Federal Prisons

I came across your Under Lock & Key through a friend and I do enjoy it. I had read an article of a guy who reported a sexual assault abuse from a staff member. I myself went through a situation that the outcome has been the same here in a Texas prison.

I went to the PREA Ombudsman, and I filed a complaint. The result was I had made the whole thing up. I don’t know how staff abuse in prisons anywhere is allowed. If you follow the policy in place, the inmates are always in the wrong, and that’s in any prison. Because we are in prison all we are supposed to be is liars and criminals.

I myself use my time to try to learn to do better so I will not fall into the circle of coming back like so many do. All I can say to all is if you report any type of abuse, be careful because the system is made to make you wrong no matter what you do. My life has been threatened. I have been refused medical help when I try to get it, or any type of help. It seems like the more me and my family try to push the issue with the proper authorities, the worse the harassment gets. Well I just wanted to share my thoughts and say thanks for all you do. May the struggle end soon.

[The following were submitted to us by a group of New Afrikans in California working with the United K.A.G.E. Brothers. K.A.G.E. stand for Kings Against Genocidal Environments. The United K.A.G.E. Brothers have been pushing this line of peace and unity alongside the United Front for Peace in Prisons for some years now. We stand in solidarity with United K.A.G.E. Brothers in promoting the tenets of New Afrikan Revolutionary Nationalism for Black August as a way to build for peace and ending hostilities. This can tie into further struggle for peace, unity, growth, internationalism and independence this September 9th. - MIM(Prisons)]

• We aim to fast as a show of self-discipline and resistance. From the sunrise until evening meal we will abstain from eating.
• We aim to abstain from consuming any type of opioids, or other smokable or liquid intoxicants during the month of August.
• We aim to combat liberalism even by limiting our selection of non-frivolous TV shows and educational programs i.e., radio, historic documentaries, journal writings and other creative art exhibits.
• During Black August, we emphasize political and cultural evolution studies for those participants who care to assemble with other brothers and sisters rather by way of social media internationally and/or via facilitation within the institution forum.
• As an external display, the delegates of Black August will wear a black arm band. Other ways to express our solidarity include: we wear either a black ring (made of thread) or a wrist band in eulogy to all those New Afrikan/Blacks who strove none futily and made an ultimate sacrifice for what they believed in to Live or Die in Black Liberation.
• The New Afrikan Revolutionary Nationalist recognize Black August as a “revolutionary salute,” in formation those nationalist and others who share or stand in arms with our ideology or are serious and consistently moving forward to end in voluntary servitude and other colors of repression, ossifyism, neo-colonialism should participate in solidarity with our aim to cultivate the youth in pinpointing the wrong, acknowledging the wrong, confession of the individual’s fault, honest redemption, even understanding the aims of atonement, love for the people – eradicating self-hate via self-realized forgiveness, implicit reconciliation and explicit communal restoration while evolving with a sea of change toward a perfect Brother and Sisters International Union.
• From prison to the street we aim to parallel a live concert and other forms of Afro drum struct-entertainment.
• Black August bracelets and t-shirts will display our Red, Black and Green to promote our ceremonies and to raise economic support for both institutional establishment and to donate funds to the San Francisco Bay View prisoners’ subscription fund.

NOTE: There will be no surprise in seeing a multicultural community, among the New Afrikan/Black youth event; even some rival ex-gang or active members may be seen. We are placing O.G.’s, reputables and other delegates whom are branches of our inside and outside executive body who would be responsible for preparing and sharing the proper attitude and conduct for attending all events correlated to our Black August Inclusive Ceremonies. We aim to attend these events peacefully and to actively engage with deliberative and mature dialogue again to even overstand the importance of atonement.

Reconciliation Periods: During the month of August these “reconciliation periods” will be devoted to events and other inside and out activities, conferences, seminars, summits and community service, which will create solid relations between New Afrikan/Black communities, make our communal a safe haven and develop positive interaction within the community.

[Original statement describes these proposed events and community services.]

