Last week we heard from a former inmate at the Supermax prison in Tamms, IL, where all inmates are kept in solitary confinement. He spoke at a June event organized by the Tamms Committee, a group of family members and supporters of Tamms inmates. Today, testimony from another former Tamms inmate.
The committee describes conditions at the prison this way:
Men in Tamms supermax are in solitary confinement 23 hours a day, 7 days a week, with one hour per day allowed for exercise in what is essentially an empty cage. They have no human contact, and are not allowed phone calls. They have no library, no classes, no group activities, no communal space. Food is served in the cell. These conditions constitute torture, a fact recognized by both the U.N. and by Amnesty International. The inmates suffer from extreme sensory deprivation, loneliness, and depression. Although the prison was designed as a temporary facility to improve behavioral problems, many of the men have been housed there since the prison first opened in 1998 with no opportunity to prove themselves and return to the regular population. Mental health problems induced by this situation are common. In spite of their circumstances, these men are trying to hold up. To quote one inmate, “Locked down in a cell 24/7 year after year, no TV, no radio, no letters. It’s a hard life to endure. It’s like I’m on duty all day everyday—just to keep a right frame on mind.”
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