This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Tracy.
And I’m an inmate thats currently housed at Deuel Vocational Institution in Tracy, California. I’m one of 250 inmates that were moved here from Solano State Prison because of COVID-19. This pandemic has really taken a toll on not just myself, but every person in prison.
It has been a year since I’ve been able to visit my family. They are a very big part of my change. I am a lifer and I went to the board of parole last year and was denied. And was told to complete two programs. But because of COVID-19 there have not been anything available. I’m afraid that when I go back in front of the board, I will be shot down again. I’ve put in so much work since 2014 on my change just to hear it was not enough.
Being here at DVI Tracy has also been very stressful. I’ve been placed into cells where there are no glass panes in the windows. So in the winter time it’s very cold, and if it rains it gets wet inside the cell. There have been water shortage and it’s been times were we were forced to go three to four days without showers.
There has been very limited yard so we have went days without being outside. In the Title 15 book it says if you are a AIA worker you are allowed two phone calls that is not being applied. On a regular, we go at least four days before you get a phone call.
This pandemic is very very stressful. I know that it’s hard for everyone in the free world but for those of us that’s incarcerated it is a little bit harder. It’s maybe a lot of people saying that we broke the law and we are paying for our crime. But we are people too and not all of us are animals.
We have wives, kids, moms, dads, sisters, and brothers just like everyone else. We deserve to be safe and treated like human beings like everyone else.
Thank you for your time.