“If you are about peace then you are about revolution. You can’t be about peace and not be for revolution!” – Fred Hampton

Conclusion and Ratification

In light of the collective prisoner activism seen over the past several years; however, it can similarly be fairly said that we have been making strides to abolish the walls upheld by self hate. As a collective, we believe if we build our foundation on divisiveness and brotherly and sisterly love, our united front will resonate with more results and gain true freedom under the guise of internationalism. “WE” struggle for the liberation and unity of all oppressed people. A prominent empirical indication of this “WEISM” is the historical and life affirming “Agreement to End Hostilities” (AEH), crafted in 2012 by the brave and forward thinking men held in California’s solitary confinement units.

These trailblazers’ agreement marks a turning point. California prisoners have transcended long-standing racial, geographical and ideological differences to provide a new model of prison to society coexistence, one fundamentally premised on the multilateral accord to end all group hostilities.

Because it is the new cool and it’s our time as Kings and Queens of Peace we must fight to build self!! NO MORE GENOCIDE.

Also see: I Contribute to Peace.

Inside Delegates: [signed]

I am a indigent comrade from Texas and I do all I can to help the cause and struggle against the administration. I recently received the state-level grievance petition and mailed it to the Executive Director. Not even 10 days later my cell was searched for no apparent reason. BUT I noticed my legal mail was gone thru without a written I.O.C. from the Warden. Just a lil update.

Now I am in Ad-Seg and unable to get or make copies of the petitions. So I’m writing to request 5 copies of the state petition and also 5 copies of the new follow-up petition written to Federal law. Thank you for all help.

I’m doing all I can to help organize people at the James Allred Unit down here in Texas. But a lot of people only care bout their selves. But I have 85 years to do and I’m down for the cause to help abolish slavery and prisons. I will keep y’all updated if I receive any update on the petition I sent out.

I need more info on the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. I do know that handrails are considered reasonable accommodation for disabled persons. How is it that the federal government recognizes me as fully disabled but the state of Texas does not? The grievances i have filed have all come back with Basic Generic answers and the person whom signed their name was not legible, no rank or official title was listed and they came back months after the deadline. When I wrote the unit grievance investigator my I-60s never return. That’s crazy. I am in danger of losing a limb if I fall, why isn’t there handrails in the shower or around the toilets? And why are my grievances basically ignored. What’s going on in the Texas prison system. Beto is considered a medical unit that’s not equipped to handle serious inmates with disabilities. I see guys with walkers, canes, crutches, leg braces all struggling to get around and to bathe. The warden “Norris Jackson” told me himself that Beto doesn’t have medical showers, but TDCJ website says it does. Well I live here every day and I am disabled and there are no medical showers. So the website is a lie.

Mail the petition to your loved ones and comrades inside who are experiencing issues with their grievance procedure. Send them extra copies to share! For more info on this campaign, click here.

Prisoners should send a copy of the signed petition to each of the addresses listed on the petition, and below. Supporters should send letters on behalf of prisoners.

Legislative Corrections Ombudsman Office<br>
PO Box 30036<br> Lansing, MI 48909<br><br>

United States Department of Justice - Civil Rights Division<br>
Special Litigation Section<br>
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, PHB<br>
Washington, D.C. 20530<br><br>

Office of Inspector General<br>
HOTLINE<br>
P.O. Box 9778<br>
Arlington, Virginia 22219<br><br></blockquote>

And send MIM(Prisons) copies of any responses you receive!

MIM(Prisons), USW
PO Box 40799
San Francisco, CA 94140

The Harmful effects of Solitary Confinement (or Segregation, as it is called in the Department of Corrections) is well documented and recognized. People held in Solitary Confinement suffer psychological effects that make it harder for them to control their behavior. Rehabilitative programming and mental health treatment could make Anchorage Correctional Complex and many other Correctional Institutions safer.

Putting people in solitary confinement does reduce prison violence, only in the way that Anchorage Correctional Complex, Alaska Department of Corrections allows the gang controlled General Population (GP) mods to force out people with certain types of alleged charges if they don’t pay the gang protection charge (tax) of $500.00 a month or they are beaten up. People that are faced with a choice of adverse affects of gang related violence or solitary confinement usually choose solitary confinement over the Anchorage Correctional Complex sanctioned gang controlled GP mods.

