Speak Out

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 BGCOLOR="#999999" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="048005f0ermwup.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Prisoners Against Parole Board Abuse</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prisoners Against Parole Board Abuse"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="p_a_p_a_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prison News"><U>Prison News</U></A>   |   <B>Speak Out</B>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tax Payer Fraud"><U>Tax Payer Fraud</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sponorship/Donations"><U>Sponorship/Donations</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="P.A.P.A Writers"><U>P.A.P.A Writers</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="prison_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Featured News for July"><U>Featured News for July</U></A>   |   <A HREF="chat.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chat Room"><U>Chat Room</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="03f8eda0.gif" border=0 width="142" height="218" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Speak Out</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.inmates4u.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.inmates4u.com/"><U><IMG SRC="06dd43c0.jpg" border=0 width="468" height="60" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> A place where people can speak there mind about prison issues. If you would like your voice heard click on the link below and Speak Out!</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:dmalfroid@chartermi.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:dmalfroid@chartermi.net"><U><IMG SRC="059781e0.gif" border=0 width="120" height="30" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A>             <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > <A HREF="http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/i9912/i9912ap3.htm">Click here: Inspections Report I-99-12 - Appendix IV - V</A>  </FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>"Not Normal"</B></div> <div> Every choice I've ever made in life has been not normal.</div> <div> When I first decided that I wanted to be a chef it was decided because I was </div> <div> female, that I was "not normal,"</div> <div> when I got into getting tattoos and wanting to have my nose pierced, my Mom </div> <div> said I was not her child, that I was definitely "not normal."</div> <div> And when I started visiting and receiving letters from my boyfriend who was </div> <div> in an Ionia correctional facility that pretty much proved her point, that her </div> <div> oldest daughter was beyond a shadow of a doubt, "not normal."</div> <div> So you can imagine the absolute dread and total dismay that came over my </div> <div> parents when their first born female child enrolled for classes to become a </div> <div> correctional officer?</div> <div> "Not normal"? Well, we're way beyond that by now.</div> <div> "Why" you're asking,"is a C.O. writing a page on an inmate web site?"</div> <div> I never finished the training. I took all the courses and passed them with a </div> <div> 4.o g.p.a., however, when it came time to go to the academy, I couldn't go.</div> <div> "Why?" you ask.</div> <div> Because the state of Michigan, it's department of corrections and everything </div> <div> associated with it, including it's sentencing guidelines and it's parole </div> <div> board is, well, "NOT NORMAL!"</div> <div> how normal is a state agency that condemns a first time drug offender, who </div> <div> was set up by undercover narcotic officers (can you say 'entrapment' boys and </div> <div> girls?) to a mandatory life sentence under Michigan's drug laws?</div> <div> how normal is it to hold a 15 year old until he reaches the age of 17, to </div> <div> sentence him as an adult, for something he did because he found out his </div> <div> girlfriend was cheating on him?</div> <div> how normal is it to punish a man who was riding around with a friend, a </div> <div> friend that decided he was feeling frisky and wanted to get his groove on </div> <div> with a prostitute, then things get a little rough and a gun is pulled, charge </div> <div> the innocent man with criminal sexual misconduct and felony firearm?</div> <div> How normal is it to uphold that conviction when the prostitute testified </div> <div> under a court of law that the passenger didn't have any part of it?</div> <div> How normal is a state parole board that denies a man parole three consecutive </div> <div> times, even after he's completed all the requirements that the reception and </div> <div> guidance center has set for him?</div> <div> And i ask, how normal is it to throw an individual into segregation simply </div> <div> for publishing a prison news letter? correct me if I'm wrong but i do </div> <div> remember learning that that falls somewhere under freedom of speech and the </div> <div> first amendment of the constitution of the united states government, </div> <div> unalienable rights and all that mumbo jumbo.</div> <div> how normal is a state parole board that is hand picked by the governor and </div> <div> paid outrageous salaries that chooses who stays in prison to rot for a while </div> <div> longer, or who gets to go free and have a chance to prove that he or she can </div> <div> live a normal life? they are not gods, despite the role that they have.</div> <div> and how normal is it to not have some sort of a checks and balances system </div> <div> for this arm of the state? how come they seem to have absolute power over a </div> <div> man or woman's future and freedom?