Jerry Sandusky's New Home: Solitary Cell Near Death-Row Inmates
Convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky's new home is a supermax prison in a remote part of southwestern Pennsylvania, where most of the state's death-row inmates are also being held.
Pennsylvania's Department of Corrections transferred Sandusky to the State Correctional Institution at Greene near Waynesburg on Wednesday, after an evaluation at a corrections facility near Harrisburg, the Associated Press reports.
Sandusky, 68, will serve his 30- to 60-year sentence at Greene, where he will be under protective custody at all times. According to the Department of Corrections, this means Sandusky:
- Will be housed alone in a single cell, and will be escorted by prison guards when out of his cell;
- Will be offered one hour of individual exercise, five days a week;
- Will get to shower only three times a week;
- Will be served all meals in his cell, where he may also receive religious and counseling services;
- Will be allowed to have a TV, radio, and other personal property in his cell, as authorized by prison officials; and
- Will get visitors, but will not be able to touch them in any way.
It’s not clear how Sandusky will cope in his new prison environment. Shortly after being thrown behind bars earlier this year, the ex-Penn State assistant football coach complained that he’d go “nutty” if he had to sit around in solitary confinement.
During a prior stint in jail last December, Sandusky was reportedly taunted by other inmates who sang those famous Pink Floyd lyrics, “Hey teacher, leave those kids alone!”
It’s that kind of treatment, along with fears of potentially worse treatment by inmates, that triggered Sandusky’s protective custody. “Given the high profile nature of this individual, coupled with the nature of his crimes, this makes him very vulnerable in a prison setting,” Pennsylvania’s secretary of Corrections said in a statement.
If Jerry Sandusky’s new prison home triggers more complaints, they’ll have to be addressed via the prison’s inmate grievance procedure. The process involves a written complaint, a prison investigation, and opportunities to appeal the Grievance Officer’s decision.
Related Resources:
- Jerry Sandusky moved to high-security prison in Greene County (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- Sandusky Sentenced to 30 to 60 Years in Prison for Child Sex Abuse (FindLaw’s Courtside)
- Jerry Sandusky Could Still Get Penn State Pension for Life (FindLaw’s Tarnished Twenty)
- Floyd Mayweather Must Stay in Jail, Drink Tap Water, Eat Jail Food (FindLaw’s Tarnished Twenty)