Here in Salinas Valley $tate Pri$on, California I've witnessed our mind-set and living conditions deteriorate beyond explanation. On every General Population yard here it is difficult to receive yard with any consistency, much less on time. The reasons given are: They're understaffed, staff-training, a staff's birthday or some type of celebration for them. Their favorite one is "something is missing," which more than once that "something" was found to have been in the possession of a C.O. the entire time; very few times have there been something actually missing. Over the past year they've gotten so bold as to sometimes tell the truth that they just "didn't feel like running yard."
In the hole (or "ad-seg"), where I'm writing from, you only get 2 pair of socks, underwear, shirts, and towels, and your shower shoes. That's it as far as clothing. You might get to the cages once a week for a two hour period, that's the most exercise time we get. They completely eliminated giving us any mini-yard (or "concrete yard"). Everyone is on "walk alone", no exceptions. They tell us that this is enforced $tate-wide now, however no paper saying such has ever been seen. There are only 10 usable cages outside, which 2 1/2 buildings use, which is why it takes a week or two to complete a rotation. Whenever you do get those two hours, you're in the cage with no access to water or to a urinal. It's like that rain, sleet, or snow. And if said weather conditions occurred, you have no over-head protection from the elements. And remember, at the most, you've got on 2 pairs of socks, underwear, and tee shirts (that's everything).
Let's not forget the secret SHU building that they tried to erect here. They did complete building it, but they didn't have approval from the $tate capitol to do so, initially, so after they finished building it they couldn't even use it. So they waited until the first riot since Its construction happened, then filed whatever papers seeking permission to use that building as an "ad-seg" due to "emergency circumstances" . . . permission granted. Now they have inmates housed in this SHU building, with everything built as a SHU, however they get no TV or radio because, hey, it's not "officially" a SHU building. Never mind the fact that there's a lot of people in there who've been given SHU terms and area "awaiting transfer" to a SHU unit. But if you have less than a year left to do once you've been given the SHU term you'll remain right there for your SHU term. Of course, the whole time you're there you'd have been "awaiting transfer," until your term is over.
Here in Cali, our food portions have been reduced. The percentage of money taken from those who owe restitution has increased to 33%. That means if you were sent $100, you would only receive $67 of it. And it's rumored that they're going to cut prison spending more and increase that current 33% to 52% by new year.
We need drastic change here.
-- born struggler, a California prisoner, September 2003
MIM adds: In addition to other battles against prison injustice, we are waging a campaign to shut down the Security Housing Units in California and Control Units across the country. We have petitions to sign and organizing material to distribute. You can find more information on our web site at http://www.prisoncensorship.info/archive/etext/agitation/prisons or contact us at the address on page 3 to get involved.