California SHU rights violations

I am in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) here at CCI Tehachapi. The administration here has no regard at all for the Title 15 or prisoner rights, and one of the main problems is Sacramento seems to support them all day long. You have prisoners complain about violations but try to get them to do more than complain is near impossible. I have been reaching out to try to organize some form of collective resistance to no avail. A lot of lip service is the closest I can get to some support. I have been branded as a problem inmate because I dare to speak out against these violations. I commonly hear "why are you the only person complaining."

I propose first that all violations be documented, and written up state wide then a system wide suit pressed against the director for allowing the individual institutions to operate outside of the code of regulations. Individual lawsuits are useless, what's justice for one or two, we want a system wide overhaul. Second, a mass education campaign. So many of us prisoners are not conscious of the abuses focusing our energy on yard politics. Which amounts to nothing. This does not take a large group, just a few willing to sacrifice time and maybe a few liberties.

-- a prisoner in California, CCI Tehachapi, February 2003

MIM responds: We do have a state-wide campaign on to both document and fight the abuses both inside the SHU and elsewhere in California prisons. We join this prisoner's call to get all violations documented and written up for MIM Notes. We will also say that there are many prisoners willing to stand up and do something more than just complain. We are in touch with hundreds of them across the state of California and United Struggle from Within, the MIM-led organization for prisoners, has been gaining new leaders by the day in this state. USW has initiated a state-wide study group on the MIM Theory journal "Amerikan Prisons on Trial" to further study and discuss our strategy for the battle in California and across the entire Amerikan Criminal Injustice System. Contact us to get involved.