Dec. 31, 2020
by Ronald W. Clark, Jr (author's profile)

Transcription

CRAIG WILLIAMS, Appellant v. SECRETARY PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS;
DORINA VARNER, Chief Grievance Coordinator; TINA FRIDAY, Records Officer, in her individual and
official capacity; JEFFREY R. ROGERS, Manager, in his individual and official capacity; TRACY
SHAWLEY, Grievance Coordinator, in her individual and official capacity; LOUIS FOLINO, in his
individual and official capacity; SHAWN T. WALKER, Appellant v. MICHAEL A. FARNAN; SECRETARY
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; SUPERINTENDENT GRATERFORD SCI; CINDY
G. WATSON, and others to be name later
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT
848 F. 3D 549; 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 2327
No. 14-1469, No. 15-1390
April 18, 2016, Argued
February 9, 2017, Opinion Filed

4. The Scientific Consensus

The robust body of scientific research on the effects of solitary confinement, combined with the Supreme Court's analysis in Wilkinson and ours in Shoats, further informs our inquiry into Plaintiffs' claim that they had a liberty interest in avoiding the extreme conditions of solitary confinement on death row. This research contextualizes and confirms the holdings in Wilkinson and Shoats: It is now clear that the deprivations of protracted solitary confinement so exceed the typical deprivations of imprisonment as to be the kind of "atypical, significant deprivation . . . which [can] create a liberty interest."102

A comprehensive meta-analysis of the existing literature on solitary confinement within and beyond the criminal justice setting found that "[t]he empirical record compels an unmistakeable conclusion: this experience is psychologically painful, can be traumatic and harmful, and puts many of those who have been subjected to it at risk of long-term . . . damage."103 Specifically, based on an examination of a representative sample of sensory deprivation studies, the researchers found that virtually everyone exposed to such conditions is affected in some way.104 They further explained that "[t]here is not a single study of solitary confinement wherein non-voluntary confinement that lasted for longer than 10 days failed to result in negative psychological effects."105 And as another researcher elaborated, "all [individuals subjected to solitary confinement] will. . . experience a degree of stupor, difficulties with thinking and concentration, obsessional thinking, agitation, irritability, and difficulty tolerating external stimuli." 106

Anxiety and panic are common side effects.107 Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, hallucinations, paranoia, claustrophobia, and suicidal ideation are also frequent results.108 Additional studies included in the aforementioned meta-analysis further "underscored the importance of social contact for the creation and maintenance of 'self.'"109 In other words, in the absence of interaction with others, an individual's very identity is at risk of disintegration.

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PROJECT SOLITARY CONFINEMENT
Most of you out there will never experience this hell called solitary confinement. So you'll never understand the tormented mind. You will never comprehend the daily struggles that an individual goes through. Where at times your struggling to get through not a day, not an hour but just another minute. You can read about this until your blue in the face. I can describe it into great details, but you still would not grasp the daily psychological hell that we endure. Here your forced to exist with people that you have nothing in common with, other than a death sentence and surviving another day in this cage. You may be around an individual who talks to himself for hours on end. Or several inmates who argue all day long, talking about their religious dogma and ideology or their political views. And you can't escape the madness!! Your forced to listen to some mentally twisted serial killer who will never go to recreation because he's a coward, sit behind these bars and speak to you and others in a disrespectful manner. You maybe on a wing with someone who will take a crap and not flush the toilet, and doing it intentionally to get under another inmates skin. You've got no idea what we have to cope with inside this hell hole, that is solitary confinement. On top of having to deal with some of the sickest and twisted minds, that are being twisted even further in these cages, you've got to deal with staff, some of whom, are more screwed up than the men in these cages. They are like little kids who sees a dog behind a fence, and they poke him with a stick to try to set him off. Or some kid who teases the monkey with peanuts, until the monkey slings his feces on them. But when you work 12 to 16 hour shifts day in and day out, in a place that has no humanity, you become numb to human suffering. Your mercy and levels of compassion for any and all life form, starts to slip away. Yes they become vindictive, evil monster's who thrives on the human suffering that they witness in these cages. I've seen them abuse mentally ill inmates, placing them in a cage with nothing! And watching, yes witnessing that individual struggle with the cold temperatures that are in excess of 40 degrees, and even open the windows to cause further misery! I've seen them beat inmates, and the joy that was in their eyes as they threw punch after punch, kick after kick causing harm to another man! I've seen tobacco spit into the food they've served us! I've seen them vindictively destroy family photographs and other property to try to get a reaction out of us. Yes they try to instill fear into you. Try to push you over the edge! Treating you in a manner for which most people wouldn't treat their dog. This is a living freaking nightmare!!! And its all about day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute survival in this sick twisted world of solitary confinement! This is hell!! No TV, no radio, tablet or any other thing will ensue your sanity!! The human mind is not designed for these cages! Yes we grasp....at any and everything trying to distract ourselves from the daily horror that we exist in!! But we are human, even if you don't recognize us as human. Yes you are scarring minds, wounding souls with this inhumane project called solitary confinement. May God have mercy, because its lacking in this place.
Ronald Wayne Clark Jr.

STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
(Instructions on Back)

INMATE REQUEST

Mail Number: 04-10-123
Team Number:
Institution:

TO: (Check One)
[X] Warden
[ ] Asst. Warden
[ ] Classification
[ ] Security
[ ] Medical
[ ] Mental Health
[ ] Dental
[ ] Other

FROM:
Inmate Name - Ronald W. Clark Jr
DC Number - 812974
Quarters - P-4111
Job Assignment /
Date - 4-5-10

INFORMAL GRIEVANCE
I'm grieving the fact that I'm not given weekly recreation as required by law. The recreation staff is trying to apply a chapter 33-Fac Disciplinary Confinement Rule that was written for population inmates, not guts on death row who are continuously confined year in and year out for decades. Deprivation of Recreation is a constitutional violation. We need the sun light for vitamins and to help with the depression of being confined to a 9x7... 63 square foot cage for decades. So please return the weekly recreation.
Thank you.
Ronald W Clark Jr

All requests will be handled in one of the following ways: 1) Written Information or 2) Personal Interview. All informal grievances will be responded to in writing.

---------------- DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE ---------------

RECEIVED APR 05 2010

RESPONSE
Referred to Lt. Salle for response. Copy response to grievance office. 4.5.10

Your request for weekly recreation has been addressed with our recreational staff as well as chapter 33-602.220 (5) (P). Your informal grievance is approved.

[The following pertain to informal grievances only:
Based on the above information, your grievance is Approved. (Returned, Denied, or Approved). If your informal grievance is denied, you have the right to submit a formal grievance in accordance with Chapter 33-103.006, F.A.C.]
Official (Signature): [blanked out]
Date: 4-7-10

Distribution:
White - Returned to Inmate
Canary - Returned to Inmate
Pink - Retained by official responding, or if the response is to an informal grievance then forward to be placed in inmate's file.

DC6-236 (Revised 8/07)
Incorporated by Reference in Rule 33-103.019, F.A.C.

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