Report on Internal Changes Occurring Inside the Indiana Department of Corruption: A Call to Action A Prisoner’s Overview (2005) "Settle your quarrels, come together, understand the reality of our situation... that people are already dying you could have saved, that generations more will die or live poor butchered lives if you fail to act...” ~ George Jackson ~ This report is being written for the sole purpose of giving voice to the current changes that are occurring inside the 1.D.0.C. and the politics involved with these changes. Indiana’s Governor, Mitchell Daniels, Jr. was elected after victory over ousted Governor Joe Kernan. Governor Mitchell Daniels Jr. immediately launched a campaign replacing the staff of the original Governor O'Bannon, with his own new staff. His power and reach of this office, also trickled down to the Indiana Department of Corruption. Evelyn Ridley-Turner, the past (1.D.0.C.) Commissioner, was replaced (by Governor Mitchell Daniels Jr.) with J. David Donahue, in January of 2005. Commissioner Donahue'’s Bio J. David Donahue has 24 years experience in corrections including service with the federal bureau of prisons, local government and private corrections. He started his career as a corrections officer in 1980 and has held several management positions throughout his tenure. He was assigned to several facilities throughout the country, having served as warden of two institutions. In the early 1990's, Donahue was allegedly committed to progressive, professional and efficient government. He is a well-respected professional who has a broad range of experience, according to his background check. J. David z Donahue is a native of Bardstown, Kentucky. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Police Administrative and Criminal Justice, from Eastern Kentucky University and did graduate course work at Spaulding University. Donahue has maintained, according to his background check, a professional membership with National Convictions associations and has also served as public safety director for the city of Barbourmeade in Jefferson County, Kentucky. He is married to Jan Caffee Donahue and they have three children. Indiana's Commissioner as Trouble Shooter On June 28-29, the second Superintendent's Conference was held at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. This was hosted by the Department of Criminology. The conference was attended by facllity Superintendents, parole supervisors and division directors, representing the Indiana Department of Corruptions. The Commissioner had agreed to Interviews with local newspapers in Indianapolis. He had also attended community forums in the New Afrikan communities in Indianapolis. These actions have lead Indiana citizens into believing that he cares about the voices and concerns of the People. He may be "progressive” but he is a political agent, whose sole purpose is to serve the interests of his office. Some of his work immediately was shown in the way he approached the lack of professionalism in department staff. Instead of promoting, Donahue sent a message throughout the employed members by demoting many who held rank down to rookie officers. For many of us on the inside, this gave us the impression that positive changes were on the rise. But the changes that are currently occurring under this new administration are centered on saving the Prison Industrial Complex more money. Doing this has a drastic impact on prisoners and our rights as a whole. Commissioner J. David Donahue highlighted the 150 - day 3 accomplishments of the department and emphasized "employees, efficiencies and effectiveness.” Privatization * Profits * Prisoner Suffering * Prisons are Big Business in the U.S. today and private corporations have worked assiduously to build their market niche. While private prisons still represent a small percentage of the overall prison industry, they exert an increasing influence on criminal justice policy. Indiana Governor Mitchell Daniels appointed Commissioner J. David Donahue and Donahue embraces as part of his success that he's operated on a flat-line budget, while accomplishing new and innovative ideas with speed. Here's a list of his other projects: * Launched the 99-cent menu provided by private food provider, Aramark, for the offender prison population. Effective today, this supposedly saves $11 million for the Indiana taxpayers. Another alleged "benefit" of Aramark is the "Inmate to Workmate” program. Connecting with the 1.D.0.C.'s New Re-Entry initiative. The program is designed to train prisoners in the food service business and prepare them for future employment in the food service industry. * Opened two meth drug treatment units, allegedly gamering nationwide attention. The first program began in April of 2005 at Miami Correctional Facility and was replicated in June at Wabash Valley Correctional Facllity. The intensive program - Clean Lifestyle is Freedom Forever (CLIFF) - teaches offenders how to change ther lifestyles. * Created advisory boards for each (IDOC) facility. They said everything they do must prove an added value to the public and tie in with