Good news when you can find it

I got good news today. The book return I've been working on for seemingly eternity has gone through. The bookstore is actually sending two books to recompense all my trouble! Thank you, Atomic Comics! It's great to deal with decent people every now and then.

To reach the point of the day in which I received the good news, however, I had to deal with another mailroom snag. This written grievance (below)should explain it all. At least the comic store has shown some understanding. The mailroom just doesn't make sense.

Grievance – July 27, 2009

On the morning of July 24, 2009, I went to the mailroom where I was denied a campus information packet from Boston Architectural College. About two weeks ago, when the packet was sent straight from the college, it was spiral-bound and had a hologram cover. I asked the mailroom if the paper information inside the binding could be cut out. She said no because it would be an altered publication. I told her I had the same thing happen last year with a publication and the mailroom just cut the spiral out. That occurred 4/01/08 and I still have the publication after three unit shakedowns.

I then asked if I could have the Boston Architecture College packet sent home, cut out, and sent back to me. She said I could and it would probably work. At my own expense of $3.00 in postage, I sent the packet home to be cut apart and sent back.

Today it was denied after being taken apart and separated from the spiral binding and sent together with the hologram cover. The mailroom called it an altered publication and would not allow me to receive it even after advising the action that I took would probably be okay.

It does not make sense to deny an informational packet about a college. I am trying to research and prepare to continue my college education upon release and am met with opposition.

Also, I have received altered publications many times in the form of newspaper and magazine clippings. I still have in my possession the publication that the mailroom removed the spiral binding from last April ’08 and have never received trouble for it.

The hologram cover also should not be a problem. There is at least one book in the library I can think of – Pick Me Up - that has a plastic hologram cover that is obviously not thought of as a threat.

There is nothing dangerous about excerpts from a college’s informational publication.

Action Requested: Allowance of the Boston Architectural College information packet to be received by offenders upon removal of the spiral binding.

Living out Matthew 5:10 *

I must be doing something right around here because the guards don't seem to be leaving me alone.

Today, on the way to recreation, I was talking with the guy in front of me about traveling to Africa and the malaria medication I had to take. As I passed one of the sergeants, he (the guard) asked me to come back to him. When I went closer to him he told me "Bye."

I didn't know why he wanted me to go back to my dorm so I asked him.

"You can't talk in the hallway. I've been telling you guys the past three days. Bye," he responded.

I hadn't been to recreation since he started and had never been told to stop talking in the hallway. But this sergeant, of all the sergeants, will not allow you to talk with him, and he yells at you if you try. I decided to just return to the dorm and not press the issue.

When I got to the dorm I found that the rules state "offenders will not talk loudly or engage in horseplay" while in the halls. I had been talking in a normal conversational voice and not engaging in horseplay. If the rule was changed, they are required to post the changes in the dorm. No such notice was to be found. So I wrote another grievance.

I don't like people who abuse their authority and this is just one minor example of many instances where abuse has occurred. I just hope that the grievances get something done instead of exacerbating the problem.


*

Unjustified abuse

The following is a grievance I have filed with the administration of the prison unit where I am detained. I have also mailed a copy of this grievance to my family as a record of these events, especially in the event that there are negative repercussions against me from the prison guards as a result of my complaint. For the sake of privacy, names of guards and other inmates have not been used.

July 23, 2008

When I was waiting in line to leave the chow hall today between 6:30 and 6:45, Officer S. told everyone to move over against the wall. As everyone moved over, the guy behind me said something. I don't know his name or what he said, but people call him O____. Ms. S. (the guard) looked at me and said "What did you say?"

I replied " I didn't say anything."

She said, "Come our here (into the hallway) and tell me what you said."

I repeated my previous statement and moved out the door into the hallway without any threatening movements or words. As I came out the door, Officer G. came running up and told me to put my hands behind my back to be handcuffed. I complied and, as I turned around, I told O____, "You shouldn't let me take the fall for this."

O___ then raised his arms and said, "It was me. I said it. He didn't do anything."

Ms. S. yelled, "I don't care if he did it or not! He gave me a mean look!"

Then Mr. G.(the other officer) and I walked to cell block where I was put in a holding cell. The other guards in the hallway at the time were Captain M. and Officers S. and T.

When I was released from holding at around 7:45 to go back to my dorm, Ms. T. called me aside and said, "They did you wrong. I saw that. You did nothing wrong."

I agreed and went back to my dorm.

Around 9:30 I asked Ms. T if she would be a witness if I wrote a grievance. She said no because it would make the problem bigger. She also tried to dissuade me from writing a grievance, saying that Ms. S. would get a copy of what I had written and probably retaliate somehow. As we were talking, Ms. S. walked up and asked me to turn around while she said or signaled something to Ms. T. Ms. S. then asked me to come down the hall. She said she wanted to talk to me. I followed her to the area in front of the commissary window and stopped when she told me to stand against the wall. Then she stared at me for several seconds. I was smiling because I was nervous and said, "Everything's fine and I'm cool if you want to apologize."

She yelled," You cocky motherfucker! You better get your ass down the hallway before I really cuss you out!"

At this time, Officers S.and P. were in the hallway.

At no point did I raise my voice to say anything disrespectful, yet Ms. S. put me in holding for over an hour and cussed at me in blatant disrespect. I have witnessed Ms. S. overreact with disrespect towards other inmates who have done no wrong. It seems to be a pattern that I don't think is professional. I have always been told, "If you give respect, you get respect." I have given respect to each guard working at this unit and I don't think that deserves disrespect from Ms. S. or anyone else.

I would like a personal apology from Ms. S., either verbal or written. I would like officers to be reminded that not all offenders should be treated with disrespect, but to assume respect first. I would like officers to be reminded that acting as an honest witness may make problems worse short-term, but will make for a better environment for officers and inmates alike in the long term.