Amy Downs called the Pittsburgh Current ‘not a real news outlet’ after we published a story on the Allegheny County Jail banning inmates from receiving books.
PublicSource ran the same story a couple hours after us. What does that tell you?
Sonya M. Alemán:
Reliance on official record keeping government documents, logs, files, court dockets, council agendas, and meeting minutes sustain the status quo and an epistemology embedded with whiteness’ because these records are tied to ideas of ‘reason’ and ‘objectivity’
She wrote “not really a news outlet” and her name is spelled Amie. 🙃
She wrote “not really a news outlet” and her name is spelled Amie. 🙃
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Idk if you’ve ever been inside Allegheny County Jail, but I used to teach there. A “leisure library” is not what it sounds like. It’s a cart or pile of discarded and forgotten books. It’s not a room. It’s not something curated. It’s got literature in it if you’re lucky. (Thread)
The program I worked for was Words Without Walls with Chatham University. Founded and directed by the incomparable Sarah Shotland. The program also teaches children because they’re are incarcerated persons under 18 at the ACJ. This book restriction affects them, too.
The teachers of this program have not been able to access their students since the beginning of the pandemic. You experienced different levels of concern with bringing in materials be it books or notebooks, but these students also haven’t had a writing outlet or class since March
According to Thomas J. Weber, CEO of PrimeCare Medical, which provides correctional health services in 80 facilities across five states, alcohol detoxification has doubled in jails and prisons since the beginning of the pandemic.
Quarantine is exacerbating mental health for folks on the inside, much like it is affecting us on the outside. Those incarcerated are deeply worried about family members contracting the virus, and during quarantine cannot call or communicate as regularly.
Facilities have to be careful in monitoring PPE because certain materials can be used for suicide. Weber also said that PrimeCare can make recommendations for mask wearing at a facility, but not mandate it. And some security folks will not wear masks.