Interview with SHU prisoner

Q: How long have you been entombed in SHU?
A: It will be 9 years in a couple of months.

Q: Why exactly are you being held captive in the SHU?
A: Assisting other prisoners with legal work who the California Department of Corrections (CDC) alleges are gang members. And, because confidential informants claim that I am an "associate" of a prison gang. It's important to note that the CDC refuses to give a clear definition of an "associate." It is defined only as "being involved regularly with gang members." Nevertheless, I do associate with prisoners of all races which the CDC alleges to be gang members because of my work as a jailhouse lawyer.

Q: Can you comment on the current struggle against CDC regarding the SHU and arbitrary gang policies?
A: The struggle has been going on for 25 years or more. The reason it has gone on so long is because (1) courts refuse to meddle in the administration of prisons (2) the issue of "gang policies" is not politically appealable to courts, legislators and most attorneys, and (3) the issues have not been properly litigated in court nor lobbied in the political arena. In July 2001, myself and nearly a thousand prisoners began a hunger strike in protest of the CDC gang/SHU policies. However, after five days we agreed to suspend our protest pending the intervention and commitment by Senator Richard Polanco to resolve the issues. Over the next year and a half, several meetings between the CDC, Senator Polanco and several religious and community leaders took place. But it soon became clear that the CDC had no intention of making any necessary changes and that they were merely stalling until Senator Polanco's term ran out. Thus, in October 2002, we recommenced our protest. And after 38 days we ended our protest because a different legislator stepped forward to take Polanco's place in these matters. Her name is Gloria Romero. Immediately Senator Romero called a meeting with the CDC, legislative aides and religious and community leaders, however, the CDC refused to attend.

For that reason, more protests are set to occur this year, and, they won't be hunger strikes. It has become obvious to us that the CDC does not care if we starve ourselves today. In short, prisoners have basically lost patience with the CDC and are tired of the CDC arbitrary and oppressive policies and practices.

Q: Additionally, can you please describe SHU conditions?
A: It's not bad for a short term (though I have seen many prisoners physically and psychologically decompensate within a relative short period of time.)

The SHU is designed for strict isolation and sensory deprivation. No windows or view of the outside world. Prisoners, unlike in older prisons where there were 60 cells on a tier and five tiers high, are segregated in small pods of eight cells. The design is obviously to create a sense of isolation, even from other prisoners. The cell doors are made of perforated steel, and thus, easier for guards and other prisoners to hear someone talking. We spend 22 1/2 hours a day in our cells and we're allowed one and a half hours of exercise time in a small concrete yard that is approx 3 times the size of our cell. The yard is attached to the back of the pad. The design and conditions of the SHU have a detrimental effect on prisoners, and upon society, when we are released from such places. You see, prisoners can become even more anti-social and learn to have a great disrespect for authority.

I've seen a lot of frightening things in prison. But the most frightening was passing by a cell and watching a prisoner calmly playing chess with pieces made out of his feces. And prior to that, when I spoke to him over the tier there was absolutely no indication that anything was wrong with him.

I've seen prisoners becoming more distrustful of not only the guards, but each other. This place was designed to be stressful and to take a toll on prisoners. And once it begins to work, prisoners tend to internalize that negative effect within themselves and each other.

On a personal level, I don't know that I'll ever fully understand the effect that these conditions have had on me, but I know that there has been some detrimental effect. I can look at some of my friends who have been around here as long or longer and what this place has done to them. When I listen to them speak and watch how they act, I become concerned, for I've never see that of them. I don't know if it's stress being burned, mania or psychological decompensation. But it makes me think about myself. And so I become concerned that maybe there is some detrimental effect that I suffer like some of my friends.

I believe the work I do and your reporting on these issues are critical. We need to continue our efforts in educating society on the true reality of why this laboratory of human experimentation exists.

Q: How would you characterize the mood of prisoners? Can you comment on the importance of solidarity?
A: Rebellious at times, though rarely. For a while I carried a lot of frustration over prisoners seemingly being indifferent or stagnating in their existence almost as if they accept their oppression. But as time went by I learned that they can't necessarily be faulted for that. The design of this place precludes communication, unification and the ability to maintain a higher level of solidarity. That doesn't mean that I don't encourage prisoners to snap out of the daze and focus on what we should be doing to get out of here and end the oppressive CDC policies and practices.

The mood of prisoners in general is like the seasons and changes too frequently. It is acceptance, then rebellion, indifference, and uncertainty.