Jan. 10, 2021

Dear Warden Lamb

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

Transcription

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Thursday
December 24, 2020
Dear Warden Lamb,
Greetings! I received your December 22, 2020 letter last night. Thank you for taking the time to write. I see that you read my letter to the Lt. Governor. You've seen that I've filled grievances on most of these issues, and even when the grievance is approved, no action is taken. The grievance system just don't work.
We've spoken to each other on several occassions when you've made rounds, but I've never attempted to really discuss any of these issues with you. And to be honest I'd rather have someone that I can talk to, and resolve issues through a conversation, or by writing a request or letter. Sgt. Blue and I don't see eye to eye, mainly because of our tug of war over how recreation is suppose to be run. Its just like this week here, we're only getting one recreation. And this coming week, we're only getting one recreation. Sgt. Blue and the rec staff could have had the rec yards operating Monday through Wednesday, were all 4 yards are going at the same time, and everyone would have received their six hours of recreation. The video of yard 4 will show that it could have been used 6 times between Monday and Wednesday. It was used one time on Tuesday afternoon. Yes there was some staffing problems. For instant Sgt. Blue took off Wed. and other officers was taking vacation and early leave. You have to admit that this shouldn't have happened. They know that they're got 3 days to fulfill their obligations and get the recreation under 33-601.830(7)(j) accomplished. That should have come first.
The way things use to be before Sgt Blue started changing them for convenience, is one sgt would be assigned to the North side rec
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yards 1 and 2. They would operate these yards Monday through Friday, using wing staff to pull inmates and put inmates up. We would always get our full rectime. InFact we had staff who would exceed the time limit and give us extra rec. This worked from 1992, up until Sgt. Blue took over. He changed it out of convenience for himself. And I won't get into why he did this. But this system works for this building. And I'm pleading with you to please put this system back into action. It would ensure that we receive our recreation. Another Issue which is still tied into this, is Sgt. Rulevich has called me a snitch, because I've been writing about this recreation. I filed a grievance of reprisal on him last week. I just got off the phone with my lawyers, and I informed them about what he was doing. He did the same thing back in the summer of 2019. And its because they were over crowding the yards with 50 Plus inmates, who are all trying to use 2 Kiosk in about a 24 hour time frame. Well there was a limit of 35 inmates put on the yard over the past several months. And staff is not at all happy with me about that. The maximum limit when we got here in late 1952, until Sgt. Blue took over, was 30. Since our Kiosk sessions is the recreation, there really should be no more than 24. Two Kiosk, a 15 minute session is 4 inmates an hour, 12 inmates per Kiosk for 3 hours. So that's where I come up with 24 inmates. And if we go to rec, and its a non-shower day, they should allow us to shower. Mr. Palmer had it set up like that over at F.S.P. If staff was willing, they could ensure that we go to rec on shower days. Not sure if you seen the December 21, letter that I sent to Assistant Warden Knox, but I extended an olive branch to try to put the past behind us. I addressed these issues and several others that I'm hoping ya'll can help us settle.
We need staff to have some mercy and compassion. It's like right now, its Christmas time, my tablet went out back on Nov 25, came back on and went back out around Dec 7. So I'm sitting here cut off from family and friends
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my tablet RMA#8685844 was shipping on December 9, it arrived in the warehouse on Dec 12, Sat. it arrived here in this building on Thursday Dec 17, well here we are on Thursday Dec 24 and I still don't have it. And I was told that I'd receive it on Monday Dec 28. To me, it looks like Sgt. Blue or one of the others, was behind holding this up. Staff have known that my tablet wasn't working, they could have sent me my tablet on Tuesday Dec 22, while I was on the yard and allowed me to sync, and email my Family and Friends on Christmas day. They know they were cutting me off from my Family. They knew, that for the next six days, that I would have this inkpen in my hand. If it was me, I'd hurried up and issued that tablet, just to get the ink pen put down. I've been retaliated against so many times, that I can't count, over my writings. You would think I'd have enough sense to back down, but when your sitting here in this cage, and you want to see change as bad as I do, yes I may take a step back, but I'm constantly thinking on how to improve this place. And thats all I want. I just want what we're entitled to. No more. I don't think I'm asking for too much. And it would be so much easier, if when we have a problem, that we've got someone to turn to. I use to have Mr. Palmer, but he's busy and I know several of my letters never reached him. So I'm reaching out to senators, House Reps, the Lt. Governor and anyone else who will listen.
In this Dec 22 letter you state its the mission for the FDoc and UCI Administration to meet the needs of those entrusted to your Care and Creat a safe and professional environment with the added emphasis on "the premium of life." Unfortunally I'm not seeing that.. We didn't get out Fall recreation this week, I've been told that we will not get it next week, so we have to endure longer terms of solitary confinement. You go on to say "safety remains a priority in everything we do." Sgt. Rulevich's actions on Dec 14, as well as in the summer of 2019, doesn't hold true to that statement so hes values clearly aren't in line with yours. Because Sgt. Rulevich
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is trying to creat chaos, tention and violence into death row housing. No doubt he will deny it. I'll support my alligations by taking a voice, stress analysis and or polygraph. I don't lie, make stuff up or exaggerate. It is what it is.
Back to the issue of safety, we need a protective management (33-602.221) wing for these inmates who don't go outside, but yet creat chaos behind these doors. When staff knows there's a problem, then they should take immediate action to correct it. Sgt. Blue has not done this in the past.
I'm hoping you will be receptive to some of these idea's, especially concerning the recreation. For this cell is psychologically damaging. Please see attached, "The Scientific Consensus" on the the effects of solitary confinement.
Thank you very much for your time and hopefully your help.

Sincerely Ronald W. Clark

CRAIG WILLIAMS, Appellant v. SECREATARY PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS;
DORINA VARNER, Chief Grievance Coordinator; TINA FRIDAY, Records Officer, in her individual and
official capacity; JEFFEREY 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 named 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 unmistakable 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...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.

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT of CORRECTIONS
Governor
RON DESANTIS
Secretary
MARK S. INCH
501 South Calhoun Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2500
www.de.state.fl.us
December 22, 2020
Inmate: Clark, Ronald DC#:812974
Your correspondence dated December 14,2020 to the Lieutenant Governor's Office has been received, reviewed and referred to Union Correctional Institution for further handling.
All allegations have been reported to the Inspector General's Office as required by our rules. If they require any additional information from you they will contact you directly.
The issues that you raised have been addressed properly with you through the grievance process. You referenced many of the grievance numbers in your correspondence. Please continue to use the request and grievance process to address your issues.
The Mission for the Florida Department of Corrections and Union Correctional Institution is to "Provide a continuum of services to meet the needs of those entrusted to our care, creating a safe and professional environment with the outcome of reduced victimization, safer communities and an emphasis on the premium of life." Safety remains a priority, in everything we do, for our staff, inmates, offenders and the public.

T. Lamb, Warden

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