Industrial Prison Complex

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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How to fix the Alabama Department Of Corrections

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I have read with great eagerness the coverage given to exposing the conditions within Alabama Department Of Corrections and by exploring ways of improving conditions within Alabama’s prisons and reducing the prison population overall. But then I would, I have a biased view, my wife is currently incarcerated in ADOC and has been for 11 years. We know how the ADOC works, I can only speak of that which I know and have experienced first hand, so my focus lies with the female population incarcerated within Alabama Department Of Corrections.

Ironically it seems to matter not, how serious a crime you are charged with committing, if you find yourself on the wrong side of the law, unless you or your family are financially secure, or are well connected with the old boy network, you have little to no chance of a fair trial, and if you happen to be female, the problem is even more acute. The issues are very complex and multi faceted and a lot of people have a vested interest financially and politically to keep things ticking over just as they are. I will raise the negative aspects first and then follow on with our suggestions on how to fix ADOC, ADOJ and the prison over population problem.

Firstly, as in my wife’s case the District Attorney and prosecutors will seek the most severe charges, and therefor the maximum penalties. They will withhold evidence, prevent witnesses at trial in order to weaken your case and strengthen theirs against you. Instead of a manslaughter charge, they will push for a murder charge. Instead of 10-15 years, you’ll be looking at life, possibly without the possibility of parole.

District Attorney’s, prosecutors and even judges should not be above the law. They should not be allowed to blatantly manipulate the law. They should not present unreliable evidence nor should they be allowed to get away with professional misconduct. They should present all evidence; they should uphold the constitutional rights of the accused and treat them as innocent until proven guilty. They should lay charges as per the crime, not try to convict for murder for example in a blatant manslaughter case in an effort to get another “Murder Conviction” notch on a belt, or another political gong to show just how “tough on crime” they are.

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Why Are So Many Black Women Dying of AIDS?

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The injustices caused by racial profiling in law enforcement, and bias in criminal prosecution and sentencing, are now a subject of significant public attention. And they should be. The loss of life and liberty from these practices is shameful and tragic. But it is critical that we do not overlook the significant evidence showing that the end result of these practices — the mass incarceration of nonwhite men — may also be fueling an urgent public health crisis among some of the most disadvantaged members of our society.

Although African-Americans represent about 12 percent of the United States’ population, they account for roughly half of all new infections and deaths from H.I.V./AIDS. The H.I.V. infection rate among black women is 20 times higher than for white women, read more http://nyti.ms/1Z4t5I9