Published by Western Friend Online (2018)

PrisonersTransformingthePrisons:TheStoryoftheHungerStrikes

byLauraMagnani

SomethingtrulyhistorichasbeenhappeninginCaliforniaconcerningthematterofsolitaryconfinement.Prisonersandtheirfamilymemberssteppeduptoleadthemovementagainstsolitaryconfinement,dramaticallyreducingthenumberofpeopleheldinsolitaryconfinement.

AlthoughtheDepartmentofCorrectionsandRehabilitationhaslongclaimedtheydon’tusesolitary,menandwomenhavebeenisolatedinbathroomsizecagesindefinitelysincethestatecreateda“supermax”unitatCorcoranStatePrisonin1988,andthenopenedPelicanBayStatePrisonasasupermaxfacilityin1989.DespiteconstantpressurefromAFSC,CaliforniaPrisonFocus,andotherprisonerrightsgroups,littlechanged.Moreandmoreprisonersfoundthemselvesspendingyearsinasecurityhousingunit(SHU).ThePrisoner’sRightsMovement,whichAFSChasbeenapartofsincethe1950s,wasunabletodislodgethenarrativethat“theworstoftheworst”neededtobeseparatedfromothersintheprisonsystem-permanently.Butin2011peopleintheseunitsthemselvesfoundwaystobringtheirplighttothepublic.ThePrisoner’sRightsMovementhasbeenincreasinglyconvincedthatlastingsocialchangemustcomefromthepeopledirectlyaffectedbytheissues.Withthatleadership,andwiththecourageofhungerstrikers,ourhopeisthatthatmomentisnowarriving.AsamanintheSHUatCorcoranputitin2011:“Iamaprisoner,notapuppet...Aman,notananimal...AndalthoughI’veenduredthishell,Iwillneveracceptit.”

LauraMagnani,TestimonyatCaliforniaAssemblyPublicSafetyCommitteeAugust23,2011.AvailablefromWhattheFolly

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TheAFSChasbeensoundingthealarmaboutSHUssincetheywerefirstintroducedbytheFederalBureauofPrisonsin1972.Builtforlongtermsolitaryconfinement,theseprisonswereoriginallyusedlargelytoisolateperceivedpoliticalprisonerswhosebeliefsthreatenedtheestablishedorder,orthosedifficulttosubdue.Asoftenhappenswithsystemsthatrelyonweaponsandrepressivemeasures,theSHUbecamethe“nuclearoption”withintheprisonsystem.Thoughsupposedlyreservedforthemostdangerousprisoners,veryquicklyitsextremefeatureswereappliedmoreandmorewidely.InCalifornia,theyhaveprimarilybeenusedforgangmanagement,adesignationdeterminedbytheprisonsystembasedonperceivedgangassociationandracialprofiling,notonactualbehavior.

Whilethe“hole”hasalwaysbeenapartofprisondiscipline–adreadedplaceonecouldbesentforbadbehavior,SHUtransformedtheexperienceintosomethingevenmorehellish.MostSHUcellsareapproximately6footby10footinsizeandoftenholdtwopeopleinbunkbeds.Thecellsareoftenwindowlessandlightsmightbelefton--oroff--for24hoursaday,contributingtoanexperienceofsensorydeprivation.Lengthofstayoftenstretchesintoyears.Until2015,theaveragelengthofaSHUstayinCaliforniawassixyears,butover500prisonershadbeenisolatedforovertenyears,someforoverforty.Noamountofoutsidepressureseemedabletocrackthisinhumanesystem.

ThatbegantochangeinCaliforniainearly2011.Prisonerswhohadbeenlockeddown23-24hoursadayfordecades,withnocontactwithanyoneexceptguards,beganshoutingthroughtheirmealtrayslotsacrossthe“shortcorridor”atPelicanBayStatePrisontootherisolatedprisoners.Slowlyandpainstakingly,thesemenreachedadecisiontoworkwitheachotheracrosssupposed“ganggroups.”Theychooseareverednon-violenttactic,ahungerstrike,andagreedondemandsforlongoverduechange.Althoughweoriginallythoughtofthesemenas“leaders,”thatisadangerouslabelforanyoneinprisonbecausetheDepartmentofCorrectionsandRehabilitation(CDCR)considersleadershipathreat,rarelydistinguishingbetweenpositiveinfluenceanddangerous,coercivebehavior.Andthementhemselvesrepresenteddifferentso-calledganggroups,andstrictlyadheredtoapolicythatallgroupsneededtobepartofalldecision-making.Theybegancallingthemselves“theReps.”

