36 replies to this topic

[maximoo]

My DD asked me an interesting q today to which I couldn't answer. So I will ask you all here. If someone with celiac goes to jail or prison will they be given gluten-free foods or do they get what everyone gets? And if they are given gluten-free foods, are precautions taken to avoid cc?
Eager to read any answers.

[mushroom]

Something I have often wondered myself. My personal feeling is that the bread and water trick would not be allowed

[come dance with me]

I don't know about over there but here the hospital wouldn't allow for gluten free :/

[mushroom]

No, I was in hospital in the US and the kitchen staff didn't even know what gluten was. They had special diets for everything but gluten. So they put me on a cardiac diet which meant I couldn't eat anything

[ravenwoodglass]

I could be wrong but since the diet is a medical need, like insulin for a diabetic, they would have to make an attempt to feed the diagnosed inmate gluten free. The food would likely be very boring and I doubt most places would be very knowledgeable about CC.
Interestingly in one country, sorry I don't recall which one, they did an experiement with a prison feeding inmates the diet. They found that there was less violence but dropped the experiment because too many prisoners families snuck in gluten food and compromised the experiment.

[kareng]

From what I have heard about prisons, from people who have worked in them, you likely would be given what everyone
else eats. It would depend on the actual prison and even what you are in for. The food served in most prisons is not a nutritionally balance diet. Its cheap & easy. Even with medical documentation of illnesses that require treatment, you may not get medical care for your condition.

I'm sure someone will come on & say the prison they work at does a nice job, but I don't think that is the majority.

[Skylark]

I could be wrong but since the diet is a medical need, like insulin for a diabetic, they would have to make an attempt to feed the diagnosed inmate gluten free. The food would likely be very boring and I doubt most places would be very knowledgeable about CC.

I have a friend who worked as a prison psychiatrist. Prisoners in the US do NOT get adequate medical care by any stretch of the imagination. There is barely money to feed them, let alone try to get medications or special food. There isn't a chance a prisoner would get a celiac diet unless they got so sick they required regular ER visits. Even then you would be dealing with an understaffed kitchen and a cook who probably doesn't care enough to keep from CC'ing the food.

[swindlogg]

I really doubt that a prisoner wouldn't be accommodated given that his/her condition is officially diagnosed. Prisoners are still protected by the American Disabilities Act, I'm sure

[StephanieL]

http://www.fox8.com/...0,3075863.story

This was in the local paper today. Not specific to Celiac but does touch on the fact that Kosher and Halal meals ARE provided. I would think medical necessity would also be covered but could be totally wrong.

Guess your DD just needs to keep out of prison so she doesn't have to find out

[srall]

Note to self: "Stay out of prison."

[kareng]

http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-news-muslim-inmate-law-suit,0,3075863.story

This was in the local paper today. Not specific to Celiac but does touch on the fact that Kosher and Halal meals ARE provided. I would think medical necessity would also be covered but could be totally wrong.

Guess your DD just needs to keep out of prison so she doesn't have to find out

I would bet that most of the "kosher, halal, vegetarian" wouldn't pass any test for actually meeting a religious standard. There may be a few systems that do a nice job.

Just because you are diagnosed with a medical illness before or during a prison term, does not mean you will get treatment for it. If you are convicted of something nasty - your chances decrease. I say this because I have known people working in several prisons.

Celiac, even diagnosed, would be considered a scam in many systems. Perhaps, keeping you from getting out early on good behavior. Just like chest pain and hypoglycemia related dizziness, etc.

The moral of the story is - Don't go to jail!

[come dance with me]

Note to self: "Stay out of prison."

Yeah exactly.

[maximoo]

Interesting replies! Most of you say gluten-free would not be offered & you are probably right. What prompted DD to ask was that we were watching "Beyond scared straight" where teenagers are take to prison for a day in an attempt to set them on a good path in life. It made her think if celiacs would get proper food in jail? DD is a very good girl & would never go to prison but it cld happen--wrong place wrong time, you know anything can happen to anybody at any time.

On a slightly different tangeant recently in the news there was a man who robbed a bank so he cld get arrested in order to get medical care in jail. I guess the crappy medical care in jail is better than n nothing at all. Ironically he only stole $1 & never stayed in jail long enough to get an aspirin!

[Jenniferxgfx]

My dad used to be a prison guard and there weren't any special diet accommodations. Diabetics were expected to work with what was given (don't eat the dessert unless you want to go to the ER, which they did often)... Then a college classmate was a women's prison guard and they had a salad bar and a very carb heavy hot lunch. They purposely fed the women lots of pasta and potatoes to fatten them up and slow them down. I cringe thinking about it now that I know of celiac

Prisoners are NOT treated well in the US, in general. It's pretty bleak.

[maximoo]

Let me get this straight--women are give heavy carbs to fatten them up?! IN mens prison they have a gym & weights to make them stronger--what's wrong with this picture??