Monday, July 8, 2013 – 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Recreation Park, Chehalis, WA
Across the street from Green Hill
Carpools leaving from the artesian well in Olympia at 2:00 pm
Prisoners in Pelican Bay’s [California] Secure Housing Unit have called for a hunger and work strike beginning July 8th.
Here in Washington, youth prisoners at Green Hill juvenile prison in Chehalis have written and delivered to the prison administration their own list of demands, including better education and treatment programs, better food, more visitation rights, access to legal materials, better healthcare, minimum wage for all jobs, longer phone privileges, and more. They are going on STRIKE starting July 8th until their demands are met.
In solidarity, there will be a noise demo outside the prison on July 8th. A noise demo is a concrete way to let prisoners know that we’re here for them on the outside. We’ll be hanging out in the park across from the prison playing music, communicating messages of support, and otherwise making LOTS of noise so they can hear us on the inside.
Bring pots and pans, signs, banners, your friends, and whatever else you need to make lots of noise!
Carpools will be leaving from the artesian well in Olympia at 2:00 pm.
www.prisonstrike.wordpress.com
www.prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com
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GREEN HILL YOUTH PRISONERS’ DEMANDS
1. BAN THE BOX: Stop branding felons as criminals for life. Stop discrimination against felons for Pell Grants, food stamps, welfare, public housing, or job applications. If the box on job applications denies us real work, how can we make money legally?
2. TREATMENT PROGRAMS: Bring sex offender treatment back to JRA/DOC beyond the ART/DBT programs. Make a reduction to sex offender treatment payments on parole to affordable prices. This applies as well to drug and alcohol treatment payments.
3. EDUCATION: Provide relevant and specialized educational programs to all residents even after they have graduated from High School. These could include cosmetology, music/multimedia production, library access, law training, culinary arts, and more. There are plenty of rooms that are currently not being used for anything but storage. They should be used.
4. LEGAL ACCESS: Access to updated legal material, updated each year. This should include: A well-stocked law library in the school available to all, updated regularly. Books and resources available at anytime. Access to internet sites with relevant legal material available at all times. Access to resources detailing available legal counsel. Copies of JRA/DOC employee policy handbooks in every single wing for residents to read. These must be updated each year.
5. WAGES: All residents must be paid minimum wage for all positions. Residents should be free to organize their jobs without punishment. New jobs should be created that provide real technical training. Change the 13th amendment allowing prison slavery!
5. TRANSITIONAL HELP: Provide free clothing upon exiting any facility (DOC/JRA). These clothes must be brand new. We need guaranteed housing 3 months before leaving a facility. JRA and DOC need to help provide jobs or training to every exiting resident and help provide treatment programs. This needs to extend to parolees.
6. PHONE CALLS & VISITATION: Increase time limit for calls to 15 minutes. These phones must be fixed and functional. Visitation and phone calls should be available for more than just family and mentors.
7. HEALTH: Surgeries must be provided by JRA and DOC immediately even if not an emergency situation. If a surgery is needed, it must be provided in at most 3 months time. Showers must be available each day. If parents can provide aids such as glasses they should be allowed inside instead of relying on state supplies.
8. FOOD: Residents should have input on the menu within reason. Current portions need to be doubled as they are currently too small. Religious and vegetarian/vegan diets must be respected.
9. SPENDING PRIVILEGES: Food and hygiene materials must be more readily available from outside of the facility. The current limits on how much we can spend are too small, and should be expanded to over $40.
10. FREEDOM OF SPEECH: The 1st amendment must be respected in JRA/DOC facilities. We have a right to speak our mind and express ourselves with whatever language we choose as long it does not threaten others. We must also be free to organize without punishment.
