Inmates in Florida Prisons are planning a strike. The peaceful demonstration, called “Operation Push” will protest the inhumane and unconscionable conditions in Florida Prisons.
The strike is scheduled to begin Monday, January 15th, to coincide with Martin Luther King Day.
For too long, Florida prisons have subjected its inmates to barbarous conditions. Most have no air conditioning, despite Florida summer temperatures averaging in the 90’s. Inmates have been the victims of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of prison guards. Inmates are utilized for prison labor as if they were slaves. Severe overcrowding and under-funding has led to unsafe and unsanitary living situations.
The conditions are not just unconscionable to the inmates, but to their families who support them. Items purchased at the prison canteens cost four times as much as they could be purchased at any grocery store. Prison phone rates are exorbitant. Inmates without family support or whose families cannot afford the State’s price gouging, have to resort to any means necessary to purchase basic necessities.
Florida has the third-highest prison population and the highest instance of prisoner deaths in the United States. Something needs to be done!
Groups are organizing support protests outside prisons across Florida. If anyone is interested in becoming involved or becomes aware of organized, peaceful, events, please post the information below.
Anyone know of any prisons that are protesting outside?
Check this website
https://incarceratedworkers.org/campaigns/operation-push-florida-prison-strike
Nearly 40 Percent of Sex Offenders in Oregon Prisons are Illegals:
http://www.libertyheadlines.com/nearly-40-percent-sex-offenders-oregon-prisons-illegals/
The hypocrisy of it all. In this situation, ICE doesn’t have any room to talk. Previous reports revealed that ICE has released hundreds of unregistered, untrackable illegal sex offenders back onto the streets. Where did they all go? Where are they now?
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/06/13/ice-freed-sex-offenders-often-without-notifying-states/v14qAOXKUOqAtaFeKGeGWI/story.html
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ice-releases-19723-criminal-illegals-208-convicted-of-murder-900-of-sex-crimes/article/2589785
http://dailysignal.com/2015/07/24/illegal-immigrant-sex-offenders-are-escaping-deportation-not-having-to-join-sex-offender-registry/
Still think these registries are about so-called ‘public safety’? Americans have been conned! It is nothing but political grand-standing for votes and money.
I am also interested in any further information about locations/times of these outside-prison protests.
My brother has been in prison for going on 10 years now. Got a minimum mandatory for drug trafficking , 15 years. Which i hear has since been changed and he would be out now if he was sentenced under the same law. Bogus as hell. He has moved around from Coleman to Gulf and is now currently in a work camp i believe, but he has told me about the awful conditions, the guard beatings, the riots because they tried to take away peas or some other food item, etc….. so God only knows what is happening that he DOESN’T tell me. If i could i would get a lawyer to get him out of there, but from what i understand the prisons here being largely privatized means that people are making money off of other people’s miseries. So there is no incentive to take actions against because then they are basically taking money from their own pockets, and who wants to do that? They don’t have to live there, everyone is just a statistic so it doesn’t bother them.
This is great news. The inmates have more balls than most of us out here on probation and registered. We should join them by protesting outside the probation offices as well. The more negative attention we can bring to DOC the better. And just like the first guy mentioned, I know first hand and saw the abuses of this hell hole cess pool of ignorant redneck rejects who can’t work anywhere else, but the prisons. In places like Starke and Raiford, the kids grow up there with aspirations to actually look forward to working at the prisons. True story. And absolutely, I second the statement about sex offenders being abused by not just officers but inmates too. And that part about inmates doing whatever they have to in order to survive or get canteen food is true, and includes selling their bodies for sex, gay sex mind you, or sex with opposite or same sex officers in order to get things like food or cigarettes. Again, true story. And I went to Lake Butler in July 2012. No AC. Temps in 90-100s. Not even any natural window ventilation!! We’re forced to sleep with all cotton “blues” on. Pants included. If you slept in your boxers you’d get sent to confinement. I had sergeants in our dorm tell the entire dorm to let her know who the “chomos” (child molester/SO’s) were and she would “sick” her inmate do boys on them to harass them and steal their canteen to the point where they would “check in” or want to get moved out the dorm. …..I wish the guy that did Untouchables documentary, would do something on the prisons here. I would GLADLY do as many interviews and tell him everything I witnessed. Is there a way we can contact someone to possibly do a documentary like this??
FAC : Please list where this protest may be. After spending 10 years in Prison I know 1st hand the conditions in Florida Prisons. Let a Guard find out that you’r a sex offender and it makes you a mark for even more problems. Get put in the HOLE on fake charges by a guard because of your charge. Get beat up and even pepper spayed by FDOC guards just for the fun of it. I have medical problems and was forced to work inside grounds at Union CI …. I had a medical pass that stated : No pushing, no lifting, no standing more then 5 mins , but was forced to still work or go to the HOLE. Guards would also take your Canteen items when ever they wanted. Being a S/O in prison at Union CI makes you a target. I got out of Prison in 2014 and always wanted to let others know how we were treated. Its not just at one Prison that has problems, its at all FDOC prisons. Everyone knows this , but are afraid to say anything. If I could go back to prison and save one S/O from getting the HELL beat out of him I would. FDOC has my mind all messed up from years of abuse.
