Alabama Prisons

Serious Lack of leadership and accountability at Montgomery Women’s Facility

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How is it Lt. Mason, who has given cash to an inmate to buy her a drink (against regs), still holds a position of power to abuse? How is it Lt. Bendford, who got Lt. Mason to cover up the fact an inmate found Lt. Bedford’s cellphone , is now in charge of investigating grievances inmates file against officers?

Inmates statement alleging widespread flouting of ADOC regulations and procedures
Inmates statement alleging widespread flouting of ADOC regulations and procedures

Why are the sidewalks cracked and broken up and are a safety hazard and no one will fix them after several falls from inmates and their visitors including a 6 month pregnant woman who fell on her belly?

Why is it that the officers and supervisors do whatever they want and inmates complaints fall on deaf ears? Why do we have cameras when no one is watching them? Why does Sgt. Jean still hold her position when she is unprofessional, cursing inmates and her officers?

How can Sgt Jean ask an inmate who reported sexual abuse, ask the inmate how big the officers dick was, and still work at the facility as one in charge? Why are we at Montgomery Women’s Facility being abused and ignored? We need outside help, desperately.

Transcribed by admin, from an inmates statement alleging widespread disregard and malpractice of Alabama Department Of Corrections regulations and procedures, her identity withheld for fear of retaliation

An inmates prayer for help at Montgomery Women’s Facility

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To All:

I write in hope that all who read this, take it to heart. When a person loses their liberty and becomes incarcerated, the punishment is the loss of said liberty. According to Websters New World Dictionary, the definition of liberty is “Freedom from slavery, captivity etc.”. A particular right, freedom etc. The definition for inmate is “A person confined with others in a prison or mental institution”. The definition of prison is “A place of confinement for convicted criminals or persons who are awaiting trial”.

A prayer for help at Montgomery Women's Facility
A prayer for help at Montgomery Women’s Facility

Nowhere in these definitions or even the law does it say that during an inmates loss of liberty whilst being confined to prison, is it acceptable to abuse, mistreat, belittle or otherwise punish an inmate. Here at Montgomery Women’s Facility all of the above and worse take place. The reason people, yes i said people, here don’t speak out is because they are in fear of retaliation.

There are posters all over this facility about PREA and extortion. It is for show only. They went through PREA “Training”. They say they know what is supposed to happen, how we are supposed to be treated, but do as they please anyway. It is all for show for the Department Of Justice, lawyers and Commissioners, They do not follow it.

I personally know things about this place, things i have been through and have witnessed, but to come forward would be huge retaliation. All you have to do is look at the outcome of one inmate who came forward, to see how said retaliation degraded her. It mentally, physically and spiritually broke her down and left her feeling even more abused.

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These 7 Household Names Make a Killing Off of the Prison-Industrial Complex

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FEBRUARY 20, 2016 BY BRIAN SUMNER This article was originally published at USuncut.com by 
Prison Labour In The United States
Prison Labour In The United States

Once slavery was abolished in 1865, manufacturers scrambled to find other sources of cheap labor—and because the 13th amendment banned slavery (except as punishment for crimes), they didn’t have to look too far. Prisons and big businesses have now been exploiting this loophole in the 13th amendment for over a century.

“Insourcing,” as prison labor is often called, is an even cheaper alternative to outsourcing. Instead of sending labor over to China or Bangladesh, manufacturers have chosen to forcibly employ the 2.4 million incarcerated people in the United States. Chances are high that if a product you’re holding says it is “American Made,” it was made in an American prison.

On average, prisoners work 8 hours a day, but they have no union representation and make between .23 and $1.15 per hour, over 6 times less than federal minimum wage. These low wages combined with increasing communication and commissary costs mean that inmates are often released from correctional facilities with more debt than they had on their arrival. Meanwhile, big businesses receive tax credits for employing these inmates in excess of millions of dollars a year.

