This letter was written by a person incarcerated at Calipatria.
Well I got your letter today. I’m an inmate at Calipatria State Prison and I got a story I would like to share with you guys. Well, unfortunately, I’m one of the many inmates who tested positive for COVID-19. However, I recovered already. I tested positive for COVID-19 on November 19. It was a hard recovery.
We are not being taken seriously by CDCR. The way we’re being treated here is bad, filed plenty of complaints against the institution and the medical staff and they still don’t take us seriously. We go weeks without disinfectant, even though there’s an outbreak in the yard we’re in. So it’s hard to sanitize our cells.
Sometimes the institution goes weeks without passing out soap. There’s a bottle of hand sanitizer. Also surfaces that highly touch by inmates are not being sanitized. So, to be honest, I feel my safety in prison is not safe. I was one of the inmates that got real sick cause of COVID. Medical staff did not take me seriously and would tell me, “Don’t worry. You’re 27 years old. You’re strong. Nothing is wrong.”
This virus is known for killing young people too. We get treated like animals and not like humans. I have filed plenty of complaints about the way we’re being treated. And if you guys don’t believe me and think I’m lying, I can provide a copy of these documents to you guys.
To be honest, I learn to roll with the punches and try to do my best not to get reinfected. But the way CDCR is handling the outbreak, I really think there’s a good chance of getting reinfected.
CDCR is not taking the proper coronavirus precautions. Don’t know how serious you guys are about your intentions to positive reform but here is my story as far as visiting. I’ve been locked up for eight years. I’ve never gotten a visit and don’t got plans to get one, so I can’t answer your questions on that.
Well I’m gonna end this letter here. If you have any questions, feel free to write me and ask. Will do my best to try to answer them. Other than that take care of yourself.
