Complaint Review: BENTON COUNTY JAIL - Bentonville Arkansas

Many of the inmates are not convicted of any crime at all. Yet they are treated worse than most of us would treat our animals at home. If we deny our animals medical care we can be cited with cruelty to animals. The following report of information is directly told to me by several different inmates. Also from my own daughter. I did talk to several people working within the jail and much was confirmed that way. Food in the jail is unbelievable horrible. The guards told my daughter that the pregnant inmates were not aloud to eat the "meat" sandwiches that are given to all the non pregnant inmates.

When an inmate traded the meat for peanutbutter, which is what the pregnant women get, the guards took the pregnant women to the nurse and the other woman to solitary as punishment. So tell me if the pregnant girls can't eat the meat why is anyone eating it? Inmates bullies not stopped and even joinedin by guards and encouraged by the guards. If a guard doesnt like a woman it is convenient for the ther inmates to punish her for the guard. How is it that there is no authority to hold these jailers accountable for neglecting medical issues for prisoners? Or for causing bullying of inmates, or for abusing inmates?

My daughter is in the jail right now. She has not been convicted and has not even been given a lawyer to work on her defense. She has been incarcerated since 12/29/17. So almost 7 weeks. I have made many calls to find out who her lawyer is with no luck. She has court coming up but I really wanted to have some time to work with the lawyer on her defense. I know the court date is only a week away. I have talked with a Sargeant who seemed sympathetic but could not really tell me a procedure to eradicate the problems I brought to her attention. There seems to be no investigative procedure for complaints. The people who you complain about will investigate themselves. So how do I get medical treatment for my daughter who went in there with several pre-existing conditions ? She had a TBI at age 10 with ongoing siezure activity and needs medication for it. She has kidney disease since she was 13 years old. She has pancreatic cancer and secondary cervical cancer. She had a partial hysterectomy due to cancer in about 2011. She was started on oncology medications in December 2017 for the pancreatic cancer. But the jail doctor discontinued and refuses to bring in or take her to an oncologist because of cost. She needs pain medcations for the cancer it is extremely painful now. She also uses it because she has several fractured and healed inproperly vertebraes. Those are from car accidents and being run over by a car twice. She also has very severe TRAUMA produced STRESS DISORDER. She was abducted at 19 yrs old and sold into human trafficking / sex trafficking. She has been beaten, raped repeatedly, gang raped, starved, forced at gun point, been homeless sleeping on the streets and all due to mental illnesses a result of the TBI and trauma.

She needs mental health medications and theraputic counseling. Requrdless of all of those events. She id a human being. She needs medical treatment. If she is inocent until proven guilty then why is she being punished before court? And if she is found guilty of the minor charges, is this really fair punishment. ?? If her life is shortened because of them not giving her treatment knowing that she needs it would that be the appropriate penalty for a FTA seems to me to be cruel and unusual punishment and wrongful death. She is not the only inmate who is not receiving the medical care needed.

Some of the policies are just cruel and discusting. If a woman comes in without money and has very little or none, and no one to help hger on the outside they can not puchase personal hygene supplies. Which leaves them open for cruelty . Almost all women are given jump suits but not allowed underclothing unless they have money to buy some.2__. This provides a topless show for everyone everytime she must drop the entire suit to use the toilet which is out in front of everyone. No dignity what so ever. They are not given sufficient menstruation supplies. Thus bleeding on themselves. Again no dignity. This is all inhumane and cruel. I want to join or begin or some how get a group to get things changed for others in the future. I am aware it is probly too late for my daughter but mayne not too late for yours or hers.