Now that we know there is interest – we will begin coordinating.
Someone has stepped up to help. Will keep everyone in the loop
I volunteer to drive those nearby without transportation to a Miami prison. Does anyone know if there the Miami prison with the highest registered citizen prisoners? ,Or one where prisoners can see the protest site thru their bars, and thus we can lend them emotional support?
And it saddens me, but more anger me, to hear the experiences being shared. How can it be anything but productive rehabilitation to have a low cost communication system allowing for family support? I understand that some prisoners use this as a way to communicate and further engage in illegal activities, but my understanding is family visits are monitored to in part prevent this, so I would believe some sort of controlled low cost video/telephone tech can be used to allow prisoner family face time and support?
Everglades CI has a protest planned:
https://m.facebook.com/events/868737173294165?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2298%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=98&__tn__=H
I am interested in attending a protest also. The closest prison to me is in Starke, but I will consider going elsewhere.
Boy, With Florida such a Long State, Picking a Location to “Meet” will be hard. I’d surely like to come and Help with the “Protest”, But can’t afford (as I’m sure most Ex Offenders can’t) to travel very far.. I’m fortunate to own a small Motorhome that I can bring to stay in while there, But just Travel, And a overnight stay at a Hotel costs SO MUCH nowadays. Picking a “Central” location seems hard. I live in SE Ocala, Great “Central” spot in Florida,. But not close to any Prisons. Coleman Prison is the closest prison to me, And is still 50 miles(Not that far for me), But seems to be “Way out in the Boonies”, Don’t know if it would get the “Media Attention” We would want. Hopefully you/we can figure out a “Good” location that will work for many of us that would love e to come and assist. Something surely need to be done !!. And speaking of prices of things in Prison, My little brother spent 7 years in prison because he was with (passed out asleep in the back seat) someone that robbed a lady at a Red light. Anyway , He was my Grandmother’s favorite and she expected a phone call AT LEAST 3-4 times a WEEK, And that lead to a Phone Bill is the HUNDREDS of Dollars !! She was disabled on a “Fixed Income”(what a joke), So to keep my beloved Granny from going NUTS , I had to make sure that phone bill was paid !! I gave her $500+ almost every month !! And “Blew A GASKET” Everytime ! I couldn’t believe the prices we had to pay to have “Contact” with our loved ones in Prison !!! Not to mention the $50 EVERY WEEK we sent him for “Canteen” and stuff !! On average we spent $700 to $1000 a MONTH just on my Brother because he was in “Prison” !!!. Yes he was very very LUCKY to have us !! And I often Thought about those less fortunate !! BUT still can’t understand why and HOW the “System” can get away with Charging SO MUCH !!!???. It’s outright EXTORTION !! Ant that’s (supposed to be) ILLEGAL !!.
Also wanted to add, My brother is out now, This was several years ago !! And the price PER 15 minute CALL was $17 !!!. The WEEKLY average cost was $70 to $100 !!!! My brother also had “Medical” issues, And on the street, Was on medication, But inside, He wasn’t given anything !! It was Mental Issues and without medication, He was CONSTANTLY getting into trouble, Which led to several calls a week to home to get myself and other family to get on the phone with the Prison, Lawyer and whoever would listed to try to get something done !!. Which mostly kept my brother from being put in PC ! The Prison didn’t care about his mental condition !. So between the collect calls, And Long Distance calls all over the State, You can see why the phone bill was so much !!.
I would be interested in attending a protest outside a prison and would suggest coordination among the protest groups so that the highest number of supporters can meet at one geographically convenient location, versus various small groups in multiple locations. The optics of a large group have more chances of hopefully making the local news
Agreed – Also, FAC has some collateral assets (particularly, in this case, banners). If we could put together a group (quickly) to congregate outside a prison or DOC office with signs and banners, it might have an impact.
Do like they did years ago about the Canteen over charging for Items… find out who is getting the kick-backs in DOC and take his world away from him and lock him up , starve him , beat him up like everyone else gets beat up.. and take his Canteen away from him
Yes! It will have an impact! Join one one of the planned proteats or start another at a prison near you.
https://m.facebook.com/events/523675391322640?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%22%5B%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22page%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22main_list%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%5B%5D%7D%5D%22%7D&aref=0&ref=page_internal
https://m.facebook.com/events/868737173294165?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2298%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=98&__tn__=H
There are protests planned outside of RMC and Everglades CI:
https://m.facebook.com/events/868737173294165?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2298%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=98&__tn__=H
https://m.facebook.com/events/523675391322640?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%22%5B%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22page%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22main_list%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%5B%5D%7D%5D%22%7D&aref=0&ref=page_internal
https://m.facebook.com/events/432977013787918?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%22%5B%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22page%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22main_list%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%5B%5D%7D%5D%22%7D&aref=0&ref=page_internal