FFUP Youtube Channel

Forum for Understanding Prisons now has a youtube channel, where we'll be sharing videos we acquire via open records request and other content. Please like, subscribe, and share the channel and our first video, about an assault at Columbia Correctional Institution last October.

Our hope is that videos like this will increase awareness of conditions in Wisconsin prisons, and deter guards from abusing more people.

NEW START 2019

New Start 2019

                        Update/organization of 50 plus-some blogs ongoing. 
                                 We ask for your patience but there is much here.
                                                An organized (kindof ) start below:

These are hopeful times for those of us in prison work, with much talk and preparation for the coming of our new governor . Will we see some justice? Well, we prepare in expectation.

One of FFUP tasks is to organize the blogs that have piled up throughout the years. This will be a long project as there are many treasures in them but they are jumbled. Below is a beginning:

MAIN BLOG : ( you are here)  www.prisonforum.org  PRISON FORUM 

On side bar and across top are links to specialized blogs, essays etc

TWO PAROLE BLOGS :  

1)www.secondchancewi.org:  Second Chance Wisconsin, So far most important here is a scroll -down post of parole over- ready people which we hope can be quickly released.

this blog is devoted now to opening up parole but will expand to be portal for all other issues

               

2) https://parolecass.blogspot.com/ Waiting for Parole: these are individual prisoners’ stories of no parole- in the process of updating and have many to add.

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT 

SCROLL DOWN POST OF SOME PRISONERS FFUP IS WORKING WITH

                                      Our Blog on Solitary :

 https://solitarytorture.blogspot.com/   DYING TO LIVE

this is being updated, we request your patience. 

NOTE: FFUP has many solitary blogs and this is where the consolidation is particularly needed.

OUR PENPAL BLOG: 

 https://needsfriendsnow.blogspot.com/ Stranded Friends: OUR PENPAL BLOG:  FFUP offers forward service and always is available for questions or suggestion/complaints

Some Solitary Prisoners

1)Tyler L Milton 596157 WCI  bd1998 ( now 20 y.o.)

9 16 18

I am writing to let you know that I had a failed suicide attempt. The stress is getting to me. Multiple correctional officers have been telling me a lot of messed up things. Some examples of what they have been saying include:

“just kill yourself already”

“you have nothing to live for” I’ve been gone two days, why are you still alive?”

 “I’m going to poison your food”

 “I hope you die in your sleep tonight. That way you die peacefully and I won’t have to put up with you          ever again. That’s a win win situation, it can’t get better than that.”

“Next time you cut yourself, cit deeper. Hit a vain You won’t feel a thing.”

“oh, your back? I was hoping you wouldn’t make it through surgery.”

            Those are most of the things a few of the correctional officers have been saying. The Cos that have been saying the above include: Officer Stephenson, officer Pole and Sgt Beahm. These are the main three. Also, 5 days after I had surgery, I took the stitches out and was attempting to commit suicide again by pulling out my intestines or stomach but I never made it that far because it was too painful and I had a lot of blood coming out of the gap.

          I informed the office , via my emergency intercom in my room, that I took my stitches out, and I was bleeding all over. THE Co in the bubble said she would alert the SGT.

!0 minutes later, no one c ame so I pressed my emergency call button again. The CO in the bubble gave me the same speech.  About 5-10 minutes late I pressed it again and she gave me the same answer , “I’ll let Sarge know.”

         I pressed my emergency intercom for the fourth time in about 30 minutes and told the bubble I am suicidal. The CO asked me if I have any plans I said “Yeah I’m bleeding and I’m gonna pull my guts out” Finally; the sergeant came down and found I was not lying.

I am writing this letter to you, ms Swan, to see if I can be added to the lawsuit for 2 failed suicide attempts that could have been 100 % avoided?

You said in your most recent newsletter that there have been 2 suicide attempts. Now there are four. The more things happen like this  the more people will take us seriously.

I have also have two personal letter “accidentally” given to another inmate- Brandon Bradley 644115 and a money receipt about 4 months ago which Brandon Bradley also had  and he is selling my personal family information to other dangerous inmates.

Also, the DC2, on may 7^th, 2018. They misplaced my 154$ glasses and did not reimburse me after multiple failed ICI attempts and I still have no glasses.

