Fighting criminal treatment of prisoners at HDSP
I am writing to you from High Desert State Prison here in Indian Springs Nevada. I am hoping that you will send me my own issue of ULK to read, as well as copies of your grievance and food petitions for the state of Nevada. I have a list of about 35 people that are willing to fill out and mail out the above petitions.
The state of affairs here at HDSP is criminal!
The grievance system is only in place as a way to slow prisoners access to the courts, and attempt to dissuade us from redressing our issues.
The medical department at this prison is inadequate and failing to provide treatment for prisoners, some even have very serious conditions such as cancer, hepatitis C, etc. It is not unheard of for a prisoner to wait 6-8 months to be seen after they make known their conditions.
The food is served in the same space used to cut hair, play cards, work out, shower, etc. The portions are inadequate and far from balanced by any stretch of the word.
Prisoners are denied the proper time out of their cells (Administrative Regulation 801.05(2) state that “closed custody will receive a minimum of five hours a day of out-of-cell time, contingent on positive conduct”). On average the prisoners in my unit receive 13 hours per week of out of cell time. 22 hours short of the mandated time!
Mail is often mishandled, lost or given to the wrong prisoner, because lazy pigs refuse to do their jobs and check IDs and match information before handing over pieces of mail.
The pigs often just slide mail under cell doors at 2am, causing prisoners’ family addresses, pictures and vital information to be disseminated.
The issues far outweigh anything positive that HDSP may attempt to provide us. I have teamed with my current cellmate to file as many colorable claims against the NDOC/HDSP as we’re able to, but two against hundreds is a hard fight.
The support of MIM(Prisons) in our fight through providing us with tools such as ULK and sample petitions, books, etc. is invaluable!
I want to start to organize comrades here at HDSP and welcome your help in doing so properly. Please send me any resources you have that my help.