People in solitary confinement segregation are deprived of the programming and social interactions that are needed to succeed and avoid recidivism upon release back into the community. Anchorage Correctional Complex, Alaska Department of Corrections can and should provide treatment, group programming, Religious services and opportunities for social interaction even in the most secure settings which will enable a more successful transition to the community.

Anchorage Correctional Complex (ACC) uses Administrative Segregation Protective Custody as punishment for these people that must request protection from people in GP due to the inefficient control by ACC officials oversight of GP gang operated and controlled mods at ACC. Administrative Segregation Protective Custody (Admin. Seg. P.C.) Adseg 5 people “cannot be guaranteed safe conditions” due to their status within the incarcerated community and therefore are the people that are segregated into solitary confinement as punishment by ACC officials allowing those people that are actually the agitators to continue to create unsafe environments, but they are free from punishment.

Other Alaska Department of Corrections (AK DOC) Institutions have shown that mods for people specifically needing or wanting to get away from gang controlled mods and violence can be housed in separate segregated modular housing units but in a GP style, with programming and social interaction available to those people. ACC officials punish pretrial detainees who request to be separated from the gang controlled mods of ACC, by putting those people into Solitary Confinement, removing their ability for rehabilitative programming, Religious Services, social interaction and a real possibility of re-integration to the community.

ACC refuses to recognize that the people in the GP mods that are creating this situation are the real threat to the institution and are the very ones that should be removed from GP and put into Punitive Segregation. ACC refuses to acknowledge the punishing conditions that solitary confinement poses and are quick to say “if you don’t like it, go back to GP”, then they turn right around and say that “we cannot guarantee your safety in GP.” Their very statements go to show their acknowledgement that they allow the gang operated and controlled GP mods here at ACC.

People in ACC Administrative Segregation should have the same conditions and privileges equal to the GP to the extent possible. ACC officials though, deny those privileges and conditions to Admin. Seg. people as a group punishment for requesting separation from the gang controlled GP mods. ACC officials claim that a Admin. Seg. P.C. GP Style mod will not work, although other AK DOC institutions use Admin. Seg. GP Style mods. ACC claims they can’t mix minimum and closed custody classified people in the same mod. AK DOC P&P 808.09 says that “minimum and closed custody prisoners shall not be housed in the same cell, dormitory or modular housing unit,” but ACC officials put minimum and closed custody pretrial detainees together in the same cells, dormitory, modular housing units as well as in the recreation yard where one officer oversees 20-35 detainees at the same time and ACC officials also put minimum and closed custody pretrial detainees in the Law Library with each other at the same time with a minimum of 4 locked doors between us and the nearest possible responding officer which puts minimum pretrial detainees at risk twice a day for an hour each time, from being locked in the Law Library with closed custody detainees. ACC Officials arguments denying Amin. Seg. GP Style mods are not sustainable in view of their practices of mixing and putting minimum and closed custody detainees together in situations every day that has the potential of the minimum custody detainees being harmed. ACC has two separate Admin. Seg. mods that they could separate minimum and closed detainees between the two mods with medium custody detainees filing in between the two mods. ACC officials refuse to consider this as an option.

Study after study has shown that long term Seg. can cause serious and permanent psychological damage. Pretrial detainees, especially those already diagnosed with mental illness are not supposed to be celled up with or housed with other pretrial detainees that do not have a mental health diagnosis. ACC officials do this all the time, creating the potential for harm to both those with and without mental illness.

It has been found in studies that severe negative effects can occur even after just a few days in solitary confinement conditions. Any time of solitary confinement beyond 15 days constitutes torture, cruel in-humane degrading treatment and punishment. The over-use of Segregated Solitary Confinement by ACC officials is bad for Public Safety.

