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Top Exposing False Security Threat Group (STG) System
...A struggle inmates have to deal with in the Michigan Prison system is the administration and this fake program they started called STG (Security Threat Group). I'm in an organization and all someone (an enemy of mine) has to do is write a letter to any officer (or administrator) saying I want to inflict injury on them, or just say I hold rank. And for no reason the police will put a person in this program.
The problem is once you are in this program; you can't get out until you sign some renunciation papers (saying you won't be a member no more). But when you sign these papers (if you do) then you could get into a fight or anything that is not related to gang activity and they'll place you in a Max joint for two to five years. And if you don't sign the papers the same thing occurs. So it's really a no-win situation. ...the way it's designed in inmates get no justice.
There are two levels to this STG program - Level I and II. Level II is supposed to worse, if you're in Level II STG you can never go to a Level I prison until you sign those papers. If you never sign these papers and you're released from prison, the institution is supposed contact the nearest police station, to where you are being released, and tell them that you're a security threat....
-- A Michigan Prisoner, 9 May 1998
Top New Jersey Prisoners Targeted
I am writing this letter to enlighten the public on the situation of the gang member unit at Northern State Prison named the Security Threat Group Management Unit (STGMU). Over 300 inmates were targeted for this unit. Many inmates including myself have not demonstrated any patterns of gang activities inside the prison, yet were placed this status simply because of being identified as a member. The administration's main targets were Latino. 80% of the isolated inmates here are Latino.
This program is NOT working. It's causing mental and emotional anguish in a stressful environment. This program was designed to segregate so-called "gang members" from the general population for their beliefs. This is a violation of the 1st, 4th, and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. In reality it's causing more hardships than creating resolution. For example all sorts of violations against their own rules with no remedy of matters. The administration is violating all sorts of due process in the handling of the hearing procedures....
Meals that are called for to be served hot are served cold. No social workers are assigned the unit STGMU to attend to our personal matters. Inmates are being denied medical treatment. Showers are given every three days. Visits with family are a non-contact visit once a month. Phone calls are once a week. The programs were supposed to start March 4, 1998 and now it's May 5, 1998 and still there is no orientation or any types of programs given. We are like dogs in a kennel cage waiting for when they are ready. Recreation is in a fenced cage 26 feet by 24 feet for ten inmates at a time.
Officers are stealing and/or destroying the inmates' property. In one instance, officers stole $700.00 worth of prisoner property. And officers damaged a personal radio. Inmates are NOT allowed to obtain educational, religious, or personal books of any sort. The officers and administration are NOT treating inmates respectfully, impartially or fairly. Officers are taunting and antagonizing inmates, instigating incidents where the inmates fall victim and pay for it. The officers are causing an intensified atmosphere in this unit.
When an inmate requests for a shift supervisor to remedy the situation with the officer, in inmates are denied. If one is seen, the supervisor justifies the wrongdoing of the officer. Administrative remedies are filed without answer or avail of rectifying the matter. Rights and privileges are being denied and taken without due process procedures. Internal Affairs and the Administrators (Mr. Barke and Mr. Sherver) are fully aware of all this and yet they refuse to intervene but instead condone what the officers are doing.
The officers are also interfering with outgoing and incoming mail. Mail being sent out is not reaching its destination and letters being mailed to us are not reaching our hands. Stamps inside the envelope end up missing. These people are abusing their authority in these matters, and nothing positive is flourishing from this except spending funds and taxpayer's money....
Respectfully, -- A New Jersey Prisoner 5 May 1998
Top Threatened with STG for speaking out
...I've been threatened by the prisonkrats with being placed on their STG (Security Threat List) for basically speaking out against the system. I will continue to speak out and be active by raising political awareness and engaging in activities of struggle against oppression, injustice, brutality, etc. Even though this is an uphill battle, the struggle will be endless until be are able to revolutionize this korrupt system and replace it with a humane system (socialism)....
i am, i remain relentlessly in struggle, -- A New Jersey Prisoner, June 1998
Top Gulags use "Gangs" as excuse to Repress Latinos
In January 1998 the Hispanics were locked down on this unit!! After investigation of (2) months all were released from not to be gang members. Thereafter all were put in field, forced to work; as time went many were set up with cases for bullshit set up lock ups. I will not give lists of names for their lives are now in danger. I seek help for each of the men who are suffering. In March a new round up was done; many of the same offenders were locked back up even after being found not to be gang members but it doesn't matter, they are Hispanic and that alone makes them guilty!!! The warden has no proof, nothing to show reason for the lock up of these men!!! The system says it has not to answer to anyone, it does not have to go by any laws be them federal TDCJ or any other law.
