Inmates at a Wisconsin maximum security prison have claimed they have been left in a ‘nightmare’ lockdown in feces and blood-spattered cells for more than four months.
The Waupun Correctional Institution (WCP) – the state’s oldest prison- has been accused of inhumane treatment of its inmates as it struggles to fill nearly 300 vacancies – which is more than half of the prison’s staff positions.
Inmates have been unable to go to the law library, receive visits, or obtain basic needs such as toilet paper since prison guards began a lockdown in March, according to an investigation by The New York Times and Wisconsin Watch.
During the lockdown, prisoners have been forced to ear their meals inside their filthy cells, where birds have apparently moved in.
More than two dozen inmates at the prison told The New York Times their food is often filled with bird droppings, as are the ice bags handed out to keep them cool.
The Waupun Correctional Institution (WCP) – the state’s oldest prison- has been accused of inhumane treatment of its inmates as it struggles to fill nearly 300 vacancies
Inmates have been unable to go to the law library, receive visits, or obtain basic needs such as toilet paper since prison guards began a lockdown in March
They say they have missed court deadlines and have seen their appeals jeopardized because they have no access to the law library. Moreover, inmate jobs and in-person college classes have been paused.
Policies requiring inmates be offered a shower twice a week and four hours of recreation outside have been suspended during the lockdown.
While the prison is designed to hold 882 inmates, that number has grown to 999, according to the Department of Correction’s August report.
Inmates claimed some are cutting themselves or threatening self-harm just to get medical attention, which has been delayed during the lockdown. Even then, assistance came late or not at all.
‘People are threatening suicide every day, and there’s no treatment here,’ inmate Jayvon Flemming told the NYT.
‘You have to harm yourself or threaten suicide just to get staff’s attention. I’m in a nightmare.’
The investigation found that inmates were denied optical and psychological treatment during the lockdown.
Flemming and other inmates have filed a civil lawsuit against the state alleging their human rights are being violated at the facility, which holds poisoners convicted of crimes ranging from from drug possession to murder.
Kevin Hoffman, deputy director of communications for the Department of Corrections, told Wisconsin Watch the lockdown was due to safety concerns after ‘multiple threats of disruption and assaultive behavior toward staff or other persons.’
‘People are threatening suicide every day, and there’s no treatment here,’ inmate Jayvon Flemming said
Hoffman added, however, that ‘there was not one specific incident that prompted the facility to go into modified movement.’
But others point to dire staffing shortages and overcrowding as the reasons behind the brutal lockdown.
The investigation notes that overcrowding is an issue in U.S. prisons – two of of Wisconsin’s four maximum security prisons are currently above capacity.
Green Bay, a maximum-security prison 80 miles northeast of WCP, has been locked down since June. The prison has a vacancy rate for staff of 40 percent.
WSP’s 53 percent vacancy rate makes it the most short-staffed facility in the nation’s prison system.
Moreover, all the nine medium security institutions in the state are overcrowded.
Former wardens, correctional officers and members of Waupun prison’s community board told the NYT staffing shortages have harmed the facility’s safety protocols.
‘If I was the warden right now, I’d have that institution on lockdown, too,’ said Mike Thurmer, who used to run the prison and is now on its community relations board.
‘You can’t have a 40 or 50 percent vacancy rate and not have at the very minimum a modified lockdown.’
There are various reason why the positions are hard to fill, including low wages and safety concerns.
The prison has seen 440 assaults on staff since 2012 – at least 95 of them happened this year.
Former prison workers cited dangerous conditions, forced overtime and lack of time off as reasons for the shortages.
Mike Thomas, who worked at WSP for seven years, said he once worked 75 days straight, many of them double shifts.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Wisconsin Watch and the Department of Corrections for comment on this story.