Darren Rainey, an inmate at the Dade Correctional Facility in Miami, FL, was scalded to death while taking a shower on the night of June 23, 2012. Rainey, 50, was serving a two-year sentence for drug possession. He suffered from severe mental illness and was housed in DCI’s psych unit. He was left in a small shower stall for two hours after defecating in his cell and refusing to clean it up. Upon leaving his cell, the on duty guards proceeded to lock him in the shower stall as a punishment for his actions. Despite apparent displays of pain, Rainey was ignored.

“Is the shower hot enough?” remarked the officers as Rainey was scalded.

Although this occurred two years ago, attention was just recently brought to the situation. According to reports released by Dade County officials, they were already aware that the prison broke standards regarding abuse of inmates. The prison report included that Rainey wasn’t the first to be abused in the prison.

Many inmates report being abused and taken advantage of  while in the Dade prison.   While he isn’t the first person to be abused within the prison system, this case is marked as especially cruel.

According to reports, Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Bruce Hyma has not released the autopsy report or told Rainey’s family how he died.   DOC Secretary Michael Crews fired the warden, Jerry Cummings, and announced that the two corrections officers involved in Rainey’s death had resigned.

FSA Connection Questions

1.) In the article, is the author is trying to inform us that we are oblivious to circumstances in the mental wards of prison?

2.) The author seems to offer what main idea?

3.) Select the best two sentences that support the idea that mental wards of prisons aren’t as well managed as they should be.

4.) What is the connotation of the word punishment in the story?

5.) Select one sentence that best summarizes the work.