SPLC Calls on Court to Hold Alabama Prison System in Contempt

| September 18, 2018 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2018/09/1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1011;s:6:"height";i:570;s:4:"file";s:78:"2018/09/1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-771x435.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:435;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-768x433.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:433;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-600x570.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:570;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-552x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:552;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-600x570.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:570;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:78:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-e1537316441314-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Source: Rivers A. Langley
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:10:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1024;s:6:"height";i:760;s:4:"file";s:55:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-336x249.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:249;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-771x572.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:572;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:61:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-300x300.jpg";s:5:"width";i:300;s:6:"height";i:300;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-419x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:419;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-357x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:357;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:63:"1024px-Kilby_Correctional_Facility_Mt_Meigs_Alabama-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:1:{s:4:"full";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:28:"The file could not be saved.";}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:0;s:14:"optimized_size";i:0;s:7:"percent";i:0;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => error
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

)
1675803162 
1537300568

The Southern Poverty Law Center wants the state prison system held in contempt for failing to fill mental health positions. Contempt hearings began Tuesday in U.S. District Court involving the Alabama Department of Corrections and lawyers representing inmates.

The issue comes a year after a judge ruled mental health care in Alabama prisons was “horrendously inadequate.” A federal court ordered the Department of Corrections to have more than 260 mental health workers on staff by July 1. The state failed to meet that and previous deadlines.

Attorneys with the Southern Poverty Law Center say the goal is to keep pressure on the Department of Corrections until it meets the court’s requirements.

Earlier this year, prison officials signed a new contract with a mental health care vendor, Wexford Health Services. State officials say they have made good faith attempts to meet the staffing requirements, according to legal documents.

They also note the challenge of recruiting to rural areas and a statewide shortage of mental health professionals. The Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The hearings are expected to last through Thursday.

 

 

In this Icelandic drama, a couple quietly drifts apart

Icelandic director Hlynur Pálmason weaves scenes of quiet domestic life against the backdrop of an arresting landscape in his newest film.

After the Fall: How Olympic figure skaters soar after stumbling on the ice

Olympic figure skating is often seems to take athletes to the very edge of perfection, but even the greatest stumble and fall. How do they pull themselves together again on the biggest world stage? Toughness, poise and practice.

They’re cured of leprosy. Why do they still live in leprosy colonies?

Leprosy is one of the least contagious diseases around — and perhaps one of the most misunderstood. The colonies are relics of a not-too-distant past when those diagnosed with leprosy were exiled.

This season, ‘The Pitt’ is about what doesn’t happen in one day

The first season of The Pitt was about acute problems. The second is about chronic ones.

Lindsey Vonn is set to ski the Olympic downhill race with a torn ACL. How?

An ACL tear would keep almost any other athlete from competing -- but not Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old superstar skier who is determined to cap off an incredible comeback from retirement with one last shot at an Olympic medal.

Trump promised a crypto revolution. So why is bitcoin crashing?

Trump got elected promising to usher in a crypto revolution. More than a year later, bitcoin's price has come tumbling down. What happened?

More Front Page Coverage