-- A Texas prisoner, [undated]
Top Gang Label Used To Oppress Prisoners
Dear MIM,
I was furious about the article that I read in your newsletter titled "Exposing New Gang Units in New Jersey" in the June 15, 1998 MIM Notes issue number 164 on page 10. It states that the 5%ers are a gang, which is not true. I know firsthand because I am a 5%er. Also because the dungeon I am locked up in now (Northern Uncorrectional Institution, NCI) just did a similar investigation on the 5%.
Three pigs raided my cell, mishandled all of my property and confiscated my 5% lessons. The excuse was we (the 5%) were being investigated for gang classification. I argued that we are not a gang, which our lessons even state so. And the Devils who did the so-called investigation said that they were not going to designate the 5% as a "Security Risk Group".
In addition, "Exposing New Gang Units" is also a false statement because the Latin Kings originated in Chicago in the early 60's or 40's. There are there to help the Latino Race. ...I know about the Latin Kings because I have friends who are associated with them. As far as the NETA's, they originated from Puerto Rico. So there's nothing new to them or the 5% which came into existence in 1964. It's just the Devils who need a reason to start building new control dungeons. It's a divide and conquer technique to keep us fighting against each other so they can start their poli-trick-ing.
I have a message to all those out there being oppressed in these dungeons: Focus on the oppressor himself, not your brother or fellow prisoners. Direct your energy into changing things, not complaining about your environment. Because all the complaining in the world is not going to change nothing. Action and Revolution is what will change your environment. So stop crying and start fighting your oppressors.
-- A Connecticut Prisoner, 18 June 1998
MIM Responds:
Thank you for your letter and your criticism. We agree that the term "Gang" is being used by prisoncrats to target progressive, active and revolutionary prisoners. The pigs use "gang units" and "security threat group" labels to encourage prisoners to fight each other instead of the pigs. We agree that prisoners should unite against their common imperialist oppressors.
But the letter you criticize was exposing the "Gang Units" which are being newly built in many prisons, not the organizations they are built to house. The fact is that these units really are built to contain members of groups such as the Latin Kings and the 5%ers specifically because these organizations pull together members of oppressed nations. This is considered a serious danger and the prisons use the name "gang unit" to justify the repression. New "gang units" are being built in many prisons across the country. (Note, "new" refers to the lock-up units, not to the organizations being housed in these torture chambers.)
You are correct to criticize the prisoncrats for labeling groups as gangs in order to repress them. We encourage all our comrades behind bars to join in the effort to expose this criminal injustice.
Top Experimental Drugs Offered for Isolation Induced Depression
...I'm angry because I'm disavowed the opportunity to be individually productive among the population. Yet, I don't cause any problems for my oppressor in which they can perceive and use to justify their keeping me locked down.
However the psychological effect of this form of isolation is counter productive to the conditions in which much displayed in order to be released by their review board. To be released from security detention one must stay disciplinary free from six to twenty-four months, endure harassment from the pigs in every form imaginable physical and psychological; yet remain obedient and submissive and not let this be a cause of changing ones actions. Yet this doesn't mean you will be taken off security detention. After enduring this for 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 or 36 months -- only to be reviewed every six months as a possible return.
...Even though the written policy is for inmates who display assaultive behavior, the practice is to destroy those of us in these units mentally and psychologically. [Their policy is] kill the head and the body will fall.
I did a little testing of the system recently. I requested to speak with a mental health worker. I explained to them that I was very depressed due to being held in isolation for over 20 months. I told her this problem was caused by being isolated and no other reason. As I expected she offered me some experimental psyche medicine to alleviate the problem. Yet I informed her that she had yet to understand. The alleviation of the problem would only come with the removal of myself from this depressive condition. She then stated that she had not the power to change my condition physically but she could offer psychological change. This is how I left her office a second later....