re-entry. Their alleged priority and focus is to put public safety number one. 3 * Commissioner J. David Donahue hosted a (3) day tour of six correctional facilities around the state to highlight opportunistic objectives. Their move is to reduce the $656 million spent annually on Indiana prisons. The Indiana Department of Corruptions through the Governor Mitchel Daniels Jr. awarded a $258 million contract with Aramark, which is a private corporation. This third- party vendor will operate In (30) facilities in this state. This contract is to last for the course of its ten year duration. Major Aramark clients in Indiana include, Conseco Fieldhouse, Clarion Health Partners and Butler University. Aramark also provides a wide range of food, facility and other support services to more than 450 correctional facilities in North Amerikka! On July 1, 2005 all food menus changed due to Aramark setting up Its food services across the state. Food portions were immediately reduced to child-like portions. Just imagine what a 99-cent meal would look like. This has had an extremely severe impact on prisoners, causing great psychological suffering, due to having to.contend with hunger as their constant companion. While religious diets and vegetarian diets are being perfunctorily respected, Aramark and those appointed to be food service supervisors are not ensuring that all meals are being prepared according to a full daily range of 2500 to 2800 + calories. On July 11, 2005 some prisoners began a collective hunger strike at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility inside the secured housing unit (SHU.) The strike only lasted (5) days and they passed up (14) meals collectively. The strike was located on the disciplinary segregation wing of the S.H.U. Prisoners are not allowed to order any food products from the commissary from this unit. Prisoners on administrative segregation are allowed to order $50.00 worth of food, at their inflated prices. 1In October 2005, several prisoners housed at the "Supermax" in Westville, Indiana, also now known as (wcu) Westville Correctional Unit, organized a hunger strike also, s that lasted some (14) days in opposition to the wrongful practices of Aramark. We are suffering, while the Department seeks to save taxpayer dollars. So, we are the victims of profits, totally disregarding the fact that prisoners must eat to live. Being in custody of the (1.D.0.C.) there's a duty and obligation to ensure that we are properly nourished. While the food appears to be healthy, portions are disrespectful for an average adult male prison population. In other efforts, prisoners at both the (SHU) and "Supermax” launched petitions to prison officials, trying to compel them to consider allowing disciplinary segregation unit prisoners across the state to purchase food from the commissary. The essence of both these petitions was to promote the following: We make the following suggestions as the just alternative to the inherent hunger due to small portions under Aramark. Approve 2 jars of peanut butter 2ars of jelly 2 boxes of saltine crackers or snack crackers 2 bags of freeze-dried Colombian coffee 2 bags of candy (mints) or Jolly Ranchers 1 box of sugar. IR Our petitions have been sent to the Commissioner’s, Superintendent's and Governor’s offices. A Direct Impact on Our Privacy On November 9, 2005 J. David Donahue issued executive directive #05-30 from the central office of his command center. This directive presents a revision of policy 02-01- 103, "Offender Correspondence” and its administrative procedures. The commissioner's revision of this policy exposes the department's intentions to launch a campaign of secret censorship or targeted prisoners. The alterations ¢ made to this mail policy that most affects us are: * The procedures regarding the sealing of outgoing mail correspondence has been changed. With the exception of legal and privileged correspondence, outgoing correspondence is to be submitted "unsealed" and is to be inspected for contraband and prohibited property. Outgoing mall is not be read unless the facility has reason to do so. Legal mall and privileged mail are to be submitted sealed, but may be opened in the presence of the offender for inspection, if there is reason to belleve that it may contain contraband or prohibited property. * Section (G) is added which bans printed matter and personal photographs that contain nudity. It defines nudity and Indicates possible exceptions. Offenders are to be advised that they must dispose of any printed matter or personal pictures that contain nudity as described in these procedures. The offenders are to be advised that there will be no "grand fathering" of these items. What must be understood here with this revision people, the correspondence policy prior to these changes made to it, already had an alternative method of monitoring outgoing mail concerning possible contraband. So, while J. David Donahue, Indiana's newest prison commissioner, is being heralded as cleaning things up, he obviously has an agenda to censor our communications. Staff can now simply destroy, copy or just