After many rumors and speculation, H-Unit prisoners and Level II Lifers are now living in West Block – the first time since San Quentin became a reception center starting in the ‘80s. The living conditions in West Block are less than desirable, according to prisoners recently moved from other parts of the prison.
As the population in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is reduced, the areas once necessary for the intake/reception are being “re-aligned” to serve a longer-term segment of the population.
Starting Nov. 7, a long trail of H-Unit prisoners carried their property to West Block. Many of the unit’s prisoners are still wearing Reception Center orange clothing. The unit’s bay side now houses mainliners dressed in blue.
“Picture yourself in a trash dumpster with feces, urine and old food. Then picture putting your property in there with no plug for electricity and a dim light that does not shut off and a toilet that takes two minutes to flush after you push the button. Now close the door and put another man in that small space,” said the recently moved Richard Benjamin.
Benjamin said a prison staffer told him that although the selection process was random, his “intimidating demeanor” was a factor.
“The shower has water to our ankles and the (razor) wire on the gun rail is tangled with old clothes. I work at Prison Industry Authority (PIA) and I’m supposed to be there at 6:15 a.m., but because of this move, I don’t get there until 8:20 a.m.,” Benjamin said. Referring to the importance prisoners place on cleanliness, he added, “I get off work at 3 p.m, but the block is not set up for PIA workers to get showers, so we have to wait until 7:30 at night to get a shower. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to clean the block but it’s near impossible because we’re not given the proper cleaning supplies or gloves.”
“We understand the frustration of the inmates. As soon as funds are released from Sacramento, we will expedite the retrofit of West Block. We are very appreciative of the inmates who have taken it upon themselves to clean up the block,” said a San Quentin administrator who asked that his name not be used.
On Nov. 9 Lifers and additional North Block prisoners were told to pack their property and move from relatively “healthy” dorm and cell housing into poorer living conditions in West Block. The cells lack electricity for appliances and lighting is bad for the prisoners on the bottom bed of the two-inmate cells. Also, the heating in West Block is not functioning.
The mix of people also includes a large intake of prisoners from other prisons including Soledad, Old Folsom and Solano.