-- A South Carolina Prisoner, 9 July 1998
Top Exposing Oppression in Massachusetts
...I have filed [a suit] against these swines to shed light on the injustice that is oppressed upon us as prisoners on a day to day basis. I'm a Rastafarian prisoner who is currently confined to the Departmental Disciplinary Unit (DDU). Which is a separate building inside the MCI Cedar Junction- Walpole State Prison Facility. About 120 other prisoners and me are confined in this building.
...Each tier has ten cells and a dirty shower stall at the end of the tier, which is seldom cleaned by correctional staff. We are in leg shackles and handcuffed behind our back every time we leave the cells. We are allowed one hour a day, five days a week to go outside into fenced in dog kennels. We are allowed no contact with any of the other prisoners
Prior to coming out of the cells we are subjected to strip-searches which is nothing more than blatant sexual harassment. After we put on our clothes and are handcuffed behind our backs and leg shackled, we are then subjected to what they call "pat searches" where we are groped by these pigs. I seldom go out of the cell because of these harassment tactics. In addition, while we are out of the cells the guards tear up our legal documents, which is the only way out for those doing life sentences.
The department of corrections allows them to sanction prisoners to be confined in the DDU for up to ten years in one cell. That's MADNESS! ...You have not even heard half of the shit that goes on in this place! ...
Sincerely, -- A Massachusetts Prisoner, 18 June 1998
Top New Policy Threatens Prisoners' Lives
Peace MIM,
I scribe you to introduce to you the new (Neo) DOC Policy number: DC-ADM 201. Policy Subject: Use of Force. Below is an excerpt from the Policy Bulletin:
IV. Definitions
Five Yard Rule: Staff Equipped with fire arms may use force, including deadly force, if an inmate is within five yards and is believed to be in a act of aggression, which will compromise weapons retention.
V. Policy B-3-e Maintain weapons retention when an inmate is within five yards.
The above is a death penalty for those the government missed on its lethal injection list. With these robots (correctional officers) in possession of firearms it is a forum of megalomania for these weak minded and sadistic so- called correctional officers (c/o's) providing the ability to exercise their inner fantasies of their childhood icons such as Al Capone, John Wayne, etc.
The inmates who have several bogus misconduct reports contrived by the policy executioners (c/o's) such as threatening staff assault (whistling too loud) will be legal target practice for these Go-Bots (c/o's).
If you take a good look at this policy it states "if an inmate...is BELIEVED to be in an act of aggression..."[emphasis added by prisoner.] This asinine policy is legally stating that actual fact doesn't have to be apparent--just assumption or paranoia on the behalf of the over-worked, underpaid, sexually agitated, low self-esteemed, biased and prejudiced young correctional officer who is in dire need of counseling. This is death at the hands of the already dead (mentally). It seems the DOC is the real gangsters. They attempt murder and have murdered under the banner of their own laws.
I guess there will be a lot more George Jacksons and Soledad Brotha's in Pennsylvania's DOC in the upcoming years.
-- A Pennsylvania Prisoner, 6 July 1998
Top Police-Coerced Confession Puts Woman In Prison For 17+ Years
I was sentenced to a term of 60 years in 1983, for the murder of X in 1981. I was found guilty by an all-white jury with the exception of one African American man--not a jury of my peers. In this trial, no physical or scientific evidence from fingerprints, weapon, or eyewitness existed. The only evidence against me was an unsigned, un-court-reported statement, a statement by Chicago police alleging that I confessed. I testified at Court that I was detained by Chicago police who had me held in interrogation with my children of ages 1, 4, and 9 years old, when the police assaulted me and threatened me that if I did not confess, I would never see my children again. I testified that at that point I had no access to an attorney or any way to know that the police would not do as they threatened unless I agreed.
At trial, I testified falsely that Y, a male suspect questioned by Chicago police, was not at the crime scene. After my trial, I testified that during my trial, Y and his family members had contacted me and made threats upon my family's lives. I presented the letters [containing these threats] to the Court. After several years, Police Captain Z notified the Dwight Correctional Prison and informed my counselor that Y had been murdered and that his family members had confessed that he committed the crime I was and am being held for. In spite of appeals and testimony even to the Illinois Prison Review Board after seventeen years both the Illinois Judicial System and Governor Jim Edgar refused to investigate the case, in spite of the credible witness--a police officer of the law.
