California must introduce radical changes to prison isolation

10 February 2014

Prisoners in isolation spend at least 22 and a half hours a day in cells measuring fewer than eight square metres.

© Rina Palta/KALW

The authorities in California must introduce radical changes to the cruel conditions of the state’s solitary confinement units, said Amnesty International.

Tomorrow, 11 February, a representative of the human rights organization will give an oral submission before the California Assembly Public Safety Committee. It is currently considering a series of reforms to its Security Housing Units (SHUs), proposed by the the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Inmates go from lock-up to startups

North of Silicon Valley on a rocky promontory overlooking San Francisco Bay stands California’s oldest prison. San Quentin inmates are cut off from the innovation the nearby high-tech industry produces. They are not permitted on the Internet, and most have never touched a smartphone or a tablet. But two technology veterans — Chris Redlitz and Beverly Parenti — are bringing the promise of Silicon Valley to San Quentin State Prison by creating a high-tech incubator here called the Last Mile. Its mission is to teach inmates about technology so they can forge new lives when they are released from prison. Over the course of six months, inmates are put through a business boot camp. They brainstorm a startup, develop a business plan and boil down their pitch to five minutes. On “Demo Day,” each inmate presents his idea to dozens of Silicon Valley investors and executives who crowd the prison chapel. The inmates can’t actually start these companies from prison, but they are introduced to a world that would otherwise be closed to them. When paroled, Last Mile graduates are given paid internships at tech startups. Five graduates of the San Quentin program are working in high tech. The program has been so successful that last month it expanded to the downtown Los Angeles Twin Towers Correctional Facility, where 15 inmates are taking part. Tom Serres, founder and chief executive of Rally.org, a crowdfunding startup for political, social and charitable causes in San Francisco, said he had doubts about hiring a felon. But those quickly vanished after meeting Heracio “Ray” Harts, he said. Harts, 40, was released in April after he served 8½ years for manslaughter. “This is a real opportunity to help somebody who most definitely deserves the opportunity to be a contributing member of society,” Serres said. Last February, Harts stood at the prison chapel lectern — dressed in a prison-issued blue shirt and dark sweat pants with the word “prisoner” stamped on the leg and his hair in braids — pitching his idea to combat obesity in low-income communities by turning empty lots into community gardens and abandoned buildings into fitness facilities. A mobile app would help people track their fitness progress. Today Harts has earned a spot at Rally.org as a full-time employee. Harts helps the Robert Redford Foundation, the Maker Education Initiative and the Delta Sigma Phi national fraternity with their campaigns on the website. And he’s talking to Pittsburg, Calif., officials about starting a health and fitness program in his former hometown. “I feel like I belong here,” said Harts, sitting in a brick-and-glass walled conference room at Rally.org, in a North Face fleece jacket, his hair neatly buzzed. “I’m an entrepreneur. I work in tech. This is my evolution.” Like many who live in wealthy Marin County, husband and wife Redlitz and Parenti often drove past San Quentin but had never set foot inside. Then in 2011, a friend asked Redlitz, a 57-year-old entrepreneur and investor who runs the KickLabs accelerator program in San Francisco, to give a 30-minute talk on entrepreneurship at San Quentin. He was apprehensive but decided to go. For two hours Redlitz fielded questions from inmates who he says impressed him with their passion, drive and smarts. “These were people who have taken responsibility for what they have done and are trying to carve a path back to society,” Redlitz said. California has one of the largest prison populations in the United States, second only to Texas, and one of the highest rates of recidivism. Within three years nearly 2 out of 3 ex-convicts commit another crime and end up back in prison. Yet the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spends just 4.3% of its nearly $9-billion budget on rehabilitation. “Those numbers really hit me,” Redlitz said. “Putting my professional investor hat on, that’s a really bad investment for taxpayers.” So Redlitz and Parenti persuaded prison officials to let them experiment with a new model for rehabilitation that combines job training, confidence building and a bridge to the technology industry. With California facing a deadline to ease overcrowding by reducing its prison population, more prisoners are serving longer sentences in county jails. “The goal is to offer The Last Mile in all of the L.A. County Jail facilities,” Redlitz said. This spring, Redlitz and Parenti plan to launch the program inside several more prisons in California and one in Michigan. “There is not a lot being offered in prison to help people build a better life,” said Caleb Hunter, 35, a former San Quentin inmate and college graduate who used to work in high tech. “The Last Mile is absolutely life changing.” Last Mile participants are assigned books on entrepreneurship; they meet with some of the authors. They learn about the latest technology trends and how to use social media. They write down their thoughts on paper and volunteers post them on Twitter, in blog posts and on question-and-answer website Quora. High-profile members of the tech community serve as mentors. Rapper and entrepreneur MC Hammer regularly goes to San Quentin to talk to inmates about how to rebrand themselves. The startup ideas that inmates come up with are rooted in their life experiences. Tommy Winfrey, in prison for second-degree murder, is a 35-year-old self-taught artist who paints southwestern landscapes. His proposed startup, Art Felt Creations, would help prison artists sell their work to the public and fund art programs in schools. “The next Van Gogh or Picasso could be residing behind these very walls,” he said. Larry Histon, 65, who had a successful career in high tech before going to prison and is serving 29 years to life for first-degree murder, says his startup, TechSage, could reduce recidivism and keep jobs in the U.S. by training ex-convicts as mobile app developers. He says his idea could also help him get back into the industry. Even before taking part in the Last Mile, Harts was determined to make a better life for his wife and three children. That meant breaking the cycle of crime and incarceration that has trapped family members. Harts grew up in Pittsburg, where he began smoking pot before he was a teenager. He dealt drugs and carried a gun for protection. His younger brother and two cousins were shot and killed. After he lost a well-paying job at a refinery, his life began a downward spiral that hit rock bottom when he killed a man in 2004. In prison, Harts studied business books and magazines. He earned a college degree. He packaged test tubes for a medical supply company. But he said his real break was the one he got through the Last Mile. At Rally.org he has showered with high-tech perks such as free gourmet lunches and yoga classes. But for Harts, it’s all about getting “a hands-on MBA.”

