The Survey Says--86 Members Of Inmate Families Weigh In On Local Jail Policies

Special thanks to Dr. Robert Robinson and student interns at Mary Baldwin University for analyzing the results of a survey distributed at the Rockingham County jail in early August to assess visitors’ attitudes towards 17 different policies and services at the jail.  

• There were 86 respondents to the survey. 
• They were able to indicate their relationship to the inmate they were visiting and make comments of their own on the form. 
• Note: Some people responded with N/A for some questions and therefore no rating was given for that question, making the number of respondents vary for each question. 

In the survey, respondents were asked to assign items a level of importance from “0” to “3,” with “0” representing “not important, or I don’t know”, “1” representing “somewhat important”, “2” representing “very important”, and “3” representing “extremely important” to these seventeen different statements.  The statements below are arranged in order of priority based on responses from participants.  

1. “Commissary items being more affordable for inmates”
2. “Phone calls being more affordable (and longer) for inmates”
3. “Inmates having better access to a mental health counselor”
4. “Inmates having more opportunities to attend substance abuse recovery groups (AA, etc.) and other programs while in jail.”
5. “Inmates being able to attend job training and skills classes while in jail”
6. “Inmates having better access to affordable medical care/prescriptions”
7. “The $1 a day fee ($3 a day at MRRJ) reduced or eliminated”
8. “Having more frequent opportunities for family members to visit inmates”
9. “Non-violent inmates being allowed to visit family members without being in handcuffs”. 
10. “Inmates having more opportunities for physical exercise”
11. “Inmates having access to education-focused e-tablets, books and other study materials”. 
12. “A number to call for information about how to help an inmate”
13. “Complaint (grievance) procedure in place for family members’ concerns”.
14. “Inmates having fewer hours in lockdown (where applicable)”
15. “Non-violent inmates being allowed to wear street clothes and not being handcuffed when appearing in court”
16. “A manual with information for family members about local jail rules”
17. “Support groups for family members to meet with on a regular basis”

• There was only one variable where “extremely important” was not the mode (e.g., the most often chosen) #17, "support groups for families to meet with on a regular basis"
• There were several variables where “extremely important” was assigned by more than 70% of respondents
• Examples: reducing the daily fee charged by the jail, having more frequent visitation of inmates, having more affordable commissary items, having phone calls be more affordable (and longer),  inmates having better access to medical health care/prescriptions, inmates having better access to mental health counselor, inmates having more opportunities for job and skills training while in jail, and inmates having more opportunities to attend substance abuse recovery groups (AA, etc.) and other programs while in jail.

Here are some of the written comments by family members:

- Daughter had a baby two months ago, has been allowed no physical contact.

- My brother was under the care of a psychiatric doctor at the time of his arrest, and was on two NECESSARY medications (Gabapentin)(Abilify), and as of today my little brother STILL hasn’t even seen a doctor, or been given any meds! This is cruel and unusual punishment, and I have spoken to and retained a lawyer for this and another legal matter. But I would love to avoid the messiness of a lawsuit, I just want my brother’s mental health needs met and stabilized ASAP.

- Machine and debit card costs extra money for use ($5 to deposit $20). We both (mother and grandmother) live over 25 miles one way drive. We would like to do more, but can’t do it. Too expensive! We’re both on social security income.

- Not fair that families have to pay so much for everything while inmates are in jail.

- Amounts of money having to be paid weekly is ridiculous.

- Inmates go outside ONCE monthly if that.

- Daughter has cyst on ovaries which ruptured, needs hysterectomy, pre-cancerous cells.

- Mental health & physical health need better resources

- Expenses for family ridiculous!

Re: Support groups for family members:

- We have it through church and friends, others might not. W/inmate

Re: Substance abuse programs:

- So few exist!

- The prison system fails to remember addiction is a sickness. They are quick to lock up but have way too little resources or extended waits for what resources they do have. Therefore the addict gets caught up in the revolving door. They definitely need better drug/substance abuse programs that continue once the offender is released, as well as job skills so the offender is not just continually thrown out of jail the same or worse than they were when they went in, with no money and no job.

Re: Medical care:

- Prescriptions are needed as well as visits with the doctor. Visits cost $10 each and some medications are refused to inmates.

- Make sure they get their medicine when family delivers it the day she came in and it been 5 days without her medicine. And I called and talked to a nurse at the jail. 

Re: Phone calls:

- The local calls are 21 cents a minute. That’s $3+ for a 15 minute call. Could be much cheaper and more affordable. (I have 4 children that want to speak with Daddy and he has to call more than once to speak with them)

- Calls are ridiculously expensive. Life continues for us out here. So we have to discuss lawyer, legal stuff, with our loved ones, which cannot always be done in 15 minutes. So then we end up paying $3.17+ for each 15 minute call till business is taken care of.

Re: Commissary:

- Commissary is expensive and needed by inmates. Family members provide the money to the accounts.

- Salt/pepper/mayo/mustard/ketchup not provided except as commissary items.

Re: More frequent visits:

- The definition of family is very limiting for some inmates.

- 30 minute visits are once per week and short especially with multiple visitors (4 children).

- Mothers to be able to bring strollers for their infants when visiting.

- We should have at least two visitations a week.

Re: The daily fee:

- The fees for inmates per day should be eliminated—another burden for family. ex: To provide money for commissary the fee per day must be added because it will be deducted before the inmate can receive commissary (along with medical fees) so to give $30 for commissary $60 or more must be deposited and that doesn’t include the fee for depositing.