Transcript
[no title] My name is Gilberto and I am currently doing time here in a state prison in California. I am awaiting to be transferred to a medium level facility. I've been in maximum level security living conditions for like 6 years, and during my stay in prison theres been a lot more than meets the eye or what you see in movies. Most of the time I spend inside my cell because of all the violence inside these places. Ive seen my share of violence. Most of the time its because they just dont feel like letting us out of our rooms because they have the authority to do so. Which creates a hostile enviroment, which promotes more violence. I remember being in High Desert State Prison in Susanville Ca. We would go on lock down / modified program for 3 months at a time and when we would get off lock down we would only be off for a week only to go back on for any random reason for another 3 months. Sometimes they wouldn't even run showers for us. By law they have to give us a shower once every 3 days. Me personally I think thats unsanitary. I think we deserve a shower every day. That prison was deadly and hostile because it was in the middle of nowhere and visits were really harsh. My family would drive 12 hours from their home only to find out we were on lockdown so we would not have contact visits for the weekend. only one hour behind a glass. because we went on lock down on friday night and visits are on Saturday and Sunday. At the prison I am currently residing it is a little better. I work for P.I.A. Prison Industry Authority at a package plant for food & beverage. I get paid 80c an hour which I think is slave labor. because we work similar jobs as people in the free world I think we should get paid the same. Theres different job positions pay rates from 35c up to the most you can make an hour is $1.00. We all work normal job shifts and when we are done we go back to our cells. We do not receive any benefits from our work only the sweat and strain. The population in California is the highest in all 50 states. I think because a lot of us get convicted for only being there when the crime is committed. Most people serve they're time and still have to serve time for enhancements which I have to do more time for enhancements then for the crime alone. My base term is only 9 years for the crime itself and for my enhancements they tagged on 15 years 8 months. I don't think thats fair but the California courts do. And I just happen to only be present when the crime was committed. Guilty by association. I think I could've gotten a justifiable sentence for that. They have a few programs here like A.A. & N.A. & A.V.P. which help you in your rehabilitation and recovery to return to society. Ive noticed a lot of people after being locked up so long they become institutionalized. Being in here is all they know. Its like a revolving door. They begin to think this is all they know. A lot of people dont have support or people to fall back on when they get out. I am lucky enough to have a strong support of family members that have been with me through out my whole time incarcerated. I got my G.E.D. here in prison and they also have college courses you could take to get degrees in certain fields. become a counselor or something. Theres not many people that will hire convicted felons or with a lot of visible tattoos. In California there are more youth behind walls than most states because kids & teenagers are being charged as adults. Minds havent even been fully developed by then. by the time the mind matures and reality sets in the hole is already dug far to deep. I think there should be reform for violent offenders also because there is a lot of potential for change in inmates like myself. change is good. I think instead of spending money on building prisons. More money should be spent on schools and programs. A correctional officer makes way more money than a teacher. I dont see no logic in that. How are we going to excel when we are contributing to the revolving door. Sincerly Gilbert