HungerStrikesinHistoryandNow

Hungerstrikeshavealongandreveredhistoryamongnonviolentactivists.IconsofnonviolencesuchasMohandasGandhiandCesarChavezregularlyemployedthehungerstriketodramatizetheirissues.Chavezpermanentlycompromisedhishealthasaresultofhungerstrikes,perhapshasteninghisearlydeath.Prisonershavealsoadoptedthistactictodrawattentiontotheirconditions:Irishprisonerswentonahistorichungerstrikein1981thattookthelifeofBobbySandsandnineotherstrikersseekingrecognitionaspoliticalprisoners;theimprisonedNelsonMandelawentonasix-daystrikeofthatresultedin

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visitationrightsforprisoners’children;jailedsuffragettesfastedtodemandtherighttovotepriortoWorldWarI.WhenhikersSarahShourd,ShaneBauerandJoshFattalinadvertentlywanderedinthevicinityofthebordertoIranandwerecapturedbyIraniantroops,theywereheldinsolitaryandlaterwentonhungerstriketoprotesttheirconditionsofconfinement.ThemenofPelicanBayStatePrisonrealizedthistacticmightworkforthemtoo.Theirdespairfoundhopeinthischallenging,butsometimestransformativeapproachtomakingchange.

AMulti-ProngedApproach

TheRepsunderstoodtheycouldnotsucceedalone.Fromthebeginningtheprisoners’strategywastoaddressissuesinasmanyarenasaspossiblesimultaneously:legislative,administrative,influencingpublicopinion,andinthecourts.Fourpeople,ToddAshker,SitawaNantambuJamaa,AntonioGuillen,andArturoCastellanos,sentinformationtogroupsthroughoutthestate,includingAFSC,saying“wewillnotbesuccessfulifyoudon’torganizetosupportusontheoutside.”Thenthey,withotherisolatedprisonersbehindthem,launchedwhathasbecomearobustmovementtochangesolitaryconfinementinCaliforniaandinotherpartsofthecountry.

Photo:AFSC/CourtesyLauraMagnani,OriginallyappearedinanarticlefromSept.24,2015,LauraMagnani,Abigstepforwardonsolitaryconfinement

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ImmediatelyAFSCjoinedwithotheranti-prisonmovementgroupstodevelopstrategiesanddeterminewhatactionwaspossible.Thecoalitionthatformedontheoutsideincludedalargenumberoffamilymemberswhoco-foundedCaliforniaFamiliesAgainstSolitaryConfinement(CFASC),andbecamethebackboneofthePrisonerHungerStrikeSolidarityCoalition(PHSS).PHSShasmeteveryMondaynightsinceearly2011,andcontinuestodoso,organizingevents,publishingarticles,speakingtothepress,visitingpeopleinside,meetingwithstateofficials,challengingadministrativechanges,andadvocatingwhereverweseeopenings.Althoughmeasuringtheimpactofouractivitiescanbechallenging,wehavecreatedstrongmomentum,remainedvigilantasconditionsshiftandchange,andbecameakeypartamovementforchange.

ThemenalsoaskedforaMediationTeamtofacilitatecommunicationbetweenthemselvesandtheCDCR.BecausetheywereheldinsuchlowesteembytheDepartment,theyneededthiskindofhelp,althoughthefunctionwasreallynotabout“mediation”butaboutcommunication.Thenameswecompiledincludedlong-termanti-prisonactivists,includingmyself,severalattorneys,formerlyincarceratedpeopleandfamilymembersoflong-termSHUprisoners.ThosenamesweresharedwiththeRepstobesuretheyfeltcomfortablewithourparticipation.

ThoughtheDepartmenthadoriginallyannouncedthatit“didn’tnegotiatewithprisonersanddidn’trecognizetheMediationTeam,”theywereonthephonetousimmediatelywhenthefirsthungerstrikebeganinearlyJuly,2011.OnJuly4,theentireTeammetbyconferencecallwithtopCDCRofficialsfortwohourstodiscussconditionsinsolitaryandtheneedforchange.DepartmentofficialscametoOaklandforasecondmeetingseveralweekslater.

Thatfirststrikeendedafter30days.Hungerstrikerswonlimited,superficialconcessionstoimproveprisoners’lives–calendarswithpictures,knitcaps,apicturetosendtolovedones–butthebiggestgainswereinlaunchingamovement.AsToddAshker,oneofthefourrepspointsout“atleast6500prisonersacrossthestate,andotherstatesparticipated;itdrewglobalattention...andwasacatalystforbreathingrenewedlifeintotheprisonerrights-activistmovementonthestreets.”

