Stopmax Campaign

On Saturday June 22nd over 61 people, many from faith communities, gathered at East Liberty Presbyterian Church to learn more about solitary confinement in our prisons. The event was organized by the American Friends Service Committee PA (AFSC) and members of East Liberty Presbyterian Church and Community House Presbyterian Church.  

Prisoners held in isolation in Pelican Bay, Ca., state prison have called for the cessation of all hostilities between racial groups in all California prisons and county jails, starting on Oct. 10, 2012. AFSC and other prisoner advocacy groups are sharing their handwritten statement with the public.

On December 28, AFSC Regional Director Laura Magnani and another member of the “mediation team” met with California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Undersecretary Terri McDonald to discuss CDCR progress on changing policies and procedures for gang validation into the SHUs (security housing units).  In that meeting, Undersecretary McDonald stated the following points.

After nearly three weeks, the hunger strike over conditions in the solitary confinement unit at Pelican Bay State Prison has ended. Corrections officials have promised long-term, positive changes and made some immediate concessions on July 21, prompting the inmates to break their fasts.  Mediators for the prisoners say the men extend their deepest thanks to supporters outside.

AFSC Healing Justice Program is supporting a hunger strike, commencing July 1, called by prisoners at California's infamous Pelican Bay State Prison.  Their five demands: 

(1) End "group punishment" -- lock-downs, most typically -- of entire yards or of all prisoners of an ethnic category -- for violations of prison rules by one prisoner, or a few

(2) End State-imposed gang labels, from which a labeled prisoner can escape only by "debriefing," i.e., testifying against others in the alleged gang