Are inmates really held naked in prison?
I’m not aware of inmates (male or female) being held naked in ad seg for extended periods of time, unless they have an immediate problem with destroying clothing. Strip cells (no clothing, no lights, minimal bedding) used to be the “next level of punishment” for inmates in the hole, but my impression was that a number of 8th amendment suits had pretty much ended the practice. Strip cells would be like, 25-30 years ago or more, I’m not aware that they’re still in use today. Suicide watch is a different deal. I do know that in my state, there is a seperate facility for mentally ill prisoners, and anyone sent there for suicide is kept naked for approximately 2 weeks before being allowed clothing. Policies seem to vary from state to state and in the federal system. I researched proper suicide prevention policies in the wake of the Hope Steffey incident in the Stark County Jail in Ohio. The opinion of experts on the subject is that observation is a more effective component of suicide preven
