1/13/21
Gendered juvenilization in policing is evident at IWP. Two women found guilty of being intimate are in lock for 45 days for their violation of the rules. However, a woman who choked another in the kitchen was given a warning with no sanction or write up. Physical violence is permitted with no intervention. The participants in fights that result in injury are not even segregated. They are not even allowed or mandated to move housing units. The requests made before the fights for staff intervention (i.e. bed moves) are consistently denied. The only activities staff, classification and supervisors make serious are complaints on “girlfriends.”
Classification policies call for staff considerations for roommates as to their compatibility. Yet, compatibility, personal issues, matters of security levels and crimes, victim designations, or past trauma are not considered or permitted discussion when initiated by one of us. The only concern classification has is if comfortability in a duo is evident. It is unfair and it promotes the juvenilization of people’s relationships and actions because it is the only facet policed. We have been locked down, denied rec with other units, denied rec for our unit alone, denied family visits, denied access to phones when needed, denied access to open space in the dayrooms causing the only available space to be in cells and bathrooms-off camera and private. Pairs happen for lack of any other activity or distraction.
Meanwhile, fighting is provoked by staff harassment and cursing, by staff implementing punishments and restrictions and telling us to blame each other for telling, by the custom of IWP to rely on “snitch notes” in creating bed moves, restrictions, or harassment, by not adhering to the policy that clearly states we are able to request a bed move 90 days after having suffered an incompatible cellmate or desiring a more compatible one, and the unprofessional gossip between staff and staff and staff and incarcerated.
The Major, Captain and Lieutenant rushed on the unit at 7 am to prove authority concerning bathroom movement? Yet, their staff is idle, sitting for hours on camera gossiping, using their personal phones, not following written schedules in commissary distribution, recreation offerings, or even segregation admittees or exitees. Staff concerns itself with girlfriends as the only priority, with nothing else as a point. It is mind numbing to live in this environment with limited options for personal choice to avoid the drama. Constant yelling, constant restriction, lack of space, lack of earning potential, lack of intentionality with staff or counselor, lack of safety from disease, constant conflict…
1/11/21
Mass punishment is all they know. Coronavirus looms around the entire prison yet it is this unit that is restricted. The correctional officers are not holding individuals accountable for trafficking, drinking, fighting, using drugs…so the only responses are communal and collective. Everyone, all bodies on the unit, are denied bathroom, phone, and space- because-some invisible and unnamed higher up said so. Why?
Allegedly leaked by a “cool” c/o, because someone “told” something – apparently this can only be addressed by mass punishment? It cannot be addressed by camera review, not addressed by interviewing people . . .only by mass punishment and restriction. In this way, no real problems are addressed- only new ones created with a false reality that tells people here- “this is real,” “look to this.” I wouldn’t be surprised if it is my emails that have underscored the mass punishment of the unit. “Telling” is the prison management’s only form of policing, as it isn’t feasible for the historic prison management company of IWP to care about safety or security before someone “tells”. Most “telling” is done because of inconvenience upon one person instead of the collective interests. Staff doesn’t see this and doesn’t care!?
The safety and security management at this prison is a joke. I.A. spends time restricting phone calls- only at this prison on this gender of incarcerated. Correctional management allows for low level c/o’s to dictate punishment options without adhering to policy mandates. Zero accountability concerning cleaning, sanitation practices, safe living arrangements, mental health, or the obvious instances of staff corruption. Zero knowledge and accountability on policy adherence. Only punitive oversight and punitive reactions with zero pre-incident intervention; zero professionalism. -Another Monday on “I” bracket.
Not to be outdone: uncompensated incarcerated labor is still required!
Natalie Medley #122409
You can support Natalie by setting up an account at web.connectnetwork.com and, with which you can send her messages and money. Or you can write to her at 727 Moon Rd. Plainfield, In. 46168