On December 30, 2003, the California Department of Corrections (CDC) issued an amendment to several sections of Title 15 of California Code of Regulations to incorporate into the directors' rules of provisions regarding prisoners statewide vender packages program with the intentions of implementing immediately. One of the sections of Title 15 to be amended is Section 3044(9)(4)(G). What Sacramento is attempting to do is take all appliances (radios and televisions) from all SHU prisoners. Sacramento's justification for this attempt is to comply with Governor Terminator's budget cuts which, you can be sure, us prisoners will be the first to experience.
According to the CDC's fiscal impact statement, taking our appliances will supposedly save the state nearly $2 million. Although how this is supposed to save the state nearly $2 million was unexplained. I think what's really being stated through their unscientific fiscal impact statement is that by taking our televisions and radios, this will be one of the many methods of insuring the continuance of the overpayment of these prison guards and prisoncrats at our expense. And we all know too well when many of these SHU prisoners are released to general population and order another radio or television, the CDC will be more than happy to collect another 10% of inmate welfare fund from the prisoners as well as its usual kickback from the state prison's chosen vendor.
Past experiences with the CDC's tactics of taking away our once hard earned and fought for rights clearly demonstrate to us that similar stunts as this one are usually not implemented at one time but are generally implemented here and there, slowly, with the purpose of avoiding mass resistance. Unfortunately and quite shamefully to us prisoners, this tactic of theirs has proven very effective. Should this proposal concerning our televisions and radios be implemented, it is most likely, although not certainly, that they'll begin their confiscation campaign with the SHU facilities furthest South and work their way North.
That is, if we let them.
On March 5, 2004, which has come and past, the CDC's Regulation and Policy Management Branch held a public hearing regarding suggestions, complains, etc., pertaining to this proposal. What came of this is uncertain as of the present time.
Any complaints or a copy of the proposal can be obtained from: Rick Grenz, Chief Regulation and Policy Management Branch (RPMB) P.O. Box 942883 Sacramento, CA 94283-0001
Through a united struggle from within, this can be prevented.
-- A California Prisoner, March 14, 2004