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What it “feels like” to be incarcerated in Montgomery Womens Facility

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Alabama Department Of Corrections, Ha!
It should read, Alabama Department Of Corruption. The sad part of it all, is that society doesn’t even realize they’re being scammed by the state. They pay tax dollars to keep housing inmates who reform themselves. Funding for this class, funding for that class. All that does is fill someone’s wallet up and add extra digits to their bank accounts. All inmates get is an A/A big book to read out of. That book has got to be under $30.00. At the end of the day it’s a choice everyone makes, to use alcohol and drugs or not to. All the funding in the world for classes will not stop someone from returning to prison.

Where is the logic in that? Much less paying for my three meals a day, all medicines, doctor visits, dental care, eye care and wear, rent, water, electricity, heating, cooling, toilet paper, tampons, pads, shirts, pants, coat, panties, bras, socks, shoes, shorts, t-shirts, pyjamas, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, hair grease, comb, brush, my clothes washed daily, and get those who pay for all this, protest me for parole so that I can stay longer in prison with all these accommodations.

Question – who’s punished and who isn’t? Being a model inmate hasn’t gotten me anywhere.

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Montgomery Womens Facility Is Worse Than Tutwiler

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An inmates statement about Montgomery Womens Facility, revealing allegations of sexual abuse, inappropriate sexual relationships between officers and inmates, medical neglect and financial inaccuracies on inmate accounts.

Since 2007 Montgomery Women’s Facility has had many sexual allegations against officers having sexual relations with inmates. These officers were transferred to male facilities. Since 2007 officers Brown, Shine, Woods, Taylor, Munderlin and SGT Lewis were transferred because of sexual allegations.

Then in 2015 an inmate came forward to tell about her sexual relationship with officer McMillan that went on for three years. And through this, several other officers were exposed. Three were women who knew of the relationship but didn’t report it. They were officers Rowe, Bogan and Haywood. They were transferred to male facilities. SGT Whatley and Captain Smith were exposed for sexually harassing the same inmate. SGT Whatley and Captain Smith were transferred to male facilities.

Officer McMillan was transferred to a male facility. They, the Alabama Department Of Corrections refused the inmate counselling and she ended up, cutting herself up. How is it these officers kept their jobs and suffered no legal repercussions?

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Prison Phone Justice: Answer the Call

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Campaign for Prison Phone Justice
Campaign for Prison Phone Justice

We won the FCC vote, but there’s still work to do for #phonejustice!

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. families have been impacted by a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that capped the cost of prison phone calls.

Now the telecommunication companies are doing everything they can to stop it. 

This is a critical moment to push back on prison profiteers and ensure the communication rights of those who are incarcerated and their loved ones.

A network of media justice and civil rights groups are calling on you to support the Campaign for Prison Phone Justice’s efforts.

Join this webinar to hear about the good news and learn how you can get involved.

Alabama must close Tutwiler now. It’s time to end the abuse.

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Pit of vipers at Alabama's Tutwiler, prison for women
Pit of vipers at Alabama’s Tutwiler, prison for women

By AL.com Editorial Board link here
on February 02, 2016 at 8:30 AM, updated February 02, 2016 at 2:11 PM

We know the legislature has a lot to do as it reconvenes today for the governor’s state of the state address and the legislative session to follow. It has to address teacher salaries. It has to consider whether Alabama will join most American states in a lottery. It has to consider raising the gas tax, so tempting with prices at the pump lower than they’ve been in years. We want to remind Governor Robert Bentley and the other lawmakers of another priority: get rid of Tutwiler prison, and get on with the prison reforms passed last year and then hung up due to lack of funding.

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10 Working Showers Between Almost 300 Women

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We have been made aware that at the Montgomery Women’s Facility there has been an issue whereby several of the shower heads were damaged or removed. The correctional staff have therefor restricted the use of showers to only those that have a working shower head, including the shower for disabled inmates.
This has resulted in only 10 showers with shower heads being available for almost 300 women and is totally unacceptable given that according to regulations inmates have to shower everyday between certain times. Come on Alabama Department Of Corrections, you have maintenance personnel, how hard is it to replace a shower head?

State’s prison system ‘under stress,’ commissioner says

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s prisons chief on Tuesday said the state prison system remains ‘under stress’ because of aging facilities, low staffing and overcrowding.

Source: State’s prison system ‘under stress,’ commissioner says