Transcript
Full Isolation for C-Graders In Hill Correctional Center, the punishment for inmates who reach C-grade level status due to disciplinary incidents is worse than serving time in segregationed solitude. All inmates who are placed on C-grade status are housed on one unit which holds them altogether regardless if inmates are known to not be around certain other inmates in the institution. These C-graders are not allowed any electronics as they are confiscated for the duration of their C-grade status. No access to any phones are allowed as they were removed from the unit. Inmates on C-grade cannot have any contact whatsoever with "regular population," nor can they have recreation on any yard that the "regular population" has recreation on. So if an inmate is required to serve time in segregation for a disciplinary incident, that inmate would also be given C-grade status time and would be escorted after completing his time served in segregation to the C-grade unit, to then serve his segregated time over there. If his disciplinary incident was a fight with another inmate, he will have to risk bumping into that inmate on the C-grade unit. Chances are it could result to more time in segregation and C-grade status, where these two inmates would have to repeat this process all over again. Most inmates complain that they might as well serve their whole duration of their C-grade status in isolated segregation. I agree. The environment on the C-grade unit has become very hostile as it ostracizes us inmates while having to serve time as we’re on segregation status, but are told from the warden that we’re not on segregation status. It is basically double jeopardy. Everything is effected by the C-grade unit for inmates serving time on it. The food is served at later hours than the regular population time. The mail is passed out later than usual; which is approximately around 8:00pm. For isolated incidents such as two inmates fighting each other, the whole unit gets placed on lockdown. And there are consistent fights that occur on the C-grade unit, which results to multiple lockdowns. I was late for my deadline to turn in my appellate brief to the court for my direct appeal because of the multiple lockdowns on C-grade unit. One inmate called this unusual treatment "funny but sad". Many inmates are all around exhausted at this system at Hill Correctional Center. Inmates on C-grade status are supposed to be allowed two phone calls per month, but here at Hill CC we aren’t allowed any calls at all. Instead, inmates on B-grade status at Hill CC are allowed only two phone calls per month but they aren’t segregated from A-graders. The warden has argued that C-grade inmates are "separated" from population to prevent them from using others for phone calls. If that is even accurate, what prevents the inmates who’ve been subjected to B-grade from doing the same? No rules in the [DRSOY?] of Hill CC's orientation manual states that inmates are prohibited from allowing other inmates to talk to whomever they communicate with via phone. Moreover, everyone who are on C-grade aren’t on audio/visual denial, yet the T.V. that they paid for is automatically confiscated from them while on C-grade. Not only are there constant fights on the C-grade unit but there are also constant suicide attempts, daily. Some of these attempts result in a lockdown of the unit. These lockdowns can last up to from four days to a week. Many inmates become very hostile towards their cell mates because they are unable to cope with the situation. Most of them are in their early twenties, who cannot find themselves with an ability to just read a book all day or deal with their cell mates wanting to sleep all day. Inmates who are diagnosed as seriously mentally ill are denied proper treatment on this unit. All inmates who have and may commit a suicide attempt are paired up with another inmate in a suicide crisis watch cell without clothing and their C-grade time is frozen while they are placed on watch until their crisis watch is over - per warden’s order. This is unconstitutional because no inmate is to be placed on watch in a crisis cell with anyone whatsoever. This tactic of double jeopardy also empowers correctional officers who writes random disciplinary tickets for whatever personal problems they may have against certain inmates just to have them sent to the C-grade unit. Because the adjustment committee at Hill CC doesn’t give inmates the opportunity to defend themselves against tickets. I myself was issued a disciplinary ticket for improperly wearing my hat. It stated that a camera was viewed. But the ticket stated that my hat was worn in the opposite direction that the camera showed. I also presented information for a witness on my behalf that the adjustment committee did not call to the hearing. I was given time on C-grade to serve part of in segregation, and the rest on the C-grade unit, segregating me from population.
