Horrible conditions at new SHU in California

Back in June 2004 a lot of us that were in the ad-seg in D-upper facility, were moved over to Z-unit "new ad-seg." This unit is designed like a SHU. Since we have been here, we have been deprived of a lot of things. This place was not even ready to be opened yet. The heating/air conditioning was not fixed yet. Our law library only had a very small number of books. And they took all our stuff and said we are only allowed one book, one magazine and one newspaper just like the Corcoran SHU. When we were in the ad-seg in D-upper there was no limit to how many books/magazines that we could receive. So we had to send them home or donate them.

Even though they treat it like a SHU, we are not allowed what is entitled to us as SHU inmates: TVs, radios, shoes, etc. They only come by once a week for haircuts. No razors even when we shower. But the CDC Title 15 states we should get haircuts three times a week. To top it off, now that it has been snowing, they cut our yard. And when we do get it, they only give us an hour and a half, starting from when the first man leaves the cell. The reason they say is that the toilets are turned off so we can not flush them for the pipes are frozen. So no more three hours, three times a week. Yet when we were over in D-upper ad-seg we would stay out there three hours, three times a week. And the K9s would lock the toilets so they would not flush. Now where's the justice?

Now they cut our law library to once a week and each section has a designed day, only five slots available for eight sections with eleven cells each. All are double bunked. So if everyone wants to go, it could be a few weeks.

Right now there is a 602 [formal complaint] on the food, heating and property conditions. But each one keeps getting shot down. A lot of us SHU inmates have been waiting on a bus to the Bay and yet it is said that Pelican Bay is not taking any indeterminate SHU inmates at this time. Yet even though we are SHU inmates they refuse to give us what we have coming and are not even trying to transfer us out of here any faster. Hopefully some thing will be done and soon. For this is unjust for all who are back here.

- a prisoner at High Desert State Prison, January 2005