This letter was written by a person incarcerated at SATF (California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison).
UCI Student,
Thank you for writing and letting us know that the world is watching, listening, and caring. The care package from Mount Tamalpais College came at a time when it was needed.
It helped as did your letter to lift one up above his own personal needs and wants. So that he could smile to say there are people that do care and are trying to help.
And smiles/good feelings are needed as these help one keep his sanity. This whole pandemic thing has been a trial for everyone and the loss of contact visiting even more so.
The loss of mental health programming especially for those of us that are/we are in EOP is like, “what happened?” and “why can’t we be seen/worked with?” and “staff is still coming in?”
I could go on about all that and still never cover it all. For me, I am fortunate that I have a wife and family that loves me and looks out for me. As do my friends. So that when I came down here to C yard, building three into B section cell, and I was alone.
To me it was amen and thank you, because living with another prisoner especially four to eight men in a cell, isn’t easy. And a barracks or dorm living has to be truly hell. But because of the above family or friends I had a TV, radio, CDs canteen etc., and all I could think of was “how are the prisoners with nothing coping?”
Prison is never really easy, but this has to be the worst it could be. Voluntarily because COVID doesn’t care and on that it’s likely being on death row (quarantine/isolation). Wondering when and how the death warrant is going to be issued.
Then the CDCR here, gives us a little programming. And our mental health people show up, and we have a little yard time, and then a little dayroom time. With phone/kiosk and showers available. So it starts to lessen the worries/fears. Especially when you can talk to your family and friends and let them know you too are OK and trying to do the right thing.
At this point I can only hope and pray for those of us in or out of prison to keep the faith, wear your mask, and social distance, please. Thank you.
