The PA DOC Monitor

An inmate at Frackville wrote elaborating on a program prisoners have arranged there for those serving long term or life sentences. The weekly "Lifers and Long Termers" program focuses on how long term inmates can successfully reenter society upon release and how those with life sentences can persevere.

For more information or possible contributions to this program please contact Mr. Gregory X. Moore (#AM-2747) at 301 Morea Road, Frackville, PA 17932. With his advice perhaps other institutions can implement similarly beneficial programs.

We are not lawyers, detectives, or judges. However this letter that arrived in the mail had some interesting evidence for the inmate's innocence. Mainly, his victims testified in an unrelated case that they lied about the rape, and that it was coerced by their mother. From my understanding neither of the girls had a reason to recant their testimony for leniency in relation to another crime. I could be wrong though. At any rate, I think it's worth bringing to public attention so that a more definitive decision might be made.

A prisoner at SCI-Frackville writes concerning withholding commissary as a form of punishment. Read here (PDF).

If anyone can assist the individual below please contact him, us, or the inmate directly.

"In May 2009 my fiancee was granted parole from SCI-Muncy and the board of parole to go to renewal in Pittsburgh. On June 19 she was transferred to SCI-Cambridge Springs for holding until her June, 25 release date. On the 24th, one day before her release, they told her that would not be leaving tomorrow, claiming that she did not take a required class. So just like that a holding prison takes away her parole and release date.

Below is a letter concerning an inmate with mental illness who is allegedly not receiving proper care. If anyone can assist this individual please contact us or the inmate directly.

"Hardy Lloyd Doc #101182 is currently at the allegheny county jail on
detainer due to a probation violation. He has been diagnosed with Autism,
Asberger's syndrome. The Allegheny County Jail put him in DHU detention housing and he did nothing wrong in the ACJ to be placed in the hole. Due to his mental illness he can not handle being in the hole yet they keep him there. "

I am writing this letter on behalf of the thousands of men and women who are currently incarcerated within the PA DOC. The advertisement I read said the purpose of your website was to re-evaluate the direction of the PA DOC. I would say it is pretty obvious that it is all about warehousing inmates. If it weren’t then they would be doing something more to release those who have completed the recommended programs and who have remained free of misconduct. Currently, the DOC rarely gives their support for parole.

by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Inmates at an overcrowded California prison tore doors from their hinges and broke off toilets and sinks in a four-hour riot Saturday that injured 175 people, and many fear the crowding that may have helped escalate the brawl will only get worse with $1.2 billion in budget cuts.

A national expert warned 20 months ago that the Chino prison, which held nearly twice as many men as it was designed for, was "a serious disturbance waiting to happen" because of crowding.

California is under federal court order to reduce its large prison population by almost thirty percent within the next two years. The court found the overcrowded prisons inflict cruel and unusual punishment on inmates. Don Spector is director of the Prison Law Office, the advocacy group that argued the case against the state of California. He explains what prompted his group to file a lawsuit.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111726472&ft=1&f=10...

U.S. prisons are too punitive and often fail to rehabilitate, but targeting prisoners' behavior, reducing prison populations and offering job skills could reduce prisoner aggression and prevent recidivism, a researcher told the American Psychological Association on Saturday.

"The current design of prison systems don't work," said criminal justice expert Joel Dvoskin, PhD, of the University of Arizona. "Overly punitive approaches used on violent, angry criminals only provide a breeding ground for more anger and more violence."