# Claustrophobic Inmates **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953 "2005-05-15T19:08:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/1 "2005-05-15T19:08:03Z")
What happens to people sentenced to prison terms whose claustrophobia is intense enough that spending even a few hours in a typical cell is unbearable? I would expect that they would get some sort of psychiatric treatment, but are any measures taken to alleviate the stress of daily life for them? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/2 "2005-05-15T19:53:43Z")
> [@sleeping](#): > > What happens to people sentenced to prison terms whose claustrophobia is intense enough that spending even a few hours in a typical cell is unbearable? I would expect that they would get some sort of psychiatric treatment, but are any measures taken to alleviate the stress of daily life for them? Depends. Psychiatric evaluation and treatment if indicated is the first line. At the prison I work at, they _might_ get housed in the barracks (roomier but with lots of people in it) if it’s ok with security considerations. And recommended by someone like me. If they’re low risk to try to escape, they might get staffed to a minimum security prison where they have more opportunity to be outside. But again, security comes first, so if they’re sentenced to a maximum institution due to severity of behavior/flight risk/other factors, then they get standard housing and end up in their cells for big chunks of time. Once you’re in prison, you don’t get a lot of say in how the external trappings of your life will go. Period. Basically they have to suck it up. ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/3 "2005-05-15T20:37:03Z")
Thanks, that’s pretty much the way I imagined it’s handled. > [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > At the prison I work at, they _might_ get housed in the barracks (roomier but with lots of people in it) if it’s ok with security considerations. Are those inmates chained to their beds at night? Or are those convicted of non-violent crimes and considered unlikely to attempt to escape given more leeway (i.e., freedom within the confines of the barracks)? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/4 "2005-05-15T21:22:18Z")
> [@sleeping](#): > > Thanks, that’s pretty much the way I imagined it’s handled. > Are those inmates chained to their beds at night? Or are those convicted of non-violent crimes and considered unlikely to attempt to escape given more leeway (i.e., freedom within the confines of the barracks)? Chained to their beds? Not often. Not even in the segregation unit. One of the few times an inmate goes into restraints is if they behave in such a way that they might harm themselves or others. Then a strict protocol is followed as to how often they must be checked. Another exception is when they’re hospitalized somewhere in a non-secure hospital unit. Then they may be cuffed to their beds. Too many felons have felt that being at the hospital is an excellent opportunity for escape, don’cha know? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/5 "2005-05-15T23:15:46Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Chained to their beds? Not often. Not even in the segregation unit. Huh. Another film-induced misconception laid to rest. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/6 "2005-05-16T07:13:09Z")
**Library Patron:** Oh Miss. Do you have any books about claustrophobia? **Librarian:** Why yes we do. They’re in that little room at the end of the narrow hallway. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/7 "2005-05-16T15:39:37Z")
Since **Qadgop the Mercotan** has answered the OP, maybe he wouldn’t mind entertaining a slight hijack. I have recently watched episodes of _OZ_ on dvd. Realistic? ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/8 "2005-05-16T16:58:50Z")
**vetbridge** , I don’t believe **Qadgop** has ever seen OZ. He might be persuaded by an offering of DVDs, though. But you’d have to take it up with him. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/9 "2005-05-16T19:17:23Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Since **Qadgop the Mercotan** has answered the OP, maybe he wouldn’t mind entertaining a slight hijack. I have recently watched episodes of _OZ_ on dvd. Realistic? From what I understand, _Oz_ is as realistic a depiction of prison life as _Dr. Doolittle_ is a depiction of veterinary work. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/10 "2005-05-16T23:51:02Z")
Sorry, I am not familiar with that film. 😃 J/K. Thanks, **Metacom**. I kind of figured. I rented the entire 4 th season from Netflix. Makes me wanna stay on the outside. ---
**Author:** ![Yogurt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/f0a364/32.png) [@Yogurt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yogurt)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/11 "2005-05-17T16:48:46Z")
From my limited knowledge of Baltimore Central Booking & Intake is that it’s not a fun place to be. Long processing times, fights and the occasional murder. And it’s just a jail, you’re not even in prison yet. [51 Year Old Man Beaten To Death](http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/4491816/detail.html) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/claustrophobic-inmates/303953/12 "2005-05-17T17:56:58Z")
> [@Yogurt](#): > > And it’s just a jail, you’re not even in prison yet. Frankly, I think you’re safer in prison than in a jail. In the prison, everyone’s already detoxed, convicted, sentenced, and somewhat acclimated to their situation. Not so in a jail. Lots of guys fresh off the street, in various stages of withdrawal symptoms, rage, incredulity and so forth. Lots of new guys not knowing what’s going on around them, along with inmates and guards without the patience to accomodate them. And frankly, one is probably safer in a max security prison than a medium one. In a max system, we’re _ready_ for trouble!