simply delay legitimate complaints we attempt to file against the department. Our correspondence now will be exposed to the arbitrary review of disgruntied officers, who we have open hostilities against. They also openly express their contempt of prison revolutionaries and prison activists. Being compelled to leave our mail unsealed constitutes a 1st Amendment rights violation to privacy. This is an outright and blatant attack on all prisoners - White, New Afrikan, Hispanic, Native Amerikan and on our families am:l7 those we maintain communications with. Our mail will be read and having to leave it unsealed, they will know firsthand of the status and political nature of our relationships. This is their extension of the "War on Terrorism" through manipulating the American Patriot Act. New Changes By the Commissioner to The Offender Grievance Process According to a new memo from the commissioner's office, also starting on December 1%, 2005, (1.D.0.C.) will begin a new grievance program. Previously, the process was a (5) step/tier review. This (5) step process is now reduced to only (2) steps. For many of us who challenge violations through this grievance process, can see the agenda here. Most legitimate grievances against rank and file members of the IDOC in most cases, are delayed, destroyed or simply put, never get filed. Because we are forced to file the Initial complaints to our facilities' counselors, who in large part maintain personal relationships with the person the claim is against. So these counselors will suppress the grievance. When they do respond to them, it's a generic response in support of the staff member and used to invalidate our claims. When the change to this policy may on its face appear to be focused on easier conflict resolution, its inherent catch will be discovered and exposed. Its Initial statement reads: * It s the intent of the Department to resolve all offender grievances as quickly and informally as possible. Both staff and offenders are to attempt to resolve problems through open, courteous discussions before a grievance Is taken to the written, formal grievance process. * Prior to filing a formal grievance, an offender shall attempt to resolve problems in an informal manner by discussing it with their counselor or another member in the housing unit who may be able to assist in the resolution of the problem. * Offenders must never let his complaint go beyond (5) working days, unless the offender can provide a reasonable explanation for a delay. * If the offender has been unable to resolve their grievance Informally, the offender shall be permitted to file a formal written grievance. The executive assistant shall ensure that the offender population has ready access to the forms necessary for the grievance process through the unit team. An offender wishing to file a formal written grievance shall file it in (20 working days) from the date of the incident the grievance. The facility head may waive the time frame if there Is a valid reason for doing so. The process of resolving these issues sounds real good. But we know things are not always so easily resolved. The department is trying to create an atmosphere where staff and prisoners establish more social interaction between the two. This can work in most cases, when staff are trained in conflict resolution and people skills. A prisoner's attempt to use professional courtesy could accomplish such an objective. But it's been my experience that in a vast majority of facllities, where the employed staff are mostly white, these men/women are very disrespectful and unwilling to allow us to assert our complaints. They use foul language and simply just walk away. These actions will disrupt the process of the basis of this new approach to the grievance process. Many staff members whom we seek assistance from in the informal process could (and do) easlly fabricate untruths about us that could automatically stop the entire process. As prison activists, we must work to ensure that this program is not used as a "suppressant" of all our challenges. Many of the grievances filed by us are concentrated on the violations made by Aramark, such as inadequate portions of food. Most of the letters and suits being filed are against Aramark and this new mail policy. Iam of the opinion that the IDOC is trying to track all our challenges by reading the unsealed mail. The call for more interaction, could Intel the state's agenda to foster more covert relations between those prisoner elements who will provide information to them about prison activism. When the state makes changes, it's to the benefit only to the state! Unprofessional Conduct of Department Staff Inside the secured housing unit (SHU) a lot of the unchecked staff assaults have reduced since January, 2005. This must be seen as a good thing, but without the show of solidarity from some prisoners, those actions would have never reached the level of exposure needed to get it stopped. The following Is a list of some of the things happening to prisoners on disciplinary segregation at the SHU. * Prisoners who are filing grievances and are active in