PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act)

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

| bamaaubie

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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Montgomery Womens Facility Is Worse Than Tutwiler

| bamaaubie

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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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

| bamaaubie

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?

How to fix the Alabama Department Of Corrections

| bamaaubie

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?

| bamaaubie

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 

 

Clarification Finally Given On PREA Laws

| bamaaubie

The women were recently issued with ADOC’s new PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) informational flyer. It seems they have finally started to acknowledge and clarify the law and how it legally affects the women, what protection it affords them, and what they can expect to happen should they ever feel threatened or are attacked in anyway by another inmate or a correctional officer. PREA is not a new law, but its good to see it getting formal exposure throughout the facility, inline with federal standards, although perhaps given the seriousness of the subject matter, perhaps a spelling and grammar checker should have employed before being sent to print. In any event, please note that retaliation is not permitted in any form, and there are many valid forms of reporting any and all incidents.

PREA Rules
PREA Rules at Montgomery Women’s Facility

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