Please consider adding me to your team of Plaintiffs. If it’s not for money it’s for justice!!

2)Davin Rollins 278690 GBCI BD 1979 (40 y.o.)

 Davin is manic  depressive ( bi Polar) and sends long illegible letters when manic which belie his true abilities. His condition is exasperated by his lack of meaningful things to do. His mother is engaged in helping him knows he is very bright and would do well with a real opportunity. He is vulnerable to abuse and has no tools to cope with life in this system. Mother would like him to be part of this.

Emma Rollins (emma.rollins1950@gmail.com)

Mother’s recent statement- sent by email at my request:

Yes I am the mother of Davin  Rollins he is one of the inmate that in Green Bay Correctional Institution I have been very concerned about my son the way he have Ben getting treated in Green Bay he have been writing me Staton how the guards have Ben treating him he stated in his letter the guards is urinating in his food and how they are treating him he said they are taking him out of his room and take him down Hall where there's no camera is then sexual assault him my thing is why is my son is still in the hole why he isn't he getting help for his illness I want Justice the way my son is getting treated up there in Green Bay I feel that no one should be treated the way my son have been treated

    6 21 18- Advocate recently got a call from his mother that Davin is not receiving his meds, was taken to a part of the cell hall with no cameras and was sexually assaulted ; is often not receiving his food or it is thrown on the floor or foreign substance are put in it.( he says urine) We ask that he be sent to WRC.

3)Deron Love 437909/WCI ( bd 1987 31 y.o.)  letter 7 11 18

CR 7 8 18 staff passing meds when Deron asked her to spell her last name and then asked for first letters of first name.,, soliciting staff DOC 303.30 CR issued 7 19 18

JHLH sent 7 27 18

Suicidal thoughts in the hole/RHU.”Everytime its time for me to get out of the hole/RHU staff lie on me an give me a conduct report Just to keep me in the hole. Staff are doing this against me for filing complaints against them. I was supposed to get out of the hole 8 38 18 , but staff just lied on me and wrote me a Conduct report. They just gave me 120 days In the hole for this , here si the conduct report. Can you please do something about this and let me out of the hole? I’ve been in RHU for 10 months straight. ”

 Has told warden and security  director that staff lie on him when it is time for him to get out of the hole but they don’t do anything about it.

“staff have spit in my food, I have lost over 70 pounds Because of that, Staff are also throwing away my legal mail and personal mail. When I am in general I stay out of trouble. “

4)Iroquis E Regazzi 00588368 WCI  NA 1995 ( now 23)(story coming)

5)Darryl Nelson 551868 CCI  1987

9 8 18 conference call with judge ordering force feeding. Wrote Carl McDaniel about “how I was force fed when they didn’t have(to?) and how I am not getting medical treatment so I hope good comes out fo this call. Lots of pain, hurts when tries to write. Thanks me for checking in and calling parents ,got fan and stamps .out in 8 months – says to himself stay strong

Diagnosed with PTSD and other diagnosis

‘But I would like to let you know that someone killed theirself 2 weeks ago in solitary I haven’t seen it on th e news at all these people trying to cover it up such as not letting the news know. He was only 25  ms peg, 25 and he killed his- self. He had kids and its sad because hehad a roommate and they sat there and watch im lkill his- self I don’t understand and they said he told the CO that he was going to kill his-self but nothing happened. Yeah. I can’t wait until this bad dream is over with.

Says it is less than a year till he gets out and he is going to wait till them to file a lawsuit.

8 14 18 sum from pencil letter

Swollen hand and shoulder not being treated. In much pain. Said he was writing C McDaniel for help with ADA suit ,Nurses telling doctor that something is wrong but doctor “refusing to see me, and on top of the they keep giving me hole time for self harm. They tried to give me a 120 but they gave me  60 days; I appealed that to the Warden..”( later in call he said new Warden ,  woman, released him from seg)

Me and a lot of others are suffering under the care of this doctor and the PSU staff is no better. They don’t do nothing to help you so we need people like you who really care.

7 30 18 Got Jailhouse lawyers handbook

I haven’t got any treatment –the PSU staff don’t even some talk to me when I write the and I been trying to go back to WRC but the PSU here said WRC won’t take me. But I am no longer doing the hunger strike cause it did me no good and you are right, this prison do break every rule, But thank you for caring for me and what I am going through.

