In The Life Of A Connecticut Prisoner Vol. 2 No. 2
By Richard Stevenson

GREETING[S] FREE WORLD! In this state wardens generally don't stay at a facility for long (about 3-4 years). While we're glad to see the old one leave we dread the new administration. This is because the C/O's union is always doing what they can to reduce the time we have out of our cells. So what they couldn't get done with the old warden the new warden will allow. Over the past 22 1/2 years I've been in prison I've only seen 2 exceptions. The result is that we've gone from locking up only at count time and again at 10pm to being locked up about 21 hours per day. We went from everyone being required to go to work or school to only about 1/3 being able to do so.

Here at Cheshire CI with 1300 prisoners I am only 1 of about 40 people allowed to work 6 hours out of the day. Prisoners are literally going out of their minds because we are locked in our cells so much. Any time there is some sort of code called (fight, med. emergency, et al) we all get locked down for a minimum of 20 minutes (avg. is 1/2hr.). Even for a simulated code! So the 1 hr. of recreation on 1st shift and 1 hr. on 2nd shift is never guaranteed. We average about 2-3 codes per week.

It has now been decided that this will be the premier training facility. So we now get locked down an extra day per week split over 2 shifts on 2 separate days. To them they only see it as us being locked down an extra 2 shifts per week. But to me it is nearly 2 months more per year that I am locked in a cell with another man.

As if they don't have enough time on their hands 2 C/Os complained that after work showers were taking too long. So now we must shower during the only hour we have to make phone calls or just decompress from the day.....(They just called another code. See what I mean?) We now must wait up to 7hrs. 55 min. after work to shower, up to 19hrs. on Saturdays because there is no recreation for us on Fridays. This means we must go to our programs and visit our families in filth from work and smelling real funky.

(1)

In addition to the above mentioned lock-downs we also get locked down a minimum of twice per year for facility shakedowns. How can anyone be rehabilitated in an atmosphere like this? How does one leave a Connecticut prison with a healthy respect for authority when they are being driven out of their minds? What would be the result of you living in your bathroom 21 hours/day with your spouse? Some would justify this abuse by saying that you shouldn't have come to prison. NEWS FLASH! Some people are here due to existing issues. Why exacerbate them?

The employees here don't give a rat's a-- about the general public. They know that most prisoners are going home worse off than when they got here. They are well aware that our communities will have to suffer the consequences of our treatment in these places. But as long as it doesn't affect them they won't stop the abuse.

As such, I propose a significant change in their responsibilities and compensation packages. If they really want their jobs they should be held accountable and properly compensated for successfully accomplishing set goals for reducing the recidivism rate and penalized for an increase. I can guarantee a significant change in the way the prison system is run in this state, not to mention the significant reduction in the total cost.

The reason given for making this a training facility for the C/Os is that there hasn't been a riot in this state in over 20 years and there is no one left who has actually been in one. As it stands they keep trying to push for one to justify the spending. According to their union contract a riot would also increase their base pay. I'm sending this information out so that the public will know before hand what they are trying to accomplish. This is a witness.

I'm asthmatic and have C.O.P.D. Showering not only gets rid of particulates collected throughout the day out in the shops but aids in expelling them from my lungs reducing the need for using my rescue inhaler. Since I go out to work I only get 1 hour of recreation per day. This is the only time I get to call home and talk to my family. Due to the new shower rule I must spend most of this time vying for 1 of 6 showers within...

(2)

...the hour along with 51 other prisoners, then hope that there isn't a code.

The grievance system is nothing more than a joke among them. They do what they can to antagonize us knowing that they will likely get away with it. There is no separation between line staff and supervisors. What I mean is that when there is an issue in the unit between a C/O and the prisoners, no matter how right we are, the supervisors will nearly always side with the C/O. This is why prisoners end up snapping. He'll either take it out on a weaker prisoner or the problem officer himself.

So when you hear of an officer getting beaten up or stabbed do what you can to find out what facilitated the assault before making judgment. Feel free to write directly to a prisoner.

These 3 pages can not convey just how angry I really feel. Were it not for the few privileges I still have I'd likely be raining down violence in such a covert manner that many employees would resign. Being able to write this piece and have it read by so many goes a long way in modifying behavior that I must say thank you to everyone involved in setting up this program. I'm also thankful to all those who have read and/or responded. You have all contributed in saving my life. I'm so very grateful.

RICHARD STEVENSON #156074
CHESHIRE CI
900 HIGHLAND AVE.
CHESHIRE, CT 06410

Rich.

Contract No. 11PSX00154
EXHIBIT B, Price Schedule B-3
Music Category, April 2013
Page 399 of 707

Genre Catalog # Artist Album Title Selling Price

Punk SST145 Descendents Two Things At Once $21.75
Punk TYZT2501 Dexateens Singlewide $14.75
Punk VIR437 Dicks Kill From The Heart + Hate The Police $19.75
Punk DASR41 De Hunns/Peters/Parks Live Fast Die Hunns $15.75
Punk TOU20707 Die Kreuzen Die Kreuzen/October File $17.75
Punk HPL20654 Digger Trainwreck $15.75
Punk RLS6587 Dillenger Escape Plan Miss Machine $17.75
Punk NALD42 Dirty Filthy Mugs Up In The Downs $14.75
Punk TATE27039 Dirty Sweet American Spiritual $12.97
Punk CSLR72319 Discharge Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing $14.75
Punk DSC14 Dischord 1981: Year In 7S Dischord 1981: Year in 7S $15.75
Punk LTMM2570 Dislocation Dance Ruins Of Manchester/Cromer $21.75
Punk HLCT80422 Distillers Distillers $14.75
Punk HLCT80441 Distillers Sing Sing Death House $14.75
Punk BHRR5302 Dollyrots Because I'm Awesome $12.97
Punk SFNZ150629 Dollyrots Dollyrots $12.97
Punk BHRR5380 Dollyrots Little Messed Up $12.97
Punk PPFL1002 Donnas Vol. 16-Greatest Hits $14.75
Punk DWSH46 Doomriders Black Thunder $11.97
Punk DRGC513 Dope Body Natural History $19.75
Punk JAMZ50 Down By Law Champions At Heart $12.97
Punk PPSZ51 Downtown Struts Victoria! $12.97
Punk CBRA8 Drive Like Jehu Drive Like Jehu $17.75
Punk SWAI115 Drive Like Jehu Yank Crime $17.75
Punk HLCT80446 Dropkick Murphys Blackout $15.75
Punk HLCT80407 Dropkick Murphys Do Or Die $14.75
Punk HLCT80413 Dropkick Murphys Gang's All Here $14.75
Punk DPKM52916 Dropkick Murphys Going Out In Style $17.75