End of Week 3

The time is flying by! I thought I would have more time to work on this blog, but other projects have taken precedence. Specifically for Barrios Unidos, here is what I am currently working on:

Letters woohoo!

Responding to letters - the Prison Project took a bit of a hiatus for the past six months and went through some transition, so we have not been able to respond to letters as quickly as we would have liked. I wrote a response to someone who sent a letter in March 2015, just so you have an idea of what our back-log looks like :

Organizing and consolidating - because the Project has not received ample attention, we have been going through the filing system and recycling outdated & irrelevant information. Not being sarcastic, organizing is one of my favorite things to do.

Updating the Intern/Volunteer handbook - hopefully we will be adding more interns over the next few weeks, so I am improving the guidebook.

Writing reflection essays - I have to write four of these for my class by next Friday. Two are complete and I have started on the third, so I'll know what I'll be doing over the weekend. I wish I could say the work ends when I leave for the day!

Research Project - Creating a survey, coordinating an event in which I can utilize the interactive prison cell, and figuring out how I administer said survey. 

Graphic design-ish - the Prison Project also sends greeting cards to inmates, so we have looking through a lot of prisoner artwork, scanning said artwork, and formatting images on the Word Doc. For photo editing, I have been using this website called Pixlr, which is online and free! The original artwork was blue, orange, and yellow, so I just played around with color effects and here are the results:

Inside the SHU

Firstly, avert your attention from your screen and take a look at your current setting . . . How big is the space in which you occupy yourself? Are you in a small cubicle or in the waiting room of a doctor's office? Are you inside of a movie theater? If so, put your phone away and read this stuff later!

Or, if you're standing OUTSIDE . . . well then lucky you!

Now imagine that the space in which you occupy is an 8' X 7' room, with concrete walls and minimal light. Your day consists of being completely isolated for 22.5 hours (if not more) everyday, for seven days a week. The only human contact you have is the correctional officer who brings you a tray of food through a slot in the door. You question the edibility of the meal that you received. When it is time for your five-hours-per-week, court-mandated recreational time, the door to your cell swings open and you are free to go to the concrete courtyard and stretch your legs.

Inside security housing units, or SHU, this is what life is like for thousands of prisoners across the United States. You may also know the term as administrative segregation unit, ad-seg, or ASU. Officially, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) does not utilize the term solitary confinement, and instead:

CDCR reports "single cell" housing. A relatively broad designation, it means people may be single-celled voluntarily or involuntarily. They may be housing in segregation units (SHUs, ASUs) or in general population. They may be on single-cell status because they've committed a rules violation or for their own protection. Further, they may be housing on single-cell status for days or years at a time.

Many of the people who end up in SHU or ad-seg are there because they would not be safe in general population. For example, a person with a pedophilia-related or a terrorism-related conviction would certainly be housed in solitary confinement; otherwise they would get jumped, shanked, or worse. Further, gang leaders and important members are normally in solitary for the duration of their conviction, given the political power and influence they have (also the threat for gang warfare inside the facility). Some prisoners are in solitary for a short period because of misbehavior or a prison rules infraction, but many inmates are in solitary for the duration of their entire sentence (could be over ten years).

Pelican Bay State Prison

So in terms of numbers and figures, given the variation of people who are locked up under "single cell" status, it is almost impossible to know exactly how many people are in solitary confinement at any given point. In Pelican Bay State Prison, a supermax California state prison in Crescent City, there are more than 1,000 isolation cells in its security housing unit. This prison has a reputation for being one of the worst prisons in the United States.

In the summer of 2013, about four inmates in Pelican Bay solitary launched a massive hunger strike to protest the prison conditions, saying their human rights were being violated. More than 30,000 inmates joined the strike in solidarity by refusing food across California's 37 state and private prisons. The prisoners issued five core demands that called for an end to solitary confinement in California and and increase in quality of life. The strikes brought national attention to the practice of solitary confinement and the debate over its use continues to this day. For more in-depth information about Pelican Bay, I recommend reading A Brief History of Pelican Bay by Keramet Reiter; it's a fascinating read--here is an excerpt:

In 1989, California opened Pelican Bay State Prison, equipped with 1,056 cells explicity designed to keep California's alleged "worst of the worst" prisoners in long-term solitary confinement, under conditions of extreme sensory deprivation. The 8 X 10 foot cells of the Pelican Bay SHU, or Secure Housing Unit, are made of smooth, poured concrete. They have no windows. Instead, there are fluorescent lights, which stay on 24 hours per day. For at least twenty-two hours every day, prisoners remain in their cells, looking out through a perforated steel door at a solid concrete wall. Food is delivered twice a day through a slot in the cell door. 

 . . .

