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This is not a happy moment nor are these happy things to have to say. My incarceration took place in 1985, well before the Pataki and Giulliani administrations began warehousing the mentally ill homeless in New York City and New York State jails and prisons. However, my experience in 1985 at the Tombs prison and then at Riker's Island prison do reveal an indifference, an incompetence and a form of cruelty that would form the prelude to the barbaric treatment meted out to the mentally ill when Pataki and Guilliani took the reins of power.

I was given 90 days at Riker's Island for "reckless endangerment," which is a misdemeanor similar to jumping a turnstile or loitering or disturbing the peace. My "crime" basically consisted of bringing my very gentle and calm sheep dog into the laundry room to do my wash. Alas, a very hostile and hateful woman created a scene, we had an interaction and she phoned a story to the police that my dog Annie attacked her in the laundry and I was responsible because I did not have the dog leashed. Much, much later after the fact I learned that she had a phobia of dogs.

Since there were no witnesses except this woman and her husband, I was arrested and processed at the Tombs prison. Here is where one's identity, address etc. are confirmed. I was handcuffed and placed into a "bull pen" with a large group of prisoners who were also handcuffed. We did not receive any food or water until 2 a.m. the next morning. Sine I have hypoglycemia and I'm required to take psychiatric medicines morning, afternoon and at night-I was deprived from vital care. When the handcuffs finally were removed, I was put into a cell with about 10 or 12 prisoners for the night. The cell was big enough for maybe four prisoners. At about 2 a.m. we were awakened when the lights were turned on and we were taken out of the cell and given stale sandwiches and water. At 4 a.m. we were again awakened, and removed from the cell so that maintenance could mop the floor of the cell.

At Riker's Island I was placed on "suicide watch" because I suffer from severe mental emotional illness, namely schizophrenia. They took away my shoelaces. I never had access to my psychiatric medicines for the seven days I stayed there, nor were we allowed outside for sunlight and exercise for four to seven days. I had no paper for letter writing and my watch was stolen. Another prisoner threatened to kill me because I objected when he cut in front of me on the food line. It was "an odyssey into hell." My legal aid attorney got me out on an appeal and later the jury trial was declared unconstitutional. I appealed for medical care for my hypoglycemia (dizziness, weakness, disorientation and depression), but I never received any care at all. I was forced to fend for myself.

Mentally ill people are often disoriented, unable or unwilling to defend themselves or protest their ill treatment at the hands of sadistic Corrections Officers, badly abused, sexually abused, mocked and jeered, the butt of cruel remarks and pranks, etc. Women are often raped and abused, their money and belongings often stolen. Very little therapy or care is ever provided. Medications often are not given to all or provided only sporadically. This absence of even minimal care and minimal decency is attributed to lack of compassion and lack of resources.

In the summer heat there is often no A/C or even fans causing sweltering in cells that sometimes have no windows or ventilation. In the winter, often lack sufficient warm clothes to wear in order to be able to go outside for exercise or sunlight. Even minimal amenities like a bar of soap, shaving cream etc. are lacking.

Because of their emotional disabilities, mentally ill inmates often do not fight back, assert themselves or even protest such barbaric and sadistic treatment and conditions. The Pataki and Giulliani administrations used the city and state prisons and jails as a warehouse for the mentally ill. It continues on to this day.

Is the above an accurate representation? How can it be verified? The conditions are as described. It can be verified by interviewing security guards, Corrections Officers etc. Some kind of undercover investigation will also verify the above. The lack of publicity is due to the fact that it takes place behind prison walls, that the mentally ill disabled don't have any lobby or advocacy groups vocal enough or clued-in enough to be able to protest such indecent and cruel conditions. Our society has very little interest in the mentally ill disabled. This lack of compassion pervades our society.