Cruel and Unusual Punishment: Soy Diet for Illinois Prisoners 2009-May-01 When Rod Blagojevich was elected governor of Illinois in 2002, he immediately made a change in the prison diets. Beginning in January 2003, inmates began receiving a diet largely based on processed soy protein, with very little meat. In most meals, small amounts of meat or meat by-products are mixed with 60-70 percent soy protein; fake soy cheese has replaced real cheese; and soy flour or soy protein is now added to most of the baked goods.
The governor's justification for replacing nutritious meat and cheese with toxic soy protein was financial-to lower the enormous costs of running the Illinois Department of Corrections. However, the likely reason is payback for campaign contributions from Archer Daniels Midland, the main supplier of soy products to the Illinois prisons.
Suffering of Inmates Early in 2007, the Weston A. Price Foundation began hearing from inmates who were suffering from a myriad of serious health problems due to the large amounts of soy in the diet. These prisoners had found us through the Soy Alert! section of our website. Complaints include chronic and painful constipation alternating with debilitating diarrhea, vomiting after eating, sharp pains in the digestive tract, especially after consuming soy, passing out, heart palpitations, rashes, acne, insomnia, panic attacks, insomnia, depression and symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as low body temperature (feeling cold all the time), brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, frequent infections and enlarged thyroid gland. Since soy contains anti-fertility compounds, many young prisoners may be unable to father children after their release.
The suffering of these men is intense and medical care is palliative at best. Many have had sections of their digestive tract removed, but all requests for a soy-free diet are denied. The men are told, "If you don't like the food, don't eat it." That means that unless they can afford to purchase commissary food, they must eat the soy food or starve.
Lawsuit The Weston A. Price Foundation has hired an attorney to represent several inmates incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections system. The Foundation's attorney has entered his appearance on behalf of three inmates, has had contacts with several other inmates, has served several subpoenas upon the wardens of several facilities for documents and other information, and has informed the Court that additional inmates will soon be named in an amended complaint.
The lead case is captioned Harris et al. v. Brown, et al., Case No. 3:07-cv-03225, and is currently pending before the Honorable Harold Baker in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. The Foundation has until May 30th to file its amended complaint and the Defendants have 30 days after the complaint is filed to file their respective answers. The suit seeks an injunction putting a halt to the use of a soy-laden diet in the prison system.
How You Can Help •Donations to the Weston A. Price Foundation (Soy Alert! Campaign) can help with the high cost of legal representation. •Letters to the press, Illinois elected officials (including the governor and attorney general of Illinois) and even U.S. Congressional representatives can alert others to this serious situation-which threatens not only the health of inmates but the future of fiscal solvency in the state of Illinois-because personal injury lawsuits are bound to follow. •Write to the U.S. Department of Justice and request that they initiate an investigation and enforcement action under the Prison Litigation Reform Act, 42 United States Code Section 1997a, also known as the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). A sample letter is given below. For Relatives of Inmates
•The soy diet, especially when consumed in large amounts for a lengthy period of time, will destroy the health of your loved one in prison. The most important way you can help is to send your incarcerated relative money to purchase commissary food. •Write or visit your elected officials about this situation. This contact can be especially effective from those who know on a first-hand basis the suffering the soy diet has caused. •Write to the U. S. Department of Justice and request that they initiate an investigation and enforcement action under the Prison Litigation Reform Act, 42 United States Code Section 1997a, also known as the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). A sample letter is given below. For Inmates
•Follow procedure and submit grievance reports, delineating your health problems and requesting a soy-free diet. •Be sure to keep copies of all grievance reports and medical records. •Write to Judge Harold Baker describing your health problems on the prison soy diet and requesting to be included in Harris et al. v. Brown, et al., Case No. 3:07-cv-03225 or any subsequent cases on this issue. Keep your letter respectful and concise. His address:
Honorable Harold Baker United States District Court Judge for the Central District of Illinois 338 U.S. Courthouse 201 South Vine Street Urbana, IL 61802 •Use your commissary money wisely to purchase healthy foods. Good choices include sardines, tuna and salmon, cheese, summer sausage, Spam (for vitamin D and healthy fats), pork cracklings and plain rice. Avoid sweets, chips, sodas, etc. as these make you more vulnerable to the harmful effects of soy.
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