Written by Jon Zumkehr, President AFGE Local 4070, Thomson Federal Prison
A growing crisis is unfolding in our nation's prisons, with potentially deadly consequences that extend far beyond prison walls. In just the past two weeks, two staff members at Thomson Federal Prison in Illinois were rushed to the hospital after accidentally being exposed to dangerous drugs smuggled into the facility.
These incidents are part of a larger trend: So far in 2024, six staff members have been hospitalized due to drug exposure at Thomson alone, and the prison is averaging one inmate overdose per week.
The primary source of these dangerous substances is mail laced with drugs. This puts prison staff and inmates at risk and poses a significant threat to postal workers and potentially the broader community.
Across the Federal Bureau of Prisons, staff face daily exposure to illicit drugs like Fentanyl, Carfentanil, K2, Suboxone, Ecstasy, and Synthetic Cocaine smuggled into facilities through the mail. This has led to a surge in accidental exposures with tragic consequences.
On August 9th, a line-of-duty death occurred at USP Atwater, underscoring the urgent need for action.
To address this crisis, bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the form of H.R. 5266, the "Interdiction of Fentanyl in Postal Mail at Federal Prisons Act." This bill mandates drug scanning of all mail, including legal mail, before it enters prisons. By intercepting dangerous substances before they can enter facilities, this program has proven successful in saving lives and preventing the mass introduction of illicit drugs into federal prisons.
However, this life-saving program cannot continue or expand without immediate support due to funding shortfalls.
The passage of H.R. 5266 is imperative to protect prison staff and prevent further tragedies. We cannot afford to wait until another officer is killed in the line of duty.
While we work to address this issue at the policy level, AFGE Local 4070 and prison management are taking steps to mitigate the risk. Narcan, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, is being made more widely available, and an emergency shipment is on the way to ensure all staff can carry it at all times. The prison is currently locked down to enhance safety further.
However, these measures are only temporary solutions to a problem that requires a comprehensive, long-term fix. That's why the swift passage of H.R. 5266 is so critical. By mandating the scanning of all mail for drugs, we can prevent dangerous substances from entering prisons in the first place, protecting staff, inmates, postal workers, and the broader community.
A growing crisis is unfolding in our nation's prisons, with potentially deadly consequences that extend far beyond prison walls. In just the past two weeks, two staff members at Thomson Federal Prison in Illinois were rushed to the hospital after accidentally being exposed to dangerous drugs smuggled into the facility.
These incidents are part of a larger trend: So far in 2024, six staff members have been hospitalized due to drug exposure at Thomson alone, and the prison is averaging one inmate overdose per week.
The primary source of these dangerous substances is mail laced with drugs. This puts prison staff and inmates at risk and poses a significant threat to postal workers and potentially the broader community.
Across the Federal Bureau of Prisons, staff face daily exposure to illicit drugs like Fentanyl, Carfentanil, K2, Suboxone, Ecstasy, and Synthetic Cocaine smuggled into facilities through the mail. This has led to a surge in accidental exposures with tragic consequences.
On August 9th, a line-of-duty death occurred at USP Atwater, underscoring the urgent need for action.
To address this crisis, bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the form of H.R. 5266, the "Interdiction of Fentanyl in Postal Mail at Federal Prisons Act." This bill mandates drug scanning of all mail, including legal mail, before it enters prisons. By intercepting dangerous substances before they can enter facilities, this program has proven successful in saving lives and preventing the mass introduction of illicit drugs into federal prisons.
However, this life-saving program cannot continue or expand without immediate support due to funding shortfalls.
The passage of H.R. 5266 is imperative to protect prison staff and prevent further tragedies. We cannot afford to wait until another officer is killed in the line of duty.
While we work to address this issue at the policy level, AFGE Local 4070 and prison management are taking steps to mitigate the risk. Narcan, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, is being made more widely available, and an emergency shipment is on the way to ensure all staff can carry it at all times. The prison is currently locked down to enhance safety further.
However, these measures are only temporary solutions to a problem that requires a comprehensive, long-term fix. That's why the swift passage of H.R. 5266 is so critical. By mandating the scanning of all mail for drugs, we can prevent dangerous substances from entering prisons in the first place, protecting staff, inmates, postal workers, and the broader community.
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