Federal Prisons

I'm just reading your info pack for the first time in 9 flat years. This is the first time I've seen it. I'd like to get involved in your program and get on your mailing list.

What's started all this is this unit we're on, C.T. Terrell only returns 20% of the grievances we send in. This grievance system on this ifs totally broke down.

Another thing that got me started on this is that I got issued a case for contraband, i.e. a sewing needle. This guy in the craft shop sold some needles and they told him if he got them back nobody would get a case.

So this guy started going all over this trusty camp gathering up the needles. This craft shop officer was standing at the front desk trying to write down the cubicles he was going to. So she wrote all these cases that half of them were frivolous, so they tore them up and wrote some more and my name came up on the second batch of cases.

They come to my work and read me the case and took my statement. The first thing I noticed was the wording of the case on the second thing & noticed our sgt.'s name stamped on the bottom. I asked this sgt. about this case she wrote and she told me "I did not write any of these cases!" She told me the craft shop officer wrote all these cases and stamped her name on them.

They got all the needles back and the guy that sold all the needles only got a level 3 case when everybody else got a level 2 contraband case. So I'm 99% sure I'll get the contraband case stuck on me. But I am going all out on the craft shop officer for PD-22-10, pg 6 for falsification of records.

This is really the straw that broke my back with this system. The grievance system on this unit anyway is completely broke down. If we write our grievances to the ombdudsman's office they just send them straight back to this warden. I just saw in your Texas Pack A RRM Division Administrator. Who that is I have no idea, but I want to find out all I can because I am going all out. I want to educate myself as much as I can before I start writing letters on stuff I have no idea what I'm talking about. I think with y'all's help, I can educate myself in standing up to these people.

An I60 is a form used throughout Texas Prisons as a means of paper communication. On the Wynne Unit, and perhaps other units, an "Escape I60" is supposedly an I60 written by another inmate claiming that an inmate is planning to escape. The I60 is unsigned.

An "Escape I60" is used to "lock up" inmates in a segregation cell, a.k.a., PHD. An "investigation" is supposed to occur usually, a few inmates are called out in the middle of the night to sign statements that they have not heard of anyone looking to escape.

There are sometimes other reasons that are used to "lock up" an inmate.

On 5/9/18 I was called out and told an "Escape I60" was written on me. It stated that I was planning to escape and had stolen an officer's ID.

1. Wouldn't you immediately check to see if an officer's ID was missing?
2. If not, wouldn't that indicate that the I60 was BOGUS?

The officers who took my statement as to how false this was, also asked if I possibly knew who wrote it. I said that I have a new cell mate but have no proof that he or any other inmate wrote it. Later I remembered that the officers also said the I60 stated I intended to harm Nurse Jackie Fisher.

On 4/3/18 when I incured a urinary tract obstruction and was taken to medical, I was refused medical care. It took almost 26 hours for the obstruction to clear at which time my urination was painful and had blood. The nurse who refused me was Jackie Fisher. The officer who took me to medical and told me that Jackie Fisher had refused medical care, was the same officer interviewing me.

I also realized that I had told NO inmate this. I had only conveyed this in letters and grievances. Something only officers/staff have access to. I recently filed 6 grievances.

Inmates say that only a few "Escape I60s" are written by other inmates. Most believe that a majority of "Escape I60s" are written by officers looking to lock inmates up—retaliation?

One inmate was locked up for almost 30 days because an I60 claimed he intended to assassinate Warden Strong. Warden Strong actually came to see this inmate.

If officers on the Wynne unit "truly" beleived that someone was planning to assassinate Warden Strong, why didn't they alert local law enforcement or the FBI?

For a while now I’ve wondered why all the conflict between anarchists and socialists/Marxists/Maoists. I mean, we are two revolutionary forces who are committed to the abolishment of capitalism, imperialism and all forms of oppression. We have that in common and that is what’s important. I understand that our strategies and ideologies are a bit different, but what’s preventing us from getting together in solidarity, agreeing to disagree and focus our energies on the revolution combining our strengths and common ground? Why can’t we cease to tear each other down? I don’t know about anyone else, but this bothers me! The energy used to tear one another down, discrediting one another, could be used to gain some real headway by picking up arms together to combat oppression. Of course there are more experienced and more politicized people than me that may wish to give me some feedback and critique. I welcome critique, feedback and criticism.

