September 15, 2015
So the latest from the depths of the West Complex, is that today we have been given a somewhat greater freedom from the lockdown we have been under.
We are still receiving only 30 minutes of unit yard, no dayroom, and 1 hour of big yard. The big yard is still split in two ‘sections’ limited to one tier per yard. Where in the past we had one half of the unit, top and bottom tier on the yard together. It appears that this is an attempt to limit the number of people on the yard at a time.
So right now at most, there can only be 50 people on the big the past that number could be as many as 100.
We are receiving library, and law library now. The only other programs that have not returned to normal are education and religious activities.
Also just as an idea of what the administration is concerned about here.
My JPAY messages are being rejected and censored now for references to Sureno’s, Norteno’s, and Aryan Family all identified STG, Security Threat Groups, identified and recognized by DOC. In other words they do not want me to discuss the activities and events that are occurring here in Walla Walla by identifying any of the groups who may be involved.
Which essentially is a violation of my right to ‘Freedom of Speech’ among other things.
Also the jpay messages are supposed to be automatically appealed in case of rejection, but there has been no notification other than the rejection itself.
Thursday 17
Programs are back to normal with the exception of the yards and unit dayroom. Those schedules remain on a single tier to the big yard, and a half a tier to unit yard/dayroom.
Saturday 19
At 8:45 this morning their was a minor fight in the dayroom, that involved 2 people. Africans, that are cousins, and were actually cellies a week ago. They were running showers on the West half of the unit while the Saturday morning ‘hobby-craft’ program, drawing, beading was on that side. One of the cousins who had moved to the West Side, was out for showers, and the other who lives on my side, East half of the unit was out for hobby craft.
Ultimately the unit is locked down for a one on one fight, with no injuries, between two family members.
The irony of this is that the administration was aware of the hostilities that had erupted between the two. There were two or three outbursts between them in the unit, and they were both approached by officers about the situation.
The younger one was taken out of the unit supposedly because he said he was going to kill himself.
When he returned a week later he was sent to the other side of the unit.
This is the outcome.
We are locked down again for a fight. A fight. That’s all.
This is what prison has come to.
Fortunately we returned to the normal schedule at lunch.
Sunday-Afternoon Shift
The Third Shift as it is titled comes on at 2:00 p.m. and “doesn’t work” until 10p.m.. In Fox unit the afternoon Sgt., a lady by the name of Forbes, runs a very erratic, and dis-functional shift.
This is simply my perception, but she bulldogs her staff, they are scared to move without her, and most often if questioned about simple matters they are unwilling to make confident decisions.
Occasionally they will visibly respond by shaking their heads no, and either point to or give a look in her direction.
She consistently makes bad decisions and directs her officers to act according to these decisions.
An idea of what some of these decisions are:
1. When we come out for chow, allowing 15 seconds and then closing the cell doors. Often times the amount of time it takes to pick up your tray and return to your cell may be as short as 30-45 seconds. Then you would have to wait another 15-30 seconds for the officer in the booth to open your door again. This was her idea, and only occurred during her shift.
Just one reason why this was a stupid idea is because in the event of a fight or some other ‘security’ issue, we are unable to enter our cell.
This went on for between 1 & 2 months.
Then it stopped.
2. Next on her list of brilliant ideas, was to lower the garage door-window where we pick up our meals. This makes inmates unable to see who is serving their food or who/what is going on behind the window.
Again, this is her idea, and only conducted on her shift.
3. Directing staff to conduct cell searches at times that are not conducive to proper staffing. Cell search was initiated at 10 minutes to 4. But because of count at 4, and subsequently chow and the necessity to have officers ‘standing mainline’ the search was not conducted until 6:37. It was not completed until 8pm. During this time the two inmates were kept in a holding cell. Less than half the size of a cell.
On another occassion, officers were conducting a cell search and this delayed yard for 20 minutes.
This Sgt. brings a level of discomfort to the unit. Inmates are on edge when she is here, and staff or on pins and needles.
It is like at 2pm the unit is turned upside down.
Today is Sunday and I laugh because it is the Sgt.’s weekend today and tomorrow. The unit is more relaxed, the guards are sitting down talking, watching football on the unit tv, even the c/o in the booth has made his way to a position that he can check the game out.
If only she would take the rest of the week off.
September 22,
We have returned to a mostly regular schedule. The unit yard, being the only change. Which is half a tier for 45 minutes, instead of the whole
tier for an hour.
Samuel Hawkins
DOC #706212
