Currently inmates all over North Carolina are experiencing inhumane and terrifying conditions due to Hurricane Helene. The Mountain View and Avery Mitchell  Correctional Facilities were caught in the storm that ravished the southeast. Water rushed some areas, many isolated cells flooded with sewage first. Not only did this increase the amount of trauma the inmates experienced, it destroyed property such as shoes and clean clothing. All running water stopped. Inmates were left in their cells under a lock down. Where many are reporting they were retaliated against for screaming for help. There are reports of mass beatings, and mace being used to "subdue" the inmates during their panic. They were left to defecate in bags and live amongst them locked in their cells. Minimal water bottles were available and food was rationed. Eventually the prisons were evacuated but that's not where the nightmare ended. Not knowing if their loved ones were safe they were split up and shipped to several facilities. Now they are experiencing a lack of communication to the outside world, overcrowding, and ongoing neglect due to those in charge not preparing properly. The system has been entirely overwhelmed with mass movement that has made it near impossible for families to keep up with their incarcerated loved ones.

I cannot begin to express the terror and neglect these inmates faced. Imagine a day before the storm you hear talks of what the plan will be when the storm inevitably hits. You hear talks of what needs to be done but see no one moving towards those actions. As the storm approaches you are thrown into a lockdown. You and your cellmates are supposed to ride out the storm alone. No correctional officers and no way out if the water begins to rise, and it did just that. As the storm hits so does the panic, there is no where to run so you begin to scream. Those screams not only fall on deaf ears, they lead to you are your cellmates torment by the few "gracious" officers who decided to stay behind. Mace is deployed and silence falls over the crowd. You sit and wonder how did your years in prison turn into a death sentence.

A different scene is playing out in the isolation pods. There at the beginning of the storm sewage begins to rise from the toilets onto the floor. Given no instruction and with no assistance you sit, in the wet dark cell. The next day, the storm has passed but the damage isn't even close to being over. Officers arrive to assess the damage and they find no running water. You and your cellmates are given plastic bags, those are your new toilets. There you will sit for 5 days and 5 nights before any form of evacuations begin. As you sit there eating food that has been going bad for days, with an inmate reporting bread so hard it broke his tooth, you can't help but wonder what would've happened if the prisons would've made to appropriate moves to ensure your safety. 5 days and 5 nights these individuals were given close to no food and water. One meal was supposed to last longer than 24 hours. For days they sat hungry, thirsty, and terrified. Though evacuations began the fight isnt over, you are now faced with the reality of not knowing if your family made it or if you will have a place to sleep tonight. You are then bussed off to another overcrowded facility. There you are given a mat and a gym floor and told you should be grateful. Does any of that sound like the justice system caring for and rehabilitating these inmates? 

The individuals who are being held by the state have the right to be taken care of properly. This includes meeting a housing standard, having a solid evacuation plan, being able to communicate with loved ones in a time of natural disaster, and security to know their property will be taken care of. If the state continues to operate without looking into what happened with this storm, the next one will be worse. Lives could easily be lost due to the carelessness of the administration running these facilities. 

If the state holds the right to deprive someone of their liberty, they hold the responsibility of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those individuals. Many times the storm is not what takes people out, it is the immediate aftermath and lack of preparation that kills. Even with the state splitting up the entire population of both prisons, countless of individuals have been telling the same story. Without the ability to confer to together to make a solid story, it should speak volumes that all of these men are sharing the same situation. 

The storm not only showed the states lack of care for their inmates, it also exposed many flaws in the system. Overcrowding being a large issue, it also put the spotlight on issues such as pest control and mold. When moved to different facilities, inmates slept in a spider infested gymnasium. They were often not given any medical treatment for the constant bites. In another location, inmates were crammed into a mold contaminated building that wasn’t supposed to house anybody. These irresponsible choices can lead to severe health consequences for all involved. 

We are demanding that the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public safety do a full investigation into what happened as the storm hit and the horrid behavior of their correctional officers. This means insisting on firing those who let these events happen, and charging those who tormented these terrified inmates. We also call on the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations to conduct their own investigation into the cruelty shown by these facilities, and if necessary the FBI to hold those accountable.  As well as the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, including Bret Bullis and Mike Slagle come up with a viable plan for future natural events where inmate safety is at the forefront, this included a reimbursement plan for inmates who lost items such as shoes. Mr. Roy Cooper, all of this turmoil falls onto you and your incapability to provide a safe and healthy space to rehabilitate your offenders. We hope you would be interested in their fate enough to ensure these actions are completed. A storm should not leave your incarcerated scared, hungry, and exposed to the elements due to a lack of care and empathy by the state.  In addition, we would like to see communication restored to its fullest ability and working towards solving the overcrowding issue by working with legislatures to reduce the minimum time required to complete a sentence. This is a necessary step as it will see overcrowding reduce, and will, hopefully, bring justice to the inmates whose lives were on the line.