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18 LA sheriff's deputies face federal charges

By TAMI ABDOLLAH and GREG RISLING Associated Press

POSTED:   12/09/2013 11:04:26 AM PST

UPDATED:   12/09/2013 07:38:27 PM PST

Click photo to enlarge

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca takes questions from the media after the... ((AP Photo/Nick Ut))

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LOS ANGELES—Federal officials said 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies saw themselves as being "above the law" when they engaged in crimes that included beating inmates and jail visitors, falsifying reports, and trying to obstruct an FBI probe of the nation's largest jail system.

The investigation into corruption and civil rights abuses led to the arrests Monday of 16 of the 18 defendants. At least two no longer work for the department.

"These incidents did not take place in a vacuum. In fact, they demonstrated behavior that had become institutionalized," said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. "The pattern of activity alleged in the obstruction of justice case shows how some members of the Sheriff's Department considered themselves to be above the law."

The 16 who were arrested appeared in court later Monday. Thirteen pleaded not guilty, and three did not enter pleas.

Flanked by some of his top command staff, Sheriff Lee Baca told reporters Monday he was troubled by the charges and called it a sad day for his department. He said the department would continue to cooperate with the FBI and that deputies who have been charged would be relieved of duty and have their pay suspended.

The Sheriff's Department oversees a jail system with more than 18,700 inmates and has a history of abuse allegations dating back to the 1970s.

Among allegations in a criminal complaint and four grand jury indictments unsealed Monday:

— Deputies unlawfully detained and used force on visitors to Men's Central Jail, included detaining and handcuffing the Austrian consul general in one instance, and in another, grabbing a man by the neck, forcing his head into a refrigerator, throwing him to the floor and pepper spraying his eyes.

— Deputies falsified reports to make arrests seem lawful or in one case, struck, kicked and pepper sprayed an inmate and made false reports to have the inmate charged with and prosecuted for assaulting deputies.

— Deputies tried to thwart the investigation by unsuccessfully seeking a court order to get the FBI to provide documents and attempted to intimidate a lead FBI agent by falsely saying they were going to seek a warrant for her arrest.

Those charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice include two lieutenants, one of whom oversaw the department's safe jails program and another who investigated allegations of crimes committed by sheriff's personnel.

They're accused along with two sergeants and three deputies with trying to prevent the FBI from contacting an informant by falsifying records to appear that he had been released when he had been moved to different cells under false names.