People who are held in Seg. for substantial amounts of time are deprived of normal environmental stimulation and suffer symptoms such as anxiety, panic, withdrawal, hallucinations, hopelessness, paranoia and depression. This environment can also lead to the development of aggression and rage. These harsh confined conditions of sensory deprivation and lack of human contact have been shown to increase mental illness issues and lead to suicide and other self harm. The misuses of Seg. by ACC officials works against the process of rehabilitating people, thereby threatening public safety. Some of us have been in solitary confinement for 2-7 years here at Anchorage Correctional Complex. For myself, as of July 1st, 2018, its been 3 years in ACC solitary confinement segregation.

Rehabilitation programming and mental health care can make jails and prisons safer.

People in Seg. are denied access to the types of programming that is shown to lead to reductions in recidivism, Segregation conditions at ACC prevent people from sustaining or creating social bonds. The psychological effects of Seg. can be long lasting, preventing people released back into the community from adjusting to life outside of prison. The paranoia and social anxiety resulting from segregation means that people released into the community directly from segregation have difficulties adjusting and are at a greater risk of re-offending and are at a high risk for failure which is bad for public safety. I believe that the officials at ACC encourage failure for the “security” of their own job placement. Anchorage Correctional Complex officials have shown over and over that they have no desire to implement beneficial programming or social sustainment of mental well being in the people that are in their care.

Segregation is too costly to the people held in segregated solitary confinement that are harmed by ACC officials’ actions and to the communities that these people are released directly back into. People in Solitary Confinement should have access to meaningful rehabilitative programming and treatment. ACC officials refuse to open up the Admin. Seg. mods, although at the minimum, they should be seeking ways to increase the amount of time that people in Admin. Seg. Solitary Confinement have outside of their cells and to offer enhanced in cell programming opportunities, out of cell therapies, skill building and social interaction with staff with staff and other pretrial detainees, which are for safe integration to society and the community at large.

I don’t agree with the idea of Jackson being a homophobe by stating that unmarried white women are left to become prostitutes, nuns, and/or lesbians; I don’t find it derogatory either. I don’t agree or disagree with his statement. I actually have no judgement on that idea. I don’t understand why MIM says it’s homophobic and derogatory.

MIM(Prisons) responds: The MIM review of Soledad Brother we sent this comrade with a copy of the book includes this critique:

“The first part of the book, mostly letters to his mother and father, is not very political. Jackson uses many sexist stereotypes in this section, often to criticize his mother for failing in his brother’s and his own education. He says, for example, that unmarried white women are left to become prostitutes, nuns and lesbians (p. 45). While it is true that economic forces put more pressure on unmarried women (the fastest growing population in poverty are women and children), Jackson’s stereotype is homophobic and derogatory.

“Much of what could be criticized as sexist in Jackson’s writing is left as ambiguous. He says that ‘The white theory of ’the emancipated woman’ is a false idea’ (p. 46), which is an economic reality of Amerikan capitalism, but no context is given. To his credit he does explain that Black women are the backbone of the family (p. 74).”

The George Jackson reference is as follows:

“In the society of our fathers and in the civilized world today, women feel it their obligation to be ever yielding and obedient to their men. Life is purposely made simple for them because of their nature, and they are happy. When the women outnumber the men in the black societies, the men take as many wives as they can afford, and care for them all equally. In the white for some nebulous reason the men can take only one… the rest are left to become prostitutes, nuns, or lesbians.”

The beginning of the quote is perhaps the more damning part, positing that wimmin have a simpler nature than men and therefore are happy serving them. We hope you don’t agree with that part. The homophobia is perhaps more subtle, but Jackson is clearly pointing to these three options as being not good, and praising Black men for saving Black wimmin from such fates – having sex in exchange for money/things, not being able to have sex, or having to have sex with wimmin instead.

The grain of righteous truth in the Jackson quote is that white society had more fully succumbed to capitalist individualism, so that wimmin are more often left to fend for themselves in situations that are not conducive to meeting their needs. But Jackson contrasts this with the paternalist assumption that wimmin need to be taken care of by husbands in order to survive, suggesting that polagamy is a selfless sacrifice by men. The unique struggle of wimmin under capitalism is a result of the intersection of the patriarchy and capitalism, not about wimmin needing husbands to survive.

