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* Grace Hauck and Janelle O’Dea at Illinois Answers…
Samantha Slecka spent the better part of three days strapped down to a chair in Madison County Jail in the summer of 2022. It was the same jail where her fiancé had attempted suicide only months earlier.
She had been arrested and detained for meth possession and a warrant for possession of a controlled substance—a charge that was later dropped. Despairing, in withdrawal, and calling out for help in her cell, Slecka said she tried to take her own life.
In response, jail staff restrained her in a chair for 36 hours, then again the following day for nearly 12 hours. She said it was days before she saw a mental health professional.
“I was just screaming the whole time because it just … felt like I was being punished,” said Slecka, 40. “To not have even the ability to move anything—it’s just pretty traumatizing.”
In Illinois Answers’ investigation into the use, misuse, and abuse of restraint chairs in Illinois county jails, Madison County stands out. From 2019 to 2023, the jail reported more incidents exceeding the chair manufacturer’s upper limit–10 hours–than any other jail in the state. Neighboring St. Clair County restrained more people than Madison County did, but largely for shorter periods. […]
In most cases, county records indicated the person restrained had a diagnosed mental illness or need for mental health crisis intervention. Multiple people defecated or urinated on themselves while restrained, which experts often say is evidence of extended restraint or improper care.
* The county jail’s administrator claims improvements are happening…
Endicott assumed the role of jail administrator in August of 2023. He said inquiries from Illinois Answers in early 2024 prompted him to review and reform the jail’s policies and practices around the use of restraint chairs.
A few months ago, Endicott updated the jail’s system for documenting supervision checks on people restrained, switching from handwritten logs to electronic software. He said he has increased de-escalation training, which he believes has already led to “improvements” in reducing the need to use restraint chairs.
Endicott said he also plans to require staff to video all uses of restraint chairs. That hasn’t always happened in the past. When Illinois Answers requested video of one 17-hour incident from 2019, the county said no video was recorded.
St. Clair County also has a major problem. Go read the rest.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 1:10 pm
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Until the tools to improve mental health are provided, the tools to control mental health will be abused. This story shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Comment by Papa2008 Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 3:06 pm
I’m in no ways surprised…just simply horrified.
Imagine sitting in your most comfortable chair…for 36 hours.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 3:23 pm
If you are not here legally in the US then that certainly is a problem. I just do not get the idea that it equates with being completely ok. I think these things need serious work by congress to get it all on paper, but I don’t have much hope.
Comment by clec dcn Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 4:04 pm
I posted the comment above in wrong place I am sorry.
Comment by clec dcn Wednesday, Jan 29, 25 @ 4:12 pm