MIM(Prisons) responds: This is a good question, especially for building a united movement against imperialism. There are many reasons to build unity with all who can be united. Maoists advocate a united front against imperialism because this format of organizing allows all organizations to freely build their own movements and push their own ideologies, but come together against a common enemy.

At the same time, we do believe there are some very good reasons to refuse to unite with some organizations. Just because a group calls itself “socialist” or “anarchist” doesn’t mean it is automatically on the right side of the struggle. In the extreme, we have the national socialists who are really fascists, as an obvious example. But even among those claiming to be progressive revolutionaries there are some organizations that have taken up such wrongheaded and dangerous political lines that we consider them to be more use to the fascists than to the revolutionaries.

In the case of anarchists in general, we do not see them as enemies. In fact we believe that anarchists have the same end goal as communists: a society where no people have power over other people. But anarchists don’t have a strong history of success in progress towards that goal. We see their approach of jumping right from imperialism to anarchism as idealist, because it hasn’t played out in real life at even a comparable scale to the socialist experiment.

It’s just not realistic to overthrow the imperialists and keep them overthrown, without a period of proletarian state power. We have too long of a history of class, nation and gender oppression for that to happen. The bourgeois classes will need to be forcibly repressed, and culture will need to be radically altered on a mass scale. It might take generations before humyns evolve to live peacefully with no oppression. As MIM write in MIM Theory 8: “Communists know that it takes power to destroy power, whereas anarchists see power itself, independent of conditions, as the enemy of the people.”

In the First World, in particular, there are some anarchist (in addition to socialist) groups which are doing work that actively supports imperialism. It’s important that organizations clearly work out what are the most important questions of political line that we face today. For instance, we have, in this country, a bought-off class of people who are clearly economically and ideologically in support of imperialism. Yet some so-called socialist and anarchist organizations see these people as their mass base, and call on them to rally for even higher wages and a bigger piece of the imperialist pie. That’s not progressive, that’s a call to fascism! And so we can’t unite with such political stances. In fact if that group calls itself “socialist” or “anarchist” or even “Maoist,” we think that’s more dangerous than if they openly organized for fascism, because it is misleading people about what is the communist struggle.

I would like to ask your staff a question. I recently received ULK 60 and it made a statement that solitary confinement was abolished in Texas in 2017. When I seen that, it floored me. I say that because i'm writing this letter FROM SOLITARY CONFINEMENT. So did I miss something? And if so, how can I fight from here to rectify the situation?

I let others read that and we all was stunned. I mean stunned. Are we reading this statement in your newsletter wrong?

Also we would like to know what is the Texas Pack and how can I obtain one? Your newsletter has shed light on a lot of things that are helpful for us in this place, and I just would like to say thank you and keep up the good work.

MIM(Prisons) responds: In September 2017, TDCJ announced it would no longer use solitary confinement for punishment, or as a method to encourage good behavior. It would "only" use "Administrative Segregation" (totally different from solitary confinement, right?) for "gang members, those at risk of escape, and those who are likely to attack other inmates."(1) That month, 4,000 people were still held in isolation on these grounds. Consider that only 75 prisoners were actually released from solitary confinement after this policy change.

We appreciate that this writer spoke up, because this is a very common practice. The Department says "we're not using it for punishment," while holding many, many people in isolation. The claim of gangs and security threats is often cited as the justification for the "exception" to their superficially-humanitarian publicity stunt.

Some examples include the Tier 2 program in Georgia, and the indefinite solitary confinement in California prisons that led to the hunger strikes in 2011-2013 and the Ashker settlement.

No matter what you call it, or what "justifications" are given for why it's used, solitary confinement is always torture, and never necessary. We have no doubts that solitary confinement can and should be ended, for everyone, today.

As for the Texas Pack, we are still updating and mailing this out. It's one of our more expensive projects, so we're asking for subscribers to send a donation of $2.50, or work-trade, to get the Texas Pack. This packet contains all our campaign info relevant to TDCJ, including on the grievance process, medical copay, and indigent mail restrictions. Send your donation to the address on p. 1, and tell us first if you want to send a check or M.O. so we can send instructions.

I am writing with concerns pertaining to the (SRG) gang issue that's been hindering so many individuals in the North Carolina prison institutions. Guilty by association has been at the forefront of bestowing gang affiliation. I feel a person should only be labeled if caught in the act of any malicious behavior with a gang member.

