shows that proper precautions were not taken and overcrowding may have been responsible, the officers may be held responsible in civil court where deliberate indifference can be shown. Officer career safety is important, as well as officer physical safety. Telephone availability
Inmates in prisons that are overcrowded may not have access to the telephone; not having that access causes inmate tensions to rise. When inmate tensions rise, officers are at greater risk. Inmate recreation
Without question, inmates in overcrowded prisons do not have proper access to inmate recreation such as full yard time. Proper yard time is essential to help inmates deal with their stress.