Security Housing Unit prisoners react

Pelican Bay, Calif.--Last October, California prisoners again suspended the hunger strike that they had begun on July 1 when prison authorities promised to review all the Security Housing Unit (SHU) prisoners' validations based on new "behavior model" criteria (see News & Letters coverage: "Pelican Bay SHU on hunger strike," July-August, "Pelican Bay SHU struggle continues!" and "Hunger striker speaks," September-October, and "SHU prisoners: We want to be treated like human beings!" and "Voices from Pelican Bay SHU hunger strikers", November-December of 2011). The review process was to start at the beginning of the year.

In March, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) finally released a proposal for a new policy: "Security Threat Groups, Prevention, Identification and Management Strategy." We visited Pelican Bay SHU prisoners a few days later.

One prisoner said, "I don't know how people (in here) will take CDCR's proposal if it's as bad as it seems. There has been a peace of sorts, people holding their breath waiting to see what will happen. This is a slap in the face. They broke their word. What will happen now?"

The proposal does not address any of the five core demands the strikers made. Instead, under the guise of responding to realignment, CDCR proposes to establish a much more vague "Security Threat Group," which could include virtually anyone, and the hated Institutional Gang Investigator (IGI) has even more power over the prisoners in the SHU. The proposed step-down program is no different than the current no-way-out-but-snitching-or-death program.

The prison's response is only more retaliation. Guards issue disciplinary write-ups for actions which had been legal and permitted, such as sharing family photos or helping a visually impaired prisoner read his own legal case material.

One prisoner reported, "The contraband watch, or 'potty watch,' used to be rare, now there are 15-20 at all times. They claim to have confidential info (i.e., from snitches) that you have stuff hidden in your body cavity. You have to defecate in front of them. They don't allow you to wash your hand after wiping. Your hands are encased in metal sleeves during this process (he showed a picture). This is retaliation for the hunger strike."

The strike accomplished unprecedented cross-race unity and unity of action among SHU prisoners. It created solidarity between the SHU prisoners and the general prison population. It resulted in solidarity actions in most of California's prisons and many other prisons in the U.S. and even in other countries.

The strike action created support outside of prisons for prisoners' issues. Most importantly, it brought together those who consider themselves primarily activists with those whose relation with the prison is mostly through a loved one inside.

As the strong actions of Occupy for Prisoners from Feb. 20 on show, we are creating a national conversation about the abuse of solitary confinement and the (in)justice system in general. As part of that effort, Peter Schey, of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, filed a petition with the UN signed by more than 400 prisoners asking the UN to investigate the torture administered in California prison SHUs.

Another prisoner said, "So far our collective activity has proven to be powerful both among all the prisoners and between prisoners and outside. The struggle is just beginning."

--Urszula Wislanka

Subscription for one year $5

Home l News & Letters Newspaper l Back issues l News and Letters Committees l Raya Dunayevskaya l Contact us l Search l RSS

Subscribe to News & Letters

Published by News and Letters Committees