One thing that stands out from this whole ordeal the most is how the gang intelligence officers use confidential information to gain a guilty verdict against you with the hearing examiner.

How are you supposed to face your accuser when you don't know anything about the source from which it came? It's a violation of your constitutional rights no matter what type of label is placed upon you. I feel the situation should be taken seriously due to the fact that, as a human being, it puts restrictions on one's life, as well as scrutiny in the public eye.

I am currently going through these circumstances and it is very frustrating knowing that you have to be accountable for someone else's actions even when the evidence speaks for itself. I fully overstand that being black in amerikkka is an everyday struggle, especially when it comes to judging an entire race. My mindset is to overcome these obstacles and maintain a sense of focus on being successful.

I will tell you about this prison conditions in this state jail because the prison system in Texas has created a state jail (to squeeze more money from the honest taxpayers). The state jail runs this place in all kinds of ways except the right way.

For example: one of the federal stipulations in the cases of Wolf vs McDonald (in California) and Ruiz vs Estelle (in TX). The federal courts passed a new rule that states when the prison system conducts a disciplinary court, they must have a tape recorder. This state jail does not have one tape recorder. Never has.

Más de 2 millones de personas se encuentran encerradas en prisiones y cárceles en los Estado$ Unido$. Estos encarcelamientos representan sólo 1% de la población. Casi 7 millones de personas han estado bajo la supervisión del Sistema Correccional para Adultos (incluyendo libertad condicional y probación) a finales del 2015. (1) Y en el 2012, los últimos datos disponibles del Departamento de Justicia de E.E.U.U., el total de la cantidad de dinero gastado en el sistema de Injusticia Criminal entre los gobiernos Federal, Estatal y local fue de $265,160,340,000. Estas prisiones son responsables de $80,791,046,000. 2) Estas prisiones son increíblemente costosas para el estado y estos prisiones cuestan mucho más que lo que producen. 3) La pregunta es, porqué el gobierno, en todos los niveles, continúa gastando tanto dinero para mantener tanta gente encerrada? Y porqué los Estados Unidos tienen la tasa de encarcelamiento más alta que en cualquier otro país del mundo?.

El mito del complejo industrial de prisiones

El meme del complejo de la Industria de Prisiones (PIC) se ha convertido efectivamente popular en Estados Unidos. Detrás del concepto del PIC está la creencia que hay grandes intereses de parte de grandes corporaciones y por eso hay encarcelamiento masivo en los Estados Unidos. Esto representa la política Amerikana que aparenta ser "anti-corporativa", mientras niega la estructura de clase de un país que está formado casi completamente de una clase de gente que sigue siendo explotada.

Mientras que si hay algunas corporaciones están, ciertamente, ganando dinero gracias a estas prisiones, la mayoría de las prisiones son operaciones que hacen perder dinero al gobierno. Básicamente, el gobierno subsidia las ganancias e ingresos de varias corporaciones y muchos de los así llamados "trabajadores" individuales (vea el artículo de Costos de encarcelamiento). Si nosotros examinamos las estadísticas de las prisiones, ondas económicas, prisiones privadas y la “diversidad” de la población de prisioneros, entonces si nos queda claro que las prisiones son fundamentalmente para el control social sobre naciones opresoras dentro de las Kkkulebras Unidas (Estado$ Unido$). Esto nos lleva a unas conclusiones importantes sobre cómo funciona el sistema de prisiones y cómo debemos de luchar contra estas.

Baja la tasa de encarcelamiento

En general, la población en las prisiones y cárceles en los Estado$ Unido$ ha estado disminuyendo en estos años recientes, junto con el ritmo de encarcelamiento. El número total de gente en prisión y cárceles empezó a caer en el año 2009, después de décadas de incrementos estables prisión y cárceles empezó a caer en el año 2009, después de décadas de incrementos estables.

En realidad los incrementos en el año 2008 no pudieron mantenerse con el incremento de la población en los Estado$ Unido$, puesto que el nivel en el año 2007 estaba con 1 en cada 31 personas estando bajo alguna supervisión correccional (incluyendo cárceles, prisiones, libertad condicional y periodo de prueba-probación). La población en las prisiones tuvo su pico en el 2006-2008 con un 1% de la población adulta encerrados tras las rejas. Esto cayó al .87% al final del 2015. (4)

La crisis financiera reciente se alinea con la caída de encarcelamiento empezando desde el año 2008. Parece ser que el gobierno de Estado$ Unido$ sí tiene límites en su voluntad de gastar dinero en un sistema criminal injusto. Si encarcelar a gente fuese una manera de aumentar las ganancias, entonces el número de prisioneros aumentaría cuando hubiese una crisis financiera, no descendería.

