Three Inmate Letters

0.89 MB·English

Bate: indie

annie Cope
Nelson, Kallang, Riley, snd Searborough
Roat Office Bex LLO70

covwmisia, Sorth Carolina 29212

Ru: Violations of the Wanta: Health

jawau:t Settlexent Agcsonee!

Ma. Zope,
Tam weiting to you regarding actions curzently being taken by scnc

to place pemanen: steel plate covers over the windows of every prison

cell thesaghout the Department oF Carrections. F had hourd susors about it

Dappanang ab alter inatitutione, but cidn't believe anything so extrenc,

so cewel and inhunano could actually be trac. Bat thon last week they
begen saa}ing off the windows here at Perry.

T stcod iv my “oom in akock and diskelief aa I watched vorkoxs
outside ay window plans a soit@ steel plate over it and bolt it taghtly to

the exserior yall

at

ng out the selecting sunlight, bae blue sky
overuead, and the green of the Zorest off iu chu distance, leaving me in a
cold datk gel. In just a few uhort minutas they converted my Li thle xoa
into a windowless dungaon. And they're doing this throughor: S015, ta
kwenty thoneand huxan beings. 1 just conldn’t believe it.

Fox anyone wha hag wever agent tine im jail or prison, peshaps the
idea ef one's cell windew being blocked off seems like a minor

ws, Sut for these who have enduved any sigusfieant epan of tine

2
coafined in a Ling ceil, suzrounded by the aglineus, vielones, and despair

of the prison vironcent, fhone 1yctle rectangles ef blue sky are
P x
weeuicus thing. Zt is a precious thing ja the sterqale to presexve hope

and senity, Theva ig a reascr why all priscas have windows in their cels

Iz is not merely a refleulioe of vinple Lumen deveney in a civilized

society: it is @ refleczion of the connensssse understanding of whan unaTd

aagpan to the hun nerets

mand if people were louked away in windowless

vaults for ong stre:

shes of youre

After the norjers Zinished vaalang off ay inden ind moved oe ta the

next one, 1 gaz down en the edge of my aot, feeling a eruehing ve:

descend upon me. I’ve been incarcerated t

A long ting end i've watched

over the ysexs e# the priaon ayaten here in South Caroling bocans otesd:ly

more punitive, nore harsh and degrad-ng, Zach tixe I thought things

prison ozficialy peeved me wrong and

senldn’£ possibly get any wor!

found got anole way to further nestrict and burden the individuals under
their control
Beh then mua the inoredible victory with the mental Aealth clase

action lawsuit and it seemed for a tine thet scDc nad veversed cours

thet

would enge again acknowledge our humanity and attempt ts help ue

deen ourselves ana turn our lives arcun xatker shan continue ta crash

ua further and furchar underdeot, My hopes eoured, I thougat a new day

Giming in the correctional system

She avante of thie

past year, However, have prover that courso-change

ke be largely an illusion. While other stetes Mave aoved Forward with

asun sefyew, che South Carciire Deparcnert of Corrections haz continued

bo ge an the opposite dizection, implasanting era now deanonian measure
atter anothor.

Now York and Indiana, fox example, hag introduced tablet computers to
their prises populations te farther evhubillvative efforts. yoamekile

South Cavoliae ie tan:

ng ite entire prigon eysten inte essentially one

Giant supemnax. With al! eel

windows being sealed off, and with inmates

being din these csils f ator of

y increasing pessentags

their zo severe, permanent staffing skortages, tie situatcon is
yosying on the point waere there will be little differences kocween being

an a ponds

ve lockup unit (RHU) and being la che genera. population
Chis situuzion 1s desply troubling in its ex right, bub even ween 20

banana:

it goee divectly against the intent and purpose of the mental
health lawsult setcianent agrecmeut, wheuh 2s to improve the Departaent
of Gommeazion's tzeatment of Anmates with mental health problens,
anciudiag redueing the use of gunitive lockup facilities tu duusy chen
Wow SCC is gobting axaund that agreement by turning che enbiee prison

synten into a highly punitive, quasi-lockup housing fanitaty,

Ae AE to auphavize this shift to a “lock-up”

ison syatem, g000 ie
alsc in the process of diguanding the vasteful tax unaforms 4x curvently

wees lu Cavex of gezich noor e=anga jail garaento with the wosd “INNATE”

blazoned in large lasters acrage the chest and beck. The intent is closrly
ce further stignazice and dukweanize. Thera is no legitimace reasoa to

abandon

5 guerest, leas demeaning wi farms.
Thie te all a proscription for disaslur. Tk is a prescription fer

incresaad eheese, anxiety, and doepaiz arongst all the unfortunate, lost

soule struggiime to survive in thie steadily dackening prison vullume. TL

is a prescription for fuethse peyohological trauea end damage t> the Targa
percentage cf inmates who suSier from various uental disorders. And
uitinatey - as 4 xezelt of thevs bactfu: peychologica: conyequemccs - 1t