But I don’t know how to do an injunction but  if one can be put together for me to go to WRC and get some treatment before I go  home that’s all I been trying to do for ten years now. The court even ordered for me to have a psychological evaluation and this prisoner still has not done it. But I wrote the judge Troy D Cross about what is going on with me so this court scheduled a phne conference on 10 1 18 at 8:30am. But I don’t know what it’s about.

He promises he is done self harming. Out in 8 months.

Wants to live life to help others

6)Charles Wynn 592558 CCI 1994 ( 20 y.o.) complaint 8 17 conditions in seg, sleeping on floor two to cell in solitary

7)WILLIAMS, DEVONTE 00561638 1987  (30y.o.) WSPF 11 18 F  neighbor alerted me to Devonte

(story coming)

8)Luis Ramirez

9)Timothy Crowley 243754   GBCI ( BD1976, 42 y.o.)

- deaf, going blind/mentally ill/ came to prison with few years – now has over 20 years in- always in some kind of seg for acting out- easy target and does strike out getting more charges. FFUP worked hard to get him Braille lessons which finally came but there was no one to help him with it and the project failed. Many suicide attempts.

10)Terrance Grissom 193184 CCI( BD 1970, 48 y.o. )- advocate has had letters from concerned inmates about him. We are told he is either drugged to a stupor or loud and assaultive. Gets a lot of cases, mother in another state, wants him there.   Both states have refused- no interstate agreement they say .Needs concerted effort to transfer him out of WI. 

11)William Jones 473038 GBCI, (BD 1990 28yo) / FFUP advocate was alerted to this man in mid June by a worried neighbor. Our information about him thus far is incomplete but is enough to include him here: 

“I been in segregation since November 2016 and I’m on AC status. I initially came to seg for enterprising and fraud and received a predetermined 90-D-seg tine. I completed the entire 90 no issues, then was placed on AC. My AC review meeting had so many violations I cannot go into detail here. But I am on AC because the administration ‘’said”  : “for the safety of others” but I got no violent tickets, no drug tickets. Since  I been in seg I have not received no proper mental health treatment and I’m a MH2. My diagnosis  are major depression. PTD, Anxiety and ADHD . I was convicted of armed robbery and I am appealing that currently. “

12)Tyler Metzner 393001 WRC ( 1983) 

I have dealt with mental health issues for a long time being in and out of mental health hospitals. In 2015 I was arrested for yelling and waving a knife around because I am bipolar and I was delusional and in a manic phase. Instead of going to a hospital to get the help  I needed, I was brought to jail and placed on suicide watch.

At the jail I was treated very poorly being forced to sleep directly on the concrete with no mattress, no pillow and no blanket for multiple nights on multiple different occasions. I was not allowed to have toilet paper, Soap, toothpaste, toothbrush nor take a shower for periods lasting 2-18 days on multiple different occasions. During this time I was in segregation for 153 days in which I deteriorated as I lost my mind and received an additional 53 charges. I was punished for being mentally ill .No one in their right mind goes to jail for misdemeaners and receives 53 additional criminal charges. And at court I was sentenced to 34 years and feel that though they made an example of  since there was no permanent damage or any serious injuries.

Then when I got to Dodge Correctional I attempted suicide in which a large number of guards had to stop me. After I was fast tracked through Dodge and sent here at Columbia to get help psychologically, start groups  and have more freedom. Instead I have been in isolation since 4/5/16 because the warden says I am a security risk because of my past behavior at the jail. Thank GOD I still have an open appeal and my family was able to hire me an attorney. Though in the meantime I study la with the hope to help myself and possibly help others in the future.