Prisiones Privadas

El desarrollo de prisiones privadas en el sistema criminal injusto de Amerika son un peligro. Estas prisiones son operadas y son propiedad de corporaciones con fines lucrativos. Estas prisiones privadas toman posesión de cualquier reo de cualquier Estado que les page por su servicio. En los Estados donde hay sobre población, mandar gente a una prisión lucrativa es una buena opción de negocio. Estas corporaciones también tratan de vender sus servicios como más baratos y eficientes, básicamente reduciendo los servicios de nivel ya peligrosamente bajo a los prisioneros, a fin de ahorrarse en costos, porque como hemos visto, las prisiones son extremadamente costosas de mantener.

A los finales del 2105, El Buro de Prisiones Federales y 18 Estados estaban saturadas o excedían la capacidad máxima de las instalaciones de las prisiones.(5) Hay que esperar esos contratos de parte de prisiones hacia prisiones privadas. Pero el actual porcentaje de prisioneros en prisiones privadas es relativamente bajo. En el 2015, solamente el 8% de prisioneros estatales y Federales ocupaban complejos privados. Y este número bajo 4% desde el 2014. 6) Esta caída es mayor que la disminución del 2.2% en cantidad de presos entre los años 2014 y 2015.

Si las prisiones privadas fueran tan exitosas, entonces deberíamos ver estos números aumentar, y no disminuir. Y si fueran tan influyentes con los políticos, entonces tendrían un mayor valor en el mercado. Claramente, las prisiones privadas no son la parte principal de algunos "complejos de prisiones industriales." Hasta ahora, las corporaciones no han descifrado cómo generar ganancias, de forma exitosa, de las prisiones, aparte del bajo subsidio limosnero que reciben de parte del gobierno y la comisaria. Y además de todo esto, los gobiernos estatales y federales están perdiendo dinero al tener que pagar por prisiones.

Hay mucho activismo opuesto a las prisioneras privadas. Esto generalmente viene de gente que entiende que la privatización de una institución usualmente no tiene un buen resultado para los oprimidos. El activismo influye al gobierno. Es posible que las voces en contra de prisiones privadas ayudó a empujar a la administración de Obama para que implementara las pólizas de facetas fuera de las prisiones privadas para reos Federales. La administración de Trump ha repelado esa política desde entonces.

Pero no creemos que esta pregunta sea políticamente partidista. El gobierno de E.U. ha mostrado que no parará hasta implementar políticas que empujen ganancias industriales capitalistas. Los ataques violentos contra activistas que protestaban por la destrucción de la Línea de Tubería de Acceso de Dakota es un buen ejemplo. Esto no es una lucha contra corporaciones capitalistas, esto es un debate sobre qué grupo de gente recibe un subsidio del gobierno: corporaciones de prisiones privadas, o empleados de prisiones públicas. Alejarse de las prisiones privadas no es doloroso para el gobierno, porque esto no requiere una disminución de prisiones, sólo un cambio hacia donde se va el dinero.

Opresión Nacional

Entonces, si no para ganancia de dinero, porque Estados Unidos encierra tanta gente? La repuesta a esta pregunta es obvio cuando vemos a los presos y al el historial de encarcelamiento en este país. Es imposible hablar de prisiones sin mencionar la tremenda desigualdad en que el sistema de injusticia criminal trata a Chican@s, Primeras Naciones, y Nuevos Afrikanos, dentro de las fronteras de Estados Unido$. La tasa de encarcelamiento es ridículamente alta, particularmente para los hombres de estas naciones mencionados, es la desigualdad más obvia.

Aproximadamente el 12-13% de la población de Estados Unidos son Afrikanos Nuevos, pero los Nuevos Afrikanos hacen alrededor del 35% de prisioneros. (7). La tasa de encarcelamiento de las Primeras Naciones también esta desproporcionadamente alta. En Dakota del Sur, por ejemplo, la población Indígena forma el 8% de la población en ese Estado, pero forman el 22% de la población masculina, y el 35% de la población femenina en prisiones de ese estado. Mientras, que las Chican@s son encarcelados a una escala mayor que los Euro-Amerikkkanos.