Asecondstrike

Isolatedprisonersstayedcommittedtomakingchange.AsecondstrikegotunderwayinSeptember.

Thistime,theCDCRtriedtostallchangebyshuttingexternalvoicesoutofthestrike.AtfirsttheDepartmentrefusedtomeetwiththeMediationTeamandtookstepstoblocktwooftheattorneysfromseeingtheirisolatedclients.Becauseattorneyshavethemostdirectaccessinsideprisons,thismoveunderminedourabilitytospeakforthemen.Without

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communicationwewereatastandstillforovertwoweeks.Ultimately,theCDCRrecognizedthattherewasnogroundsforbarringthelawyer’svisitsandthatresolvingthestrikewouldtakefacilitatedconversations.AsmanyofusaswereavailabledrovetoSacramentototrytofindagreement,andacallwasarrangedbetweenusandthestrikingprisoners.Wewereamazedthattheywerestillthinkingandtalkingclearlyafternearlythreeweekswithoutfood.Theconversationendedinwithtwosignificantagreements.First,theCDCRagreedtoholdhearingsofpeoplewhohadbeenheldforsuchlongperiodsoftime–manywithoutanydisciplinarywrite-upsatall.TheDepartmentalsoagreedtocreateawayforpeopletobereleasedfromSHUwithoutbecominginformantsforthestate.

Theagreementwasputinwriting,butanychangesinprocedurestakesmeticulousre-workingofpolicies,vettingwith“stakeholders,”draftingandre-drafting.Coalitionmembersparticipatedbygivinginputonthenewregulations,butitwasoverayearbeforetheadministrativeregulationsgoverningthosechangeswereissued.Itwasevenlongerbeforehearingswereheldtoallowpeopletobemovedtogeneralpopulation.Somepeoplehadbeenheldinisolationfordecadeswithoutanydisciplinarywrite-ups.Notsurprisingly,ofthefirst750hearingsheld,60percentofthemresultedinatransfertogeneralpopulation,thoughthosepercentageswouldrisemuchhigherafterthecourtsettlement.

Evenasgradualchangebegantohappen,incarceratedprisonerskeptaskingthemselveswhatelsetheycoulddotoimprovetheircircumstances.In2012theyissuedaCalltoEndHostilities,hopingtoremovethepremisebehindtheisolationpoliciesbyworkingacrossassumed“gang”groupingstoresolveconflictsinnonviolentways.DistributingtheCallbecamethenextchallenge.TheCDCRdidlittletopromoteit,viewingitasanotherversionofgangcommunication,eventhoughthecommunicationcalledforpeace.Hereagain,thecooperationbetweenprisonersandtheirsupportersbeyondtheprisonwallsmadeadifference.AFSCputitonourwebsiteandpublisheditinournewspaper,StreetSpirit,withacirculationof20,000.TheS.F.BayView,anewspaperwidelycirculatedinsideprisons,publishedit.Manyoutsideorganizationmaileditinside.

Still,by2013mostSHUprisonerswerestillisolated.TheagreementthatpromisedawaytoreleaseprisonerswithoutbecominginformantshadinsteadbecomeregulationsthatcreatedaStepDownProgram.ThisunsatisfactoryprogramallowedSHUprisonersto“earn”releasewithoutbecominginformants,butitconsistedofworkbooks,filledoutinisolation,whichweredemeaningandneverwrittenforprisonersintheircircumstances.Andthisprogramwasdesignedtotakefouryearstocomplete!

Athirdstrike

Inresponsetotheglacialpace,prisonersatPelicanBaycalledforathirdhungerstrike.BeginningJuly8,2013,30,000prisonersoftheCaliforniaprisonsystem(andhundredsmoreacrosstheUnitedStates)refusedmeals.Overtwohundredprisonersdeprived

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themselvesofsolidfoodfor60days.Atleastoneprisonerdied,thoughtheDepartmentcouldnotconfirmthecauseofdeathorsayitwasinanywayrelatedtothehungerstrike.Thefactthatallegedgangleaderschosenonviolentactionandworkedacrossallgroupstoreachagreementontheirdemands,shouldhavebeencauseforcelebration.TheCDCR,however,tookadismissiveanddisrespectfultoneinitsresponses,andplacedparticipatingprisonersinevenharsherconditions,citingthemfordisciplinaryinfractionssuchas“causingadisturbance.”