Gerald Easterling 564618;WCI ;PO Box 351;Waupun ,WI 53963

BD 1992

From Within and beyond this 8” by 14” square  foot steel deprivation cell that is designed for my mental and physical and social dehumanization, I bring to you this letter  of concern regarding the adverse effects of long term segregation sensory deprivation<After spending 3 years in intensive solitary confinement ,deprived of human contact, I had become super-sensitive to the 5 basic human senses. This deliberate and intentional stripping of the ell down to a isolation cell, then the stripping of the individual down to the basic necessities and even down to the personal effects- then locked within this cell 24 hours a day with barely the bare essentials and where even this wall-mounted stainless steel mirror is the segregation cell is removed from the walls so that even the sight of one’s own image is denied. And no matter how strong a person is , sensory deprivation is depravity at its worst. All 5 basic human sense-sight, sound, smell, touch,  and taste-are severely suppressed-when one is slowly but surely and very subtly stripped of all common sentiments of humanity. So once again, I am force d to adapt to a Fucker of situation. Under these adverse conditions of confinement one tends to crave a change of scenery and location, and atmosphere, and environment just so s/he can see new sight instead of the same old everyday mind-deadening routine and faceless faces..hear new and different sounds other than the  quiet and indescribable silence that seems to speak louder than noise, smell different scents besides the foul stale and  contemptible odor so common to everyday existence in this bottomless pit..one seeks to touch base with and feel and embrace another human in an intimate and sensitive and humane and compassionate and personal way as opposed to the impersonal and inhumane and insensitive and degrading manner..one develops a strong, intense desire to taste various foods besides the same old tasteless and non variety and everyday, recycled meals. One is served just enough good to have a bowel movement and just enough to say alive. Where even one’s sense of taste and appetite, and taste buds is denied and deprived, Torture chambers where absent various forms of social stimuli , the human mind can become so debased and so dehumanized , and sink so low tha if one isn’t so careful , there is a tendency to adjust and conform and accustom oneself to a standard of living that is lower than that which exists within the animal kingdom.

After spending over three years in the intensive solitary confinement, I was transferred back to general population .I have not received, encouraged nor welcomed any outside contact by way of visits and emotional and spiritual and financial support from family members, loved ones or friends in the past 6 years. The most pain is knowing, the feeling of helplessness. The dark corner doesn’t lend much comfort-often the walls are closing in. It’s still dark and cloudy in the midst of the hell the call “the kingdom, of darkness” but with a little love and support, you can supply the sunshine I need to get me through this stormy weather when all else fails. Bring your light to my solitude heart and mind and soul. What you have for me will make my darkness all-light, I understand you help people in prison, can you please help me maintain myself and existence with emotional and spiritual and financial support. Can you please provide encouragement and help me overcome the challenges faced during incarceration and reintegration. Being ungrateful is not a character of mines, nor do I require a lot, I just ask that you provide me enough ,enough of what you honestly have to offer genuinely from a place where your feeling and heart may reside.

Can you please order me some envelopes? Item #8039 at  www.JL Marcuswisconsin.com ( 414-438-4999)

It si my heartfelt appreciation. You have my thanks. Hope to hear from you really soon.

Respectfully submitted, Gerald Easterling #564618

Read in original:https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/gerald-easterling.pdf

Dennis Mix 499033 CCI,  bd1987, 31yo in CCI- 

hung himself in Solitary- settled his  case on deliberate indifference and was put back in similar situation. FFUP first made contact with him because of a concerned letter from a neighbor.  

His  case #2 14–cv-01172 WCG was concluded in 2017 which was settled because, according to Mr Mix, the DOC tampered with a key witness “which made me afraid and I settled.”

 “I have not left segregation since June 26, 2017 and I’ve been incarcerated 11 years with 6 to go and I’ve done 8 years at least in solitary confinement, 24 hour lockdown .”

   “I have 6 years until my release 2-13-24. I fear I will kill myself before that. They moved us to unit 7B where upstairs is housed all AC prisoners when it overflows downstairs where all their MH seg prisoners are. I don’t know if I should be downstairs or upstairs. They wake up screaming in middle of the night and it makes my issues worst. It’s rough. If you complain about this they will write a CR and say you threatened them. This keeps complaints to a minimum”.

      WDOC often places severely mentally ill prisoners in solitary as a control too though this only worsens their conditions and makes it impossible to get treatment. This plaintiff is at imminent risk for a psychological breakdown and another suicide attempt.

”We are on 24 hour lockdown. I’ve appealed my placement but it’s well known what happens when I’m in seg long. All it takes is one day I’m paranoid. They say my history- well, the violent fight was in 2017 and I hadn’t had a fight before that since 2014 –that’s 3 years.” 