challenging Aramark and other conditions are being targeted by staff, giving our mail to other prisoners which is an obvious retaliation. * Prisoners' cells are being targeted by disgruntled staff and they are tearing up personal family photos or confiscating books and magazines. * One prisoner was recently the target of disgruntled staff who searched his cell and removed a letter from his cell, then he discovered the letter was taken from his cell on his lunch tray. This was done to cause his psychological torment. Now, due to prisoner solidarity, the officers are under investigation. * Staff are targeting several prisoners by tampering with the food on their trays Some prisoners have received their 4 trays with bites off their deserts or other foods that are in solid form. There are about five (5) officer on one shift, doing this. * Two New Afrikan prisoners were recently targeted having a staff break his television. The other prisoner was recently transferred from another unit to the SHU and staff claims to have "lost" his television. This is blatant! * Officers openly express thelr hostility towards the actions of Aramark, because they are being placed in the middle of our war with corporate Indifference. * False charges of rule violations are being made by certain staff against prisoners they don't like who challenge their authority. * Prisoners are being heavily medicated as a form of behavior modification control. Yet, this SHU remains a highly disorganized, reactionary unit. * Some custody staff tried to coerce (2) prisoners into providing information that they were being paid to assault staff in the SHU. They were targeting one specific prisoner for a charge. Some Points to Ponder in Establishing a System OF Pro-Activity * Prisoners should organize among themselves letter writing campaigns directing their complaints to Aramark (I.C.L.U.) the Governor's office and to solicit the help of local Senators, who supposedly owe their support to Indiana citizens. * Class action lawsuits can be helpful in making the state do the right thing on the food issues and the recent moves by n the commissioner to require our mail to be left unsealed. We need a collective response! * It's extremely important that prisoners encourage family members and loved ones to get involved in these struggles occurring around Aramark and our malil. Prisoners should convince their people to work together to help us expose these issues. Your families' participation Is welcomed and needed. Set all personality conflicts to the side for the greater good of such an objective. * Write letters to the media about these changes taking place and seek their help in investigating such matters and running stories on them. * Draw up petitions that collectively address the concerns of prisoners who are starving in units where food is not allowed. This petition must highlight the reasonable alternative/proposal that suggests that a list of food Items should be put on the commissary list for all D/S prisoners. Present the petitions to the superintendent and commissloner’s office for review/reply. * We should try to keep a coordinated system where the outside is constantly being updated with our work in conjunction to theirs. The inside and outside must always be connected as a pro-active collective, fueling one another. This is how we win! Questionable Practices by Political Officials And Statistical Research on Prisons The involvement of private prison corporations in the development of model criminal justice legislation is done through the conservative legislative support organizations. We must continue to question the role of private prison corporations in the U.S. incarceration boom. The Influence 1z wielded by private prison corporations on state level candidates and legislation is huge! Activists here in the state of Indiana must investigate what role privatization is currently playing in the politics of Indiana prisons and in the political arena. The medical department of IDOC has already been under private contract. Now we are being confronted by Aramark, the private food provider. The Governor Mitchell Daniels Jr. secured the $258 million ten-year contract, supposedly saving taxpayers $11.5 million. In light of all these shady corporate dealings, Governor Mitchell Daniels Jr. may have stock in Aramark and could the commissioner. We must research the internet to gather all available information on Aramark. We need all information on other state prisons and federal prisons throughout the prison industrial complex, wherever Aramark Is operating their malnourishing for profit businesses. We should be recording all existing prison disruptions and riots occurring as a result of such small portions of food being served throughout the archipelago. Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) a private prison group made a long haul investment in 1996. Their candidate, Indianan Stephen Goldsmith, was once the mayor of Indianapolis (1992-1999). He scored a $31,000 contribution for his failed gubernatorial bid, but in 1999 became a top domestic policy advisor to Republican Presidential candidate / now President George W. Bush. Goldsmith is a strong proponent of privatizations of all government services, which includes corrections. The Crime Control Industry nd the Economy Government expenditures for "Justice" have been growing at an average rate of 8.1% a year since 1982. A staggering Increase from $36 billion in 1982, arew 409% to $147 billion by 1999! While some police and judicial expenses are not for crime control, the government figures do not include the $104 billion private security industry. 13 Criminologist Nils Christie estimated the combined size of the U.S. public and private crime control industry at $210 billion"in the year 2000. Just imagine what that number looks like in 2005! * These industries have zero interest in stopping prison growth. * There are a tremendous number of people dependent on the industry and have no concern for the prisoners in their care. * Growing opposition to prison sitings by local communities is making it increasingly difficult to site new prisons. Conclusion 1 am hoping that everyone that comes across this report on Indiana State Prisons will find it to be a minor contribution as well as a blueprint of encouragement for and to those of you who are preparing to challenge Aramark and other mounting contradictions systemically inside the IDOC. We must network with forces inside/outside the state of Indiana to present an effective challenge against privatization and repressive institutional policies. I will list a number of resources that ones can network with and alert them to assist us in these endeavors. This is for all the prisoners and our families and sympathizers to utilize. Power to the People! *A Man's thoughts are his Kingdom."_ ~ Tsonga Proverb ~ By, Bro - Khalfani Malik Khaldun #874304 (Leonard McQuay) B - 302 SHU P.0. Box 1111 ° Carlisle, Indiana 47838 Note: IAd These organizations are active in assisting prison activism and will join us in solidarity. Please make good use of them. National Lawyers Guild Prison Law Project 558 Capp Street San Francisco, CA 94110 A.C.LU. 1875 Connecticut. Ave. N.W. Suite. #410 Washington, D.C. 20009 ACW National Prison Project 1875 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Suite #410 Washington, D. (202) - 234 - Prisoner Assistance Project Northern Univ. School of Law 400 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02115 Incarcerated Veteran's Net. C/o Robert Miller - Director NI YN 29141 Hayes Road #B-30 Warren, MI 48093-4023 Inter. Legal Defense Counsel 1429 Walnut St. 8" floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215) - 977 - 9982 Civil Rights Legal Team 2207 S. 39" Street St. Louis, MO 63110 Prisoner Legal Asst. Project Austin Hall Harvard Law School Cambridge, MA 02138 Southern Center for Human Rights 83 Poplar St. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30303-1202 www.schr.org Prisoners Self-Help Legal Clinic 2 Washington Place Newark, NJ 07102 Inmate Clerical Sol. Inc. 412 E. Madison St. #1109 ‘Tampa, FL 33602 (813) - 390 - 3447 Standing Committee of Legal Assistance 750 N. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60611 Amnesty International 322 8™ Ave. New York, NY 10001 153 Human Rights Watch 1630 Conn. Ave. N.W. #500 Washington, D.C. 20009 Northwest Coalition Against Control Units Sista Mary Mulligan (NONI) P.0. Box 10523 Gary, Indiana 46411 - 0523 Senators and Other Addresses Where Letters Should Be Sent Anita Bowser Indiana Senator 1912 E. Coolspring Michigan City, IN 46360 Cleo Washington Indiana Senator 520 W. Wayne St. South Bend, IN 46601 John Waterman Indiana Senator 7452 N. County Road 375 E Shelburn, Indiana 47879 Governor of Indiana Mitchell Daniels Jr. Office of the Governor State house - Room 206 200 W. Washington Street Indianapolis, IN 46204-2797 Evan Bayh U.S. Senator 10 West Market St. #1650 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Julia Carson Indiana Senator 300 E. Fall Creek Pkwy N. Suite 300 Indianapolis, IN 46205 ARAMARK FOOD SERVICE 6811 E. 32" Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46226 SUGGESTED READING 1. The Iceman Inherltance, by Michael Bradiey 2. Uightfrom Anclent Atrica, by Naim Akbar 3. The Art of War, by Sun Tz 4. Immaculate Deception, by Green 5. Behold the Pale Horse 6. Ethiopla and the Origins of Civillzation, by john Jackson 7. The ISIS Papers, by Dr. Frances Welsing 8. 48laws of Power, by Green 9. At of Seduction, by Green 10. Blacks In Sclence, by Ivan Van Sertima 11. Great African Thinkers, by Ivan Van Sertima 12. Black on Black Violence, by Amos Wiison 13. Blueprint fo Black Power, by Amos Wilson 14. The Shaping of Black America, by L. Bennett 15. Before the Mayflower, by L. Bennett 16. Black Skin White Mask, by Franz Fanon 17. EGYPT Child of Africa, by van Van Sertima 18. The Assasination of the Black Male Image, by Earl Ofarl Hutchingson Please note: All comrades! We need updates on conditions on Aramark and the new policy changes on the sets you are on. Be sure to get copies of ;hisintheflflfihlnd.l. Keep your heads up! The struggle continues forever! UHURU Sasa! ~Khal ~ SOUTH CHICAGO ABC ZINE DISTRO POB721 HOMEWOOD IL 60430