Thread by @ORprisonreport

Oregon Prison Report: Voices from the Inside

"Why isn’t anyone pushing for accountability for the militarized PIC?"

#ODOCKills #KateBrownKills #FreeThemAll

(Testimony from Critical Resistance PDX's (@CR_PDX) Write Them All Campaign)

Oregon State Correctional Institution (OSCI) / November 16, 2020.

First off I would like to thank you both for the letters and reading materials you sent me. Your letters touched my heart. I have not heard true kindness like that from anyone other than my mother since my incarceration. Thank you CRPDX for all the work you are doing.

The amount of compassion you have shared through you letters has opened my heart to hope again. Thank you for that. It’s nice to hear that there are people outside that aren’t phony and for the PIC cause.

Sitting here years after my conviction I think how naive I has to think justice would prevail, that the system works. That sentences are fair. Prison has changed who I am. I don’t trust anyone any more. I question everything. What faith I once had in the system is gone.

I have reevaluated everything in my life also. My family and friendships have risen to the top. Before I valued my pickup truck as my top possession. When I fell I cashed out my PERS to pay off my loan. I don’t give two shits about that truck anymore.

I don’t ever dream about it. I dream about my family and loved ones.

I thought I would share with you some of the COVID mishaps I have noticed here at OSCI:

On the honor unit where I live, staff piled all of the positive COVID AIC’s dirty laundry un-bagged in the changing area for the showers.

Basically forcing anyone showering to be exposed to COVID. I complained to someone on the street that blasted OSCI about this matter.

Someone must watch Facebook because two days later they began bagging all COVID laundry into yellow contaminated bags.

There is no social distancing going on here. We are forced to sit at tabled of four people no more than 3-4 feet apart without masks to eat.

Last weekend counselors with no medical experience were going cell to cell taking temperatures in the early morning; I believe they are indulging in the “overtime” pay. She hold us the infrared thermometer and tells me...

... “your temperature is 89 degrees.” I looked at her in disbelief and said, ”that’s impossible I’d have hypothermia.” She walked away.

All OSCI staff are doing is going through the motions. They don’t care at all about our health or us.

Any temperature below 95 degrees would mean certain death. Yet they were okay with my temperature being 89 degrees.

Since we have come back from the wildfire displacement, no one has been able to to see any doctors.

I personally have sent numerous kites trying to get in to see my provider, all unsuccessful. I have a friend with Crohn’s disease that has the same problem. DOC is denying us health care so they cannot be held accountable.

I feel like I don’t have any health care insurance at all. I have has a torn rotator cuff since June 1 of this year. I cannot life my left hand over my head. I have dozens of kites begging for medical help. Nothing.

I have always had really good medical insurance so this response from them is alarming. If I were to read some of the dumb ass responses given to me from the nurses deferring me from seeing the doctor, you would also be alarmed. No one in medical gives a shit about any of us.

There is a medical committee “TLC” who ODOC employees to deal with denying or or allowing medical procedures for AICs. It’s very frustrating for me to deal with. This medical department is the absolute worse I have ever seen anywhere.

It’s been made very clear that TLC’s main concern is to weed our important surgeries for us due to the cost. ODOC exist only to provide the custody, care, and control of AIC’s.

As you have read in my letters, the state has failed to do the three basic duties taxpayers are paying for. The call for patrol law enforcement accountability by civilian third parties seems to be the newest and best way to hold the government accountable.

Why isn’t anyone pushing for accountability for the militarized PIC?

There are many people here suffering from the same consequences of ballot measure sentencing. States like California used what is commonly called a “third strike rule.” That rule contributed to the mass incarceration in that state. California did away with this rule years ago.

Many Oregonians are aware of Measure 11, but Oregon still has two and three strike laws. Measure 73 was implemented around 2010 for repeat DUIRR and sex offenses. Under M73, your second DUII mandates 90 days in jail.

M73 also mandates a 300-month mandatory minimum in prison if you have only two counts of certain sex related crimes. M73 can be triggered with one arrest, one sentence. This sentence is day for day with no good time whatsoever.

Lastly, there is Measure 37, which is “life without parole” for a third sex offense. These are Oregon’s other draconian ballot measures that most of the public knows nothing about.

In your letter you asked what CRPDX could do to help us here. Measure 11 reform is top priority. Whatever you can do to talk to Oregon legislators about repealing that measure. Bare minimum we ask is offering us “good time” to measure 11 convictions.

Get the signatures and get it on the ballot. A lot of people like myself that has never been in trouble and has worked their ass off for this prison. Offering us good time on our sentences should reward us.

Please have EVERYONE you know contact his or her representatives to voice their dissatisfaction with Measure 11. Measure 10 protects Measure 11 from being changed. That is the first step I believe to change.

Two representatives that are eager to assist in our case are; Senator James Manning from District 5 Eugene also former Representative Jennifer Williamson. Who was a prior senator majority leader.

Once again thank you for everything you do to make communities better. In my neighborhood I frequently helped people out by mowing their grass, or by doing small plumbing repairs.

My house was the first stop neighbors would go when there were any emergencies that they needed help.

I could be your neighbor. I am human. Thank you for treating me like one. It’s nice to be reminded of that.

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