Bill Text: MA H1947 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced
Bill Title: The treatment of emotionally disturbed prisoners
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-08-30 - Accompanied a study order, see H05006 [H1947 Detail]
Download: Massachusetts-2009-H1947-Introduced.html
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
Byron Rushing
_______________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the treatment of prisoners.
PETITION OF:
|
Name: |
District/Address: |
|
Byron Rushing |
9th Suffolk |
|
Kay Khan |
11th Middlesex |
|
Pam Richardson |
6th Middlesex |
|
Gale D. Candaras |
First Hampden and Hampshire |
|
Ellen Story |
3rd Hampshire |
|
Joyce A. Spiliotis |
12th Essex |
|
Frank I. Smizik |
15th Norfolk |
|
Benjamin Swan |
11th Hampden |
|
Elizabeth A. Malia |
11th Suffolk |
|
William Lantigua |
16th Essex |
|
Carl M. Sciortino, Jr. |
34th Middlesex |
|
John W. Scibak |
2nd Hampshire |
|
Steven J. D'Amico |
4th Bristol |
|
Ruth B. Balser |
12th Middlesex |
|
Alice K. Wolf |
25th Middlesex |
|
Timothy J. Toomey, Jr. |
26th Middlesex |
|
William N. Brownsberger |
24th Middlesex |
|
Denise Provost |
27th Middlesex |
|
Cleon H. Turner |
1st Barnstable |
|
Gloria L. Fox |
7th Suffolk |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1896 OF 2007-2008.]
The Commonwealth of Massachus
etts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
An Act relative to the treatment of prisoners.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as
follows:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after Section 32 the following new section:—
Section 32A. TREATMENT OF EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED PRISONERS
(A) Prohibitions Concerning Intervention for Suicide Attempts and Self-
Mutilation
(1) A prisoner who either commits self-mutilation or attempts suicide shall not be disciplined or punished for such behavior, nor shall the prisoner be segregated or isolated except to the extent specifically authorized by medical staff for trea
tment. The use of “closed solid door isolation,” so-called, to punish or manage suicidal or self-mutilating prisoners is specifically prohibited.
(B) Requirements Concerning Intervention for Suicide Attempts and Self-Mutilation
(1) The commissioner shall require that the following steps be taken to insure appropriate responses to suicide attempts. Institutional staff will be trained in techniques for responding to suicide attempts and self-mutilation that ensure the safe and quic
k extrication of prisoners who hang themselves and the provision of necessary first aid.
A prisoner who commits self-mutilation or attempts suicide shall immediately receive appropriate medical attention and shall be interviewed by a licensed mental health
professional within twelve hours of the incident, which interview shall be logged in the inmate’s medical record and in the block log where the prisoner is located at the time of the interview.
