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Jail/prison

maximoo

By maximoo
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Pegleg84 Collaborator
Pegleg84
Posted

Bwahaha! So true

Honestly, it would likely save the prison system money if they did make sure a Celiac inmmate stuck to the gluten-free diet, rather than spending extra on health care when they start getting horribly ill. Rice and potatoes really aren't that expensive. Boil. Serve. Simple.

I don't know what the situation is in Canada either. It would probably also depend on where it was.

Thankfully I've only been given hospital food once since going gluten-free, and that was unexpected (stuck in emergency for a good 8 hours. and they thought to feed me. I was pretty impressed actually). I think I only ate the peas, but it was a nice gesture.

I don't care what the crime. Forcing a Celiac to eat gluten is a cruel and unusual punishment.

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Just to add a little updated light to this subject.

My boyfriend was sentenced to a correctional facility (jail with daily work release, more or less) today. His lawyer was pleading down the number of days and using Celiac's/Gluten Intolerance as a reason why he should not serve the full recommended 30 days. Well in the end, the judge ruled that Gluten Intolerances are very common now and that the facility would be able to support him. I have not heard from him yet how the food is or if they even make an effort to cater towards the gluten-free inmates but I will keep you guys posted. From what the Judge said, it sounds like they might in some places now.

I would be curious to know how it goes for him. Does he have an actual diagnosis from a doctor? It probably depends on the actual jail. If he is going to his own job during the day and back to jail at night, he could get something he could eat during the day? Its funny how all you have to do is say that you have a religious reason to eat Kosher or Halal and a preferance for vegetarian and they have to accomadate you.

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Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

#1 reason to keep homicidal tendencies in check? Can't control food in jail. :lol:

I wish I could find it again but there was a recent article about a local jail here in Utah. The inmates who are in for short(ish) periods of time and are non-violent offenders are put to work in the kitchen. They are taught a trade (more or less) working in the kitchen, it keeps them from having to pay kitchen staff to cook for a jail full of people. The jail keeps a garden that they also tend. They also prepare the meals for the local meals-on-wheels program, which the seniors absolutely love. Once or twice a month they'll bring a few of the seniors into the jail on a sort of field trip to see the kitchen and how their food is prepped, and to meet the men who do it. By all accounts in the story, everyone says the food is really great. They prepare meals for a variety of people on special diets, the men learn how to handle things like CC and the special diets. It didn't mention a gluten free or celiac diet, but it could be one of the special diets that they are prepping for.

Frankly I think the program is amazing. I think it is great to take the opportunity to put them to work, save money, and provide them with a skill that can help them get a job and hopefully keep them from re-offending. I think it is a model program that more prisons/jails should look at and emulate.

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gatita Enthusiast
gatita
Posted

Adalaide, that sounds like a win-win program. :)

I visit a lot of people in prison as part of my job, and it often involves spending en entire day with them in the visiting room. I have a heck of a time figuring out what to eat. It's the only "eating out" I do anymore LOL.

So far, I've only been glutened once, but I often just go hungry. Friends tell me the prison does accommodate celiac inmates. Apparently the diet is pretty much rice and more rice and some chicken. The thing they call a meat patty is off limits.

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mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I also think that prison inmates (that will be getting released) should have job training.

I did tour the ancient Jackson, Mi prison. that is now being refurbished to low income artist homes and sales studio spaces. The artist has home space on upper levels and the lowest level is workspace offices.

In the tour it was mentioned that the prison ran a farm. They produced ALL the food for the prison and SOLD the rest for PROFIT. The at one time they had one of the most popular jams and honey.

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Googles Community Regular
Googles
Posted

I asked my uncle this question. He worked for a number of years at a prison. He said that they were required to provide gluten free meals for inmates with celiac because of the ADA. If not they could be sued. So they were very careful to attend to dietary needs because of medical disorders. It might vary by state or jurisdiction. I worked with juvinile offenders in a residentail treatment facility and we provided gluten free meals for those youth who had celiac.

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KikiB Explorer
KikiB
Posted

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 laugh.gif

I was recently in the ER and when I asked about the medication they were giving me and whether it had gluten in it, they had absolutely no clue. One nurse said why would there be gluten in medication? I'm pretty sure the shot they gave me was full of gluten based on my reaction. It took me a week to fill the antibiotic prescription because first I had to wait until I was well enough to sit up and research it, then I had to get my pharmacy to special order it from a particular manufacturer. I've already had to do that with several medications. And I wind up paying more money because it is special ordered from a manufacturer that is not "preferred."

That's my rant. Why does there have to be gluten in medication at all? Why don't doctors or pharmacists have a clue?

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I was recently in the ER and when I asked about the medication they were giving me and whether it had gluten in it, they had absolutely no clue. One nurse said why would there be gluten in medication? I'm pretty sure the shot they gave me was full of gluten based on my reaction. It took me a week to fill the antibiotic prescription because first I had to wait until I was well enough to sit up and research it, then I had to get my pharmacy to special order it from a particular manufacturer. I've already had to do that with several medications. And I wind up paying more money because it is special ordered from a manufacturer that is not "preferred."

That's my rant. Why does there have to be gluten in medication at all? Why don't doctors or pharmacists have a clue?

Gluten would not be in an IV or injected medication. It is a large molecule and likely would clog things up. Gluten must be in the intestines to cause an antibody reaction

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KikiB Explorer
KikiB
Posted

Gluten would not be in an IV or injected medication. It is a large molecule and likely would clog things up. Gluten must be in the intestines to cause an antibody reaction

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If it wasn't in the shot, it was in the pills they gave me.

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

If it wasn't in the shot, it was in the pills they gave me.

That is possible. They didn't feed you did they? Or give you a " contrast" for an X-ray to drink?

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KikiB Explorer
KikiB
Posted

That is possible. They didn't feed you did they? Or give you a " contrast" for an X-ray to drink?

No food. No x-ray. I had a ct-scan but nothing to drink for it. I was shocked that the nurse knew nothing about gluten in medication. Shouldn't medical personnel know that stuff?

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MJ-S Contributor
MJ-S
Posted

Wow. This thread is fascinating. While someone "officially" diagnosed with celiac might be able to get a gluten-free diet while in prison, what about NCGS patients? I wonder if someone like myself, who never was officially diagnosed, would be able to get the diet, even though my doctor treats me as if I'm a celiac?

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  • 3 years later...
Mac1234567 Newbie
Mac1234567
Posted

No, jail will not cater to celiac patients. You get what they give you and either eat it or starve. Most staff do not even know what gluten or celiac is. Nor do they care.  

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Jmg Mentor
Jmg
Posted

This got me wondering what the UK prison approach was. Not so good it appears:

https://www.celiac.com/articles/23379/1/UK-Prisoner-Simon-Benson-Hangs-Self-in-Gluten-free-Food-Row/Page1.html

:(

The subsequent enquiry ruled he should've been given the diet. 

 

 

 

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