Exploring Life in Supermax: America's Strictest Maximum Security Prisons
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, known for his involvement in the Boston Marathon bombing, now spends his days in a Supermax prison. But what truly fills the days of inmates in these high-security facilities, like the infamous ADX in Colorado? Let's dig deeper and uncover the truth.
Getting Acclimated:
First-timers soon learn that ADX is no ordinary prison. Designed as America's most secure Supermax, the prison is built to isolate the most dangerous criminals, including serial killers, terrorists, and the likes of Dzhokhar. Upon arrival, inmates are transported via armored vehicles, buses, or even Black Hawk helicopters. Guards patrol the compound armed to the teeth, with menacing towers overlooking unpretentious brick buildings.
Remember the words of ex-ADX guard Robert Hood, "Once they step through the door, you can see it in their faces. Then they look behind to see this stunning view of the Rocky Mountains. It's the last time they'll see it."
Architecture as Control:
Picture this: You're confined to an 7x12 feet cell for 23 hours a day. Inside this cell, you barely find space for basic necessities. The monotonous routine, designed to break even the strongest, is all you know. Windows barely scrape natural light in, and their narrow frames offer no glimpse of the outside world.
With thick walls that hinder communication between inmates, ADX plays a dangerous game of isolation. Prisoners may only speak with one another through the tiniest of openings, often forced to clash for primitive order amidst cramped quarters.
Most of their day is spent in solitary confinement, a world apart from the outside world.
Elevating the Standard:
Fleeting moments of luxury would await even the most deplorable souls in this futuristic detention center. Some cells boast radios and black and white TVs, offering religious, educational, and general programming. Yet, these privileges aren't guaranteed - they hinge entirely on the mercy of prison administrators.
Serving Your Time:
A Supermax prison sentence strips you of the freedom, stimulation, and social interaction that you once referred to as "life." The conditions that come with serving your time include mental anguish, constant despair, and little hope for redemption.
Amnesty International reports that these conditions can deteriorate inmates' mental health, and studies suggest that extended isolation often leaves victims with social impairments and crippling paranoia. Nonetheless, these conditions remain the norm for inmates across the country.
Climbing the Ranks:
Supermax prisons reward those who embrace their darkest tendencies. Inmates who exhibit threatening behavior or commit despicable acts are thrust into deeper isolation, sinking even further into the abyss. As you can see, the inmates are their own sworn enemies.
Scraps of Hope:
In the paltry field of human rights, Amnesty International cited Thomas Silverstein, an inmate who served over three decades in solitary confinement, including nearly a decade at ADX.
Silverstein, resigned and accepting of his fate, remarked on his longing for an acceptable life within prison walls rather than death, saying, "Although I know I live and I want to survive, I often wish I was dead."
Laura Rovner, a University of Denver law professor advocating for better inmate rights, emphasized the need for better mental health care and attention towards younger inmates, those who are more vulnerable within these walls. "This man will be a living dead for years, locked away in a tiny cell with minimal stimulation and contact."
Through a Former Guard's Eyes:
From an introspective perspective, Robert Hood, who served as the ADX's administrator from 2002 to 2005, shared his characteristically honest observations about the institution. "When you see a man strip naked and cover a guard with his feces, you realize it's his way of asserting control."
Supermax prisons confine inmates to their cell for most of the day
Supermax inmates face harsh conditions and extreme isolation, which can lead to severe mental health issues
The deplorable conditions in supermax prisons often stifle any chance at rehabilitation
Extreme isolation often results in irreversible psychological damage and makes it difficult for inmates to reintegrate into society upon release
In conclusion, life in a Supermax prison is marked by severe isolation and mental anguish. Inmates are left to succumb to their darkest urges or sink deeper into despair. The austere and restrictive conditions of these facilities often hinder any potential for rehabilitation and ensure that inmates are left with debilitating mental health issues upon release.