is & peoseription fer jmoreacad violence «ithin the Deparsnent of

correctio

wo - che vary thang SCPC olaixa it is tryiag te avers with all

the axcrene mersures it 38 implementing. Rather than solve the problom,

the harsh ovepe sO2¢ is cakiny ese Une equivalent cf theowing gaaczine on
the fixe

none of the oxteeme meaeures SCOC

Tt ig important to point out that
iy implenatiny use nesessary to addexs the problems prinon officiate

satiou far their agtion, Fos ayanple, officials say the

cite us just:

windews aust be covered ta atop innztes from eunting chroagh the bars to
retrieve conteaband threun over the perimeter fences, But incidents of
cutting window bars has existed gince prisons woe fixet buslt over 200
yaaes agc, yet ne peagon syazen before hae ever insisted thet the only

ical atep of slininating 211

solution to tais problem ie to cake the
soll wiedows. Rathes, khey used more reatonsble massures, such as poriodic
cell inspections and foot patrole. ScDC hus used these very neasuzes
ofers and could do so again, The real reason SCC is twrning to this
draconian approach ig evause at is shronically understaffed dus 0 &
fsiluze to pay adequate wages, and thervfore cleuygles to maxshel
eudéieient etaffing te deter misconduct

Le also ineor me that the

2 te point ont here thar it ie not

main source of the dnozeased vislance in SOS over he last several years

is duc to ganga and cell phones. Yate ja a canard ained ot ehitting blame

easily derocizad

cv prison offinials end the state Jogisletnme te th

inmate population. tha primaxy sauees of the ancroased violence ane the

Following Cavtues:

_ Ro Porsistently underfunded peivon eystem and underpaid staff,

resulting in sted!

gq shortages yo aevere it auounts to gro

Sereliction cf Uke state's solemn duly wo provide safe and buranc

conditions for the incarcerated citizens under ihe rare;

2. Tho passage of harsh sontersieg lawe back in the 9¢’s and 99!e which
has resvlted in an inczeasing percentage of prigon inmates «ith

eateaordinarily coay ventence:

and Little or aa hope of re.sase,

rélena of good conduct or offorts at self-reforn:

cha long-standing lave of accese to vehabilitative progranmang,

meaningftd wore, and other puuilive activities for large seqnante of

the pzison population:

4.4 fong-estublisheé pactarn in SCLC ef relentlessly inplumenting

haeyter and harsher prunen policies over Ui years that couch every

single ospent of an ingatos iife, steadily increasing restrictions,
pressnze, aad psychelogicsl atrain on him antil conditions have
Finally swached the point where the camol’a bask 4s begining to

Break. If pas bacn akin to a kind of death by a thousand cuts
When yeu take 20,009 arman batag:

from mostly deprived and dyefuntional

backgrounds and confine Ubon in oa Intensely harsh end hostile environment

fox decades, with no hope cf release, with little positive ta ds, ard with
dangezoualy inadequate staffing, you don't need a degree in psycholesy or

eorvections managenant to eee what thie will Lead te: eventual chao:

and

veoleace, The attempts of some psisen officiala and state politicians to

explain it all away as cinply = matte: of gange ard call phones is an
petaageoan falsahood,

Th is my belinf Hat the extzene, counter-productive measwens chat ScDC
iy carzently implementing in tho prison system axe a violatiea of the
meatal Igall lawenit settlenent agreonont - cercaialy 2 vielacior ef she
epiric and intert, 17 pot the exact letter, of the agreouent. These
actions scuc is takirg - turming vells iala window:

the

dungeoas, keopis

nates population Lecked in sho: ach

duageons foe lavge segnents

fay, and garbing them im gaech naw wniforts chat are delibowlely
degrading and dshunanizing - will cause serious peysholeqzesl nam (and

physical bara from tha increased

lexce it will incite) to overy person

confined in the prison oyvton, Particularly the claes of inmates with

mental health vulnorabilities that the laveuit settLencnt was supposed to
protect end improve the Living ssoditions for,

T sould thesefare Like to cequest hut you pas:

roan te

whomever is cenpoanibie for overseeing the implonentntion af the lawsuit
sentlement. I want the juégo in the czge to be made aware of wat SCrc ie
doing, Aad = an requesting that tuo seLuiemul sonikox as} the ‘udga to
jesus = court order dizesting sence to halt and ceverse tha havatnl,

sectlauent-violating meascraz

is taking

sincerely,

~The Lay Sn of Nelson, Hollas, Roley and
S Hour =
oe aid Ur. Shuaet Andrews 32.
Po. Bex OAS
Cdlermiota 8.0 248M

Seplember 13, 2OV®

Deore Me. Aadnerdss:

Bette my name ig
an tneecke Wovged cub an
{ Fold whe Sutin Gam P

i
TSP, Bpolae- Disorder
Mane depression. Tn orci, We bg,

AN Kop BO bela) eo
the heM Zoe been Or ste these
asd hs nob

last BS days,
gots ane Chelle beter E eeplady
my Schsadoon S r ik Rol alter,

ye edd bath nw .
eel ines, vote, nS Dereon Sue meals
het vetoed Pron ln my

PY Convichon te users
Dee had & Covrle of

Suitede Crhlemn pox, real
Jead me
——___
Shes Wile Ga Wyma the Some
assistance beqose Ry gl Ae. Stace,
OF apm 2B cand Leys

ASE Boe
het, no — Velo S

mean ew te
Care Sern She So Called Sed O rene, ae lntsy ciresk
my leer Comes te you “I'm on lessor NpPese,
te be Cesheehed hous a “RHO ot fore
discPlinany Feagons WMER rs Lola chs Soe

had to place mysert on Protective. Socks (a)

Be — my Mi Vibe Wreadened baw sons mabey ‘

tclerted Sate Seal wae wortte. co
Slakervent Plus dry an Slop the. Parte Grlecks ac Whaley,
HE WAS eKParcencr at Nothing « hasy happen os Op
Se Ewes Suppose: WHeckive Coscbecl
hearme torts 10 Delays oF ber bere TL hae} yok?
nether have = hed aaydlioe lor
Shules Zive Penched off nes) Ri Se Called merlal
Wealth Counsleoe

hwe a 9,

han tr edher & teat
We 2 havent Staten bon 8 bolt seve domes amece.
ber Lp here. on She.

tT Rae al wv
and Misa Sep e Spec wrth on Keg the

splay my fete « Fwords Ween.’ = EN you not
to Come Vv ei deen Uns te ihe

cahwtoary, Be ats

RECEDL foe wher
Vhe-Bon hs ood te Reve no Soann lucten odd.

OM excepl tne water rr Une vile welch = S

aR da. a WIM wo eae ey “cet

ees
on My Vee, = Wad to dee a Sy
beause. of Vrerst and to ies Meds Tue mentime

we ‘ 6 5 7 d
shes every asp to Stee Were n. his. aug, Changed, zm
Thebes, Blood Splallen on the Walls Sern con Tamebe.
déGre. mew wasnt Cheaned alone loth the
Deine Shatnss Te aberd be co hulce oo abawer even
phous On inmates Gre. OOF WSs We pomt of
besa Kandcuffed behmd my back With Some
Lape BE blacie sex on TL and Walked on a

doa leash by hoa of vcess tohy Shoold or hase te,
exgeh cence this and So not up hereon an

disc iptinary aotionss the Food 0S Cold esher H deed
Come rf ar Cry cot cout Sree OF Leryn es
Speck wrth Someone TE be Sho poed raved! aay
Arwen oO Green LOR ADU blanket vad Semecn
déodes 45” Come fom mental hearth which only
Praybe Lartl Come and hells only Wher, _So9
pee oy fenan Sot on yesterday "VT temlehe
40 fomade Cot bin SD Mapp only ded Fr ohare, tone
‘see {ome bot ies newer See ciny mente| hen
Steel Come OPE PO sty >&
decker tao rn be tue de ait cee he Psych
Whh Where cuturd Yor tan lrelen wo Steen

mse
Your Conversedion poli: TS Prevede. the. Seonee cons

Soe bem Paced wep her even Doe wondey va
hey and Gecete menrte| health op

loud and unprofessional Sve lomtlen the
wecrdedtss Lome te other mental heat
Stole Nowed 3

SON WA RO PeSPonse SEL nod a
ONWowed vescls Carleen che. rat

dod Lismin Prone Gall per Week. im nol
Tins aun hygiene bag! €verg Munthe Wen ele
Row pee todhpe. velosh & Senwus Omoumte
OP acta Gar teprenszon ad loae 8 appa
and taeRe as of now vw

Pent help and bere this took place. endl

hete on COReal pep lation IT Cant fave the meds
fo Huse drowsmeess Che. because of Bema
Round dangemus. mWretes Toe heer Wearcendec? QL.
Jo yrs. now thd hopefuite. have a Chince. des h
may Cage heard m Court Ge de mendes! Heol,
Urbbe bot T may not mate. betel then bee,
rl the tsol =
Wanted bo Tanue my lo Couple of mantle aac
An Tamede hone bbe UP on locks be Care
onved cot Rhee and drained

tet you Wom need bearse hone stl of ay
Kroes Tin tyme che Pew das and, Dawa, is ¢
depression Wikne and dead deseae tes

be placed Shas “be cand feat aheot A weed
be defer t Sor did Semuthnn de bree k
the oles bob or hacen vs buesisheo!

ts Sore bud now th tela love Query th ine
Cla sed b\ on me. or ‘

Playing
ee te
BAMA mod A ve sd S ectiose.

he
TD Cea

iN nes
TE reached oof- do Lie
flmercan Curl Liberties Ontag and aL

bdecd my leHe- war (a