</div> <div> And can you answer me please, how normal is a system that condones an attack, </div> <div> that is borderline chemical warfare, on one of it's own, only to scar the </div> <div> woman emotionally, physically, and mentally so she loses her only source of </div> <div> income?</div> <div> To deprive an inmate of a place in a drug and alcohol addiction program </div> <div> because he's vocal in the prison community? (There's that 1st amendment again)</div> <div> To defend MDOC/Parole board members when they break the law with our tax </div> <div> dollars?</div> <div> A system and a governor that hides the facts about the illnesses experienced </div> <div> by prisoners, including legionnaires disease, due to a faulty sewer system </div> <div> and unfit living conditions-even for an inmate?</div> <div> A board that releases a racist that held a black female counselor during his </div> <div> stay but held a man who is charged with felonious assault for merely throwing </div> <div> a baseball at someone, missed them and hit a window?</div> <div> How normal is it to build an 82 million dollar correctional facility, to </div> <div> staff it and have it be fully operational, but to leave it completely empty </div> <div> of prisoners?</div> <div> Or a correctional officer shooting a female civilian in the back, while he's </div> <div> off duty and nothing is said about it anywhere?</div> <div> Or when an inmate is found with half of his laundry stuffed down his throat, </div> <div> hanging by a leather belt that wasn't state issued, in a high security unit </div> <div> at Ionia Max?</div> <div> I could go on and on about the abnormalities of the state of Michigan, it's </div> <div> governor john Engler, it's department of corrections and it's parole board. </div> <div> but the point is this. We, as tax payers are not going to have a sense of </div> <div> normalcy if we keep on sitting around idly doing nothing to change. we as a </div> <div> collective, unified being need to oust John Engler from office come election </div> <div> day. we need to investigate and rectify the damage being done by the </div> <div> department of corrections. we need to have sentencing guidelines that take </div> <div> all the facts and circumstances into consideration. we need to have programs </div> <div> that an inmate can participate in, not told "yeah you can go" and then denied </div> <div> at the last minute. Last but not least we need to abolish the parole board. </div> <div> no good will ever come to any Michigan inmate as long as the parole board </div> <div> exists, or to any tax payer for that matter. Because as long as the parole </div> <div> board exists and it's overpaid members meet and decide a prisoner's ultimate </div> <div> fate, inmates such as some of the ones I know will never get a chance to see </div> <div> their nieces, goddaughters, not to mention their own children, or be able to </div> <div> function as a productive "normal " member of society.</div> <bR> <div> by: Jen</div> <bR> <div> Approximately four years ago, the MDOC entered into an agreement with the </div> <div> federal government to match dollar for dollar funding for a residential </div> <div> substance abuse treatment (hereafter referred to as RSAT) program that was </div> <div> highly successful in the federal system. One can only imagine the politics </div> <div> involved as MDOC/parole board officials quickly demonstrated their </div> <div> unwillingness to seriously involve themselves in a program that would give </div> <div> prisoners the requisite tools to stay out of prison. from the very beginning </div> <div> the parole board attempted to sabotage this successful program by continuing </div> <div> a high percentage of those who completed it. Why not sabotage a program that </div> <div> may have went on to cut recidivism in half since 75% of michigan prisoners </div> <div> suffer from addiction and a need for recidivism keeps MDOC/parole board </div> <div> officals in business.</div> <div> Up until August 2001 there were RSAT programs at JCS and Macomb Regional </div> <div> Housing approxiamately 500 prisoners who would spend six months in intensive </div> <div> treatment. The goal of RSAT was for those prisoners completing the program to </div> <div> go into follow up treatment in society. however such idealogies interfered </div> <div> with the higher personal agendas of MDOC/parole board officials. A counselor </div> <div> (who wishes to remain anonymous) is quoted as saying that the RSAT program </div> <div> was "highly successful" for those that completed and were paroled to finish </div> <div> follow up treatmwent. In August 2001 the MDOC severely cut funding for the </div> <div> RSAT program. The claim is these cuts were due to budget cuts. From this </div> <div> writers perspective society would have been much better served by cutiing </div> <div> unnecessary administrative positions such as deputy warden spots, most of </div> <div> which do very little, than to arbitrarily cut the most successful abuse </div> <div> program the MDOC has ever funded.</div> <div> Apparently MDOC spokespersom Matt Davis was correct when he openly told a </div> <div> Jackson Citizens Patriot reporter that the MDOC cares nothing about </div> <div> rehabilitation or protecting society. Taxpayers must become proactive and </div> <div> demand massive prison reform, and abolishment of the michigan parole board </div> <div> because the the progression of socialism by MDOC/parole board officials </div> <div> openly demoinstrates they could care less about putting society at risk.</div> <div> Rick Crowell#144211</div> <div> 38 Fourth St.