TheonlyothergrouphungerstrikethathaslastedthislongistheonestillunderwayatGuantanamoBay,where41prisonersarestillbeingheld,manywithoutchargesortrial,indefinitely.Somehavebeenrefusingfoodforfouryears,andhavebeenforcefedtwiceadaybyofficials.TherealitiesofGuantanamoarebeyondthescopeofthisarticle,butitwouldbeunfairtoleavethemoutofanarticleonprisonhungerstrikesandonisolationandharshtreatmentasformsoftorture.

PublicandmediaattentionfocusedontheCaliforniastrikersandbroughttheirconditionsandtheirdemandstowiderattention.Familymembersandformerlyincarceratedpeoplewereoutinthestreetsandonthenews,includingDoloresCanales,MarieLevin,DannyMurillo,andSteveCzifra,tonameonlyafew.Aswordspread,solidarityhungerstrikespoppedupamongprisonersheldinisolationunitsacrossthecountry.Pressuremounted.

ThirtydaysintothestriketheMediationTeamwasgrantedonecallwiththestrikers.TheywereescortedfromtheircellstoanotherbuildingatPelicanBay(notknowingwheretheyweregoingorwhy),andfoundthemselvesinaroomwithindividualcages,aconferencephonepositionedbetweenthem.AlleightmembersoftheMediationTeamfromCaliforniaFamiliesAgainstSolitaryConfinement,CaliforniaPrisonFocus,LegalServicesForPrisoners,andAFSCwereontheotherendofthelinefromSanFrancisco.Onceagainastoundedbytheirclearthinkingaftersomanydayswithoutfood,werecognizedwiththemthatnoprogresshadbeenmadeontheirdemands.Intheend,theydecidedtostaythecourse.Thiswasseenasa“failure”oftheMediationTeam(fornot“ending”thestrike),andsotheDepartmentrefusedusanyfurthercontact.

Asthedaysmounted,wegrewmoredesperatetofindawayforward,finallyproposingtoDepartmentofficialsthatwehaveacallthatincludedtheofficialsthemselves.TheCDCRgrantedthisrequestimmediately.Thestrikewasinitsfifty-eighthday.Adeepdiscussionbetweenthemen,theTeam,andofficialsensued,goingoversomedevelopments-thatthechairsofboththeSenatePublicSafetyCommitteeandtheAssemblyPublicSafetycommitteeannouncedthattheywouldholdjointhearingsonsolitaryconfinement,andacommitmentbytheCDCRofficialthathewouldsitdownwiththeRepsoncethestrikeended,todiscussabroadrangeofissues.Howeverthemensaidtheycouldnotmakethisdecisionontheirown,theyneededtoconsultwithotherprisoners.ThoughtheDepartmentinitiallybalkedatthisrequest,thefollowingdaytwootherconferencecalls

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weregranted,withtheDepartmentagainparticipating.Officialswatchedasthemenengagedinaconsensusdecisionmakingprocess.Aftermuchdiscussionwithotherstrikerstheprisonersdecidedtosuspendthestrike.Legislatorsnotonlyheldtwohearingssubsequently,prisonofficialssatdownwithprisonersfortwodaystodiscussthechangestheywereseeking.Wewereallcautiouslyoptimisticaboutthesedevelopments.

Whathashappenedasaresultofthehungerstrikes?

SomeofthechangesfocusedonpracticalissuesthataffectedlifeinSHU.Anew“PropertyMatrix”wasputinplace,delineatingmanymorepropertyitemsavailabletoSHUprisonerswhocanaffordthem,andprisonersbegantoreceivetheaddeditems.SHUvisitinghourswereextendedtothreehoursatPelicanBay,aseven-hourdrivefromtheBayArea,andtwiceaslongfromSouthernCalifornia.TheseseeminglysmallstepsmadelifeinSHUslightlymorebearable.

TwojointlegislativehearingswereheldinSacramento,historiceventsbecauseboththeAssemblyandSenatePublicSafetyCommitteesmettogether.(transcriptsofbothhearingsareavailable.)Strongtestimony,researchandproposalswerepresented,makingitclearthatCaliforniaisan“outlier”inisolatingsomanypeopleforsuchlongperiodsoftime.Alonglineofformerlyincarcerated,familymembersandcommunitygroups,eachtestifyingforoneminute,becamethehighlightofthehearings.Whileeachsnippetoftestimonywastooshorttodevelopanargumentfully,theoverallimpactwasbreathtaking.Inthesecondhearing,thispublictestimonyincludedmorethantenchildrenofincarceratedparents,whodeliveredpreparedtestimonyandcreatedadrumbeatforcompassionandapowerfulnewviewoftheimpactofincarceration.

