To: BOP Director, Michael Carvajal 
Cc: Senate Judiciary Committee 
Cc: Attorney General William Barr & The Independent 
Review committee (Authorized by the First Step Act to develop risk and needs assessment tools to promote education, public safety, recidivism reduction, and re-entry 
From: Prisoners at USP Pollock in Louisiana their family, friends, and other interested persons 
Re: Group punishment destroys individualism necessary for conscious development of individual responsibility required by congressional mandate pursuant to: The first and second chance Acts designed for public safety, recidivism reduction, and re-entry 
 
Former Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Dr. Kathleen Hawk Sawyer testified on November 19, 2019 at the Senate Judiciary Committee on Federal Prison System that after the suicide of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, the BOP is monitoring the cameras at all of their institutions to determine how effective their staff members are at doing their jobs.  Though identifying ineffective staff is important, Group Punishment within the BOP also needs to be examined for the long-term effects it has on prisoners, their families, public safety, Recidivism Reduction, and re-entry. 
 
USP Pollock Inmate Admission & Orientation Handbook states: 

• “You have the right to unrestricted and confidential access to the courts by correspondence (on matters such as the legality of your conviction...and conditions of your imprisonment).” 
• “You have the right to be provided healthy and nutritious food... you have the right to healthcare which includes nutritious meals, an opportunity to shower regularly, proper ventilation for warmth and fresh air, a regular exercise period.” 

Prisoners (and their families) trusted in the promise made to them in the USP Pollock’s overall Mission Statement that if they: 

• Show responsible behavior, 
• Respect the rights of others, 
• Participate in the various programs, 
• Comply with the rules and regulations to create a positive environment, 

Staff would then make competent and professional decisions and “Provide Professional service which you are entitled to while incarcerated. Our goals at Pollock include, maintaining a safe environment for staff and inmates and increase the number of inmates achieving a successful reintegration into the community by offering more alternatives to the offender.” 

Group Punishment directly undermines our rights stated in the handbook and the promise made to us and our families in USP Pollock’s Mission Statement.  Group punishment is a tactic used against the entire prison population for fights or other infractions.  Even after the perpetrators are apprehended and segregated from the population, eliminating the eminent security threat to the orderly function of the institution, we are all punished.  We are locked in a cell for days, weeks, or even months. 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, without the lawful hour for exercise and fresh air.  Even the Boston Bomber gets an hour and a half each day for exercise and fresh air.  Not us.

 
We are denied access to the Law Library and the ability to prepare court documents.  We cannot take part in educational programs or job training.  There are restrictions to healthcare, mental health treatment, drug treatment, and dental care.  No hot meals.  We eat bologna and cheese or peanut butter and jelly.  No religious services.  No communication with families or others unless you already have writing materials and mailing stamps (new arrivals to the prison do not have either).  No family visits.  Our families frequently lose money on nonrefundable plane tickets as well as hotel and rental car reservations for planned visits.  
 
We languish on lockdown under group punishment and continue to be punished for the mistakes made by 2% of our prison population.  No movement for us.  No work for staff.  The victims in his overall situation includes taxpayers whose dollars allocated for Recidivism Reduction and Re-entry programs are disrupted.  Opportunity wasted.  There is immediate and long-term harm to prisoners participating in these programs. Most of us are trying to improve ourselves, so we can benefit society when released.  On the other hand, some inmates are a “Threat to public safety” when released back into society without the benefit of job training, anger management, victim awareness and other such programs that are vital to rehabilitation. 
 
All the rights and promises to reward individual responsible behavior described in “the handbook” is Trumped by cruel and unusual group punishment. Director Carvajal, since you are already monitoring the cameras at each institution in the wake of billionaire Epstein's suicide to see if staff are doing their jobs, on behalf of the living prisoners under your watchful care, please also look to assess if the task of implementing congressional reforms stated in the First Step Act are being undermined here by a pattern of excessive inhumane group punishment.  If so, change this practice.  

Please sign and support this petition if you believe prisoners should learn individual responsibility as part of the rehabilitative process and group punishment undermines individualism. 

Thank you,

Kush-i

Robert T. Smith 40329-066, USP Pollock, P.O. Box 2099, Pollock, LA 71467

Pictured: USP Pollock comrades (from left) Ice-Hisan Lee, Comrade Malik (Keith Washington) and Kush-I-Robert T. Smith.