Massachusetts Senator John Kerry is pressing the Social Security Administration for answers after an undercover investigation showed that prisoners may be receiving Social Security disability benefits after filing claims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the investigation, some prisoners recently released back into society have filed claims of PTSD after facing unfamiliar circumstances that they would not have faced while incarcerated. One man, a convicted murderer, was said to have been awarded SSDI benefits after he had an uncomfortable visit to the restroom outside of prison where he did not know how to operate an automatic sink.
Apparently, prisoner claims similar to this one are not that uncommon, as sources say that they see these claims frequently from individuals who do not truly need the benefits they are applying for. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown are waiting for answers from the Social Security Administration, and are working to ensure that SSDI benefits are available for those who truly need them, not individuals who arguably feel inadequate after serving a prison sentence. The prisoner who began receiving SSDI benefits after being released is currently back in prison after he violated his parole.

