The New York City legal system is regularly neglecting the most basic medical needs of those in its custody. This has to change.
A court in New York City. (Wikimedia Commons)
One of the biggest threats to justice is our unwillingness to treat all people with the dignity and care that they deserve. In our prisons and jails in New York City, where the state has an absolute duty to provide medical care for those under carceral control, diabetes goes untreated, asthma attacks are ignored, and the cries of untreated mental illness are muffled. Our legal system has become a breeding ground for neglect. Quite simply, the state is failing to protect the physical health and well-being of the people in its custody.
This ongoing failure to provide consistent access to medical resources and treatment within court facilities has dire consequences. Medical neglect kills hundreds of incarcerated people every year, despite the 1976 Supreme Court case Estelle v. Gamble, in which the court found that deliberate indifference to medical needs amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. The ruling explicitly recognized that ignoring the serious medical needs of prisoners violates the United States Constitution. However, for many awaiting a trial in New York, these protections remain theoretical rather than practical.
Indeed, as of this writing, many individuals with chronic illnesses or acute medical conditions await trial at facilities across the state of New York without timely access to medication or treatment. Far too often, we see these conditions worsen rapidly, leading to preventable suffering and even death. The story of twenty-five-year-old Leron Jones is a devastating reminder of this chilling reality.
On the morning of February 9, 2024, Leron sat in a Manhattan courtroom awaiting his next appearance before the judge. Then, amid the bustling hub of Manhattan criminal court and NYPD Manhattan central booking, Leron suddenly experienced a severe seizure. As he laid on the cold floor, his medical emergency spiraled dangerously out of control. Far removed from the comfort of a hospital, his condition deteriorated with alarming speed, eventually leading to cardiac arrest.
As paramedics rushed to the scene and continued the lifesaving measures initiated by police officers who happened to be nearby, the clock was ticking. Leron was quickly transported to New York–Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, but despite their best efforts, medical personnel were unable to save his life.
Leron’s story underscores the critical need for the integration of medical facilities and/or on-site medical assistance in courthouses and for individuals being transported — under any circumstances — from detention centers, jails, and prisons across New York. Ensuring that medical care is readily available at these critical points can make the difference between life and death, providing a safeguard for those caught in the unforgiving intersection of the legal system and urgent health crises.
Leron’s story is also a chilling reminder of the deadly consequences of this systemic failure. Without access to comprehensive medical records, health care providers treating people in custody are forced to start from scratch, wasting precious time gathering information about their new patients’ medical histories, current medications, and treatment plans. These delays can have devastating consequences, as Leron’s case illustrates. In a medical emergency, every second counts. The lack of consistent access to medical records creates a dangerous gap in care, putting countless lives at risk.
We must take an alternative approach. Under Int 0098-2024, a bill recently introduced to the city council, the NYC Department of Correction and Correctional Health Services would be required to maintain a medical clinic staffed by health care professionals in each New York City criminal court facility. In addition, Correctional Health Services would be required to prepare a document that details the food, medication, or other medical services people may require while in a court facility. If a person demonstrates any such need, the Department of Correction must provide access to the medical clinic so that the person can be treated appropriately.
Improving the maintenance of medical clinics and a mandated working list of potential medical needs within court facilities would ensure that those transported receive adequate resources and timely medical attention in the event of an emergency. This move is a matter of basic human rights, with the goal of promoting humane treatment of those enmeshed in the criminal legal system, even while we continue to strive for decarceration.
We must create a system that ensures every individual’s medical needs are met at every step along the way, regardless of the status of their criminal case. This is not about charity. It is about recognizing the responsibility of the city of New York to protect the physical health of every person in its custody at all times.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Jacobin’s editorial policy.