I am infuriated each time the Department of Corrections says a person who died in Alaska prisons was an “anticipated death” — as if that should allay our concerns about their passing.
What I hear when I read that is that someone was fatally ill — clearly at the end of their life — and DOC prevented them from spending their final days with their family and loved ones. Gov. Mike Dunleavy has many levers to let the ailing out of prison: compassionate release, geriatric parole, medical parole or even clemency. But there have only been three medical parole hearings this year — all of them denied. And no hearings for geriatric parole, even though the average age of people in our prisons has risen drastically. Instead, he insists these people die between concrete walls without final moments of peace with their dear ones.
The people being held in prison are our neighbors, and even if a heinous crime was committed, these are our fellow human beings who deserve rehabilitation, restoration and dignity. Keeping severely ill people in our prisons when they are about to die is absolutely inhumane. It should not be a reassuring statement to include in a press release.
— Laura Herman
Anchorage
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