 ( note: Advocate was alerted to this guy’s situation by a concerned Inmate neighbor)

Fredrick Andrew Morris 579941 GBCI; (born 1992 25YO)  

Background: grew up in Chicago with gangs, many in his family in prison. Eloquently puts situation: ” I have  mental issues but PSU here in GBCI sums my mental issues up with three words: ‘antisocial personality disorder’ but I think of people who grew up in Chicago , Minneapolis. Studies show that people who grew up like I did have mental issues of people in the third world war- torn countries.

48) I didn’t choose the streets like most people do, I was born in the streets. That is why I have nightmares, hear voices, see things, feel things, because I am really unstable. Just because I don’t hack chunks out of my body GBCI sees my mental health issues as nothing but if do something, hurt someone everyone says “why did he snap like that?” I need meds for my mental issues. I need a PSU who will help me, not go tell people of what I tell them so others look at me some kind of way.”

49)The first is I have been in seg 3 years 3 months . Each time it is close to time to release me they have either given me a 180 or 120 DS. I have told many people of the problems I am having at GBCI. It has went to the same security advisor Vanlanen tells me he will transfer me out of GBCI .It turns out to be a lie each time I have been retaliated against, antagonized, provoked, set up, and tortured. This is a brief but fact on security.

52) F. Scott Brown 567501, CCI (bd1990 out 11 2019)

Scott Brown is 27 years old and has cut himself severely numerous times and is trying to get to WRC for been incarcerated for approximately  11 years, much of it in solitary. In a 2015 letter he states: “I’ve been trying to get in touch with law firms or even anyone that can help me receive the proper treatment for my mental illness. I’ve been struggling to get evaluation done for my mental illness.”WE have included him in our solitary suit wich we help to refile again soon and he has continued his self harm and gets more solitary time in punishment.

 I go home next year ( 11 months now) and have been asking to go to WRC for prerelease and I will get better mental health treatment there. And here in GP I don’t get to come out of my room like I do in WRC. Being here is no help for me –I just keep ending up in observation for acts of self – harm and depression. I go home November 5^th 2019 and I am not aware how I am going to be it’s been 11 years since I been locked up.”

 He is punished for behavior over which he has no control and is punished for behavior while on observation status. He begs for real treatment. Of particular concern is that major conduct reports are for self harm something over which he has no control. 

 Rather than provide him with any treatment, he is punished for behavior that is impulsive and compulsive with more time in conditions which have been internationally recognized as giving rise to such behavior or the disorders such behavior is systematic of.

G.) Timothy Sidney 480018 CCI, (bd1988, 29 y.o.)

out 5 23 19 Letter 5 10 17:” I write in regards to mental health, my mental health! I been incarcerated a little over 7 years and I’m worst! Long story short 2011 until 2012 I had not one scar on my body, now my body will tell you 7 years worth of cruel unusual acts in scars! From 2012 until 2015 I was housed in segregation from Waupun , to Boscobel , to Green Bay, to WRC , back to Waupun! As I write you this letter I’m currently housed in Waupun seg unit on strike, Cause I’m subject to all type of cruelty, aged trays, Impartial Hearing, Excessive force, dirty cell guards, no mental health treatment  for my PTSD, So I cut  a lot for grounding. COs (correctional officers)here in their seg building, CO Beahm ,CO Demers, CO Pole are putting razor blades, unprescribed pills in my cells even in my observation cell before being placed on suicide watch and I’m sending proof enclosed in this letter

         some people want a way, some want lawsuits , some want revenge, but I just want help, treatment because I go home soon and I don’t want to go home like this, so please reach out because I’m to the point of no return!  This plaintiff is being incited to self- harm by guards known for their history of prisoner abuse. He seeks an immediate Injunction.

        Another thing I think you should know is I was housed in seg from 2012 to 2015 off ticket for overdosing and cutting and my records speak for they self this is no lie your reading. The charges was either misuse of medication or disfigurement.  All I ask is that you reach, because I need to be touched.

63)Jovan Williams 575056 WCI (bd1993, 24yo)

Jovan Williams was incarcerated at age 19 and has been in prison in restrictive Status housing for more than  2 years, approximately January 2016 until now. He believes he was originally put in restrictive housing Status for disobeying orders and was given 90 days. He is still there. He has not been giving outside of cell recreation nor allowed to go outside for long periods. Due to DAI policies and procedures he was given 45, 90 and 105 days of loss of rec.

