Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Calif. Corrections Spend $1.27M on Imates
AP ^ | 3/29/5 | DON THOMPSON

Posted on 03/29/2005 8:02:48 AM PST by SmithL

Sacramento -- The California Department of Corrections spent $1.27 million in just six months on medical care for six comatose inmates last year — and that's not counting more than $1,000 per day for each guard it cost for security.

The debate raging in Florida over whether Terri Schiavo wished to die — and who should decide her fate if she is unable to — is the same debate going on in the California prison system, said Democratic Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero.

One inmate who was at Delano Regional Medical Center from Nov. 7, 2003 until he died Jan. 12, cost the department $851,880 by year's end.

The state may need to find a way for inmates to sign release forms to indicate their health care wishes and do a better job notifying family members, said Romero, who plans an April 14 hearing on the problem.

Although inmates are in state custody, private doctors make medical decisions once inmates go to outside hospitals, and there is often confusion over when family members should be brought in to help with care decisions.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: deathwithdignity
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-36 next last
We really should put an end to their suffering.

/sarc

1 posted on 03/29/2005 8:02:49 AM PST by SmithL
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SmithL
more than $1,000 per day for each guard
2 posted on 03/29/2005 8:06:44 AM PST by Rudder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Starve them - it really feels good...


3 posted on 03/29/2005 8:06:46 AM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - They want to die for Islam, and we want to kill them.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Yes, if you starve them then you can claim "they look beautiful and at peace".


4 posted on 03/29/2005 8:09:57 AM PST by KC_Conspirator (This space outsourced to India)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SmithL
I remember a few years ago an inmate serving a life sentence got a liver transplant, even though if he were on the outside he would have been disqualified because of his intravenous drug abuse habit. IOW, this inmate cut in line ahead of other patients, patients who did not make poor decisions regarding their health.

California is hopeless, I gave up on it five years ago and have never been more certain of my choice after reading articles like this.

5 posted on 03/29/2005 8:10:02 AM PST by BullDog108 (Conservatives believe in God. Liberals think they are God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Shouldn't you just put them on probation or parole at this point?


6 posted on 03/29/2005 8:11:11 AM PST by joebuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Imates? What will Apple come up with next?


7 posted on 03/29/2005 8:11:23 AM PST by Rutles4Ever (Warning: may eat own)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL
...and that's not counting more than $1,000 per day for each guard it cost for security.

1. The guy gets paid no matter where he is, so this extra cost is a lie.

2. These guards get paid $25,000 a month or $300,000 a year? I'm in the wrong job.

8 posted on 03/29/2005 8:35:19 AM PST by hattend (Liberals! Beware the Perfect Rovian Storm [All Hail the Evil War Monkey King, Chimpus Khan!])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hattend
My guess: No guard works 24 hours. $1000/day translates to about $40/hr for 3 guards working a full 8-hour shift each... and that $40 is not all salary... it includes taxes, benefits, insurance, etc.

Let's hope, anyway!

9 posted on 03/29/2005 8:50:50 AM PST by Teacher317
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Teacher317
I was thinking of that but it says:

...and that's not counting more than $1,000 per day for each guard it cost for security.

Like I said, I'm in the wrong job.

10 posted on 03/29/2005 9:05:57 AM PST by hattend (Liberals! Beware the Perfect Rovian Storm [All Hail the Evil War Monkey King, Chimpus Khan!])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

Why do they have guards at all? I thought people in this condition can't improve. Are they worried that they might be faking a coma?


11 posted on 03/29/2005 9:11:22 AM PST by cookcounty (Michael Schiavo is a bigamist. When he chose Jodi, he should have lost rights over Teri.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL
The California Department of Corrections spent $1.27 million in just six months on medical care for six comatose inmates last year...

I'm just thinking....If you can't release a comatose guy for "good behavior", who can you release???

12 posted on 03/29/2005 9:53:15 AM PST by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can NEVER be obvious enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rutles4Ever; Vermonter; aculeus; general_re
Imates? What will Apple come up with next?

The iCon?

13 posted on 03/29/2005 10:00:00 AM PST by dighton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

We need to outsource prisons to India!!!


14 posted on 03/29/2005 10:04:57 AM PST by PeterFinn ("Tolerance" means WE have to tolerate THEM. They can hate us all they want.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mark17

ping


15 posted on 03/29/2005 10:11:07 AM PST by mrs tiggywinkle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Onelifetogive
....If you can't release a comatose guy for "good behavior", who can you release???

I dunno, ask Deacon Tramel.
; )

16 posted on 03/29/2005 10:11:39 AM PST by SmithL (Proud Submariner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Teacher317
No guard works 24 hours. $1000/day translates to about $40/hr for 3 guards working a full 8-hour shift each...

They also work in pairs, to take care of bathroom breaks, meal times, etc. That drops it to about $20/hour each.

Also, the hospital has to provide a 'secure/controlled access' setting regardless of the patient's condition.

When I worked in Medford, Oregon, we were the hospital that California sent their Pelican Bay inmates to, and it was our ICU that was graced with their presence.

We had locked, one-way security doors on the stairwells, and closed & monitored main doors to keep people from casually wandering in; visual TV monitoring of each patient room from the nursing station; glassed front walls on each patient room for direct central observation, and were located on the third floor.

When I worked San Bernardino County Hospital, we had two special rooms that had ante rooms for guards, and lockable security doors with an armored glass window, and other security features, and those were also on the third floor.

17 posted on 03/29/2005 10:12:37 AM PST by ApplegateRanch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

For later.


18 posted on 03/29/2005 10:15:48 AM PST by Mark17
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL

This problem will only get worse as the prison population begins to age.


19 posted on 03/29/2005 10:18:02 AM PST by durasell (Friends are so alarming, My lover's never charming...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SmithL
There is a huge difference in treatments based on background.
We know what our system and MSN subscribed for Terry.
Compare this with a mass murderer sentenced to death.
Should he/she ever try to end his/her life prematurely and by sheer coincidence suffer from the same faith as Terry:
No treatment would be too expensive or cumbersome to save a to death convicted murderer.
No need to go to court it's decided. The media already has paved the way for continued treatments.
Such people accd. to MSN and accepted liberal standards need to die, no have a right, to die by natural death.
20 posted on 03/29/2005 10:19:29 AM PST by hermgem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-36 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson