An Open Letter to the Incarcerated of Pennsylvania

by Anonymous

June 16, 2022

It has been more than a year since the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections vaccinated its inmate population. Mask mandates have been lifted. The unvaccinated have been allowed off quarantine and spread throughout general population. And yet here we are, another year gone, and the pandemic restrictions limiting activity and quality of life within the prisons remain. The PADOC has successfully used a deadly pandemic as a smoke screen to institute many of the wide-ranging and destructive restrictions it’s wanted all along.

Many of us served as “essential” workers during the pandemic, tirelessly disinfecting the blocks, preparing food and distributing trays. We toiled for long hours to keep the prisons running, with the understanding that Covid was an unprecedented situation that required all of us to work together. Besides those few lucky enough to work, the majority of us were stuck confined in our cells for days and weeks and months on end. It was tough on all of us, but we made it through, and to show its appreciation for our cooperation the PADOC has chosen to keep its pandemic restrictions in place indefinitely.

Continue reading “An Open Letter to the Incarcerated of Pennsylvania” →

Medical neglect of elders: Ivan Schweitzer in Pennsylvania

July and November, 2021
Ivan Schweitzer
incarcerated in Pennsylvania

To whoever can help,

I would like to know if I can sue Wellpath or the prison for medical negligence. If so, how and can you find me a lawyer? I have been waiting for 2 years to get my teeth fixed. Meanwhile, a couple months ago 2 teeth broke off and I lost a filling. I have put in sick calls but no response. I have ended up with infected lymph nodes. They gave me antibiotics and said I would get X-rays. 15 days later, no word from dental. With the lymph nodes, I got double and blurred vision. Continue reading “Medical neglect of elders: Ivan Schweitzer in Pennsylvania” →

COVID Prison Testimonies: Laderic McDonald in Missouri, August 2020

August 31, 2020
Laderic McDonald
Potosi Correctional Center, Missouri

This is Laderic McDonald and I am writing you to ask you to advocate on the behalf of me and other offenders at PCC.

We currently do not have any Dial soap or any anti-bacterial soap at canteen when we placed our Ad-Seg canteen orders. We are only allowed 2 bars per month per policy, so if you attempted to order Dial soap, you may not have gotten any soap at all. How can we keep our hands clean? How can we sanitize our cells? They do not allow us to clean our cells, a Big Health Hazard! We have no soap and COVID-19 is still pummeling America. Please call Potosi Deputy Warden of Ops, Jody Glore and advocate on our behalf. Tell him we need to be afforded access to cleaning/hygiene supplies that will keep us CORONA FREE.

Guards are not wearing a mask in Ad-Seg. They have to feed us, escort us to medical, showers, rec cages, phones and etc, but they are not wearing a mask, and they cannot practice social distancing.

It would be nice if they released offenders with no conduct violations out of Ad-Seg so we can take care of ourselves. Ad-Seg is unsafe and has offenders at risk for COVID-19. Not a good situation!

Please do something. We need your help.

With all due respect,

Laderic

Editor’s note: Ad-Seg is a term for solitary confinement. Prison Health News did respond to this letter when we received it, and we sent some information about how to advocate for oneself using grievances, lawsuits and other means.

Inhumane Conditions

An Excerpt from Felon: The New Slur Word by Justin Guyton
Chapter 7: Inhumane Conditions

One of the issues that prisoners face in maintaining their health is the inadequate medical treatment that is given to prisoners. We all know that medical treatment isn’t cheap, but just because a person is incarcerated doesn’t mean that they don’t have the right to adequate care. The nursing staff and the majority of the doctors suggest the same remedy for pretty much any health issue a prisoner may face: “Take these ibuprofen, drink lots of water, and get some rest.” They know that this one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t solve most problems that are brought to their attention, but this is one of the many tactics that are used in an attempt to save money at the expense of the prisoners’ health. These same individuals who took an oath to provide adequate care to those that they encounter are doing the exact opposite. Depending on the illness, this type of ploy can often result in tragedy.

Some years back, I had a friend that for the point of this story I won’t reveal his name out of respect for his family. This friend was serving a three-year sentence that he’d almost completed. As a means of escape in addition to staying in shape he would work out regularly.

I’d ended up being moved to another housing unit due to the dormitory that I was previously in was being used to house prisoners whom were lacking their GED. Though no longer in the same dorm, my friend and I would cross paths regularly. A few weeks after I was moved, my friend tragically passed away at twenty-three years old.

Continue reading “Inhumane Conditions” →

Saving Your Mind: Mental Health in the Age of COVID

November 1, 2020
By Leo Cardez
Illinois Department of Corrections

“This is some crazy ass shit; and I thought I’d seen it all after twenty years in the joint.” Murder*, my COVID wing co-worker, lamented while shaking his head. We were dragging yet another fellow inmate to the hospital wing of our prison. Murder is a seasoned con from the streets of Chicago’s South side, but I swear I saw a tear in his eye.

There were four of us glorified janitors working in the makeshift quarantine wing of our prison. Besides cleaning, we were tasked with moving and caring for sick (even dead) inmates. At the peak of our coronavirus outbreak, we worked seven days a week double shifts, sweating through our full PPE—too busy to even stop and eat. It was only at the end of the day, during my shower, that I would finally have a moment to catch my breath. Sometimes I would break down, hiding my tears as the warm water washed over me. My co-workers and I suffered everything from nightmares to migraines. We lost and gained weight at an alarming rate. We slept sporadically and were often depressed or angry. Double D, my morning co-worker, said it best, “We are never going to be the same after this… you cannot unsee or undo this type of damage.”