</div> <div> Coldwater MI 49036 </div> <bR> <div> It has recently come to my attention that those logging on to </div> <div> <U>www.inmates4u.com</U><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > news may not even know exactly where to lodge </FONT></div> <div> complaints, or who to demand accountability from. Just as i knew it would, </div> <div> the internet has provided Michigan taxpayers a rare glimpse into the </div> <div> realities of this great fraud that has been perpetrated against them. I am of </div> <div> course talking about the MDOC/ parole board. This is a very evil, socialist, </div> <div> elitist, seemingly independant branch of government that routinely violates </div> <div> law, civil rights and the Michigan Constitutuin with absolutely no </div> <div> accountability. I have no doubt that thousands of taxpayers are logging on </div> <div> daily and instantly becoming educated, and appalled at how thay have been </div> <div> lied to and used over the last 10 years. below is a listing of legislatures </div> <div> and their phone numbers where taxpayers can demand abolishmentr of the </div> <div> Michigan parole board, and accountability for those who have been allowed to </div> <div> perpetrate a great fraudagainst the michigan people. join us in our fight for </div> <div> justice! become proactive!</div> <div> Rick Crowell#144211</div> <div> 38 Fourth St.</div> <div> Coldwater MI 49036</div> <bR> <div> STATE REPRESENTATIVE PHONE E-MAIL </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Laura L. Baird          517-373-1786               </FONT> <A HREF="mailto: lbaird@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: lbaird@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto: lbaird@house.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <div> Michael D. Bishop   877-9-bishop                  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto: mdbishop@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: mdbishop@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto: mdbishop@house.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >William J. Callahan  888-833-8493              </FONT>  <A HREF="mailto:wcallah@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:wcallah@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:wcallah@house.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Jennifer Faunce       877-faunce-2                 </FONT> <A HREF="mailto:jfaunce@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:jfaunce@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:jfaunce@house.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <div> Jim Howell                877-4-howell                   <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:jhowell@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:jhowell@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:jhowell@house.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> Gilda Z Jacobs         888-937-4453                <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:gjacobs@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:gjacobs@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:gjacobs@house.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> Larry Julian               877-558-5426                <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:ljulian@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:ljulian@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:ljulian@house.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >William J. O'neil       517-373-0140</FONT>                <A HREF="mailto:woneil@house.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:woneil@house.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:woneil@house.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <bR> <div> DEMAND ABOLISHMENT OF PAROLE BOARD AND MDOC ACCOUNTABILITY</div> <bR> <div> 106TH CONGRESS UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVES</div> <bR> <div> James Barcia                        202-225-8171</div> <div> David Bonior                         202-225-2106</div> <div> Dave Camp                           202-225-3561</div> <div> John Conyers Jr.                    202-225-5126</div> <div> John D. Dingell                      202-225-4071</div> <div> Dale E. Kildee                       202-225-3611</div> <div> Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick    202-225-2261</div> <div> Lynn Rivers                             202-225-6261</div> <div> Bart Stupak                            800-950-7371</div> <bR> <div> MICHIGAN SENATORS</div> <div> SENATORS PHONE E-MAIL </div> <bR> <div> Bill Bullard Jr.          888-736-2855        <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:senbbullard@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senbbullard@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senbbullard@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> Diane Byrum           517-373-1734        <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:sendbyrum@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:sendbyrum@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:sendbyrum@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >John D. Cherry Jr.   800-551-1636       </FONT> <A HREF="mailto:senjcherry@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senjcherry@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senjcherry@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <div> Dan L. Degrow       517-373-7708        <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:senddegrow@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senddegrow@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senddegrow@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Christopher