Corrections_Today_Winter_2024-2025_Vol.86_No.4

he purchased CR SAFGUARD® mattresses for his facility. Shortly after installing the mattresses, he stated, “I had to go look for myself because I simply did not believe it. The new mattresses brought tears to the eyes of some inmates. They just could not believe that the county would provide them with such a high-quality mattress.” The United States currently has 1.9 million Americans with in the correctional system. Several objectives of these facilities include providing opportunity for offender reform, education and reduced recidivism. An important piece of their potential success is the health of the incarcerated population, includ ing adequate sleep. Addressing sleep dysfunction is crucial for improving prison management, reducing risks of violence and suicide and to ensure the dignity and well-being of this under served population. (Bonavitacola, 2024) The act of upgrading the quality of mattresses can be a simple step in humanizing quality of sleep and consequently, daily life while incarcerated.

the polyester fiber at 50% deflection lost 46.7% and at 75% deflection lost 73.3%. In a stark contrast, the fire-resistant foam results showed considerably less thickness loss. At 50% deflection, it lost 6.5% and at 75% the loss was 9.6%. This direct material comparison indicates if an inmate is sleeping on a fiber type mattress, it will quickly flatten, and they will be exposed to the bedding platform. In a confinement environment, this platform is typically a solid substrate of metal, plastic or fiberglass. This often leads to potential hip and back pain, which has now been known to turn into potential lawsuits against the correctional facility. For instance, in 2014 two Riker inmates sued the city for a staggering $736 million, claiming that the mattresses in their cells were so uncom fortable, sleeping on them was tantamount to torture. They referenced a popular fiber mattress, claiming four inches was “too thin”. As aforementioned, quality is the true culprit here, not the original thickness. (Marsh, 2014) The typical draw to fiber type mattresses is the initial low er price. Every facility has a budget and often, the “cheaper the better” thought process prevails. Unfortunately, purchas ing fiber mattresses often launches a vicious cycle of endless replacements. New mattresses are installed, and often within 12-18 months they are virtually unusable or being destroyed by inmates. In Kittitas County Jail of Washington, Lieutenant Jeff Barnsley experienced this firsthand. “For years we had been burning through our mattress supply due to poor wear and tear of the traditional polyester fiber mattresses. They lose thickness so quickly that the inmates began destroying them in order to have them replaced quicker. We made the switch to fire-resistant foam mattresses after an in-house durability test where after nearly 8 months of use there is no sign of wear and tear. They show no breakdown, and the inmates love them.” The average service life for an FR foam mattress such as CR SAFGUARD® fire-resistant cushioning is five years, 2-3 times that of a typical fiber mattress. The durability of this cushioning allows for extended use, while providing proper support for the occupant. The preference for foam isn’t surprising, since residential mattresses have trended towards full-depth foam mattresses in recent years. Per market research, “foam mattresses help maintain proper spinal alignment by evenly distributing body weight and supporting the natural curvature of the spine. This alignment minimizes the risk of waking up with aches and pains, contributing to a more restful and rejuvenating sleep.” (Data Bridge Market Research, 2023) With sleep proven to be such a struggle within correc tion facilities walls, one must consider if it is even possible an improved mattress could create legitimate improvement to comfort and sleep conditions. Former Warden Robbie Kirk of Crittenden County Detention Center proves this, as

To initiate appropriate sleep conditions for the individuals in your facility, visit chestnutridgefoam.com.

Image courtesy of Chestnut Ridge Foam, featuring the CR SAFGUARD® mattress.

REFERENCES 1 Bonavitacola, J. (2024, June 6). AJMC . Retrieved from Sleep Inequities Persist in Various Prisons, Hospitals, Universities: https://www.ajmc.com/ view/sleep-inequities-persist-in-various-prisons-hospitals-universities 2 Data Bridge Market Research. (2023, October). Global Memory Foam Mattress Market - Industry Trends and Forecast to 2030 . Retrieved from Data Bridge Market Research: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/ reports/global-memory-foam-mattress-market 3 Marsh, A. G. (2014, October 6). New York Post . Retrieved from Two Rikers inmates sue over uncomfortable cell beds: https://nypost.com/2014/10/06/ two-rikers-inmates-sue-over-uncomfortable-cell-beds/ 4 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2022, June 15). How Sleep Affects Your Health . Retrieved from Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation/health-effects 5 Tufts University Health. (2021, January 9). Sleep: The Third Pillar of Health . Retrieved from Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter: https:// www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/special-reports/sleepthe-third-pillar-of health/ 6 Tussey, E. J. (2024, February 14). Sleepless behind bars: the connection between mental health, environment, and sleep among women in jail . Retrieved from National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC10911691/

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