IN SEARCH OF FATHERHOOD® (http://globalfatherhooddialogue.blogspot.com) and the United States International Men’s Day IMPARTIAL AND FAIR TREATMENT IN PAROLE INITIATIVE Team (www.usainternationalmensday.blogspot.com) thanks Social Justice Activist, award winning author and filmmaker, Founder of Sagewriters (www.sagewriters.com) and Co-Director of the Global Kindness Revolution (www.trustonekindness.com) Ms. Judith Trustone for forwarding to us a highly disturbing report on COVID-19 and its dangerous and deadly impact on incarcerated souls – our family members, loved ones, and colleagues – throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The heartwrenching account on COVID-19 at SCI Chester and SCI Dallas appears below:
COVID-19 PRISON UPDATE
As of this date of 11-9-2020, Monday, there is a tremendous COVID-19 outbreak at SCI-Chester, SCI-Dallas, and several other SCIs throughout the PADOC prison system.
¶ SCI-Chester's COVID-19 outbreak of infections went from 5 cases to 200 cases in two weeks, killing longtime Political Prisoner Alvin Joyner of the Black Panther Party at age 77, who was in his 51st year of Death-By-Incarceration (Life sentence), and seriously hospitalizing HRC organizer Sergio Hyland (#FX-1537) the Co-Editor of The Movement magazine in the prison's infirmary due to his low oxygen levels.
¶ Serg said of the deadly Coronavirus, "I tested positive for the coronavirus and am now in the infirmary because my oxygen level is low and they want me here just in case I need to be taken to the hospital. This is a painful virus and I felt close to death several times over this past week. I'm working hard just to breathe."
¶ It is obvious that the PADOC Secretary John Wetzel's so-called COVID-19 Safety Measures are a complete failure. As there has been disastrous Mismanagement and Criminal Negligence in response to COVID-19 outbreaks throughout the state prison system, from "top" to "bottom" of PADOC Central Office and SCIs.
¶ There has been about 3,000 COVID-19 infected cases of incarcerated people within the PADOC since March 2020. How many more State Incarcerated people must become infected with COVID-19, be seriously injured, and DIE before Families, Civil / Human Rights Groups, Politicians, and the Governor take pandemic type safety measures to ensure the lives of incarcerated people are SAVED too? Five, ten, twenty thousand incarcerated people's injuries abd deaths in the PADOC??? WTF!
¶ There needs to be a Call for State Congressional Investigations on the PADOC'S RESPONSE TO COVID-19!!!
SCI PHOENIX COVID-19 UPDATE
An update on the impact of COVID-19 at SCI Phoenix appears below. It is reprinted with permission by IN SEARCH OF FATHERHOOD® from a full account published on SCI Phoenix LIFERS, Inc. entitled, “Life In Quarantine – A Message From SCI Phoenix” at https://www.lifersincpa.org/life-in-quarantine-a-message-from-inside-sci-pheonix/:
10/7/2020
I suppose the difference with the quarantine this time around is that a larger number of COVID cases have been documented and that, after coming off of five (5) months of quarantine since March 29, 2020, we were wishful that things would get back to normal. However, realistically, we anticipated there would be a second outbreak because of the behaviors we observed with guards and staff members alike, not social distancing and/or keeping on their masks, and also hearing some of them describe that they haven’t been able to taste or smell for weeks, and that they believe that other guards and staff members have the virus or have been exposed to the virus.
The impact is devastating to many of the prisoners because of long periods of double-celling in these small spaces with no fresh air (no windows in the cells to open), showers every other day, TB sticks, diabetic sticks, blood withdrawal, temperature readings and feeding all through the cell door wicket. At the same time, all kinds of chemicals and disinfectants are being sprayed on the cell door and left to air dry. Within minutes after spraying, they come around and sit your raw fruits, apples, bananas, etc., and food on the door wicket.
It’s difficult to read or study with a cell mate having to constantly use the bathroom, coughing, sneezing, and exercising in the cell – two people can’t be on the floor at the same time without constant bumping into each other.