Revolutionary greetings to all comrades persevering in the struggle. This article is in reference to the recent rulings in the district courts within the Fifth Circuit, as well as the rulings by the Fifth circuit itself favorable to prisoners. We should seize upon this time to obtain relief for as many comrades as possible within our circuit.

We must exercise caution not to lead any comrades astray into believing that we will ever throw the yoke of oppression by way of the Amerikan nation injustice system and their courts. We can however utilize legal battles in an effort to bring in others from the fringes over to our cause by encouraging and promoting political education and unity, fostering growth and development while continuing to build our strength so that we are able and ready to seize power for the people when that time comes.

With that in mind I now turn to the most recent ruling by the Fifth circuit in August 2017 whereby they confirmed a ruling by the S.D. of Texas in a case on extreme heat. This case: Cole V. Collier, 868 F.3d 354; 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 15847-No. 16-20505 - an appeal from Cole v. Livingston, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77435 (S.D. Tex. June 14, 20166); is another example that can be emulated by others to obtain relief.

In that case the plaintiffs utilized Fed. R. Civ. P. 23 (a) in order to receive certification of a general inmate class, a heat-sensitive subclass, and a disability subclass; thereby containing a claim for relief for all prisoners in the TDCJ Wallace Pack Unit.

This case follows on the heels of a similar case: Ball V. LeBlanc, 792 F. 3d 584, in which the three prisoners in Angola’s Death Row building obtained relief tailored to them due to the restrictions of the PLRA to extend no further than necessary to correct the violation as to the particular plaintiffs. The plaintiffs at the Wallace Pack Unit however gained an advantage by using Fed. Civ. Rule 23 to obtain a class certification.

In conclusion I would like to encourage all comrades with the ability, to take advantage of these rulings and comb through these cases and the opinions of the judges to address any specific needs so as to obtain relief for their own units where possible. And as for those already engaged in litigation individually to encourage and aid when possible others to be that “Plaintiff” or “Plaintiffs” as I stated in a previous article. As for my own suits against the conditions and extreme heat here at David Wade Concentration Camp I will update my comrades as to any favorable progress. I am currently awaiting a preliminary injunction order to install temperature gauges such as was done in the Ball Case to prove the triple-digit temps. I also want to state that I have just returned here to D.W.C.C. after several transfers that were attempts to frustrate my legal mail and most of my suits. One of these transfers placed me at Camp F on D-tier in Angola’s Death Row building where I was personally able to see the relief provided to the three plaintiffs Ball, Code, and Magree who are housed on C-tier.

To see the full extent of relief provided see: Ball v. LeBlanc, 233 F. Supp. 3d 529; 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 177911.

DARE TO STRUGGLE. DARE TO WIN. ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE.

I’m writing to ask for more info on the California prison system putting SNY (Special Needs Yard) and mainline together in order to show that nothing has changed and the prisons are still very dangerous.

What I do know is that it started a few weeks ago here at Centinela State Prison and we are hearing of widespread violence at every yard they are doing this on – the so-called 50/50 yards or Programming Facilities (P.F.S.). We have only heard rumors at this point. Of course the staff would never tell us outright, but they do give hints. Any help in this matter will be appreciated. A lot of us here at Centinela SNY yard are endorsed to San Quentin PFS yard. We would love to help stop the violence, but it’s really mainline shot callers that will decide.

Most of us here on the SNY side want to do our time in peace. That’s why we are put on this side. Anyway, thanks for any help on this matter.

A USW comrade reports: Here at Corcoran they’re integrating yards. Now SNY/GP STG I & II are on the same yards, and being forced to program or be labeled program failures.

Legion of USW comments: June 2018 – As predicted the CDCR is doing away with the SNY/GP mainlines in favor of undesignated program yards. Legion did the math on this problem years ago and was made a mad scientist preaching that Black God stuff.

This provides USW a unique opportunity to be at the vanguard of the battle field building bridges instead of barriers. The prols have an opportunity to become the change they want to see. We have to revise and revisit certain debates about what solid looks like. The future is now and we need to adapt our struggle to the new landscape.

