We incarcerated in the belly of the beast, known as Corcoran State Prison, are experiencing the lack of quality, programming, and the powers that be keep telling us the same thing over and over again. The lack of staff and or too many positive Covid tests. All this has been happening for over two years when the pandemic first took place.
We have filed 602 grievance papers over this situation as well as other minor things that have taken place, and these are the wins we’ve received thus far:
1. Visiting with families in person on Saturdays and Sundays and video visits on Fridays;
2. Canteen and packages delivered to our cells when a building is quarantined;
3. Showers and phone calls when a building is quarantined;
4. Showers and phone calls when there is no program;
5. Mandatory correctional officers getting tested and cannot come to work until they give a negative test (before, they could come to work if they have a positive test and only had to stay home for 5 working days);
6. Yard time for a building after 14 days of quarantine;
7. Gym access when there’s yard at least 3 times a week;
8. The use of the law library at least 4 times a week whether you have a pending case or not; and
9. Recreation equipment when there’s yard time (basketball, handball, boxing gloves, soccer ball, and softball).
We are currently working on getting our tablets and some self-help groups that are not state designed, so we can have therapeutic programs. Right now, the State is allowing AA, NA, and drug programs that the Board of Prisons’ terms require, but nothing that will help someone re-enter their community.
We’d like to work with community members in establishing community-based programs of need, so we cannot only return to our communities but build relationships with those we will be living around and working with. Self-sufficient programs are designed for us to meet the needs of people in society and we are all we have. As you can see, the government doesn’t care; just look at Roe v. Wade and the mass shootings. For those who would like to get to know us, you can contact me at the address below:
In Struggle,
Mwalimu Shakur
Mwalimu Shakur
s/n Terrance F. White #AG8738
Corcoran State Prison 3A-02-144
P O Box 3461
Corcoran, California 93212