As of 2007, prisoners in the Pelican Bay SHU spent an average of just over two years in solitary confinement, before being released back into the general prison population, or onto parole. Prisoners have spent as long as eighteen years in the Pelican Bay SHU before being released back into the general prison population, or onto parole. While some prisoners have spent decades in the Pelican Bay SHU, most prisoners are eventually released. On average, sixteen prisoners per month are released directly from the Pelican Bay SHU onto parole in California. They are provided no pre-release services to assist them transition from long-term isolation to life on the outside.

Inmate Javier Zubiate stands in the concrete recreation area allowing him periods of controlled and highly monitored exercise in a secure housing unit at Pelican Bay.

In this personal account, entitled "The Voice from Within," one of our clients described what daily life was like inside the Pelican Bay SHU:

Here in the (SHU) at Pelican Bay State Prison also known as the bay and end of the line for those viewed or considered to be the worst of the worst, too violent to interact with others? (I think family and friends of many here would surely disagree), is a desolate and dreary place where one is locked in a windowless cell, or better yet a "TOMB" 24/7 for years on end. This type of solitary confinement/sensory deprivation can and does weigh heavily on a person's mind, body, and soul. And if allowed to, will cripple you mentally, physically, and emotionally. In this graveyard of broken lives and rusting dreams, many have opt for the easy way out by simply giving up and allowing the bitterness to consume them, while others battle constantly to maintain a lil' sanity and struggle daily to better themselves in any way possible. With no outside assistance or support, one learns to look within themselves for the strength and means needed to survive and push forward. Reaching out to assist and support others in need whenever possible. In turn helps me by giving me a sense of purpose and that all these years locked away are not a complete wast. If our art can capture and hold someone's attention for only moments, maybe then they will be able to hear our voice. There is nothing to admire or glorify in having to spend your life in a cage. Believe that!

So my personal opinion on the entire matter? Like most issues in criminal justice, the interpretation is not black and white: I can see how SHU is both extremely helpful and also a cruel & unusual punishment at the same time. For those high ranking gang members who are "shot callers" (they call the shots; set the rules for what happens and what doesn't happen), they probably should be extremely limited in terms of communication with the outside world. On the other hand, those people who are in SHU for months on end because they broke a prison rule could probably receive an alternative form of punishment or an opportunity for repentance. Further, solitary confinement can be considered a form of torture under some international human rights treaties. Without any sort of debriefing or transitional process, the practice could also result in unwanted psychological or behavioral consequences.

Additional resources:

• Photos of what life is like in various security housing units across the country 
• ACLU website for resources, articles, websites, videos, and campaigns about solitary confinement
• The Gray Box, a 16-minute investigative look at solitary confinement.

A Life without Google

Heaven only knows that Google has saved me when I have looked up facts for an assignment, figured out how to write a resumé & cover letter, or gave me directions to the nearest juice bar. With a few strokes on the keyboard, I am literally connected to any available information that the world has to offer. Honestly, Google--moreover the Internet--has to receive partial credit for my GPA. The Internet is a phenomenon that I, and many others, take for granted every day without recognizing the fact that many people do not have this plethora of information at their constant disposal.

If you have been incarcerated for over 30 years, you may not be in a position where you understand the benefits of technology. The Internet, GPS, satellite television, iWhatevers and other modern machinery could be seen as a fabricated myth. Heck, you may have never used a laptop! Yes, there is an underground market in prisons for cell phones, and some facilities offer internet access for inmates, but the allotted time or what they can research is very limited and censored (also those who have access to cell phones are probably not using them for research purposes). For some prisoners, they may be able to use the internet for vocational or educational training, but these activities may be the extent of their web access.

For inmates who are soon returning to the community on parole, or because of an expired/mandatory release, they may be unaware of what kind of world waits for them beyond the barbed-wire fence. Furthermore, inmates may be uninformed about what resources, aid, or support they have access to. This is especially true when prisoners have broken familial ties or any support network that cannot help with their transition.

This is where the Barrios Unidos Prison Project comes into play: we are essentially the "Google" for prisoners. Our team reads handwritten letters from all over the country and responds by giving information and support. Sometimes, we include words of wisdom or inspirational artwork in hopes of comforting those with limited contact to the real world. For example, I recently received a letter asking for drug treatment programs in the Santa Cruz County. So, I hopped on the Google and found a number of different 12 step, A.A., and other outpatient programs; one of which specifically focused on those who have been in the criminal justice system. Bingo! I printed out this information, replied to his letter, put it in a manila envelope, and then the packet was off to mail-land.

Okay pause. I know what you are thinking: But these people are burglars, gang members, rapists, or murderers!! Why should we help when they couldn't follow to the very basic rules, norms, and laws of society in the first place? We should be using our resources to help other people like the homeless, veterans, or indebted college students!

