FSP M/M Hunger strike ENDS DAY 10

The Associated Press

RAIFORD, Fla.

10-day hunger strike over conditions at Florida State Prison's disciplinary wing ended Tuesday as the last holdout ate his lunch, a prison official said.

Ronald Clark, 36, sentenced to death for a 1990 Duval County slaying, refused breakfast Tuesday, but resumed eating at noon, said Sterling Ivey, a Department of Corrections spokesman. He had been transferred Sunday to Union Correctional Institution, shortly after he became the last inmate still participating in the strike, so officials could monitor his condition.

It began Feb. 1 when eight inmates on Q wing at Florida State Prison refused food. They demanded more exercise time; availability of books, magazines and newspapers; the ability to visit with and make telephone calls to family and friends; more food; the ability to purchase shampoo, mouthwash and deodorant; and the issuing of warmer clothing in winter months.

Q wing holds 24 inmates, who are considered by the DOC as the worst of the worst prisoners. Their cells are directly above the state's execution chamber.

Ronald Clark, the last holdout of the FSP M/M hungerstrikers, ended his 10 day fast with the words, "We've done what we set out to do." And for once this strike did publicize the grievances. But of all the problems the FSP M/M strikers tried to bring to our attention, the press glossed over and the department has denied, the complaint that bothers me most is the department's illegal, immoral and dangerous use of M/M for prolonged periods of time. Kay Lee

"The phrase solitary confinement is the confinement of a person/prisoner alone in a cell nearly all day and with very little chance for social interaction or stimulation. It is also an environment that does not stimulate the any of the human senses (sight, taste, touch, sound, smell) restricted environment stimulation (RES) and one in which the person is in near isolation." ~Stuart Garssian, MD, a Board Certified Psychiatrist and faculty of Harvard Medical School

The warden, Joe Thompson, made it clear to the strikers that they were "getting nothing" in the way of resolution. But according to rules, many of those in M/M are long past considering "temporary".
(See Ronald Clark's report of the men who have served the longest time in M/M at https://www.angelfire.com/fl4/fci/ronaldclarkMM.html

"The most common side effects can manifests themselves as intolerance to social interaction. This is critical to note since it has a direct bearing on an inmate’s ability to successfully readjust once released into the broader society of either general population prison or our own communities as our neighbors."
~Stuart Garssian http://danenet.danenet.org/amnesty/supermax.html

"Statistical evidence was accumulating showing solitary confinement was the cause of very disturbing cases of insanity, physical disease and death in some cases. Because of this the system was falling out of favor. The systems reaction was to change from an open, optimistic experiment in social reform to a system of hidden, and perhaps secretive forms of punishment and control over people held for criminal intent.

Looking at today’s supermax and SHU prisons, this seems to be exactly where we are now. The difficulties in obtaining information and getting access to the prisoners themselves, among other things, certainly is convincing the public and legislatures we have a closed and secretive system of punishment and control."
~Angie Hougas

OPEN LETTER FROM RONALD CLARK'S MOTHER

I have always felt that when a person commits a crime that every member of both families become victims. My heart goes out to the family that my son was involved with causing a family to lose someone they loved. My heart breaks everyday for my son and the life he is have to live as a result of bad decisions.

These guys in M/M have no quality of life what so ever. The solitary confinement they face each and every day for weeks, months and often years is the most inhumane thing I can imagine. They slowly lose sight of reality. They are kept out of touch with the world and everything in it. When the bombing on 9/11 occurred, it was weeks before my son even knew about it.

During this hunger strike my heart seemed to break a little more each day. I didn't know if my son was slowly dying for what he believes to be to be inhumane and unconstitutional treatment of human beings.

You were right when you said Florida prisons do not rehabilitate, they simply throw them behind bars and treat them like animals. There is nothing that can change the love of this mother and today was a very happy day because I found out that my son had ended his hunger strike. Thank God. I only hope that he has accomplished some good for his suffering.

I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for their prayers and support during this 10 days of hell.

Shirley Clark

ISOLATION, Solitary Confinement

"The Department of Correction's own psychiatrists and psychologists; the Clinical Director of Psychiatry at the esteemed Harvard University; and even the United States Federal Courts have acknowledged and ruled that solitary confinement causes sensory deprivation, which in turn causes "substantial psychological damage." This is not a theory ---it is a fact." ~LONG TERM SOLITARY CONFINEMENT: The Resultant Effects and Its Threat to Society http://www.webspawner.com/users/usprisontorture/

Social Isolation: Diagnosis and Cautions

Research findings indicate that social support is a human necessity. People who are socially isolated, without meaningful relationships, are at increased risk for physical deterioration, mental illness, and even death.

"The lesson we have learned is that keeping the link to the community is the big thing." ~Derek Tracy, governor of Wheatfield,

RELATED PAGES:

TREND TOWARD SOLITARY CONFINEMENT WORRIES EXPERTS
http://www.cnn.com/US/9801/09/solitary.confinement/

SMALL GROUP ISOLATION IN TURKISH PRISONS
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2000/turkey/

PSYCHOLOGICAL DEATH ROW:
Supermaximum Security Prisons, Sensory Deprivation and Effects of Solitary Confinement
http://danenet.danenet.org/amnesty/supermax.html

http://www.mind.org.uk/News+policy+and+campaigns/Policy/isolation.htm

The Baumhammers Case:
Social isolation makes mental illness hard to control

Port Hedland Asylum Seeker Released From Isolation
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0312/S00057.htm

The mentally ill are another population increasingly placed in isolation. Many of them are not able to cope with the rules of free society, and they fare far worse once in prison. Unable to follow prison regulations, they end up being charged with endless infractions, often receiving sanctions requiring years in solitary confinement.--Bonnie Kerness, Associate Director, American Friends Service Committee Criminal Justice Program, New Jersey http://www.sonic.net/~doretk/Issues/98-09%20FALL/solitary.html

BAN THE CHAINING/TETHERING/ISOLATION OF DOGS
www.petitiononline.com/AAS/petition.html

Visiting Inmates in Jail or other Centres
Inmates can request a visit from volunteers of the Red Cross. This gives them the possibility to connect and identify with the world outside the prison, and work on their experiences, which is crucial for their rehabilitation and reform.

Are you interested? Contact a Red Cross consultant in your community.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO SUPPORT AN INVESTIGATION OF MAXIMUM MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. http://www.petitiononline.com/hst1/petition.html

FSP'S NOTORIOUS Q-WING	RETALIATION & THREATS
MEDICAL DEPRIVATION	POOR MANAGEMENT
FSP ABUSES	FSP HUNGER STRIKE
Q-WING INMATES' STATEMENT	FRANK VALDES on Q/X-WING