Birotte wouldn't say whether the lieutenant and two sergeants involved in the obstruction of justice probe were directed by their superiors. He declined to say if the alleged abuse was fostered by the department's top brass.

Others charged in the documents unsealed Monday are a deputy accused of possessing an assault weapon that was illegally modified, and three deputies—all brothers—accused of a $350,000 mortgage fraud scheme.

Baca, who has been sheriff since 1998, is facing his toughest race yet for re-election in 2014. Baca has acknowledged mistakes but also defended his department and distanced himself personally from allegations.

The sheriff said he has made improvements including creating a database to track inmate complaints. He has also hired a new head of custody and rearranged his command staff.

On Monday, Baca said he would accept the outcome of the FBI investigation, but strongly denied criticisms that abuse was rampant.

"You haven't seen me retire from the job," he said. "You haven't seen me blame somebody else besides me for whatever the challenges are."

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Sheriff's Department in 2012 claiming the sheriff and his top commanders had condoned violence against inmates. The organization released a report documenting more than 70 cases of misconduct by deputies.

The Citizens' Commission on Jail Violence, in its 2012 report, said deputies used force against inmates even "when there was no threat at all," and referred to "a culture of aggression among some deputies in the jails."

A federal jury in October found Baca personally liable for $100,000 for failing to stop inmate abuse by deputies in Men's Central Jail in a case brought by a man who said he was severely beaten while awaiting trial.

In June, a two-year Justice Department investigation found deputies discriminated against blacks and Latinos by making unconstitutional stops, searches, seizures and using excessive force in the Antelope Valley.

Baca disputed the findings but said he had instituted reforms.

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Associated Press writer Robert Jablon contributed to this report.

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Two Women Suspected of Sneaking Drugs to CMC Inmates

Two Women Suspected of Sneaking Drugs to CMC Inmates

Posted: Oct 03, 2013 9:32 PM PDTUpdated: Oct 03, 2013 9:32 PM PDT

By Rachael Laine, Reporter - email

KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

 

 

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.- Two women accused of sneaking drugs into the California Men's Colony this past weekend have already been released. 

"What it appears is their intent were to introduce the drugs, give them to the inmate they were visiting, and usually from there the inmate distributes it for a large profit," said Lieutenant Frank Perez, California Men's Colony.

Authorities say Barbara Sabbath, 66, and Nandi Tate, 22, were separately visiting inmates at the prison Saturday when they were caught allegedly bringing in methamphetamine and marijuana. CMC officials won't release the details on how the drugs were smuggled, but according to a report from the Justice Department drugs have been passed to inmates through soda bottles, babies' diapers, clothing and even kisses.

"Prison value of drugs is approximately 10 times of that of street value, so a small amount of drugs in prison goes a long way in prison," said Perez.

Lieutenant Frank Perez says he is not authorized to release which woman brought in which drug, or how much, but he says prior to their visits, two separate search warrants were issued after they were tipped off.

"We cumulate information in a whole bunch of different ways. Whether it be through confidential information, intercepted phone calls that the inmates make on the public telephones, or intercepted mail," he said.

Both women were not able to get very far and were arrested in the visiting area. In all cases anyone visiting CMC, must pass through a metal detector.

"Staff do a basic overview of their clothing to make sure its appropriate. Our staff is trained on smells, sights, anything that seems unusual, people's behaviors, mannerisms," explained Perez.

Both suspects are facing a number of charges including bringing a controlled substance into prison.

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9th Circuit says California fails to protect disabled inmates from The Los Angeles Times

By Maura Dolan October 4, 2013, 12:10 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO --

A federal appeals court rebuked California officials Friday for refusing to protect disabled parolees the state has shifted to county jails. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9thCircuit Court of Appeals said disabled inmates have been engaged in “a seemingly never-ending struggle” with state officials to obtain wheelchairs, sign-language interpreters, accessible beds and toilets, tapping canes for the blind and other accommodations.