Continue reading “Saving Your Mind: Mental Health in the Age of COVID” →

COVID Prison Testimonies: Zhi Kai Vanderford in Minnesota, April 2020

April 5, 2020
Zhi Kai Vanderford
Minnesota Correctional Facility, Shakopee

I am a trans male, been on testosterone about a year here. I am a Minnesota lifer that they sent out of state for 14 years in California, 12 years in Oklahoma, and the rest of the time broken up in Minnesota, so a total of 33 years.

The inmates here are fortunate—we have each been issued a mask and told we will get a new one monthly. But out of all the staff, and they are coming in [from the outside world], I have only ever seen one wear a mask—a foreigner—a nurse, bless his heart. The rest of these jackholes are ignorant young folks that feel fine—of course they do. They are asymptomatic.

Of course, what is the excuse of the 2 old geezer doctors that I saw? They don’t care about our health. They joke it is inmate population control.

And the inmates I spoke with are saving their masks for when they are needed. When people are actually dying. But there are Minnesota prisons that have it [COVID].

Thank you for keeping me in the loop and being a lifeline. If I get more time, I will draw or write. Feel free to print my work. Just give me credit. Maybe I can get things improved here.

Stay safe.

Zhi Kai

COVID Prison Testimonies: Rudy Vandenborre in Florida, September 2020

A Donkey’s Rock
By Rudy Vandenborre
Everglades Correctional Institution
September 12, 2020

When I went to Washington, D.C. from a small farmer’s town in Belgium, it felt like I entered a whole new unknown world. As a butterfly who morphed, fluttering its wings for the first time, I believed that I was invincible by living a very dangerous lifestyle. “Whatever happens to other people ain’t going to happen to me,” became my motto.

The first time I encountered an unseen enemy was when I took a guy home who insisted on us wearing condoms. AIDS was running rampant all around the world—every country, every city became a hot-zone. However, the mainstream media stayed mum on this HIV pandemic, as it was still branded a gay disease.

There is a saying that even a donkey will not stumble over the same rock twice! So, why did I?

Continue reading “COVID Prison Testimonies: Rudy Vandenborre in Florida, September 2020” →

COVID Prison Testimonies: Henry Newton in PA, September 2020

September 24, 2020
Henry Newton
SCI Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Please print to let people know. The DOC here at Camp Hill had us clean up after they used the decon chemicals in the kitchen and dining hall. We were sent back after 4 hours of cleaning. We were not allowed to get showers for 8 days. We worked on 9/15/2020 from 4:45 am until about 9:30 am cleaning up the decon chemicals they use for decontamination for COVID. I repeatedly asked to get a shower, see MSDA sheet on chemical, was told my skin was not falling off or melting. I was later told it could burn skin by other source. When inmates are around chemicals that are hazardous because staff has respirators and PPE, we are not afforded that or allowed to know hazards of chemicals we come in contact with. They have refused to give me any info on the hazards of chemicals or allow us to get showers after coming into contact with chemicals.

Camp Hill’s Medical Department do not respond to sick calls when you ask for meds to be reordered because order about to run out. In May I had to put 4 sick calls in, grievance in, have family call up. The medicine ran out on May 22. It took over 20 days to start the med back. I was charged $10.00 even after I was told my account will not be charged. My med was due to run out Sept 27. I was forced to put 2 sick calls in 2 request citing policy. We need outside help with oversight concerning medical issues.

Respectfully,
Henry Newton
Camp Hill, PA DOC

LGBTQ Prison Testimonies: Dakota Rose in California

July 2020
Dakota Rose Austin
Kern Valley State Prison, California

Ms. Dakota Rose, a trans woman incarcerated in California, asks for help to stop the violence against LGBTQ people housed in the Sensitive Needs Yard, a place intended to keep them safe from homophobic and transphobic attacks. Various populations at risk of harm are placed there, not just LGBTQ people. For more information, see this resource written by currently and formerly incarcerated trans activists.

“My Cup of Tea”

To all of my incarcerated trans-sisters/brothers and non-binary identifying individuals, what’s Gucci! I am Dakota Rose, an incarcerated trans-woman, African Am. who was privileged to read my sis-in-solidarity, Fatima M. Shabazz’ submitted article regarding “transgender housing in prison.” Instinctively, I felt a sense of pride, compelled to interject my perspective and push for out (LGBTQ) advocacy, activism and overdue civil recourse.

Currently I am housed at Kern Valley State Prison, a max security level IV (180 design) SNY/NDO (sensitive needs yard/non-designated) in which a vast majority of the population are identified by CDCR [California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation] administration as STGs (security threat group/gang members). CDCR administrators, such as Sec. Scott Kernan in conjunction with C. Pfeiffer, K.V.S.P. warden, have knowingly condoned a perilous homophobic and transphobic culture, which has subsequently led to various hate crime acts of violence, discrimination, sexual harassment and assaults upon the LGBTQ population.

Continue reading “LGBTQ Prison Testimonies: Dakota Rose in California” →

COVID Prison Testimonies: Clifford Smith in California, July 2020

July 8, 2020
Clifford Smith
Avenal State Prison, California

Hello there! : )

Greetings “again” from the inside society in central California … the forgotten society!

Hope and pray all is OK and your day going well! : )

Isn’t this virus something as it spreads across the world, states, cities, towns, prisons, etc.

They moved a group of us over 60 to this building, so please note, new updated address : )

Kind-of a “useless” move as we are still mixed in with the under 60 and not all over 60 moved, so they also mixed in with the under 60!

The whole IDEA of move was to keep us over 60 safe from this virus! Not a whole lot of thought put into it …

Continue reading “COVID Prison Testimonies: Clifford Smith in California, July 2020” →