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The California Prisoners Union in Without Freedom of Expression 1971

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The California Prisoners Union in Without Freedom of Expression 1971 THE CALIFORNIA A Prisoners Rights Union Publication Sacramento, CA June 1991 Vol. 19, No.2 1971-1991: A History of Fighting For Prisoner's Rights PRU and the Law .\ "The law in its impartial majesty forbids the rich and poor alike from steahng bread and sleeping under bridges." By Michael Snedeker ways been the second type. These categories are not water-tight; the Union or Its volunteers have often tried to Union's Philosophy help individuals, and have also weighed in heavily recently Is the Law a thing to be ad­ against the explosive growth of mired? In California, laws are imprisonment as the ofiicial solu­ auctioned off to the interest tion to a host of societal groups that pay the most. Gover· problems. However, groups that nor Wilson was given $760,000 want to abolish prisons or help by California's prison guards to individuals share an indifference run for office; few among us could to the legal structure governing remain unaffected by such a sum prisons, while the Prisoners of money. Inside prison, laws are Union has made this stn lct-ure more like suggestions than fixed its central focus. norms. Still and all, the Bill of The righ ts closest to our hearts Rights has not yet been repealed; are tho e g1raranteed by the First the Prisoners Rights Uh ion has Amendment to the United States alws,ys been interested in and in· Constitut ion, Ilnd Al·ticle 1, sec­ volved with cha nging or enforc· lions 2 and 3 of the California ing laws. Constitution; the rights t.bat col­ Our interest arises fro m the ledively make up what has been Union's essential nat u re. Or­ ca ll ed the freedom of expression. ganiza tions concerned wi th life in The root of th is concept is nega­ prison may roughly be dr"i-led tive rather than oo~itjve: it as· into three types: (ll AboJillnlllst sume that there is no final truth ot'gallj~aL!ons. who see prisons li s clear to all about how one should -I101,,\'""''-.,- 1- -.--, ~ ...".. - ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. the tumors of a sick society that live, or bow society should be or· = " ... "-. should be surgically removed; (2) dered, and that the best way for r-r-_ --- T · _......«" Civil Rights organizations, who The Folsom strike took place Nove;;;ber 2, ·1970. A group of Folsom truth to emerge is to hear from try to extend and enforce legal prisoners wrote and distributed a "manifesto" of demands and an. people with as wide a range of ex­ principles of fair treatment to nounced that they would strike until these demands were met. This perience as possible. prisons; and (3) Helpcl" or­ strike inspired what would become The California Prisoners Union in Without freedom of expression 1971. ganizations, who try to assist in­ the political process could be dividual prisoner·s cope with life frozen solid at any point. There inside and outside of prison. The Prisoners Rights Union has al- See HISTORY on page 11 Concrete and crowds: 20t1;. A.pll.iverSalY lssu~ 100,000 prisoners of the state Jiisicle: ' Justice has constructed a profile original offense was a property By Rick Garnett and of the prototypical 100,OOOth crime, such as larceny.theft, 75 inmate. percent of which involve a loss of ResqQtce · 0ui(tI(Jpda~ , .. ., k-. .• •• , ••• .' •• • • • ~ .".~ Vincent Schiraldi In addition, we have at­ under $400. Perhaps most The following is taken, in part, tempted to compute the cost of in­ surprising is that this prisoner Rights .A Year SIrfllg1e from a report prepared by The carcerating and controlling this was sent to the Department of Pmoners Union . 2IJ Center on Juvenile and Criminal prisoner. This figure reveals the Corrections not by a Judge and Justice as the California prison true costs of interpreting "tough not with a new conviction, but by Reflections gn working witli the union ,_ population reached 100,000. The on crime" as jClock cern up." the Board of Prison Terms for a study profiles the "typical The following is a profile of our parole violation. We will spend ••• P • • , • • • " •• • • • \.. .. .. .. .. .." . , • • , • • , ........ i1 :8 inmate," examines the cost of in­ 100,Oooth prisoner. Overall, he an exorbitant amount of money carcerating the inmate, and offers contrasts starkly to the stereo­ imposing a term of supposedly bisrery i jail 9 recommendations that would typical criminal epitomized by rehabilitative inactivity upon 'J\ ~wts · · - · · ·· · ·· -·~>t · ,,· · ·~·· · p· shift these costs to the implemen­ Willie Horton: A young man of this man, yet at no point in the tation of more viable alternatives. color, uneducated, and sub­ process can he expect to receive Speaking frarrKIY about AIDS .. ,y'" ..