Cualquier estudio del sistema de injusticia revela la misma evidencia: La mayoría de prisioneros son de naciones oprimidas. Aunque la realidad es que hay más Euro-Amerikkanos en E.E.U.U. que todas las naciones oprimidas combinadas.

La desigualdad empieza en las calles con los policías encargándose de las comunidades oprimidas, y continúa en las cortes con sentencias desproporcionadas, representación legal inadecuada, y un jurado sin conciencia o con consciencia pero prejuiciosa. Para cuando llegamos a la prisión, podemos ver con claridad el resultado de la opresión sistematizada nacional en las tasas de encarcelamiento.

El uso agresivo de prisiones que se utilizan como herramientas sociales de control empezó en Estados Unidos en respuesta a las organizaciones nacionalistas revolucionarios que ganaron una tremenda popularidad a finales de 1960s y 1970s. Y para mantener control de las masas de este movimiento revolucionario, Estados Unidos optó por utilizar policías y prisiones.

Entre los años 1961 y 1968, la población de reos disminuyó al punto más bajo desde los años 1920s. Del 1968 al 1972 el ritmo de encarcelamiento subió despacio. Sin embargo, a principios de 1974 después del punto más alto de la organización revolucionaria en este país, hubo un aumento increíble en las tasas de encarcelamiento. COINTELPRO fue dirigida contra las organizaciones revolucionarias, como lo son las Panteras Negras (Black Panther Party) y los Estado Unidos empezó sistemáticamente a encerrar o a asesinar a gente que trataba de pelear en contra de la opresión. Casi 150,000 personas fueron encarceladas en sólo 8 años – esto demuestra que el gobierno teme a los revolucionarios.(10)

Al mismo tiempo, hubo un movimiento anti prisión que crecía y el gobierno se aseguró de erradicar y desaparecerlo. El libro "Soledad Brother", de George Jackson, que salió en el año 1970 fue un gran acusación en contra de la opresión hacia las colonias internas. Al siguiente año fue asesinado.

El arresto desproporcionado, el encarcelamiento y persecución de las naciones oprimidas no paró en los años 1970s. Hoy continua. Las semi colonias internas están posicionadas para sostener su estado de subyugación. Y es cuando las naciones oprimidas se juntan y se organizan el gobierno Amerikkkano ataca como un perro rabioso.

Lecciones Para nuestro trabajo

Entender el sistema de injusticia es de mucha importancia para desarrollar un método y la estructura para resistir la red de prisiones. Por eso, es tan necesario entender que las prisiones son operaciones de pérdida de dinero para el gobierno, y localizar la política de encarcelamiento en masa, sólo para poder controlar a las naciones opresas.

Si, nos enfocamos en el rol de las prisiones para tener control social, podremos darnos cuenta de la verdadera razón del porqué existe el vasto sistema de injusticia criminal Amerikkkano. El exponer esta información ayuda a que la gente entienda que tan desesperado estaba el gobierno de U.$. en los años 1970s cuando encaraban el gran movimiento nación revolucionario. Y el gobierno aún le teme a alejarse de esta solución de encarcelamiento.

Esto nos dice que aún le temen a las naciones oprimidas, y que no les importa llevarse entre las patas a cuanta gente blanca, en esta locura de encarcelamientos.

Como el control social está manejando el sistema de prisiones Amerikkkanas, deberíamos enfocarnos en organizar nuestro trabajo exactamente alrededor de lo que el gobierno teme::Organizar a los que están siendo controlados. Hay que escoger nuestras batallas para exponer las partes del sistema que sabemos que son vulnerables: le temen a la educación revolucionaria (censura, prohibición de grupos de estudio), le temen a la organización (reglas en contra de grupos), y le temen a la unión pacifica más que todo (por eso provocan peleas, grupos en contra de grupos). Nosotros podemos construir esta unión propagando nuestro análisis sobre la raíz y meta del sistema de injusticias criminal. Todos esos que somos el objetivo del control social deberíamos inspirarnos y juntarnos para ir en contra de este sistema.

I am at the Powledge Unit and when it rains our bunks leak water on where we sleep. The medical here is very bad. They do not like to do their job, all they do is stay on the computer texting their friends and family, and not the job that they are supposed to do.

When state-level petitions fail, we now have this petition to appeal to the Department of Justice. This federal level appeal may help put pressure on the state corrections departments ignore our appeals

Mail the petition to your loved ones and comrades inside who are experiencing issues with the 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 below. Supporters should send letters on behalf of prisoners.

