From Inside Rush City: An Inmate's Call for Prison Reform, Recreation and Mental Health Support
In this op-ed, Rush City prison inmate Keith Hapana Crow describes deteriorating conditions following the 2025 closure of Stillwater prison, arguing that restricted recreation, unanswered mental health requests and punitive lockdowns are creating a mental health crisis and calling on lawmakers and the Minnesota Department of Corrections to pursue meaningful reform.
The current criminal justice system at Rush City prison is in need of major prison reform. With the aftermath of Minnesota legislative decision to close the century-old Stillwater prison in 2025 legislation has drastically impacted prisoners at Rush City.
The Restorative Justice perspective would encourage the administration to allow recreation. Why doesn’t the administration encourage recreation and exercise, even for those who are working?
In essence saying prisoners who want a positive program with jobs, staying out of trouble are being penalized. Why?
Furthermore why does the sex offender unit get paid to attend gym (50 cents an hour 5 days a week)? What would the lawmakers think of this conundrum?
Withholding of recreation for the prisoners is pushing many prisoners beyond the Rubicon, creating mental health issues. Further disconnection family and loved ones.
It is proven that human beings require physical exercise. At Rush City prisoners are allowed access to pull up bar, dip bars in the unit’s courtyards. However, what would the Fire Marshal think?
Modified lock downs, where out of cell time is reduced to the minimum are frequent — yet allegedly 9 new employees were hired in Spring 2026. There is always some illegitimate reason to lock in half of the kitchen unit as a punitive measure deepening the oppressive environment.
When prisoners are experiencing mental health concerns stemming from being treated like a dog, and forced to act like a Wolf, who is at fault?
Prisoners are encouraged to write Mental health for help, yet many requests go unreplied. Prisoners’ families are the ones who suffer more. Less contact with family, less time out of cells, including after segregation placements where people need mental health support.
What are the Administration’s objectives? Treat the prisoners like animals with oppressive measures that correlates with more hazard pay for forced overtime for staff?
Perhaps the administration could revert to the opening of the rural prison. Allow all prisoners out of cell full time. No job availability, where is the accountability?
2026, Disney corporation has cancelled Minnesota Dept of Correction contacts as for 10 plus years Minnesota Dept of Corrections has been misleading Disney with inflated wages paid to prisoners. Where are ICE agents to investigate this fraud in Minnesota?
Why is the Minnesota Dept of Corrections actively doing to curve the uptick in violence at Rush City?
Possible solutions, remote telephone jobs, reintroduce the dog training program, add mentor and other support jobs in all units, or paid restorative justice mentors. Simply offer recreation or switch in for an hour, and either offer prisoners to purchase a tablet that once was available, and in the meantime add more phones in the unit.
The United Nations has deemed long term isolation over 7 days is cruel and unusual punishment, ” Mandela Rule.” For the sake of anyone struggling with mental health issues, please make a complaint on our behalf.
- Mr. Paul Schnell
- Minnesota Dept of Corrections
- 651-361-7226 or 651-361-7200
Keith Hapana Crow is a current inmate at Rush City prison.