READ THIS: Ally, Raj Jayadev (@svdebug), reached out. Pioneer of Participatory Defense. Heard from men in Elmwood Correctional Facility in Santa Clara, CA. today. Sent him a list of current conditions. It's not just Rikers. It's jails & prisons all across the country. The list:
No commissary for 3 weeks. Means loss of postage stamps, loss of food, loss of pain killers (i.e., Tylenol, etc.) decongestant, soap, shampoo, reading glasses.
"No family or friends visits. Increases depression, irritability because all inmates need these contacts for comfort."
"Little or no attorney visits. Increased anxiety regarding legal issues because of delays and unknown status of one’s case which could even affect the case outcome and justice."
"Those handling food wear latex gloves & touch many contaminating surfaces before & while handling food such as not clean door handles, not clean push plates their faces & other parts of their bodies outside food carts. Receive no instruction or supervision on these issues."
"Door handles and door push plates are never cleaned. When an inmate goes to a visit through glass, to bible study, to see the nurse, for diabetic attention, transport to Court, the inmates must touch these surfaces."
"When inmates are transported to Court, they are sardined into holding cells that are not well cleaned, sardined into transport vehicles that are never clean, and accumulated into holding cells that are negligently cleaned."
"Older inmates are in dorms with young people “68” to a dorm. And this includes inmates from the streets and homeless that are arrested. Older inmates and inmates with underlying conditions such as leukemia should be isolated in a separate at risk dorm."
"High number of new Corrections Officers equals more risk of outside contamination."
No ability to social distance.
This report was titled: "Report directly from those currently incarcerated in Elmwood Correctional Facility." It's a cry for help. And attention.
