Problems at Crowley County Correctional Facility

Whom and all it May Concern,

My name is Monica Cooper. My father, David Hobdy #116859, is an inmate in the state of Colorado. For several years he was housed @ Crowley County Correctional Facility in Onley Springs owned and operated by Correctional Corp of America . I have tried on many occasions to voice problems and concerns with this facility to no avail so here I am emailing you all to try and get these issues resolved. Yes I have contacted their corporate offices on many occasions but all I ever get is a voice mail box that tells me someone will return my call with in 48 hours and guess what? No one ever does.

My first concern is that on many occasions my father went without doctor prescribed medications that he needs for a severe and life threaten heart condition along with medication for thyroid disease and post op medications for his prostate after having prostate surgery done. The facility would tell me when I called that their pharmacy in Oklahoma that provides them with all of their medications had run out or that they were on back order and was un-able to get it to them. Now last time I checked there was a pharmacy there in town that they could have gotten his meds from while they waited for them to come in from Oklahoma but they would make him wait sometimes up to a month before refilling his medications which is all documented. Only once did they use the pharmacy in town and that was only after I had contacted the private prisons monitoring unit and had spoken with Mr. Kenney again regarding this problem. I have close to a dozen RECORDED conversations with Judy Brisindine who is the head of this facilities medical department giving me many excuses at to why they don't have his meds. There were many instances that CCCF failed to follow doctor's orders in regards to my father. There was a specific medication that was prescribed after his first prostate surgery that CCCF never bothered to have filled which resulted in further complications with his prostate and forced him to have another surgery that has left him on a catheter and colostomy bag.

My second concern is that back around Christmas of 2006 my father fell on the ice on his way to the chow line. He split his head open and needed medical attention. He was denied due to the fact that the facility was understaffed, he was finally seen more than a week later only after I made a call to the states Private Prison Monitoring Unit. My father 2 weeks ago went to see the eye doctor due to deterioration of his sight, he was told at that time due to that fall his retina was torn almost in half and that he might become blind in that eye. He was rushed from Canon City to Denver for emergency retinal repair surgery that same day.

My third concern is that my father is legal disabled and has been all of his life, he falls under the guidelines of the disabilities act which is for all Americans. He had polio when he was 2 that left him with a severe defect in his left leg. My father wears a size 7 1/2 shoe on his left foot and a 10 on his right. My father has degenerative disk disease as a result of this all this. He was prescribed special medical boots by department of correction prior to being housed at CCCF, it took CCCF more than 2 years to get him the boots that he needed. If these boots has been provided then the above concern might not have ever happened.

My forth concern is that my father was moved out of that facility back on February 26, 2008. His property was packed by C/O Ridgewell and C/O Cook while he was in the infirmary. He is missing a total of $219.72 worth of property. The pack out slip that should have his signature on it is forged! He has filed a grievance with DOC in regards to this but CCCF has yet to respond. I contacted Sharon Griffin who is the secretary to warden Smelser last week in regards to this problem but have not heard back as to what the outcome of it is yet, once again I recorded this conversation to ensure that I have proof of what was said. I have tried on several occasions to contact her since then to see what was happening and when my father was going to get his money back but I have not heard and thing as of yet. I do have copies of his property receipts from CCCF showing the items in question on them.

My fifth concern is that CCCF isn't taking care of his medical bills. My father has received several bills from his urologist in Pueblo because CCCF has not paid them. Now why this is, I just don't know!

My father, while in the infirmary, witnessed intake Sgt Anderson and C/O Villa allowing an inmate who is a medical porter to pack out people without supervision. From my understanding another inmate should not have access to another inmates belongings.

Now I know that my father can't be the only inmate to have these problems at this facility, he is just luckier than most because he has someone on the outside to fight for him, which makes me really concerned about the health and welfare of all those who are housed there. The blatant disregard for life by those employed here is beyond me. These people are supposed to be keeping society safe, but they are also responsible for those individuals housed in there care. There is no reason at all that any of these issues should have ever happened but they did and now I want answers and the problems fixed.


Sincerely,

Monica D. Cooper