California prisons are still plagued with numerous problems, and the state needs to take steps to solve serious issues, according to a recent rally opposing living conditions of a women’s prison to house men.
Rally speakers decried Gov. Jerry Brown’s claim that “The prison crisis in California is over.”
Julien Kiemle wrote in a commentary on the governor’s assertion: “Brown boasted that California has one of the finest prison systems in the United States. The mendacity of such a statement is nearly as appalling as the conditions it misrepresents.”
The “Freedom Rally” included hundreds of protesters from all over California, according to Californians United for a Responsible Budget, one of the organizers.
One of the issues of the rally was to protest the change of Valley State Prison for Women into a men’s prison.
Protesters objected to “horrendous” conditions in the Central California Women’s Facility, where the women were relocated.
Many of the protesters have loved ones at CCWF. Some were ex-prisoners and others were activists and locals looking to reduce California’s huge prison system. One demand was to immediately releasing prisoners to reduce overcrowding.
Julio Marquez said, “We are traveling all the way from LA to the Valley to show solidarity between people on the outside and people on the inside.” Marquez is a Youth Organizer for Youth Justice Coalition who had two cousins in Central Valley prisons.
CCWF is at 185 percent of capacity, with 3,714 women housed into a facility designed for 2,004, according to CDCR’s Jan. 23 population report.
The lack of basis medical care, increased tension stemming from overcrowding, greater than before lockdowns, fewer jobs, rehabilitation programs and access to legal resources was documented by more than 1,000 declarations by CCWF prisoners. Gender discrimination and civil rights violations were also listed as issues.
“California should care about this issue because we are talking about the importance of people’s lives,” says Theresa Martinez of Justice Now. Martinez spent 23 years in California prisons.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation recently transformed VSPW into a men’s prison. Over 1,000 women were rehoused in two other, already overcrowded prisons, instead of releasing people through Alternative Custody Programs.
Organizers of the Jan. 26 rally demanded that elderly, terminally ill, and permanently incapacitated prisoners be released. To date, less than
200 have been.
Krys Shelley, of the Coalition for Women Prisoners said, “We need California to pay attention. We should reevaluate cases, look at the sentencing laws, look at parole, and release programs. Let’s bring our loved ones home.”
Californians United for a Responsible Budget can be reached through the following links: emily@curbprisonspending.org
and http://twitter.com/CURB_Prisons
