What happened at an Alaskan jail in 2013 — just confirmed by an internal watchdog for the state — was a sickening human rights abuse and a stomach-churning abuse of power.Male inmates at the Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward were
stripped naked, paraded in in front of female staff members on an impromptu "dog leash," and left without clothing or cover in frigid, disgusting cells. Worse — while many of the staff involved in the incidents have left since 2013 and the facility's administration has changed — the correctional facility has yet to adopt many of the state watchdog's recommendations. It also remains unclear whether any corrections were sanctioned for their abuse of inmates.
If the law is to be respected, authorities must be held accountable when they abuse their power and violate the public trust. That's why Care2 is calling on the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Corrections to immediately:
- Terminate any current employee who participated in the abuses detailed by the Ombudsman's Office for the State of Alaska; and
- Adopt all recommendations offered by the Ombudsman's office in response to these abuses — especially requiring officers to wear body cameras and record their interactions with inmates.
These are reasonable — and urgent — requests in light of the terrible humiliation and abuse that has been perpetrated by these corrections officers.
Please add your name and demand justice for these abused inmates. Your signature today let corrections officers across the country know that noone is above the law — especially not those who are sworn to uphold it. 