INVESTIGATION INTO THE PRACTICE OF FORCED DRUGGING/MEDICATION IN CALIFORNIA'S DETENTION FACILITIES AND TRANSCRIPT OF HEARING HELD AT LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ON JULY 28, 1976

• NCJ Number: 45669
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 143 pages
• Corporate Author: California Assembly
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FORCED DRUGGING -- THE USE OF TRANQUILIZERS ON INMATES WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT -- IN CALIFORNIA'S CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM IS EXAMINED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENDING THE PRACTICE ARE PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ASSIGNED TO STUDY THE PROBLEM OF FORCED DRUGGING INTERVIEWED INMATES, FORMER INMATES, PRISON PSYCHIATRISTS, PRISON ADMINISTRACTORS AND OTHER CORRECTIONAL PERSONNEL, THE FAMILIES OF INMATES, AND OTHERS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. THE COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SUMMARIZED, AND THE TRANSCRIPT OF A HEARING IN WHICH INMATES AND OTHERS TESTIFIED CONCERNING THE PROBLEM OF FORCED DRUGGING IS REPRODUCED. THE PROBLEM OF FORCED DRUGGING WAS FOUND TO BE WIDESPREAD IN COUNTY JAILS AND JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS AS WELL AS IN STATE PRISONS. INMATES WHO HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS PSYCHOTICS DO NOT RECEIVE PROPER THERAPY; INSTEAD, TRANQUILIZERS ARE USED. IN SOME CASES, INMATES HAD RECEIVED MAJOR TRANQUILIZERS FOR AS LONG AS 4 YEARS. FORCED DRUGGING IS USED AS A FORM OF MANAGEMENT CONTROL; I.E., INMATES DISPLAYING NONCONFORMING BEHAVIOR MAY BE SUBJECTED TO FORCED DRUGGING. INMATES HAVE NO LEGAL RECOURSE IF THEY WISH TO REFUSE MEDICATION. A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS ADDRESSING THESE AND OTHER PROBLEMS ARE PRESENTED, INCLUDING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD ASSURE INMATES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE MEDICATION, FORBID THE USE OF DRUGS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE OR CUSTODIAL PURPOSES, AND PROVIDE FOR APPROPRIATE THERAPY FOR INMATES DIAGNOSED AS PSYCHOTIC. A GLOSSARY AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)