IF YOU GOTTA BUT CAN'T SOMETIMES - IT'S COST?

Millions have shy bladder syndrome Inmate Jeff Corsiglia was placed
in a small Missouri prison room with two guards, a small cup and a
deadline: two hours to urinate. If he tested clean, he would almost
certainly walk free in a month. If not, he faced years in prison.

But in a time of routine urine tests for inmates, those on probation
and job applicants, anxiety and bladders betray some people. Few of
them have any recourse. In Corsiglias case, the cup stayed dry. The
Kansas City man begged to pay for another kind of drug test saliva,
hair, blood or to be put into a room to urinate alone. Prison
officials refused.

Corsiglia, 27, now realizes he is among an estimated 17 million
nationwide who suffer from shy bladder syndrome, a mental condition
marked by difficulty or inability to urinate in front of others. In
April 2005, corrections officials cited him for disobeying the urine
order, which meant he failed a voluntary prison-based treatment
program. Instead of being released after four months, as he expected,
Corsiglia suddenly faced more than four years behind bars before
becoming eligible for parole. Corrections officials said they simply
were following the rules rules courts nationwide had upheld.

Occasionally, shy bladder sufferers file lawsuits. Once in a great
while, one wins. Mostly, prisoners are forced to serve more time
while workers get disciplined, fired or lose out on new jobs.

Missouri corrections officials said they could not comment
specifically on Corsiglias case.

Generally, alternative tests can be provided only if an inmate has
been diagnosed with shy bladder or another medical problem, they
said. Corsiglia has not been officially diagnosed.

People with shy bladder seldom get a diagnosis, experts said, and
they often are greeted by snickers, disbelief and disinterest.

Few people know of the condition, called paruresis, and it gets
little respect from courts, administrators or employers, said
professor Steven Soifer, founder of the International Paruresis
Association in Baltimore. The association has received hundreds of
letters from prisoners. This is the worst case Ive ever heard, Soifer
said of Corsiglia. People arent going to believe prisoners when they
say they have this problem. People dont even believe employees. The
Missouri Department of Corrections tests about 20,000 inmates or
probationers a month, mostly through urine, according to John W.
Bowen, the departments toxicology laboratory superintendent.

Alternative tests cost more than the roughly $6 spent for urine tests
and sometimes reveal less.

A troubling case Corsiglia had been drinking Aug. 28, 2002, when he
found his car broken into and his stereo equipment gone.

He drove to the home of those he blamed, poured fuel on a brick wall,
ignited it and watched flames flare high and burn out, he said. The
fire only blistered paint, according to court records.

But people were home and could have died. His crime was first-degree
arson. I really wasnt trying to hurt anybody, even though it does
sound bad, Corsiglia said. It was a stupid thing to do. While
awaiting trial, he quit college, became despondent and used marijuana
and cocaine.

His lawyer made a plea deal in late 2004. Corsiglia would spend four
months in prison and receive a five-year suspended sentence. He had
no prior felonies and wanted to move past this one, Corsiglia said.
Jackson County Judge Ann Mesle asked him if he wanted a straight four
months of shock time or four months that included treatment,
Corsiglia said. Given his drug problem, Corsiglia chose treatment.

I thought it would be better for me, he said. I havent used any drugs
since, and Im not planning to. He had been reclusive about urinating
since he was a boy but didnt worry about it, he said. After he could
not urinate in the prison test, he said, he got punished with more
than two weeks in what inmates call the hole a cell with one other
inmate and no access to television or use of a fan. He lost the right
to sit down with his mom or other visitors without glass separating
them. He was not allowed to participate in recreational activities in
the yard and could only use the phone with special permission.
Sanctions are normal for those who do not provide urine, Bowen said.
Corrections officials recommended that the judge not release
Corsiglia after 120 days because he refused to take the test and,
therefore, failed the drug program. It was his first documented rule
violation, court records said. His lawyer sent a letter asking
corrections officials to reconsider. They did not. The matter never
went to Mesle for a hearing. She declined to comment for this story.

Last fall Corsiglia was called for a random urine test and, once
again, could not give a sample. He got sent to the hole again, lost
his contact visits and was put on limited recreation for six months,
he said. If it happens again, he faces even longer discipline.

Corsiglia said he tried to get a lawyer to file a lawsuit but could
not find one to take his case.

A nationwide problem Shy bladder lawsuits are fairly recent
developments in U.S. courts. Almost all lose. Ask Joseph Kinneary, a
former boat captain for New York City who lost his license and his
job after not being able to provide urine for a routine test about
three years ago. Alternative tests he paid for showed he was clean,
but bosses fired him over the urine test.

He sued the Coast Guard and New York City. Though he lost the Coast
Guard lawsuit this year, he got his license back. His lawsuit against
New York City is pending.

He now works as a biology professor at New York University. Youre
fighting a brick wall, he said of the urine test industry. Kinnearys
lawyer, Ambrose Wotorson, said he was handling several private
industry shy bladder cases in federal courts that had not reached
juries. At least one major national company, Georgia Pacific Corp.,
has switched to saliva testing for employees.

Missouri corrections officials have rejected saliva testing; Jackson
County Family Court officials are considering it.

Soifer said urine testing would fade if for no other reason than it
was invasive and distasteful.

Quite frankly, he said, people dont like handling all that urine.

[SIDEBAR]

First glance

- - The difficulty or inability to urinate in front of others is known
as shy bladder syndrome.

- - It affects 17 million nationwide.