Secretary Carr's Public Statements Inconsistent with Reality at Columbia CI

In our Wisconsin Death Trap report, we predicted that "Secretary Carr and his top level staff may [create policies, but] implementation... depend[s] on wardens, unit managers, and sargeants. Many of those staff members loathe incarcerated people and have long treated them as deserving of nothing but misery and slow death." Below we present the first evidence of this prediction coming true. There will be more to come.

More words about COVID-19 from people incarcerated in WI prisons are being collected here.

From James Emerson, held at Columbia Correctional (hastily written and transcribed, please forgive spelling, typographic and grammar errors).

Write to James:
 
James J Emerson

168690Columbia Correctional Institution
PO Box 900
Portage WI 53901

Today on Wisconsin public radio had an interview with secretary Kevin A Carr of the DOC. Most of the interview was based around the doc' s readiness in regard to the covid 19,virus that is spreading around the country. As your readers are likely aware, all doc visits have been suspended, except for professional visits ( attorney visits ) .

this is ,and I say this within CCI corr. the best way to prevent infection from reaching us.


I'm in agreement with he doc on this. However, during Carr's interview, he was asked what other preventative actions the doc is implementing, and,his response , so far as is visible here, at Columbia corr. was false in its entirety!

Mr. Carr stated that inmates,are receiving literature regarding covid 19. and preventative measures we as inmates should be practicing, such as washing our hands and,other proper hygienic practices.

Here at CCI we have received nothing such as this, and in fact have received nothing at all!!

we've not received anything explaining the symptoms of covid- 19 or what we should do if we are displaying any likelihood of having covid- 19.

Mr. Carr gave an elaborate story as to how more cleaning is being done at all doc facilities ,of cleaning common areas has increased from once per day to "more than once a day". Well here at CCI cleaning of any sort has not increased whatsoever ! common areas are possibly swept once a day, moped twice a week.

Cell cleaning is offered only twice a month. Showers are not cleaned daily, as twenty guys have to use them on each tear. and while mentioning the showers, I should also point out that we are permitted to shower only four days a week!

when asked about what the doc is doing to help inmates and in their families keep in touch now that visits are suspended, Mr. Carr stated that more phone calls are being, permitted through out the doc, of how he pH. company is offering free pH. calls and how,they are looking into setting up the capability to offer video visits between inmates and their family. I can only speak on the conditions here at CCI , but none off the above has occurred! we are allotted only four pH. calls per week, and if you don't get through you have to wait two more days to even try again. If at rec or library during your pH. time , then we are forced. to forfeit our pH. privileges, in till the next pH. time in two days.

Just a few more months ago we were able to make two, sometimes three,calls per day! And the only time we were given one free pH. call for ten minutes was at Christmas time.

There was never any clear reason as to why,our pH. privileges were taken from us . up until that point , for four years that I've been here, pH. calls had always been permitted throughout the day , everyday.
As to video visitation , the,capability is already here at CCI, granted only four visitation booths are available. However, if the doc were really intent on keeping us in touch with our loved ones, they could easily offer one hour , or even thirty min video visits. This would make available either 24 or 48. video visits per day and it could easily be stipulated that only one or two video visits could be allowed per
inmate per week.

let it be clear all I'm saying, at this institution these systems should be change and run a lot more efficiently!!!

And what I'm complaining about is how a top administrator of the doc system has gone on public radio talk show and given false truths to the listeners.

When this is done , ESPEACIALY from the very top of the doc, unchecked, accountability becomes impossible.

You have my permission to publish this in any upcoming newsletters, and may disclose who it has been written by.
Thank you for giving us this opportunity from within to help set the facts straight