Prompt #20 Unstable
Mental Health
Dr. Morton closed the door to Daniel Walker's office and sat down in the empty seat across the warden's desk. He worked as a prison psychologist in Green Hills Federal Correctional Institution and Walker had called him in to discuss a specific inmate, a particular offender who needed intervention. The truth was every inmate needed support, albeit in different ways. Walker was focused on one person who weighed on his mind often. He sat across from Dr. Morton with his hands folded on the desk and appeared to be in deep thought. Then, as though noticing Dr. Morton was present with him, Walker silently handed him a thick folder.
Dr. Morton took it and quickly read the department identification number and name on the file: 0807-55, Dennis Nedry. He opened the folder and skimmed the top page. It was Nedry's latest incident report and Dr. Morton was certain it wouldn't be the last. His folder was filled with incident reports ranging from Nedry receiving disciplinary infractions for ignoring a correction officer's orders, to getting into fights with other inmates. The last incident report mentioned how Nedry refused to make his bed and then cursed out the staff. He closed the folder when he heard Walker clear his throat.
"I wanted to discuss increasing the frequency of his therapy sessions. Has he been participating?"
"He's tangential and goes from topic to topic," Dr. Morton said. "He doesn't focus. I've been meeting with him for only a month and I'm still assessing if this is deliberate on his part."
Walker's eyebrows rose. "You mean he's being avoidant?"
"Yes, but it could mean other things. What do you see?"
"Unstable emotions. One minute he's angry and lashing out. The next, he's hysterically laughing, and on rare occasions, he's completely silent. It's not just his emotions."
"What else is going on with him?"
"Constant fights. He's here for non-violent crimes. You might've noticed that he's in better shape; he's lost a lot of weight. That's physically though. Mentally, he keeps fighting against the system and it keeps breaking him down. His behavior has worsened. He's had countless physical alterations. Two weeks ago, I had to send him to the hospital with Officer Johnson and Officer Carter because he was in over his head with the last fight."
Dr. Morton admitted he was curious. "How so?"
"The last fight required stitches." Walker sighed. "I want him to see you on a weekly basis. I'm trying to give him a chance to turn this around—turn his life around—because he's a first-time offender."
Dr. Morton nodded as he stood up. He recognized the direction Walker was going in. Reform and rehabilitation. "I'll start the weekly sessions tomorrow."
"I appreciate it; I just want to reach him so that he doesn't become repeat offender."
Walker took back the thick folder from Dr. Morton just before the psychologist left his office. Hopefully, this intervention would be successful…
Author's Notes: This ficlet goes hand-in-hand with the next one (and it's much longer!) Thank you for continued readership! -Sassy Lil Scorpio