Laurel Highlands is a state prison sprawling over hundreds of acres in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It's just outside Somerset. It is one of the state's 2 prison hospitals. Hundreds of dying, very sick, invalid, crippled and infirmed prisoners are jailed there. Obviously, they shouldn't be in prison. They should be home, but Pennsylvania is a terribly vindictive, cruel place. One would think that with so many very sick people in the institution, the staff would be somewhat differential to them and their families. Most of these men are suffering plenty without the guards intentionally adding to their stress and discomfort. It would be sadistic to torment the old, sick prisoners. But prison guards are a cowardly and sadistic breed. To the foul guards, age and illness are simply weaknesses for them to exploit. Sickness makes it less likely that the victim will defend himself against abuses. Being a prison guard means that you're arrogant, aggressive and abusive. If they had a decent personality they would have chosen a different occupation. By nature prison guards are bullies and it's a lot easier to bully and threaten prisoners who are weak, sick, in pain, crippled and old. The loyal families who visit loved ones at Laurel Highlands are usually worried and concerned about them. Their primary interest is simply to see the sick man, to make him feel better and to assure themselves that he's doing as well as can be expected. That makes the wives and families vulnerable targets for various abuses by the guards. After my husband was forced into the hospital suffering from very serious heart, lung and abdominal problems, I visited Laurel Highlands each week to help him recover. On every single visit I was mistreated in one way or another by the guard staff. At first they wouldn't even let me in! Neither the metal detector or the drug sniffer worked properly. Getting through them is a nerve-racking ordeal. Coleman, the guard who's usually been running the visiting area has found every opportunity to impose himself and to made visiting as stressful and uncomfortable as Possible. With little or no provocation, he finds excuses to intrude into visits, to embarrass wives, mothers and prisoners. It appears to be part of a neurotic need to be important, domineering and to show how powerful he is. At each of my visits, he's made himself a serious irritation if not to me than to others. A firm using the name Bittner has vending machines in the visiting room. The selection is very poor. Worse yet, the machines are a kind of lottery. Very often they take the visitor's money without giving the drink, sandwich or snack that's been selected. While state law forbids gambling inside state prisons, Bittner is running a gambling operation. On several occasions I've lost money in Bittner's (slot) machines. With the complicity of the prison, the company refuses to refund lost money. If you visit Laurel Highlands, be very cautious of buying milk for the little ones. Bittner will gyp you! When a prisoner or visitor tries to complain he is badgered and even threatened. The Pennsylvania Department of Imprisonment has what it pretends is a scheme for submitting grievances. It's a lie, all a lie! Guards like C----, and others, harangue, badger, question and even threaten prisoners who try to get the form on which complaints must be filed. The rules, DC-ADM A04 say that grievance forms must be "readily available." The guard named C---- and many others ignore the rules. Not only will they often not issue the forms, but it's common for some guards to threaten to issue misconduct write-ups to prisoners who press their right to have the forms. Similar threats and implied threats are often imposed on visitors. If the visitor complains, their imprisoned loved one may be retaliated against. Guards are generally a little more cautious with visitors. We have more options and can expose more of their mistreatment. We can call or write Central Office in Camp Hill. I strongly urge visitors to do just that. While the Department of Imprisonment tries to pretend otherwise, these people are our employees and our servants. Make them behave properly! With a few exceptions like the obnoxiously shrill Ms B----, the medical staff is much more professional and considerate than the guards. Some of the guards, like a Ms McNaughty, try to pretend that they are part of the medical staff. They try to give medical advice and medical instruction. They tell the sick prisoner what he must or must not do medically. Guards don't seem to be able to help themselves. They have a need to boss people around, even on medical matters. Visiting the Laurel Highlands prison is not as harrowing as visiting hellholes such as the Frackville prison. That place is purely a travesty of mismanagement. All the same, if you visit Laurel Highlands (visits are 5 days a week, Thursday through Monday, about 8:30 to 3:30) expect to be mistreated.