Experiencing The Parallels Between Victimology And Criminology

All too often, society is inclined to allow criminals to receive leniency for their crimes as a result of the environment in which a person may have existed. Even if the criminal was not influenced by their environment to commit the crime, the criminal is liable to adopt the persona of the victim in order to gain sympathy. This is often successful because when more well-off individuals are in the presence of those that are considered to be less fortunate, they may feel guilt. In many cases, this guilt is not necessary. However, if an individual begins to express their opinion that by adopting the role of a victim the criminal is dodging the responsibility of the crime, they will likely be criticized greatly for their thoughts.

Victimology, even if it is sincere, is often a way in which individuals justify a crime to themselves and to others. For example, one of the most commonly held beliefs within the United States of America is that of the great American dream, in which everyone is happy, living in a nice house and the parents have stable occupations making a comfortable living for their families. This does not at all reflect the reality of inner city slums and poor rural areas. By clinging to the belief that no matter what, even without trying in some cases, individuals deserve to experience the American dream, they may be inclined to take what they feel they deserve rather than try to work for it. Some people will rationalize that they have no means to work for this dream, and they had no choice but to act out in the way that they did. However, this blaming of society does not change the reality of the situations. By allowing one person to get away with a crime because of a victim mentality would be a slap in the face to the people that do work to succeed.

Herein lays the most important parallel between victimology and Criminology. While it is simple to blame society for one’s troubles, this does not begin to solve the problem. Individuals from all sides need to think about how the society may impact the role of the criminal and to take steps in order to change things. This way, when an individual tries to adopt a victim mentality, we can state as a society that there were other options. By outlining the different options in such a setting, even more people can be exposed to the ways in which society is working to stabilize equality between different categories of individuals and work to reduce crime as a product of environment or surroundings. Criminology works to examine how society and the criminal interact, and this needs to be looked at under extreme scrutiny in order to find the causes of problems and work towards successful solutions.

There are also instances in which those who are perceived to be in a seat of power will become corrupt. It is important to look at this too. Individuals may attempt to adopt a victim role in this scene as well in order to appeal to the sympathetic public. Aside from sociopaths, individuals have moral standards that will tell them what is wrong and what is right. For anyone to adopt the role of the victim in order to gain sympathy is a ploy against the considerate nature of others. When it comes to crime, the people that should be playing the role of the victim are those who were victimized during the act of the crime. For individuals that live, they are many times much stronger than people may have believed them to be, and it is nauseating that the criminal will then try to adopt a role that the person they violated will not even take on in the court room.

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Using Mind Control To Create An Addiction

With all the paranoia of mind control and how Neuro Linguistic Probramming (NLP) can be (and is) used to “mess with peoples heads” it’s high time to pull the cat out of the bag and let people know exactly what is possible.

For example, can you create an addiction in someone using Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)?

Yes, you can.

Before you learn the steps to do it and how to protect yourself, let me give you two warnings.

First, don’t do this to people unless you are giving them a compulsion for something they want that will be good for them like exercize and healthy foods. Anything else and it may seem fun to think about but leave it at that. Only think about it, don’t do it. It’s just not a nice thing to do to people.

Second, To do this you have to be very good at NLP, report building and anchoring etc.

Start by eliciting what is called the NLP submodalities of a compulsion a person has. You can do this by asking what are some things they have compulsions for, like chocolate, and then asking “As you feel that complusion what sort of images is your mind making? Where do you see those pictures? How big are the images? Color or Black and White? ” and so on.

Then begin to describe what you want them to have a compulsion/addiction for in exactly the same way. Describe the new compulsion as being seen in the same place, etc.

I’m not going to give you any more detail than that. It’s more than enough to experiment with.

Using this pattern a person can create a compulsion for drugs, sex, money, perfection, driving fast, you name it, but you can also create compulsions for exercize, punctuality, orderlyness and many so-called “good” things.

There are ways to prevent someone from covertly creating a compulsion in you. First be aware of the mental and emotional states that people are asking you to describe and be on guard when they start to talk about compulsions.

If you suspect someone has helped covertly create an unwanted compulsion in you (good luck) the compulsion can be undone with what is called the meta yes/meta no process.

In Meta Yes/Meta No you’ll start by thinking of something unrelated to the compulsion that you would say “No” to. Think of that item and bring up the very strong feeling and repeatedly say “No” in a very firm and congruent manner. Practice it until the “No!” and the feeling are deeply linked to one another. The next step is to begin saying “No!” repeatedly to the compulsion and do it with the same energy and conviction as when you started the process.

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