I have served seventeen years of my 60 year sentence and would like public support to assist me to get an investigation into the case.
--A Womyn Prisoner in Illinois
Top Prisoner Denied Medical Care, But Required to Pay For It
I have required medical assistance on more than one occasion and been denied. I was in administrative segregation at a previous prison (Michigan Reformatory). I had overdone myself with push-ups and messed my bone up in my elbow. Every time I moved my arm, the bone in my elbow would pop. The fake nurses told me since I have belly-chains on (which Michigan Reformatory requires you to wear when going to Health Service while in the hole), they can't do nothing about it, so they denied me medical care, but surely took my three dollars.
--A Michigan Prisoner, 27 May 1998
Top More to Offer Than a Life in Prison
Dear Comrades,
I'm sorry I haven't written sooner, but it was impossible because I've been at court. I have received the MIM Notes, and I do share them with others as well as discuss the topics.
It's sad to say these pigs are forcing me to take one and a half to three years more in prison. It's not much; it's the principle of their injustice system that makes me so angry. I really do wish to remain on the mailing list for MIM Notes.
The MIM Notes are very useful tools of education. In the New York [state] prison system, there's been an outbreak of war between Latinos and the Bloods. It's sad and I try through educating the brothers about this "divide and conquer" attitude. It seems at times things go smoothly, but it never lasts for long.
It doesn't help that the pigs are using physical and psychological torture to do as they wish. They only get away with that shit because we are locked in our cells 23 hours a day and we are in handcuffs and waistchains any time we leave our cells. They play with the food and the grievance procedure does not work, and it's impossible to get access into the courts unless we go through their administrative avenues which are impossible. You get the picture.
It just pisses me off that society thinks prisons are resorts or country clubs. That's so crazy. The brutality is out of control and when we defend ourselves we get more prison time. My rage is boiling and it's only a matter of time before I lose control. I know it will be and would be counterproductive. I have more to offer to the cause than spending my life in prison.
Well, comrades, I'll close for now. Peace to all those oppressed.
--A New York State Prisoner, 4 June 1998
Top Notes on a South Carolina Prison
...I am on lockdown, so I don't have first-hand info on the labor here, but I do know per order of the dictator (commissioner) that no one gets paid for work anymore except those who had a job before the new year, and if they lose their job, they don't get paid anymore when they start back work, and the law in this state is now mandatory 85% service of sentence, so slavery is in again!
They just implemented the new system for health care this month, and we're supposed to pay for all service and any medical damage we do to someone else!
I don't know about AIDS medication and all that; that is confidential, and those who do have the disease don't talk about it. However, when I was on the supermax wing here, they allegedly had an AIDS patient back there and they treated him worse than a dying animal. He could not talk or focus well enough to carry on a conversation. He was in need of serious health care, but they gave him the opposite. Stripping him out with no tissue or clothing or hygiene items and turning the air conditioner wide open.
There is no educational materials on this lock-up that is furnished by this prison. There was previously a book cart, but it stopped coming around when the new system and changes came in effect.
The only legal materials available is digests. Other books (supplements, U.S. reporters, etc.) are only made available if you request a specific book in that category. We are not allowed to go to any law library room. They have law clerks who often misinform people of the law, or they try to find ways to hustle us.
The guards here are continuously assaulting brothers in cuffs. I fear the same, not because of the pain, but because of the response I may make that could enhance my sentence.
Recreation here has been very disturbing recently. They've been constantly denying us our one hour recreation for no reason at all (though they always create one).
The latest wave of condition or treatment that I've found inconsistent with state practice in other prisons in this state is mace/gas. Recently they have been macing prisoners for hitting the door or stagging on the food flap hole in the cell door, and they refuse to give us a shower afterwards. I've been maced twice in the last two weeks. They allege it's a new policy, but no one has it [in writing].
They will mace prisoners without even inquiring into the problem that led to the hitting on the door or stagging on the flap, and they refuse to get a supervising official. What's so bad about this is, if you file a grievance, they will dismiss it because of the write-up against the prisoner that has nothing to do with him being denied a shower to get mace off of him.
...We do not want to waste our energy or yours begging the oppressor. We would rather channel this energy into building and organizing a stronger force.
Pamoja Tutashinda! (Together We Will Win!)
Re-Build, --A South Carolina Prisoner, 8 June 1998