         He is diagnosed as MH-1 and is continually put around prisoners with MH-2-A and 2-B and says there are no psychological treatment  given to any of them. “ I never thought I will have all of these scars on my body and mental, but look at the result of what I have gone through being incarcerated in these settings . I don’t know if I will be able to function in the community without help. I have reached out more than several times for help to get back to reality but get nothing. This setting is full of boredom, hostile ways from people. This is dangerous-which leads me to self destructive ways, suicidal thoughts, self harm and suicidal attempts which only make my psychological state worse than it was at the beginning.

      While on Clinical observation at GBCI He attempted to kill himself by suffocation with a plastic 

FFUP'S Wish List for the New Governor

FFUP WISH list

intro: Although FFUP does have allies and friends throughout the state, right now FFUP is Prisoners and one old lady , me, who for 18 some years has been writing to and advocating for prisoners.  FFUP’s mission is to not only help the prisoner get through his or her incarceration ordeal with psyche intact, but to be a voice for the prisoner. Therefore  In this auspicious time, I am compelled to make an effort to relay some of the basic unmet needs of the prisoners in hope that these will be considered as we go forward.

These are suggestions and needs intertwine.  On the suggestions I tried to point out stuff that can be at least started now without legislative approval. I do believe that going ahead with the learning and gathering is important – the  rest will come if the ground work is solid. This is no attempt at anything complete here-  in my view the WI DOC is  completely corrupted and only with a firm reinstating of mission and enforcing of  that reinstatement with supportive actions  can the sadism that has taken over the system be eliminated. 

suggestions:

1)Put and an ex prisoner on Governors transition team and Designate a person on the Governors staff who will read and consider seriously prisoners letters throughout his term. Wisconsin prisons are filled with fine litigators, people who have taught themselves the law in order to survive. These people know what needs to be done to make the system safe and humane – to make it a healing place. FFUP has worked with these prisoners and our proposals are generally the product of months of back and forth letters between litigators and me.  Read prisoners letters and open a channel to the litigators and you will have a working effective  system that heals. 

2) The governor can start a statewide discussion of who we have in prison and why. Also should be discussed how to help a person in trouble and why we have no effective alternatives to prison for the very troubled.

This discussion should be held in schools and places of gathering. Discussion tools can be provided by prison reform groups already doing their best at this task- with leadership from the governor, this could take off.

a)Included should be discussions on how we can help troubled people in our midst and why we isolate them.  Also a discussion of the  roll of prisons as the dumping ground for the poor and mentally ill and why we provide no alternatives to desperate families

b)Discussed should discuss WI unique place as the worst city to be a Black man in ( largest percentage of  Blacks per capita in the nation, lowest reading and math scores for many straight years, And thirdly, Milwaukee has been deemed the most

segregated city etc),

c) basically the discussion should aim to spark a notional discussion  that humanizes those in prison and takes away the hysteria that blinds people to the real engine behind all the prisons ( money) .

6) Grants needed : Bussing for families to prisons: 2 van services ready, grant needed for coordinator,
and a fund to help pay for families who cannot afford fare. We have been told by 2 van owners that fares will be reduced if vans are filled and that will be coordinators main job

                               POPS: A program for securing placement and support of soon to be release prisoners patterned aftet the POPS program in CA.
- one paid coordinator, rest volunteers, and funding for materials/Volunteers line up supports for prisoners, help them in transition, find mentors while in prison- probably good to have someone funded who works at Project Return or with EXPO- should be an ex-prisoner. ALL old law prisoners would be eligible for program, and TIS as they come up for release. /could possibly be part of UM LAIP or WIP-or an adjacent program.
grant for coordinator and supplies needed

                               A particularly popular idea e is a place of refuge for prisoners after release- some would stay temporarily, some would build their future from here- the plan is for a sustainable community. There are many of these proposals, this one, spiritually based, is the most recent:This is the vision of two prisoner, they are sending a more down -to earth plan/summation. funding is needed for the salary for a person to do ground work ( finding a place, fundraising etc)

http://unlockingamerica.blogspot.com/2018/01/barabbas-project.html.