Section Chief – Special Litigation Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530

ACLU National Prison Project, 915 15th St NW, 7th floor, Washington DC, 20005-2112 (for those ready to bring class action lawsuits)

Office of the U.S. Attorney General, 1425 New York Ave. NW, Washington DC 20530-0001

Director/Commissioner/Secretary of Corrections (for your state)

Agency or Facility Grievance System Director or Coordinator (for your state)

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

I have served nearly 25 years prison/jail time in the United States. In fact, all but a small portion of my adult life has been spent behind bars. My California tour includes Chino, Soledad, Solano, Calipatria and Donovan. In Nevada: Southern Desert, Lovelock, Ely and, yes, Hight Desert State Prison (HDSP). As you can probably imagine, violence and drugs are common fare in most of these institutions. And while a few of these places were just plain filthy, others simply stagnate with the decay of deliberate indifference. I've done "hole-time" in all of them and certainly thought I'd seen it all.

Boy was I wrong.

Let me spell it out for you: B.M.U. (Behavioral Management Unit). Described by COs, Medical Staff and other institutional employees as the "Zombie Unit," the "Weirdo Pod," the "Freak Show," the "Psych Ward," and "Behavioral Mismanagement" and affectionately referred to by the prisoners as the "Beat-a-Motherfucker-Up" Unit at HDSP.

Absolutely and without a doubt, the worst of the worst. In the short time, 90 days, that I've been here within this restrictive unit I've witnessed unchecked violence, coercion, extortion, drug abuse, overdoses, 3 attempted suicides and "senior" officers feeding prisoners food which had fallen on the filthy unit floor before being placed on the serving trays and given to prisoners.

The most disturbing incident, by far, occurred on 24 December 2017, this past Christmas Eve, when an emotionally wrought prisoner, was locked in the shower for approximately 4 hours after stating to staff that he was having suicidal thoughts. During this time the prisoner was slamming his own head against the metal grating. I witnessed the COs laughing and encouraging the prisoner to bang his head harder and advising him to use the tiled wall at the back of the shower stating, "Bang it against the tiles, they're harder." By the time medical staff did arrive the prisoner was a bloody mess.

According to the HDSP BMU Manual: "The Behavior Modification Unit (BMU) will house inmates who have been housed in segregation for 90 days or longer, to assist in the reintegration into a lower custody level."

How I ended up here isn't much of a mystery. About 4 weeks after arriving at HDSP, while I was still in the "Fish Tank" I made the mistake of telling the case worker that I was appealing my jury conviction and needed request forms for the law library. At which point I was advised that I was being "sent to BMU." From that moment on, all access to the legal materials I require for my case have been denied despite numerous verbal and written grievances. In fact I spent the first 9 weeks in BMU confined in my cell without so much as a book to read. My only contact with the administration was the initial interview with the token mental health worker who advised me that "this rehabilitation program is the warden's baby."

Well, I'm here to tell you that as a person who struggles with PTSD, the constant and continuous confinement to a cell without any mental stimulation whatsoever can be devastating to an person's mental health and psyche. While confined in this unit I have experienced an increase in PTSD symptoms, ten times the frequency that is usual for me. Furthermore, I found it extremely unsettling that after completing the program, as a "graduation present," I was escorted into a small room filled with BMU staff members where I was threatened, berated, belittled and finally told to just "Get the Fuck Out."

I'm not sure what to expect next. The lack of access and communication with the outside, the restricted closed custody level 4 housing, the refusal on the administration's part to answer or address any grievance combined with limited family contact by phone has reduced me to an uncertain, fearful, panicky, hopeless, helpless mess. And, by the way, I have absolutely zero disciplinary history. Not a single "write up" for anything.

Fortunately another prisoner gave me your Under Lock & Key pamphlet. Hopefully you can get the word out on this de-habilitation program and the warden's dirty little secret.

MIM(Prisons) responds: These dangerous and abusive conditions at HDSP expose the Amerikan prison system for its complete lack of rehabilitation. If the criminal injustice system really believed that prisons are an effective tool to prevent crime, it would not put people in conditions that make their survival on the streets nearly impossible. It would be offering programs to help people learn and change their behavior, and prepare them for life outside. This is just one of the reasons we see the Amerikan criminal injustice system as primarily a tool of social control.