Legislationwasintroduced,thoughmostofitwasneveradopted.AFSCandtheFriendsCommitteeonLegislationofCaliforniasucceededingettingoneprovisionpassedin2016thatgaveprisonersheldinlong-termisolationaccesstoearnedcreditsiftheyparticipatedinprogramsandremaineddisciplinefreewhileinisolation.EventhistinychangeseemedtoomuchfortheCDCRandithasstillnotimplementedthecreditprovisioninthewayithadbeenwritten.TheDepartment’sunwillingnesstofollowlegislativerequirements,(andoftencourtorders)isshocking,consideringthatlawenforcementistaskedwithabidingbylawsandpunishingpeoplewhoviolatethem.

TheLawsuitandSettlement

Hungerstrikesandlegislativehearingswerenottheonlyapproach.In2012theCenterforConstitutionalRightsinWashingtonD.C.,accompaniedbyLegalServicesforPrisonerswithChildreninSanFrancisco,andotherindependentattorneys,agreedtotakethecaseonbehalfofprisonerswhohadbeenkeptinSHUindefinitely.Thereweretwoconstitutionalchallengestheybelievedhadmerit:firstthatsolitaryconfinementviolatedtheclause

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againstcruelandunusualpunishmentand,second,thattheprocessforplacingpeopleinlongtermisolationviolatedprinciplesof“dueprocess.”

Theattorneysincorporatedtheclientsinallthedecisionmaking,eventhoughitrequiredlengthyphonecallsregularlywithpeopleinisolation.Whenitcametimetogotocourt,thehungerstrikerswere“inthecourtroom”electronicallyformuchoftheproceedings.Thisisapotentialgame-changerforhowclassactionscasesareconductedwithincarceratedclients.

ThoughprisonersandtheirsupportersdeservemuchofthecreditformaintainingpressureontheCDCRanddemandingsignificantchangebemadeinthesystem,themostdramaticchangeswereachievedwhentheirlawsuitwassettledin2016.Itisnotaneasydecisiontosettleclassactioncases,ratherthanbringingthemtotrialbecauseitmeansnofindingismadeontheconstitutionalityoftheissues.Instead,bothsidesagreetomakesignificantchanges,andthentheDepartmentischargedwithimplementingthechanges.Ifimplemented,thechangescouldbedramatic.Thesettlementrequiresthat:

● Indefinitesolitaryconfinementbeeliminated.

● EveryonecurrentlyinSHU,andmanyintheAdministrativeSegregationpopulationbegivenhearingstodetermineiftheycouldbetransferredtogeneralpopulation.ByJanuary,2017theSHUpopulationdroppedfrom3799in2013to496.AdministrativeSegregationnumbersdroppedfrom6773in2013to2550inearly2017.

● Forpeopleconsideredunfitforgeneralpopulationanewunitwascreated,calledRestrictedCustodyGeneralPopulation(RCGP)whichmustincludeprogramming,timeoutofcell,andcontactvisitswithlovedones.Cellswouldbemodifiedtohavewindowsandtheexerciseyard,ratherthanbeinganotherenclosedcage,mustbebuiltoutside.

● Prisonerswouldnolongerbesenttosecurityhousingunitsonlyforgangassociation.SHUassignmentwouldnowrequirebothgangassociationandaccompanyingbehavior.

● Ifprisonersdoengageindisciplinaryviolations,thosemustbedeemedtohavea“gangnexus”andmustcarryafixedlengthoftimeinsolitary.

● TheCDCRwouldcompletelyoverhaultheStepDownProgramtobeamaximumoftwoyearsratherthantheoriginalthree-yearminimumwithanpossibleindefiniteterm.Thiswouldallowisolatedprisonerstodemonstratetheircommitmenttorelatingtoarangeofprisoners,andtotheirowngrowthanddevelopment.Inaddition,prisonerscouldnot“plateau”or“regress”whileintheprogram,forcingthemtostartover.

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● Twoyearsofmonitoringoftheimplementationbytheattorneysinthecase,includingregularinvolvementofthekeyprisonerparticipants.Ifapatternofcontinuedviolationstotheagreementisproven,thejudgecanorderthemonitoringtocontinuebeyondtwoyears.