6) Quick releases-these would be templates for others to follow

        a) wanting to be deported back to family . Now eligible for parole, judge ordered deported upon release- still being held- one person ready here: Lene Cespedes Torres

        b) pardon/sentence commutation for someone severely harmed by isolation –first one here: Kamau Damali 
http://www.prisonforum.org/2018/12/a-start-two-people-that-need-release.html
 

        c) Compassionate release_ packet of people requesting compassionate release, The  DOC does not recognized the exec order    31- we are gathering people to add to the three that are ready. Here is old  application- new one coming.

4) Enact parole Guidelines put together by FFUP- As Governor Thompson stopped parole with a memo, the governor can start it with an executive order or  memo . Also pick a parole chairman who believes people change and are not defined by their crime.

these guidelines would reinstate parole as it was before the Thompson memo. Only those ready would be released.Here are guidelines, which need no legislature, and the proposed rules which woudl be needed only if the guidelines were not followed.

parole guidelines and rules alone

https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/1-1aarule-proposal-alone.pdf

Here is the whole Parole rule petition using statue 227 submitted in 2016 about- some good talking points.

https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/parole-rule-petition-4-15.pdf

 

5) set up a committee to study ending revocations without new felonies – Start by studying what was done in Washington and  else where:

Washington State has a program that is worth studying:
2014 Introduction: How Swift and Certain Sanctions Changed Community Supervision in Washington State : https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/wa-state-new-program-swift-sanctions.pdf
 summary of evaluation - 2 pages
http://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/wa-state-sac-policy-summary.pdf

2)And this is the 73 page evaluation of Washington’s program: https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/wa-sac-evaluation.pdf



Here are links to what we have now:
 1) WI present supervision rules:
https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/standard-rules-of-supervision.pdf
 2)Act 196:https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/act196-revocations.pdf
3) which brought about the 2016 guidelines which we believe are too vague and as voluntary guidelines, are generally not followed :    
https://ffupstuff.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/doc-2016-guide-to-revoc.pdf 

Also, again, prisoners have the best ideas because they have gone through it. Any rules you come up with should reviewed by them- I think of prisoner litigators I work with as guides.  

https://casesprison.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/wa-state-sac-policy-summary.pdf

6) specific problems:

         Needed: study committees made up of volunteers in the  community, legislators,  prisoners ( through letters) Ever’s staff).

           a)  PREA-( prison rape elimination act)

Sexual assault is a huge problem within the WI system because all outside agencies tasked to advocate and help rely on the DOC to report the assault.  This rarely happens and then only the assault is between inmates in full view of others and or a guard is involved and it is so public noone can deny its occurrence. The rules put forward by the DOC are as usual, stunning and as usual- either not followed or interpreted in such a way that those who report rapes are targeted for retaliation forever with no help. FFUP is working with three victims in an effort to possibly do a joinder action and can produce a report we did several years ago. But this is something that needs to be studied. “PREA IS A JOKE”. The letters are horrific – will post a few soon.

            b)THE BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM- a completely broken inmate complaint system- the fox guards the chicken coop is the saying often used, over the years access to the courts is curtailed more and more through this system- again this needs to be a study group with close ties to prisoner litigators. The nepotism in the system is daunting – the examiner(decider) comes from within the staff of the prison and is co worker to the person he /she is judging- often they are related by blood. Evidence would need to be collected and other states studied,

 

7)  EASY STUFF That would change much

  a) bring back interlibrary loan and other programs like one that bought kids at risk to meet and talk with selected offenders- was tremendously successful according to prisoners  . Man other programs were stopped when mission was dropped.   Course now there are few programs because of lack of staff and overpopulation.

 b) ALLOW emailed receipts on books- Books are very hard to get into the prison because the prison requires that  they include a paper receipt,. With the internet few books companies include receipts- they email them. An executive order or talk to DOC  chairman asking for change of policy would make a huge difference in quality of life for prisoners.

c) Hygiene should be carried by vendors ( marcus and union supply) so family and friends can buy for prisoner and look at and study what indigent prisoners are getting for supplies. Tell  DOC to allow to Vendors to carry hygiene items.  This is a BIGGY- hygiene- deodorant and soap- is only sold on canteen and indigent and those in seg have no access. the hygiene the prison gives out is absurd. the soap is in a plastic packet about 2” by 1 “ and flat- does not have enough soap for one wash up and a few are to last for days the tooth brush and paste are all absurdly inadequate and prisoners take their daily routine very seriously and taunt one another when standards are not up to parr. Food, stamps etc  is exchanged for hygiene. REALLY HUGE.

d) Be aware: FOOD portions getting smaller especially in seg. Between being in cells too cold or too hot and not getting enough food. many prisoners can only sleep all day in isolation. A Constant nagging problem  is not enough to eat- HUNGER. I am told that an investigation would not come up with anything unless it were a surprise  but awareness come first.  

