RE-ENTRY PROJECT Inc.

My son was sentenced to a probation detention center for his
probation violation (3 bad checks – all misdemeanors – all fines have been
paid and all checks have been made good – and failure to report to probation).  His original sentence was a DUI. He is also under the first offender status.  He had two surgeries while an inmate at the county jail due to injuries – severely broken nose and a broken and dislocated finger.

The judge ordered him to a probation detention center for 180 days. He was transferred from the county jail but was refused at the probation detention center due to his hand injury (surgeon had to place a 3" stainless steel rod in one of his fingers due to the extreme delay the county jail took in giving him proper medical attention) and because he takes Zoloft daily.

Instead of returning him to the county jail where he could continue to be seen by the doctor that performed the surgery he was taken directly to a maximum security prison. He went 7 days without his medication and even now will not take what they are offering him because it appears to be the wrong milligram. He saw the warden and asked why he was there and when was the rod going to be removed from his finger (which had been in 3 weeks longer than the surgeon said for it to be). The warden told him that the rod in his finger was the least of his worries because now that he was in his prison he was just another piece of s_ _ t.

Finally two days ago the rod was removed without any pain medication by a doctor that refused to even call the surgeon. The surgeon had also told him that he may need physical therapy of the hand once the rod is removed – there has been no indication of that happening. He finally saw his prison counselor – more than 2 weeks after being placed in the prison.

That was worthless – the counselor would not even get him the zip code to our home so that he could send a letter to us telling what horror he was having to go through. We are really getting the run around in the community from the Sheriff to the Probation Officer and everyone in between. They appear to be covering for one another and one the same hand can give explanation why my son is in a maximum security prison – and also why he is not receiving the proper mental and Medicare he needs.

I am very concerned that my son may loose his finger – he is a plumber and of course that requires him to use both of his hands. I am also equally concerned about his mental health. He takes Zoloft for chronic depression and without the medication he spirals into an extremely withdrawn state of mind and when pushed can become very angry.

The rod in his finger was bent by a guard soon after he arrived at the prison. This can not be legal. Someone has got to be held accountable for this nightmare situation. I am anxious to speak with a lawyer so that the proper action can be taken to remove my son from this maximum security prison environment before he is forced to protect himself and ends up with a felony conviction.