To this response, I cannot provide an answer that will adequately absolve this tension, but I will say that it is important to remember: these folks, like everyone else, are human beings with thoughts & feelings, past traumas, and every other aspect or process that makes one human. I think it is important to help those who are at the margins of society, as helping others succeed fulfills our cultural value of humanitarianism. From my course in sociological theory (I can't remember who said this idea--sorry Ashleigh!), a sociologist said something along the lines of: you can judge a society by how it treats those who are the least fortunate . . . perhaps it was Harriet Martineau or Charlotte Gilman?

**Edit: I talked to my Grandma on the phone recently (she has been reading my blog!) and she told me that " a lot of people have said this quote." Including Mahatma Gandhi, "A nation's greatness is measured by how well it treats its weakest members, as well as the first female sociologist Harriet Martineau, "If a test of civilization be sought, none can be so sure as the condition of that half of society over which the other half has power."

As an English woman in the Victorian era, Martineau was able to support herself completely from her writing. She taught that in order to study society, we must include all its aspects, including key political, religious and social institutions, and she insisted on the need to include to lives of women. She talked about what any feminist talks about - marriage, children, domestic and religious life, and race relations. Martineau was a cool lady! 

. . . okay so back to prisoners . . .  

Unless a convict is life without parole (LWOP), they will leave prison and return to society. With 1 in every 31 U.S. adults behind bars, on parole, or probation, if you're in a public place right now, it is highly likely that at least a few people around you have been involved with the criminal justice system in some capacity. By providing access to resources and support, Barrios Unidos may help those who are released transition into productive, law-abiding citizens.

. . . yeah but what if they are unable to find jobs, housing, or assimilate into modern society and then return to a life of crime? Are not parole officers responsible for helping ex-convicts transition?

Well my friends, these are valid concerns, and one that criminologists, community leaders, policy makers - and I - struggle with consistently, but the topic of recidivism and parole officers will have to be for another time!

An Introduction

Who are you? What are you doing?

Hello! My name is Mandy Pruitt and I am an undergraduate student at the University of Georgia with a double major in Sociology and Criminal Justice. For the criminal justice degree, I am required to complete a semester-long, full time internship in a criminal justice related agency. In addition to working full time, I will complete an independent research project and write a series of reflective essays about my role as an intern. The purpose of this internship is to incorporate what students have learned in the academic setting to the real world, as well as give students the opportunity to network in the field.

Because my academic and career interests are in corrections, I will be interning with Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos, a non-profit organization.

I don't speak Spanish . . . uhh what is Barrios Unidos?

Founded by Daniel 'Nane' Alejandrez, Barrios Unidos (united neighborhoods) is a community based organization located in Santa Cruz, California, which is about an hour south of San Francisco or thirty minutes outside of San Jose. For almost 40 years, Barrios Unidos (BU) has served the community by standing for social justice in the form of nonviolence. Since its founding, BU has developed several successful programs, which includes intervention programs to assist at-risk-youth, support incarcerated individuals, and provide reentry services for those transitioning from prison into everyday life.

For more information, visit the Barrios Unidos website.

What will you be doing?

Barrios Unidos operates a program called The Prison Project, which provides reentry assistance to individuals in our nation's correctional facilities, mainly prisons and jails. Believe it or not, most people who go to prison or jail do return to the general population at some point, and as such, they need to know what awaits for them on the other side. Prisoners from all over the country, mainly in California, will write letters to BU requesting information. Therefore, as a Prison Project Intern, I will be corresponding with incarcerated individuals. Because this internship is designed to give me an inside perspective of the criminal justice system, my responsibilities will vary.

Why are you in Santa Cruz, of all places?

Reasons: (1) Familiarity: I have extended family in the area, so I have visited Santa Cruz many times; (2) Networking Opportunities: I planned on moving to the west coast after I graduate, so I decided to complete the internship in California--knowing this would help me begin my career; (3) Climate: In the same hour, I can hike in the redwood forest and I can lounge on the beach; and (4) Local Atmosphere: Santa Cruz prides itself in its weird, eclectic, beach-vibe attitude. It's a wonderful city!

Okay, so why should I read this blog?

I would like for the focus of this blog to be about the realities of the criminal justice system: as a system of crime control and as a reality for individuals all over the world. I may discuss topics such as: crime statistics, sentencing decisions, prison conditions, crime control mechanisms, prosecutorial discretion, juvenile correction options, parole & probation, current policies and initiatives, and criminological data and research.

Additionally, I would like for this blog to be a learning opportunity for family and friends. Many perceptions of the criminal justice system are limited, so I hope readers will gain a deeper understanding of the policies & practices of the system. I will do this by analyzing current criminological research and connecting this data with my experiences as an and observations as an intern. I'll do my best to limit the academic jargon but I can't make any promises.

Note: Because I am a student of the social sciences, I follow specific principles in which any research or data is presented in an ethical, objective, and non-biased manner. As the nature of my work involves personal or sensitive material, I will protect this information and cover identities, when appropriate, using pseudonyms (designated as **).