HDSP racist and oppressive

Conditions at High Desert State Prison (HDSP) are cruel, racist and oppressive. Struggle is not only necessary but incumbent in regards to HDSP administration and their blatant abuse.

Rights afforded by the CDC are denied with prejudice. For instance, the right to be located near immediate family who are unable to travel long distances due to disability or illness. Although confirmed and verified by a physician, HDSP denies inmates who qualify for these transfers.

Furthermore, HDSP has recently installed timers on the toilets all owing only 2 flushes per hour. This ploy is cruel, unusual and unsanitary. In response to this action, inmates participated in a mass demonstration (non-violent) against HDSP administration. However, reprisal was immediately taken by HDSP in the form of lockdown and searches to smash any further resistance.

Annually since arriving at HDSP on 2-12-03, Black inmates were subjected to extended lockdowns for allegedly plotting to assault corrections officers. However, assaults never occurred, isolated or orchestrated.

HDSP segregation unit (Z unit) where I am currently housed, keeps inmates from transferring by fabricating rules violation reports (115s). Intentions are to leave inmates in Z unit for the duration of their security housing unit term (SHU term). HDSP will then release the inmate from Z unit and place them in their "new" program, behavioral management unit (BMU). Once inmates are housed in BMU, they are on no work, no privilege status. HDSP will then force inmates to send all of their personal property home. Moreover, inmates will then have to reorder all appliances at CDC and pay imposed restitution by CDC of 44%.

HDSP has not censored MIM as of yet, however the Source magazine is censored because of their in-depth politics. Brothers in the struggle, the only way to change this corrupt system of avaricious, racist upper level administration is to stop laying down and accepting this treatment. We need more examples of mass demonstration and to fight for the rights we possess.

- a California prisoner, March 2006