For Some, Crime Does Pay if You Need Health Care

Larry Causey figured he couldn’t afford cancer treatment in a hospital, so he went to a place where it’s free: jail.

Causey, 57, called the FBI and told them he was about to rob the post office in West Monroe, La. At the post office, he handed a note to a teller demanding money, then left empty-handed and sat in his car until officers arrested him.

“Larry’s very sick, so getting arrested made him very happy,” said Jay Nolen, Causey’s lawyer.

Causey pleaded guilty to attempted robbery March 21 and is now getting the care he needs--compliments of the Ouachita Parish Jail. Doctors have put him on three types of medication and are planning to perform a colonoscopy to determine the extent of his cancer.

Causey’s medical case may be extreme, but his story isn’t uncommon. While statistics aren’t available, sheriffs nationwide say they’re arresting people willing to trade their freedom for a free visit to the doctor.

“A lot of times when they get arrested they say, ‘I’ve got this [illness]. You’re going to have to take care of it,’ ” said Sheriff Dale Radcliff of York County, Neb.

State and federal laws require jails and prisons to care for sick inmates. As a result, sheriffs say their medical budgets are being inflated.

Hall County, Neb., was forced to double its inmate medical budget from $50,000 in fiscal 2000 to $100,000 in 2001, but inmate medical bills have already exceeded $130,000, said Dave Arnold, director of the county’s corrections department. Two patients--one in intensive care and another with a heart attack--were responsible for $70,000 of those costs.

Hall County Commissioner Lonnie Logan said he wants to know whether the county can share some of the costs with the state or federal government.

“It can be a major problem,” said Wayne Houck, sheriff of Lincoln Parish, La. “We’re talking about thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to treat one prisoner.”

Concern over high inmate medical bills may also be altering the way police do their jobs.

Tom Casady, police chief of Lincoln, Neb., said he’ll often wait to arrest someone if they need hospital care.

Houck has allowed sick prisoners out of jail rather than spend tax money on their health care.

“If it’s a lesser crime, you can just let him out on bond,” Houck said. “Then a charity hospital can take care of him.”

Medicaid benefits are automatically canceled when a person is incarcerated, said Traci Billingley, spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Most insurance providers deny coverage when a policyholder is incarcerated, but numerous prisoners aren’t insured in the first place.

Many of those who deliberately get arrested have been imprisoned before and would rather do time than pay for dental treatment or other medical costs, Houck said.

“They know that if they get back in the system, they’ll get their problems fixed,” Houck said.

Causey is among those repeat offenders. When he wasn’t drifting around the country performing odd jobs or working in flea markets, Causey served prison time on felony convictions for wire and mail fraud.

“Everyone in town knows him,” said Ouachita Parish Sheriff Richard Fewell, who’s arrested Causey numerous times for fighting and theft.

At 6 foot 4, Causey was once an intimidating and muscular figure, but his health began to fail about four years ago. He’s now stooped and weak, said his brother, Derwood Causey.

Besides cancer of the colon, intestines and prostate, Causey suffers from diabetes and polycythemia, a blood condition that requires regular transfusions.

The post office robbery was Causey’s second deliberate attempt to be incarcerated. Earlier in March he skipped a court hearing for a traffic violation. After a warrant was issued for his arrest, Causey surrendered with a suitcase and toothbrush in hand. Jail officials turned him away because their computer hadn’t processed the legal paperwork.

“That’s probably when he got the idea to rob the post office,” said Nolen, his attorney.

Although Billingley said federal prisons haven’t noticed a trend of people seeking to be jailed solely for the health care, Nolen said Causey purposely committed a federal crime because he knew federal prisons often have superior medical treatment.

Causey will, however, have to wait until his August sentencing hearing before he can move into the federal system.