•. p. {3 , stance.abusing, our 100,Oooth in­ drug treatment, education or job On April 15, 1991, the Califor· mate is notable more for the skills. As a result, he will return ~reed6m neatfOf. Patrick Hooty Croy: ....... nia Department of Corrections desperation of his circumstances to us arguably more likely to reof· fend than when he entered announced that the prison than the heinousness of his acts. ,. '0· .. ·· • · . • " .. •. , . ·.V':'7 ·:··.· .· ·· .. ·"'t ·,, -_.. .... .. -.. population had exceeded the In fact, although we spent over prison. 1\t.140 100,000 mark. As an occasion for $42,000 on his incarceration, suo reflection and analysis, the pervision, revocation and re­ Center on Juvenile and Criminal incarceration, the prisorier's See CROWDS on page 5 Prisoners Rights Union NON-PROFIT 1909 6th Street ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE Sacramento, CA 95814 PA I D ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED PERMIT NO. 2119 SACRAMENTO,CA 2 - The California Prisoner· June 1991 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR volatile situations. competent citizens through per­ No to visiting cutbacks Section 3170(b) states "visiting sonal, social and intellectual The Struggle Continues shall not be denied except as is growth. I am writing this letter in necessary for the reasonable Institutional programs should Say No to visiting cutbacks regards to the state possibly cut­ security of the prison and the seek to establish mutually ting back visiting within state safety of persons." Although the beneficial partnerships with Dear Readers, run prison facilities to ease the state isn't planning to abolish other educational and scholastic visiting, it has in fact violated the 1991 Ularks the'ZOth Anniversary oftnePri~oll.er6 Rights Union. budget deficit. In a recent article agencies, government and busi­ "spirit" of this section. Visiting is This issue is dedicated to ex ~mining the Union's history in the published in the Telegram­ ness. Through these partner­ courts, in the legislature and in theminds of those wi10 cOUlmitted Tribune, San Luis Obispo, dated designed to maintain a family ships we may look to provide unit while trying to cope with a 'a year or more DC sel:Vic~ to the aaVl1-ncement of human rights for May 13, 1991, it stated the state public services to the community would save up to 6 million dollars loved one's incarceration. In­ aU tJlose incarCll~ated. through academic, public and Throughout t'he yearll there have been a number ofrights viola­ cutting back weekday visits to . mates cannot be a part of a unit private organizations. Simul· with any meaning or substance tUlIlS tbat the Union and its membe~ have fought to reeti!:y. The weekends only. I truly find that taneously we may instill a sense hard to believe since none of the on weekends only. They have a struggle continues IU} the Union begins a new decade of serville. of social responsibility and values In April, tl}e prison population un(ler the California Department visiting officers would be ter­ right and a need to have the within those participating in ofCorrectioDil exc!eeded tlm ]OO,aOO mar-k. 'Dhls'number is.stagger­ minated; they would simply be availability to participate on an these programs. The building of ing, bllt'it does meari that we are,at least 100,OOO·v oices s /;l;ong. absorbed into each prison facility almost daily basis. self-esteem, responsibility, un­ Th!l:Se voices need to be h.ea,rd NOWI The D,epartment of COrree­ and their 35,000 dollar salary Also, weekends only visiting derstanding and marketable job t.iP~. is examining-its ,budget to determirie where. cuts can be made, continued. would only be opened to those in­ skills are necessary to any Vis.ttng cu~backs will'undollbtedl>: be an option. mates who worked M-F. Those rehabilitative environment. It haa be~n proposed that $6 million coula ~ sav~ if visits ar.e Currently, the state enjoys a inmates whose jobs were on the These individuals can become ac­ reduced to Just w eekends and holidays. ' . revenue being made by the weekends would not be allowed tive and productive members of • Our .office. haa received many calls of outrage oves- this prison visiting rooms. The vend­ to visit. Therefore, the state the community and society. rumo~ ll~o posal . Lett~r w~iting campaigns have.been kicked off ing machine companies give the would again be violating the Education programs will not a~,In~repre!lentatlves In the legislature and the Director" of state a percentage of all that is Visiting Directive, Section be the panacea for the problems COrrecbons. sold inside at visiting. That 3170(c) of unequal allocation of of crime and incarceration. Yet, '. (In¢~ntiilir, the SF Ghrontc.le repprtea on May 16 thatthe o~ would be greatly decreased by visiting time. These inmates equipped with the proper skills year la1d,;:locluj'o{l: celli dlXirs Q~Pehc/jnBQ)! ~~te -Prison are'.'f1.awea'! cutting out 3 visiting days per would be greatly discriminated and opportunities, there are {}!Ifl thiit,the I1tatep/CI1$ ~ spwtd $64 ;mltlion to fix th~m .
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