Jailhouse Informants

Prologue:

Due to Badpenny’s financial situation, she is unable to post bail because her bond is set too high.  The charges Badpenny faces include possession of methamphetamine (felony), possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor), and official misconduct – using her position as a dispatcher to access confidential information for personal gain (misdemeanor). 

While Badpenny sits in jail awaiting the disposition of her case, many of the jailers treat her with indifference.  When Badpenny requests to use the phone, take a shower, or get commissary, the jailers disregard her request.  Badpenny noticed that the jailers did not treat the other prisoners as poorly; she has worked with most of these jailers and cannot believe the jailers would mistreat her.  

Badpenny has no one to talk to except her cellmate, Heather Scandell, whose current arrest was for possession of cocaine and methamphetamines with intent to sell. Badpenny and Scandell have been in jail for weeks together in the same cell sharing life experiences and hopes for their future.

Everyday Scandell tries to get Badpenny to discuss her case, but Badpenny remains guarded; she will not discuss her criminal case with anyone but her attorney, Liddy Gate.  One day, after getting back from the law library, Scandell’s cot was empty, Badpenny asked the jailer where she went, the jailer told Badpenny not to worry about the other inmates.  Later that day, a jailer came to inform Badpenny that her attorney wants to talk with her, the jailer escorted Badpenny to the visitation room.

Liddy Gate told Badpenny to sit down she had some troubling news about her case.  Once Badpenny sat down, Liddy informed Badpenny that Heather Scandell, her cellmate has become a jailhouse informant for the prosecution against her.  Liddy said, “Scandell is going to get a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying against you.  Scandell spoke with the prosecuting attorney and explained how you got the confidential information from county and city where you where worked, and then gave it to Dreadford in exchange for methamphetamines.”

Badpenny told Liddy that none of what Scandell says is true; she has not talked to anyone about her case.  Badpenny asked Liddy, “Why is this happening to me?” 

Liddy told Badpenny, “I will do what I can to minimize the damage Scandell may cause.  I will see if we can get a plea deal instead of going to trial.”

Assignment:

This week, use the information from chapters 10 and 11 to complete a 2 to 3 – page paper, discussing the implications of prosecutors using jailhouse informants and the problems with wrongful convictions. Also, explain how the occupational subculture in corrections plays a role in how correctional officers treat or mistreat prisoners.  

*Identify an ethical system that relates to the way correctional officers are treating Badpenny.