Inmate includes own name in bomb, anthrax threats

[Brewmaniac]

Wed Jul 26, 8:10 AM ET

A prison inmate pleaded guilty on Tuesday to sending letters to the FBI and secret service that included bomb and anthrax threats -- as well as his full name and inmate number.

Donald Ray Bilby, 30, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Trenton to one count of false information and hoaxes after he sent five letters demanding authorities deposit $20,000 in his county jail inmate account because he needed money for bail, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

"I think it's fair to say we were not dealing with a great criminal mind here," U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said in a statement.

Bilby signed all the letters using his full name and inserted his inmate number beneath his signature. One letter to the FBI included demands for money, a piece of paper labeled "anthrax" and a white powdery substance that turned out to be harmless.

He faces a maximum of five years in prison after first serving a sentence for automobile theft.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060726/od_nm/usa_hoax_dc_1&printer=1;_ylt=Avgmh1bnOpm7NINtzawuxEsZ.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060726/...E0BHNlYwN0bWE-[/URL]

This guy is obviously mentally ill.
Makes me wonder if more of conventional prison life is the place for people like him, is it serving anyone?
Do prisoners have access to mental health professionals? If so is it daily or is it a once month thing?
Does anyone know? Other thoughts?

[frogza]

I'd say he was just plain stupid before I'd jump to the conclusion that he was mentally ill and deserved my pity.

[Bill O'Rights]

Originally Posted by Brewmaniac

This guy is obviously mentally ill.

That's kind of a jump, isn't it? I mean...he may be...I dunno, but I don't think that it's obvious.
Quite to the contrary. I'd be more inclined to think that he was more mentally deficient than mentally ill. Y'know...forget that crap. Buba was just plain stupid, OK? He was a dumbass. Of course, now he's got five years longer to work on those IQ points.

[Brewmaniac]

Maybe this guy is just stupid, but I still have the same question do prisoners have access to Shrinks?

[Redlemon]

I don't think he's completely an idiot - I think he wanted to be caught. I just can't figure out why.

[Bill O'Rights]

Originally Posted by Brewmaniac

Maybe this guy is just stupid, but I still have the same question do prisoners have access to Shrinks?

I'm sure that they do. Inmates, it seems, have better health care than a lot of the working class in this country. Inmates are entitled to health care. And I remember reading in the Omaha World Herald, some time ago, that there are some rural Nebraska counties that are facing severe budgetary shortfalls, due to the cost of dental care that must be provided to incarcerated meth heads. (meth heads gots bad teeths)
So...the answer to your question is...I don't know...but I highly suspect that they do. At least on a rudimentary level.

[monkeysugar]

Brewmaniac, I'm a correctional officer at a penitentiary. This is by no means a be all to end all answer, but it is something A startling amount of the prisoners are on fairly strong medication. Mental health counselors are available 24-7 for serious problems. For severe cases, they can be temporarily placed in a certain spot where they are under constant supervision. We even have a few padded cells and 4 point restraint tables if the need arises. If they are too much to handle at my facility, we move them to a different facility that is more specialized to fit their needs. These are a very small percentage of the inmates whose mental state is different from the norm.

Why aren't they all put in psych wards? Because when they are properly medicated, they act completely normal and really aren't much of a threat to anyone (as a result of their condition, at least.) Sometimes they neglect to take their medication, and some really wierd shit happens. For example: the voices in their heads tell them to do bad things. Many of them will tell one of the staff members when the voices are telling them to do bad things, because they don't want to hurt anyone or get in more trouble. Then you get ahold of the mental health counselors and get them help.

Prisoners have to pay a ridiculously low co-pay for treatment, but when you factor in what they are able to earn ($15-$55 a MONTH, 40+ hours a week) coupled with the taxes and other fees taken out they are only getting about 1/3 of any money that they receive.