Thesearehugechanges.Thehearingsaloneresultedinan87%dropintheSHUpopulation,anda62%dropinAdministrativeSegregation.Thosewhohavebeentransferredtogeneralpopulationarerenewingfamilyties,haveaccesstoprogramminginsomecases,andhavebeenpeacemakersinmanyprisons.

WhatHasNotBeenAccomplished

Thebiggest“demand”ofallthreehungerstrikesthathasnotbeenrealizedistheeliminationofthepracticeofusing“confidentialinformation”tokeepprisonersinsolitary.Called“de-briefing,”thispracticerequirespeopleinisolationtoprovetheyarenolongerinvolvedingangsbybecomingganginformants.Thisnotonlyriskstheperson’slife,itiscoerced“information”thatviolatesinternationallawagainsttorture.Theprocessalsoviolatesaperson’srighttodueprocessbecausetheDepartmentwithholds“evidence”gleanedfromthede-briefersfromthepeoplewhohavebeenaccused.Thiscoercedevidencekeepsprisonersinisolationwithoutanyabilitytochallengeitsvalidityorevenknowwhatevidenceisbeingusedagainstthem.AslongastheDepartmentisallowedtooperatebyrelyingoninformants–aslawenforcementdoesthroughoutthecountry–prisonofficialshavevirtualtotalpowerandnoaccountability.

ThoughtsfortheFuture

Byfarthebiggestaccomplishmentinthisworksincethehungerstrikesfirstbeganisthatthemovementforchangeinsolitaryconfinementisnowbeingledbytheprisonersthemselves,ateverystepoftheway,andamplifiedbygroupsoutside,especiallyfamilymembers.

Thoughthenumbersofpeopleinisolationhavedroppeddramatically,weknowthattheycancreepup,orevenjumpupatthetotaldiscretionoftheDepartment.InarecentexampleatPelicanBay,anincidentingeneralpopulationinvolvedinjurytoguards.Onlyahandfulofprisonerstookpart.Yet140menhavebeenchargedwithattemptedmurderandfaceveryseriousconsequences.“Hitthegroundandkeepyourheaddown,”wastheorder.Anyonewhoraisedhisheadtoseewhatwashappeningwasconsideredtobeattemptingmurder–andmanywhowerenotsocuriousaswell.

Inresponse,thoughonly305peoplewereintheSHUatPelicanBayinDecember2016,thatnumberjumpedto450inMay,2017.EveniftheDistrictAttorneydoesnotchoosetoprosecutethesecasesforlackofevidence,theprisonsystemcancontinuetopunish

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peoplebykeepingtheminisolationandundoubtedlyrefusingparolewhentheycomeupforhearingsbecauseofpresumedrefusaltofolloworders.Noone,andnoentity,shouldhavesuchuncheckedpower.

Afterover40yearsworkingforchangeinthecriminaljusticesystemIhavetowonderifrealchangeispossible.Thoughwearestartingtogetmodest“wins”insentencingpracticesandarebeginningtoseeincarcerationtotalsshrink,thebackdoorsseemtostayopentoretrenchmentandcreativenewwaystoexpandthePrisonIndustrialComplex.

Becauseofthis,asthedeadlineapproachesthatwillendthetwoyearmonitoringprocess,itcontinuestobehardtofeelconfidentthatoldpracticeswon’tgraduallyfindtheirwaybacktobusinessasitusedtobe.(Aswewenttopressmotionshadbeenfiledbytheprisoner’slawyerstoextendthemonitoringperiod,butitwillbemonthsbeforejudgesreachadecision.)Vestedinterestspersist.Powerisseductiveandaddictive.Fearisanever-presentdriverofrepressionandcruelty.Theonlyantidotestotheserealitiesisourownvigilanceaspeoplewhowanttobringaboutamorejustworld,andtheleadershipandcommitmentofthosedirectlyaffected.Inasegmenton60Minutesthisweek,ScottKernan,theDirectorofCDCRwithwhomwehavebeenworkingonCaliforniapracticesregardingsolitaryconfinementsincethefirsthungerstrike,answeredthequestionabouthowhisperspectivehadchangedonthistopicbysaying:“We’vemademistakesbynotrecognizingtheimpacttheseconditionswerehavingonprisoners.Ididn’tusedtoseethemaspeople.”That’sprogress!

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CreatedbythePrisonerHungerStrikeSolidaritycoalition