Opinion ID: 854140
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Confinement with Unnecessary Rigor

Text: Ratliff contends that her incarceration in the Women's Prison violated Article 1, Section 15 of the Indiana Constitution, which provides that, No person ... confined in jail, shall be treated with unnecessary rigor. IND. CONST. art. 1 § 15. The essence of Ratliff's complaint is that her placement [18] in the Special Needs Unit of the Women's Prison deprived her of adequate rehabilitative treatment during her incarceration. Record at 16 (Complaint of Donna Ratliff, ¶ 23). Ratliff contends that she was physically, sexually, and emotionally abused by various family members since the age of four. Id. 13 (¶ 7). She contends that the Special Needs Unit is comprised of women who  `display severe psychological disorders' and are incapable of functioning in an open population setting and that the inmates in this Unit are seriously mentally ill or ... have severe anger problems. Id. at 14-15 (¶ 15). Her treatment in adult prison included ninety minutes a month in individual consultation with the prison psychologist and of participating in two one-hour group therapy sessions, one dealing with sexually-abused women who have unresolved issues contributing toward criminal behavior and another dealing with issues of personal responsibility, behavioral change and complicated grief among women who have taken the life of a significant other. Id. at 15 (¶ 17). Although she does not take issue with the individualized treatment she has received in her consultations with the prison psychologist, she contends the group sessions have been inappropriate for dealing with [her] psychological problems and have had an adverse impact on [her] rehabilitation because she does not share like experiences with these adult offenders, or have the benefit of sharing therapy with her peer group and that others have shown hostility and resentment toward [her] when she has participated in the group, and prison officials have admonished her to refrain from sharing her experiences as a victim of child abuse with the group. Id. at 15 (¶ 18). Cases recognizing violations of Article 1, Section 15 involve situations where a prisoner was tortured, had a tooth knocked out, was repeatedly beaten, kicked, and struck with a blackjack and beaten with a rubber hose while he was stretched across a table, Kokenes v. State, 213 Ind. 476, 13 N.E.2d 524 (1938), where a prisoner was beaten with police officer's fists in both eyes, cut on the top of his head, and beaten with a rubber hose on the head and ears, Bonahoon v. State, 203 Ind. 51, 178 N.E. 570 (1931), and where a prisoner was severely injured after being shot by police during a protest, Roberts v. State, 159 Ind.App. 456, 307 N.E.2d 501 (1974). Ratliff's treatment in prison, as asserted in her complaint, does not rise to the level of the unnecessary rigor contemplated by Article 1, Section 15. Ratliff's complaint has not stated a claim under Article 1, Section 15 upon which relief can be granted.