Sitting, laying in bed for hours, legs and arms numb, back and side sore. Cell light continuously popping off every two hours. During the first quarantine, we had free cable where everyone was able to keep informed of the administration’s endeavors to keep them safe and watch organizations’ programs. Nothing this time! Can’t get hot water for commissary items. It’s chaos, frustrating and abating! WE NEED FRESH AIR!
10/11/2020
I don’t know that things have gotten better, but there has been some slack in their strict quarantine. I am told that on Monday, October 12th, the institution will begin allowing limited movement for certain passes and programs; the particulars are not known yet. They did expand our time out of cell from 15 to 30 minutes and put disinfectant out on the block so anyone can have access, although the disinfect is still too heavily diluted. We haven’t been able to get fresh air (yard) yet, perhaps that will change after tomorrow.
I am really concerned about is the double-celling problems. I know the Secretary is saying it’s an economic and space availability problem. That does not seem to be entirely true. This institution has created single cell space for persons they wish to curry favors with.
The other thing that I am really concerned about is the double-celling problems. I know the Secretary is saying it’s an economic and space availability problem. That does not seem to be entirely true. This institution has created single cell space for persons they wish to curry favors with. Aside from the fact that I adamantly think and believe that lifers and those serving virtue-life sentences who have been consistently incarcerated for ten or more years without a serious misconduct should be eligible for a single cell.
Since being at Phoenix, central office issued a policy mandating that prisoners who are diagnosed with mental health issues and those who are labeled problematic will now be double celled with any prisoner in general population. That includes double-celling a mentally ill prisoner with a prisoner labeled problematic. That’s placing us in eminent danger of seriously hurting someone or getting seriously hurt or worst. This, factored with the realities of COVID-19, weighs heavily on our mental states. There is no peace of mind for individuals who are fighting life (DBI) sentences. Double-celling of lifers or virtue-lifers is severely hampering our ability to study and work on our transformations. It is frustrating and creates all kinds of mental impediments. Their sole objective is to compel us to watch over and care for those prisoners.
WHAT WE CAN DO –
Call or send a letter by e-mail, fax, or United States Postal Service which asks for:
(1) Release -- with all deliberate speed -- of elderly and aging incarcerated Men and Women and incarcerated souls with pre-existing medical conditions who are vulnerable to contracting and dying from COVID-19 -- particularly those souls who are serving life without parole sentences and do not and will not pose a public safety threat, many of whom stand ready to return to their community to implement research-driven and solutions-based initiatives they designed while institutionalized for decades to end gun violence, intergenerational incarceration, Fatherlessness, "school-to-prison" pipeline, and recidivism.
(2) Provision of free access to and distribution of masks and personal hygiene items – soap and disinfectants to all incarcerated souls throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in compliance with COVID-19 protocols mandated by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov)
(3) Implementation and strict enforcement of the wearing of masks for all staff members working in correctional facilities throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – NO EXCEPTIONS
CALLS, E-MAILS, FAXES, AND CORRESPONDENCE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO:
GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA
The Honorable Thomas Westerman Wolf
Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Office of the Governor
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Telephone: 717-787-2500
Facsimile: 717-772-8284
E-Mail: govcorrespcrm@pa.gov
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
The Honorable John E. Wetzel
Secretary
Pennsylvania Department Of Corrections
Department of Corrections Central Office
1920 Technology Parkway
Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
Telephone: 717-728-4109
E-Mail: ra-crpadocsecretary@pa.gov
PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
The Honorable Jason Dawkins
Representative – Pennsylvania 179th Legislative District
Member
Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee
Democratic Chair on Crime and Corrections Subcommittee of the Pennsylvania House Judiciary
Committee
District Office
4667 Paul Street
Philadelphia, PA 19124
Telephone: 215-744-7901
Facsimile: 215-744-7906
E-Mail: jdawkins@pahouse.net
Harrisburg:
328 West Wing
Post Office Box 202179
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2179
Telephone: 717-789-1354
Facsimile: 717-780-4789
E-Mail: jdawkins@pahouse.net
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