Legion is calling all God Bodies into formation! There’s no such thing as SNY or GP on the streets. You have factors and non-factors. We are factors; socially, politically and mentally. USW is where it’s at. Let’s crash the system!

Power to the People!

MIM(Prisons) adds: Early in 2018, the CDCR began transforming Level I, Level II, and, now, some Level III prisons into “non-designated yards”, eliminating the divide between SNY and General Population. This began with the healthcare facilities and fire camps. According to CDCR, SNY was created 20 years ago, and now accounts for one third of the California state prison population.(1)

In a video message on the subject, CDCR Director Scott Kernan calls on California prisoners to focus on themselves. He calls for them to disregard “prison politics.” While tapping into a real mass sentiment that is sick of some of the “prison politics” that leads to unnecessary beef and violence, this appeal to Amerikan individualism is misleading. The new Programming Facilities require prisoners to participate in the CDCR program. This is not really focusing on self, this is joining a group with strict guidelines. This path is a choice. And CDCR wants to make it the most appealing choice.

All humyns live in society. We cannot focus on self without also being part of a society and playing a role in it. For the oppressed, the support of the group is even more important. So prisoners must ask themselves if the CDCR program is the group that best serves their interests. We await reports from comrades inside as to the full implications of this reorganization. But we can look back to the “Step Down Program” implemented for SHU prisoners in response to the historic hunger strikes in 2012 and 2013, which coerced prisoners into accepting the oppressor’s definitions of criminal.(2) The PFS have a similar focus on “programming,” promising a more productive and quicker release in return.

We do not have the info to fully answer the comrade’s question about what is happening in these non-designated yards right now. But we echo the call from ULK 62 for USW comrades in California, especially those in the 50/50 yards, to work to build unity across different groups in these dynamic conditions.(3) As Legion alludes to above, change is in favor of the oppressed, it is only up to us to seize the opportunities that each change offers. For this September 9th Day of Peace and Solidarity, California USW will focus on this issue of the “non-designated yards”, and building peace and unity among these new conglomerates of people. For the next issue of ULK we want to hear about the successes and failures of this organizing, of September 9th, of the 50/50 yards and what it all means for organizing to end oppression on a systemic level.

I’m reaching out to bring awareness to Colorado’s state prison system’s “off record” policy to keep Chicano inmates in fractional warfare/oppression. Colorado has been plagued with the same brown-on-brown violence and ideology as California’s systems for the past 30 years. Only recently has an awakening transformed the “gang banger” mentality of the masses into a revolutionary mental state in the liberation and struggle for Aztlán. This has been met with all levels of repression such as out of state transfers to secret locations, MCC (Colorado’s new politically correct name for SHU/Ad-Seg STG lockdown where inmates can only come out of cell every 72 hours to shower, etc.)

On June 14, Chican@ Power and the Struggle for Aztlán was denied by the publication committee for the following reason: “material which poses a potential threat to the safety and security of the offender population or DOC employees, contract workers, and volunteers by advocating facility disruption or non-compliance with prison rules or regulations.” The truth of the matter is it was denied because it was coming to me at the specific time period when the Chicano masses in Colorado have decided to stop being the puppets for capitalistic racist oppression of a system which actively has aided and facilitated the destruction of our people by putting our lives in danger in numerous ways. The following are small examples of these conditions.

Putting rival members in pods where they are sure to be assaulted so severely that death or attempted murder are likely scenarios. Opening cell doors of rival STGs while inmates are cuffed and shackled to tables, so that they may be assaulted etc. This has been the norm for years. Now that we have risen above the tribal mentality in an effort to educate and raise awareness to the racist genocide of our people that the system has manipulated us into doing with our own hands we are being slammed in cells, censored, and oppressed even harder. I’ll be surprised if you ever receive this letter.

Currently I am in grievance procedures over books. Any material that may help or contacts to further our struggle would be greatly appreciated. Once I finish the grievance process I will send copies of all material on the issue. Thank you for your time. In solidarity with the struggle to end oppression and liberate Aztlán.