Dingell 517-373-7800      </FONT> <A HREF="mailto:sencdingell@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:sencdingell@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:sencdingell@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <div> Harry Gast               800-336-9570        <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:senhgast@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senhgast@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senhgast@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> Michael Goschka    800-336-mike        <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:senmgoschka@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senmgoschka@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senmgoschka@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> Raymond M. Murphy 517-373-0990     <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:senrmurphy@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senrmurphy@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senrmurphy@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Gary Peters             888-2-peters         </FONT> <A HREF="mailto:sengpeters@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:sengpeters@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:sengpeters@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <div> Alma Wheeler Smith 800-344-2562     <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:senasmith@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senasmith@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senasmith@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Virgil Clark Smith     517-373-7748     </FONT> <A HREF="mailto:senvsmith@senate.state.mi.us" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:senvsmith@senate.state.mi.us"><U>mailto:senvsmith@senate.state.mi.us</U></A></div> <bR> <div> MEDIA</div> <div> Write the below media people with complaints on the numerous corruption </div> <div> issues by MDOC/ Parole Board</div> <div> Barbara Walters</div> <div> 20/20 Television</div> <div> 77 W 66th St.</div> <div> New York NY 10023</div> <bR> <div> Dateline Television</div> <div> 30 Rockefeller Plaza</div> <div> New York NY 10112</div> <bR> <div> Justice Files</div> <div> 7700 Wisconsin Ave.</div> <div> Bethesda MD 20814</div> <bR> <div> 48 Hours Television</div> <div> 51 W 52nd St.</div> <div> New York NY 10019</div> <bR> <div> FOX Files</div> <div> P. O Box 900</div> <div> Beverly Hills CA 90213</div> <bR> <div> FOX 47 NEWS</div> <div> 600 W. St. Joseph</div> <div> Lansing MI 48933</div> <bR> <div> PRESS</div> <div> After nine years of socialism, elitism, decadence and corruption the Michigan </div> <div> press has finally begun to print the truth about the MDOC/parole board </div> <div> madness. Although thus far the press has only touched the tip of this evil </div> <div> iceberg it is encouraging. Write them demanding more of the truth!</div> <bR> <div> Detroit Free Press</div> <div> 615 W. Lafayette</div> <div> Det. MI 48226</div> <bR> <div> Muskegon Chronicle</div> <div> 981 Third</div> <div> Muskegon MI</div> <bR> <div> Ann Arbor News</div> <div> 301 W Michigan</div> <div> Ypsilanti MI</div> <bR> <div> Flint Journal</div> <div> 200 E. First St.</div> <div> Flint MI</div> <bR> <div> UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE</div> <div> This is the most important address taxpayers can write to demanding reform. </div> <div> The special litigation section of the US Dept. of Justice investigates civil </div> <div> and constitutional rights violations by correctional officers exclusively.</div> <div> US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE</div> <div> SPECIAL LITIGATION SEC.</div> <div> CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION</div> <div> WASHINGTON, DC 20530</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Ok it's me jen again, with a thought to ponder. If it costs alot of tax payer </div> <div> dollars to house, feed, and take care of the emotional, physical, medical, </div> <div> mental, and educational needs of a prisoner and we as a state are funding the </div> <div> costs alone when one of the facilities, namely the Ryan Correctional Facility </div> <div> in Detroit, has an industrial laundry service that remains unoperative </div> <div> because the unions don't want it to be used? Why? Because it takes money away </div> <div> from them. I realize that the unions contain alot of hard working </div> <div> individuals, hell, half my family if not more is in one sort of a union or </div> <div> another so i'm not knocking it. They help alot of people and do alot of good. </div> <div> But rather than take away from the union jobs, couldn't this commercial </div> <div> washing machine that is truly mammoth in proportion and that could be put to </div> <div> incredible use, creating jobs for inmates? Inmates make mere pennies an hour, </div> <div> but those mere cents could help take care of the costs of their housing and </div> <div> care. Not to mention giving the men that work in the system a sense of pride </div> <div> and accomplishment, a feeling of self worth, something to go on besides a </div> <div> feeling of worthlessness? It all boils down to this, the machine is not </div> <div> working and someone needs to intervene and get it operational, not to deprive </div> <div> the unions of work but to give the tax payers a break and to give the inmates </div> <div> something to do. There are countless things that they, meaning the state, </div> <div> could be doing to curb the costs of the taxpayer. Instead of paying </div> <div> outrageous costs to road construction crews for the constant