In response to CDCR’s security threat – gang – revisions

by Arturo Castellanos

California-prisoner-hunger-strike-solidarity-rally-Irma-Hedlin-mother-of-two-hunger-strikers-at-Pelican-Bay-speaks-at-CDCR-HQ-Sacramento-101511-by-Bill-Hackwell, In response to CDCR’s security threat – gang – revisions, Abolition Now! Written May 28, 2012 – I’m one of the four principal SHU reps here at PBSP (Pelican Bay State Prison) who attends the monthly meeting with SHU Associate Warden P.T. Smith. Note that my personal mail is still restricted to only those on my approved personal mail list, but I can write periodicals in general.

During our last meeting of May 23, 2011, Warden Lewis and CDCR Deputy Director Stainer dropped in. The reps asked Mr. Stainer several questions about the revisions to the STG (security threat group, the new term for gang, regulations). He was vague in his answers and then said although they are on his iPod, he hasn’t seen them yet. And they should be out in two weeks.

Bottom line, it was the same old CDCR evasive tactics and the guy just basically wasted our time. Oh, he did say that the STG will replace the six-year inactive status program – big whoop! Yeah, it will but it will have the same end result. Only this time, we’ll all be bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball between step 1 and step 2, all while we’re in the same cell until we die. Thus, I personally don’t see any real change coming in their revisions to the STG that we already rejected in March. I hope I’m wrong, but with CDCR’s track record, I doubt that I am.

CDCR Deputy Director Stainer said that the STG (security threat group regulations) will replace the six-year inactive status program – big whoop! Yeah, it will but it will have the same end result. Only this time, we’ll all be bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball between step 1 and step 2, all while we’re in the same cell until we die.

My question to you, all you readers, is, when these so-called revisions come out, and they also remain like the ones we rejected, what is going to be our peaceful response to Sacramento CDCR (Sacramento headquarters of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation), other than flat out rejecting it? Write your peaceful suggestions to this periodical ASAP. Myself, I’m not going to sit on my hands in this cell and allow CDCR to enact those same proposals – as is – into the Title 15 regulations without first standing up to be counted among those who will send a strong peaceful response to change them.

Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation to Kendra Castaneda, who is presently putting together a new email group that will include all prisoners’ families from all over California – families that feel unappreciated and are not being heard by professional groups, where they have been left out of the process in helping their loved ones in prison. Myself, I support her 100% in her endeavors and all those involved and who will be involved in that new group.

Kendra Castaneda is presently putting together a new email group that will include all prisoners’ families from all over California – families that feel unappreciated and are not being heard by professional groups, where they have been left out of the process in helping their loved ones in prison. Myself, I support her 100%.

And I hope when it’s up and running that all prisoners also will encourage their families to be part of it and also fully support it. This way ALL family members from all walks of life, education and economic levels will have their very own grassroots movement in support of their imprisoned loved ones. In fact, all interested parties can just email her at her present email, at kendracastaneda55@gmail.com, and ask her how you can help and support the new email group movement.

A lot of love and respect to all those in the same frame of mind and spirit.

In solidarity, I remain

Arturo Castellanos, PBSP Main Rep

Because Arturo’s mail is so tightly constricted, please leave any comments you may have here in the comments section below, and we will get them to him.