NJ State Prison Hunger Strike

PEOPLE'S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS
POST OFFICE BOX 22505
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 07101-2505
(973) 801-0001


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
LAWRENCE HAMM (973) 801-0001

PRISONER HUNGER STRIKE STARTED OCTOBER 12 AT
NEW JERSEY STATE PRISON CONTINUES

PEOPLE'S ORGANIZATION FOR PROGRESS REPRESENTATIVES
MEET WITH DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
ACTING COMMISSIONER TO DISCUSS PRISONER DEMANDS

On Thursday, October 12, 2006, prisoners at New Jersey State Prison began a hunger strike to protest abuse by prison guards, and the elimination and cutbacks of rehabilitative, educational, recreational, and religious programs.

The hunger strikers sixteen demands include an independent investigation into conditions at the prison and the establishment of a broad oversight group to monitor the prisons and institute reforms.

Last week the People's Organization For Progress (POP) received a statement from the prisoners concerning the hunger strike which included their demands. In it the prisoners stated that they wanted the People's Organization For Progress to "represent inmate interests at any negotiations."

POP chairman Lawrence Hamm stated, "The demands were reviewed with the POP membership at our meeting on Thursday, October 12. The demands are reasonable and we call for their implementation."

On Friday night, October 13 five representatives of the People's Organization For Progress went to Trenton, New Jersey to meet with Department of Corrections Acting Commissioner George Hayman at his office.

The POP delegation included POP chairman Lawrence Hamm, Vice Chairwoman and Secretary-General Mary Weaver, Vice Chairwoman Debby Strong, Prisons Committee Member R. D. Strong, and Study Group Committee Chairman Aminifu Williams.

Hamm said, "We met with the Commissioner and his staff for more that two hours. We have begun a dialogue on the prisoners' demands that we will attempt to continue."

On Saturday, October 14, Hamm was a speaker at a conference on black men's issues held in Newark, New Jersey. He read the prisoners statement and demands to the 200 conference participants.

He urged those gathered to support the prison hunger strikers by calling and writing the Acting Commissioner of the Department of Corrections and asking him to implement their demands.

He also said that POP would hold a press conference and organize a support demonstration on the issue very soon.

The People's Organization For Progress asks people concerned about this issue to call and write Department of Corrections Acting Commissioner George Hayman and urge him to implement the prisoners demands.

His office can be contacted at (609) 292-4036 or write to: Acting Commissioner George Hayman, Department of Corrections, Whittlesey Road, P.O. Box 863, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0863.
Below is the text of the communication received by POP last week from prisoners at New Jersey State Prison:

Page 1

October 5, 2005

From: Inmate Population

To : Administrators

Re : Hunger Strike by Inmates

The Department of Corrections is charges with the responsibility under N.J.A.C. 10A:1 - 1.1(a)6 and 7 to, respectively, "Provide an environment ... which encourages rehabilitation and reintegration into the community" and "Protect the incarcerated offender from victimization ..." We believe that the Department of Corrections has failed to uphold this mandate at New Jersey State Prison. Here, there currently exists no meaningful programs geared at rehabilitation and no opportunities to acquire vocational and other marketable skills. Furthermore, administrative policy permits victimization of inmates at the hands of all too eager officers and provides inadequate outlets for (inmate) management of stress.

Administrative policy at the prison, gradually over the years and more rapidly recently, has created an environment of utter despair, desperation, and demoralization, which adversely impacts our quality of life in the short term and our prospects for successful return to society in the long term. As a result, we, inmates at New Jersey State Prison, hereby declare our resolve to go on a hunger strike to end only after the prison administration has shown a genuine desire to address our concerns.

