Intellectually Disabilities

 An intellectually disabled woman needed help. She went to jail instead

Author: Heather Yourex-West

Date: December 20 

Since COVID everything is different now. There aren't as many things in specialized areas in certain job positions. It is needed though. We need people who know how to deal with people who have a disability not to make them feel stupid but to help them out. The article talks about a girl named Jessica Stuckey who has Smith-Magenus Syndrome which is a “genetic chromosomal abnormality” that makes you stuck at a young age; an inmate told Sherri who is within prison walls that ‘‘Sherri, there is something really wrong. She’s childlike. She shouldn’t be here.” and that “She is kind of paused at a developmental stage at about six years old” normally though she would have a lot of help. Jessica was charged with $5000 due to two counts of utterly threats and mischief. Her mom said “I could feel people’s frustration in dealing with her,” as it is textbook to her disability. Jessica used to have the help that she needed but since COVID she was getting two hours online with someone when she needs around 10 hours of care and in person, this led to calling 911 a lot, which is not good. Jessica was going to attend a psychiatric hospital but it was full so she went to jail. The article said “Stuckey was denied bail and has to undergo psychiatric assessment.” The people in jail had a difficult time with her, as it's not designed for people with intellectual disabilities. Since getting Jessica to  the proper care that she needs and all the paperwork it's going to take about until April 2023. In the end Jessica's mom doesnt know what to do. She said “I don’t know whether to encourage her or discourage her. I don’t know what to do.”

In my opinion jail is not a place to go. I think the government really needs to prioritize people who need special care because they shouldn't end up in jail. The government should start to give funding so that we can start building hospitals such as psychiatric places. This would benefit Jessica herself and others who may need the help as well. I am also thankful for the inmates that told the correction officer that she was not okay instead of beating her up. I just want safety. I have taken law in the past and a lot of people go to jail because they do have a place for mental health and usually the ones that don't go through jail take while to get in because there so full and jail is an easy in but in this case jessica is not like that and she does need the care and I think we should try to get her the help she needs.

https://globalnews.ca/news/9358863/saskatchewan-intellectually-disabled-woman-jailed/