work on </div> <div> michigan's highways, have the inmates who are in minimum security and camp </div> <div> facilities do it. Have them maintain all the rest stops across the states. </div> <div> Implement a crime prevention program for children and young adults where </div> <div> inmates detur them from making the same mistakes that they have in life. All </div> <div> these programs could make the state, even the nation, a better place to live. </div> <div> I'm not saying make the inmates into slaves, or have them do nasty jobs to </div> <div> earn their keep, not at all. I'm saying rather then degrade these man and </div> <div> women into lefeless shells of human beings, give them something to do that </div> <div> gives them a sense of purpose. What could it hurt? NOTHING! If anything else, </div> <div> they could deduct the mere pennies that they are paying these people an hour </div> <div> from the monies that it cost for their upkeep. I'm sorry if it seems that my </div> <div> attitude for incarrceratted people is negative, it's not believe me, I have a </div> <div> brother and numerous friends all across the nation who are locked up. I just </div> <div> think it's silly that there could be so much done to help these human beings </div> <div> that isn't being done, that so much could be done to help the costs that </div> <div> accumulate for these human beings that isn't being done, when it's all very </div> <div> simple thinking and anyone with half a brain cell could figure it out. </div> <div> Basically our state and federal governament isn't thinking when it comes to </div> <div> prisoners and what the various possibilities concerning rehabilitation and </div> <div> monetary expenditures. So write your governament, e-mail them, call them. Let </div> <div> them know you are tired of paying for inmates when they, meaning governmaent, </div> <div> could come up with something to help cut the costs. Tell them you want the </div> <div> parole board abolished, that you don't want to pay their salaries on top of </div> <div> everything else that you have to pay for. Speak out people, let your voice be </div> <div> heard. If you don't, then nothing changes and we will live in a vaccuum. And </div> <div> change doesn't happen living in a vaccuum.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>COLDWATER, MICHIGAN.</B></I></div> <div> Most taxpayers have undoubtedly heard of the infamous Cain vs. MDOC lawsuit </div> <div> brought by a group of prisoners in response to typical MDCO rights </div> <div> violations. To date, this lawsuit has lost michigan taxpayers hundreds of </div> <div> millions of hard earned taxdollars. Throughout the course of this lawsuit, </div> <div> the MDOC officials have blatantly violated court orders, refused to pay </div> <div> fines, retaliated against plantiffs and even sunk so low as to covertly </div> <div> entice demagogue Governer John Engler to black ball the honorable James R. </div> <div> Giddings, calling him "soft" on criminals simply because he refused to allow </div> <div> the MDOC to violate the law and prisoners civil rights. Recently the MDOC won </div> <div> the right to force all prisoners to accept the following items even if </div> <div> prisoners did not want these state issued items:</div> <div> Trousers-3 pairs</div> <div> shirts-3</div> <div> winter coat-1</div> <div> belt-1</div> <div> shoes-1 pair</div> <div> socks-5 pairs</div> <div> undershirts-3</div> <div> undershorts-9 </div> <div> thermal (top and bottom)-2</div> <div> pajamas (top and bottom)-2</div> <div> gloves-1 pair</div> <div> winter hat-1</div> <div> summer hat-1</div> <div> athletic shorts-2 pair</div> <div> Most prisoners would only previously accept, maintain less than half of the </div> <div> aforementioned items. This ultimately saved Michigan taxpayers hundreds of </div> <div> thousands of dollars each year. To give one small example of how wasteful </div> <div> this new ulterior motivated property policy is pay held. Only approximately </div> <div> 10% of Michigan's prison population wears pajamas. These state issued pajamas </div> <div> are estimated to cost $2.70 apiece for both tops and bottoms. THus forceing </div> <div> 30,000 michigan prisoners to accept these pajamas with their prison number </div> <div> stenciled on has lost taxpayers in excess of $185,500. WHat is the ulterior </div> <div> motinve you ask? For years corrections officers have been attempting to strip </div> <div> prisoners of any personal belongings. By forcing prisoners to lug around all </div> <div> this state issued clothing they are covertly eliminating storage space for </div> <div> any personal items a inmate may posess. THose prisoner advocacy groups, </div> <div> attorneys, current prisoners loved ones and ex-cons reading this will see the </div> <div> truth. For those taxpayers who have not yet experienced the pettiness, </div> <div> facism, racism, socialism, and ignorance of MDOC officialdom begin to demand </div> <div> accountability before your children cannot go to school.</div> <bR> <div> Rick Crowell</div> <bR> <bR> <div>   <a href="http://affiliate.free-banners.com/cgi-bin/adserver/affiliate?iid=263773" target="_top"><img src="http://ads.free-banners.com/images/hitslogo.gif" width=88 height=31 border="0"></a>     <script language="JavaScript" src="http://ads.freevisits.com/cgi-bin/adserver/intellistitial?iid=101919&istatus=1&iogeography=53346304&iocategory=118293504&iolanguage=26&ifilter=2"></script>     <script language="JavaScript" src="http://ads.freevisits.com/cgi-bin/adserver/intellistitial?iid=101919&istatus=1&iogeography=53346304&iocategory=118293504&iolanguage=26&ifilter=2"></script>   </div> </td> </tr></table></body>