Hi Byz, thanks for weighing in.
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Originally Posted by TheByzantine
Is online therapy an option?
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No, there is no way for an inmate to access the internet.
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Originally Posted by TheByzantine
Can the documents of the institution and those who made them be subpoenaed to show she is not a danger at the hearing?
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Well, depends what we are referring to when you say documents. I have asked for the denial in writnig and been put off with the thinly veiled threat I mentioned in the original post. As for documentation that she is not in need of mental health care... that's tricky. Her AKER score (which calculates her likelihood of reoffending) is a 1, which is as low as it goes. That in itself is a pretty good implication that she is not a priority for mental health care, though we could all probably use at least a mental health check-up from time to time.
The psychiatrist who agreed to go see her spoke with a friend of his who works there and had seen my wife many years ago and his friend was excited about the prospect saying that it would be invaluable for my wife to work through some childhood issues. That would indicate that she is in need of mental health care but it was a private conversation (that was shared with me by one of the participants) but probably shouldn't have happened and so there will be no record of that.
I have seen a copy of her mental health records and it really is just twenty-three years of documentation of having checked in on her once every six months or so or refilled such an such medication (clonopin, prozac, etc.) Nothing that could be used as overwhelming evidence that she either needs continuing and ongoing psychiatric care or doesn't. It would have to be an overwhelmingly obvious notation in her chart for the parole board to accpet its validity over what you havecorrectly termed 'the parole board's lackey'.
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Originally Posted by TheByzantine
Can the parole board's lackey be cross examined?
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No. He is not present at the hearing. It is notable that both independent psychiatrists called into question his methods but their objections were ignored.
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Originally Posted by TheByzantine
Has your wife been in segregation at any time while there?
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Yes but it has been many, many years. Over ten years ago anyway. She was working in the photo program, her co-worker was making extra copies of photo's for friends. She was put in seg for stealing and my wife was put in seg for not telling on her.
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Originally Posted by TheByzantine
My thought is to talk to your congressional delegation to explain the catch 22. The Parole Board is allowed to ignore the expert testimony you presented and the findings of the institution. Seems arbitrary and capricious at best. There is something very wrong when your wife has no way to comply with what the parole board deems deficient when rejecting her release. The laws need to changed. The delegation should be outraged, but I would not hold my breath.
I wish you well.
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That is my next step although I am not looking forward to doing so. At the moment the doctor who was going to see her has written an e-mail to the mental health coordinator for the statewide prison system asking for clarity and an explanation. We are hoping that this yields something positive but if it does not I will be talking to the congressman next. Thanks.