FSP M/M HUNGER STRIKE
Day SIX

THE WORST OF THE WORST

I said at the beginning of this hunger strike, "As for the hunger strike, if informed [about the strike], the media will call the prison, the prison will say, "It's just a bunch of troublemakers and we have it under control" and the media will never touch the issues that caused it - unless - The public forces the information into the media's hands. Otherwise, the strikers will go as long as they can, getting force-fed if necessary and then they'll all be punished so that others won't try the same thing. That's how it always works."

And it is the truth.  Nothing has changed, except now we know that even when the media does a good job of reporting the issues, the department continues to brush off any claims of wrong-doing, belaboring the same old "All Inmates Are Liars" propaganda they've always espoused to absolve themselves of responsibility. Instead of seriously looking at the issues, the department will follow their usual pattern and Q-Wing patrons will end up worse off than before. 

Of course, whatever goes on in X-Wing - excuse me - Q-Wing -  seems to be excused because Q-Wing holds "the worst of the worst", like we can pick and chose what human beings are to be treated to the minimum standards of care agree upon by all rules, regulations, statutes, state and federal laws, and international treaties.

I am angered by the fact that both Florida, as Represented by Jeb Bush, and Florida's Department of "Corrections", as represented by James Crosby, refuse to take the grievances of prisoners in a serious manner.  They have every reason to know that many staff at the prisons are NOT doing their jobs properly, that the inmate grievance system does NOT work, and that brutality is a reality.  THERE IS NO REHABILITATION happening in the Florida system. We know that truth by the high RECIDIVISM rates, and that my dear readers, is less than you should ever accept. For your money and your safety you must demand more from those who swore to uphold laws and provide safety to the public, the staff, AND the people in prison! 

Based on the history of hungerstrikers in Florida's prisons, I am sickened by the treatment these human beings will endure for daring to make their complaints public.  If ANY system ever needed intervention it is that of the Florida Department of Corruptions - excuse me - "Corrections".

Kay Lee, Grandmother
kaylee1@charter.net
2863 Rock Cliff Road SE
Atlanta, GA  30316
404-212-0690

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Second Florida State Prison inmate ends hunger strike; 6 still on
The Associated Press

STARKE, Fla. --
The number of inmates on a hunger strike at a disciplinary unit at Florida State Prison dropped to six from the original eight Thursday, the fifth day , a Department of Corrections spokeswoman said.

The inmates and outside supporters claim prison officials are denying the residents of Q wing, a disciplinary housing area, basic human needs such as recreation, decent food, visitation and access to canteen items.

The hunger strike began Sunday with eight inmates, but one inmate resumed eating Monday night and another Michael Jones, 47, ate breakfast Thursday, said Debra Buchanan, a DOC spokeswoman.

Jones was one of two inmates who are charged with first-degree murder in the beating death of Corrections Officer Darla Lathrem during an escape attempt in June at Charlotte Correctional Institution. His co-defendant, Stephen Smith, 43, was the first to drop out of the hunger strike.

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

Prison officials said they would seek a court order to force-feed any inmates whose lives become endangered.

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THIS WAS POSTED TO ANOTHER GROUP THAT I BELONG TOO. I AM STILL IN DISBELIEF AT WHAT I HAVE READ HERE AND TO MAKE A COMMENT IT COMES FROM A DR. I really wonder what he is a dr. of??????  Not smiling here to see that someone thinks like this!!!!!!!
Joan
 

Subj: Q-wing by Dr. M. Sidney Wallace 
Date: 02/05/2004 10:23:23 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: omgulf1@gulf1.com
Reply-to: webmaster@gulf1.com
To: annie48418@aol.com

This is a post-only E-mail.  Please do not reply to this message.  This E-mail address is not monitored for responses.  E-mail your comments to Dr. Wallace: msw@gulf1.com

Q-wing
by Dr. M. Sidney Wallace

It has been reported that the State of Florida Department of Corrections (the penal system) is abusing poor harmless and defenseless inmates at the Stark Florida prison.  As of the first of February, eight of twenty-four inmates in the "Q-wing" are on a hunger strike to demand better treatment.

The Q-wing is a unique group of cells that are used to "train" special prisoners who have demonstrated problems adjusting to the extreme challenges of the inmate community.  These inmates feel they have earned the right to be considered first and want the Department of Corrections to understand their place in the system.  If these individuals were not in prison, they would definitely be on the front lines of crime in America.  Note that I did not say which side of the line they might be on.

These eight inmates have seven basic request of the State of Florida.  Lets look and see if we can help the Department of Corrections with this problem.

They want to exercise once a week.  Why don't we let these stellar leaders of the prison system start an environmental improvement program for the Everglades?  We should chain them together and let them jog across Everglades during alligator mating season.  I guarantee that having a six-foot hungry alligator after them will be enough stimuli to get their blood flowing (temporarily).

They want the right to receive reading material and use their entertainment equipment. This is very understandable.  Once an individual has gotten used to daily reading of the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Better Holmes, etc., and viewing in cell wide plasma screen cable stereo TV, it is cruel and unusual punishment to make them stop watching the MTV.

They want to have visits and make telephone calls to family and friends. They should be allowed all the visits with the families of their victims that will come.

The inmates also claim they are not being adequately fed and they often go to bed hungry.  With Florida's humid climate, there should be no reason that the state could not provide an abundant supply of roaches and other insects to supply more than ample food to these poor souls.  The state could even do a TV series and call it "Survivor Prison."

They claim that basic hygiene is being ignored and want to be able to buy shampoo, mouthwash and body deodorant.  Why don't we ask their victims families to donate the unused items from their dearly departed?  I am sure they will not be using them where they are now.

They want warmer clothing in the winter months. On the surface, this seems to be a reasonable request.  Anyone in Florida, spending all of his time inside a climate controlled cell block, during the winter, most definitely does need heavy-duty cold weather protection for when the temperature drops to at least 69 degrees on many a cold Florida winter night.

They want enforcement of the Florida Administrative Code, which states that maximum management is a temporary status.  This was only added because the inmates felt that seven items would work better than six.  The Department of Corrections should know that it is every inmate's "right" to act up until they get their way.  For the State of Florida to think, that these future leaders of the Florida penal system will bow down to some law is as ridiculous as thinking that Bill Clinton will tell the truth under oath.

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