“Remember
those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those
who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured.” Hebrews 13:3
“I [Jesus] was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give
me clothing, sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.'” Matthew 25:43
Another detainee committed suicide in the Erie County Holding center last Wednesday, and it appears to have been entirely preventable. The story is available at the Buffalo News.
Meanwhile, the county continues to fight a lawsuit from the Federal Department of Justice, seeking to investigate, and hopefully improve conditions.
For those in the Christian faith, today represents another collective failure to live up to the values we profess to hold.
In addition to the high moral cost of resisting reform efforts, our county risks high financial costs that may come with further lawsuits.
The solution? Let investigators in. And accept the suicide-prevention help being offered by the federal government, or change the politicians who refuse to do so.