And especially for segregation/Solitary

1Announce goal of eliminating solitary for more the 15 days. Connect with EXPOS  education team  and make it clear that solitary is used as a population control tool- there is not enough staff or general population staff and seg is easier to handle than general population. these days most prisoners seldom come out even in general because of lack of staff.

So solitary reform must go hand in hand with population reduction.

There are many things that need to be in place for this to happen . In the meantime , study Colorado’s rules . They deal with the violent with intensive treatment. An example of the horror of our system is that LaRon McKinley spent 27 years in solitary here, regularly testing as psychopathic. He was the one winners in a hunger strike put on in 2016- and was sent to Colorado and now is doing fine in general population. The rule that allowed him to be kept in Solitary confinement so long was the vague rule that allowed long term solitary for have a “History of violence”- his crime ( noone was killed, a violent escape attempt 27 years before)

2) do the solitary reform in stages.

     1)Announce you need to build a mental health treatment center patterned after one mandated at Women’s prison in Fond du lac.The DOC had budgeted it several years ago- they will agree probably again.  Tell the legislature we do not need another prison,we need a mental health treatment center. WRC is whole inadequate- there needs t be a place where the prisoner can stay as long as is needed . 
Here is power point of center at TCI, Fond du Lac. 

    2) Get rid of the thug guards. Start with the most notorious:Talk to Warden at WCI about the most notorious guards Joseph Beahm and Monguey in WCI- who were shown to be the most assaultive in 2014 articles by the center for investigative Journalism and now run the seg unit. The inmates live in terror and the few that do report abuses are severely retaliated against , Many prisons have their thug in charge. Set up an investigative committee to look at complaints by prisoners and looking at prisoners letters should bring out the worst. Once you show the staff that brutality will not be rewarded, the fairness and kindness that can now only be shown in secret ,will begin to  come forward. Training and all that is of course needed. 

Center for investigative Journalism WCI abuse 2014 articles

https://www.wisconsinwatch.org/series/waupun-allegations/

https://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2014/07/waupun-guard-named-repeatedly-in-abuse-complaints/

https://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2014/07/40-allegations-of-guards-abusing-inmates-at-waupun-correctional-institution/

 

   3 )Insist on rotation of guards  that is long enough and in large enough groups that there is a real change on rotation. as is now , it is rotation in name only. Cameras are used and taken off at will . All areas pointed out by prisoners as without camera need to be investigated and tapes of incidents need to be made avaiable to inmate victims and their advocates- impossible now.

4)  ALL the prison has to do when SOMEONE DIES IS inform the coroner. No investigation usually . WE need every death reported to  an independent body accessible by the public and all should be investigated to extent needed. All needs to change in solitary- there is no treatment and visits by professional staff are few- there is nothing ahead except empty tortured years. Prisoners are routinely given more seg time for harming themselves and several times a day there are suicide attempts. There have been several deaths recently and we only hear about them through inmates . Then we shout in the wind- there is  nothing -

5) No rules or statutes, guidelines will have an effect in this corrupt system unless there is a basic change of heart .  Study is necessary to avoid  band aide changes. The DOC does that all the time and placates the public for awhile and then they go off to something else and the DOC abandons the new policies, rules, guidelines or statutes. - The prisoner is left each time with conditions worse, for the DOC does its dance better and better. Start with instating new parole guideline and appointing a parole commissioner who will follow them and believes in rehabilitation and change . Study Colorado for seg rules and WA for ending without felonies ending and go from  there. And always consult with the prisoner litigators.On request I will supply a list of prisoners I rely on. I know they would to be part of this. This way, we will end up with solutions that really do make the system safe for citizens and healing for prisoners.