We have enclosed a "press release" and a preliminary list of demands, copies of which have been sent to the media and to the individuals and groups listed below. This will be the only direct communication between inmates and the administration. All communication by the administration directed at bringing about the changes we seek at the prison shall be by memo to the inmate population. Furthermore, the People's Organization For Progress shall represent inmate interests at any negotiations. The administration can show its good faith desire to resolve the crisis at New Jersey State Prison and avert the hunger strike by granting, effective immediately, inmate demands 8, 9, and 13.

cc: Commissioner, DOC
Lawrence Hamm, People's Organization For Progress
Bonnie Kerness, American Friends Civil Liberty Committee
Helen Ford, ACLU
Steve Young, Chairman NAACP Prison Project
Ombudsman
Attorney General, NJ
Senator Shirley K. Turner
Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman

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HUNGER STRIKE AT NEW JERSEY STATE PRISON

There were lockdowns at New Jersey State Prison in May and December 2005 and in June, July, and August 2006. During these lockdowns, the last one lasting almost a month in most areas of the prison, inmates had no legal access, no laundry services, and no yard or other opportunity for recreation.

During housing unit searches conducted during the lockdowns, some lasting as long as twelve hours, inmates were humiliated, forced in the last search, to wear underwear, reminiscent of Abu-Ghraib, with hands held on their heads, while being herded along a gauntlet of officers, with dogs, stretched to the full extent of their leash, barking incessantly for close to an hour at a time. During these searches, officers showed no regard for the property of inmates, which were manhandled, damaged, made unusable, or stolen; and officers showed no regard for the living space of inmates, which were left as if ravaged by a great storm, the only thing missing was the water damage and the walls were still intact. When inmates complained about the abuses, they were yelled at and threatened with punishment. Furthermore, the institutional remedy process offered no redress.

In addition to the lockdowns, without explanation, inmate school and religious programs have been eliminated; and recreation periods have been eliminated or severely cut back. Just recently, inmate groups have been shut down; almost all inmates have been removed from job assignments; and hardcover books have been banned from prison.

As a result of these actions by prison officials and a general sense by inmates that officials have taken these measures solely to inflict punishment or to incite a violent uprising, approximately 1400 inmates, housed in the general population of the prison, have decided to go on a hunger strike, which will begin on October 12, 2006. On that day, no inmate in the general population will go out of his cell and inmates will refuse to eat prison meals. The strike will end no earlier than when prison officials agree to discuss meaningful changes.

With this non violent action, inmates hope to bring attention to their complaints. Specifically, inmates request the following changes, which is not an exhaustive list.

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New Jersey State Prison Inmates' Preliminary List of Demands

1. that a person or persons independent of Department of Corrections ("DOC") influence aggressively investigate the circumstances leading to the prison-wide searches in 2006 and 2005 and the manner in which the searches were conducted

2. that corrective measures be taken based on the results of the investigation called for in 1, including discipline of any DOC staff member responsible for introducing contraband into the prison

3. that discipline be imposed on anyone for misconduct during the searches

4. that area, unit, and cell searches be conducted in a professional manner, with respect and due regard for an inmate's person, property, and living space and for the property of and space allotted to inmate groups

5. that there will be accountability for theft, damage to property, or other misconduct during searches

6. that a person or persons independent of DOC influence be allowed to inspect searched areas to ensure that inmates rights are protected

7. that there be an evening and weekend program and activity schedule, to include school, vocational, legal access, and recreation activities

8. that the previous daytime recreation schedule be reinstated

9. that all inmate groups be reopened or restored to full functioning capacity, which includes opportunities to meet and to conduct group activities

10. that any inmate removed from an assignment without good cause be reinstated, with good cause defined as conduct by the inmate being removed from the assignment that violates prison rules or makes the inmate unsuitable for the particular job assignment

11. that there be an annual or other periodic cost-of-living increase in wages for prison jobs and program assignments

12. that a reliable phone system be installed

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13. that the ban on retention and possession of hardcover books be repealed

14. that laundry services, recreation opportunities, legal access, and phone privileges be made available during any and all lockdowns

15. that a diverse body, to include prison administrative officials and members of the legal profession and civil rights groups, with input from inmates and relevant experts, be formed to propose and implement programs and policy at New Jersey State Prison and other prisons under the control of the DOC that encourages rehabilitation and reintegration into the community

16. that amnesty be granted to all participants in the hunger strike