This letter was written by a person incarcerated at High Desert.
Hello PrisonPandemic,
I just received your message, and it finds me surviving well. You know the saying what don’t kill us makes us stronger. Yes I do thanks you for the words of encouragement. Well I continue to pray everyday for everybody. Michael Jackson (you are not alone).
Thank you for thinking about me and everyone else. In respects to me and my experience with COVID-19. It’s the same as on the street.
For me I have underlining conditions. And I do not know you aware of how this prison system works, in respects to health care or anything else. It’s all about money.
For instance when this first happened, San Quentin prison was offered free testing, but the refuse, saying they did not have a contract with the man who was willing to give free testing. And even after the governor told them to release 8,000 people instead they just moved people around so they would not have to let people go.
I have been here in this prison four years. Since the pandemic they have brought dudes here that are infected. And now the yard I am is on lockdown off and on, because of the infected people, from custody to inmate population. The last count they have 3,301, people here.
Total of cases 1,964, active 45, resolved 1,917, two inmate deaths. Total number of staff 519, active cases 35, resolved 484, no deaths. That was as of 1-19-2021.
The problem is that they have people who work here, that are brand new, from custody to nurses. And they are not being properly trained. They are just being given jobs and they are on their own. Lack of supervision.
I have written up doctors and nurse practitioners. Medical here sucks. As I stated I have numerous medical issues I should not be here. I should be at the medical facility. I am ADA have severe disabilities, and these people do not care.
For me I refuse the COVID-19 test. For one I am Black and I am 62. I am quite aware of the experience they did on Blacks from the 1940s to 1971. So I will not be subjected to whatever they say.
The testing they do is pretty regular. The problem is that custody is bringing the disease in here. It’s crazy at times we go lockdown, and we won’t be told no phone calls, no yard, no visiting, no canteen, no packages.
So in some respects it’s nerve racking. When you ask question they do not know how to respond. Even some of the police in here are scared. It makes you want to do a (Marvin Gaye) and ask (What’s going on).
They do not properly clean the showers or buildings after every meal or when someone gets out of the showers.
So there is no actual way of knowing anything unless someone tells, you, and that someone would be another inmate/convict. So it would take more than three days to be seen my medical because you have to turn in a medical slip, then have to respond.
So unless there is somebody on the outside that you tell about your issues. You have to wait on these people.
Again lack of training on both parts from custody, to mental health, to medical care. So I hope I have given you some insight. Oh I have learn that this world is comprised of two types, class first, race second. And that’s how it is in here.
The police and free staff think that they are better than us because we are in here. And the inmates/convicts think that they are better than in inmates/convicts who do not have jobs.
Thank you for your time.
