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Stressing Out But Still In The Fight
Dontie Mitchell
“Stressing Out But Still In The Fight.” I told you all in my last commentary how Corrections Sergeant Reynolds here at Great Meadow singled me out of line, orders me into the Sergeant’s Bunker and… Full Transcript
The Great Contradiction
Dontie Mitchell
“The Great Contradiction.” Last week, I was in my aggression replacement training, A-R-T, program that the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision mandate certain prisoners to take, regardless if we need it… Full Transcript
The Socialization of Anti-Social Behavior in Prison
Dontie Mitchell
“The Socialization of Anti-Social Behavior in Prison.” Yesterday, I was in the yard with two of my young [inaudible], Racks and Smokey. Both are 21 years old. We were having a conversation about them engaging… Full Transcript
El Paso and Dayton Ohio, A Brief Word
Dontie Mitchell
“El Paso in Dayton, Ohio: A Brief Word.” With the recent gun violence in El Paso in Dayton, Ohio, the previously unacknowledged pervasiveness of white domestic terrorism has now been given national attention. So much… Full Transcript
New York State Prisons Reap What They Sow
Dontie Mitchell
Today, I had a conversation with the first deputy superintendent of this facility. I asked her what her thoughts were about my proposal to start a program here, that was similar to TRUE. She said… Full Transcript
Pissed Off
Dontie Mitchell
In my commentary entitled “My Life Is Worth Just As Much As Yours” I spoke about a 21-year-old young man I took under the wing because of how bad he wanted to change and better… Full Transcript
Every Little Bit Counts
Dontie Mitchell
I was recently in the law library getting copies of the federal lawsuit I prepared to challenge, among other thing, doctor’s decision denying my request for approval to form a prison chapter of my UFD… Full Transcript
The Truth Hurts but TRUE Works
Dontie Mitchell
In my last commentary, I talked about the TRUE program in the Cheshire Correctional Institution in Connecticut. It’s a program where young prisoners, 18 to 25 years old, are housed together along with a small… Full Transcript
UFD is the original TRUE
Dontie Mitchell
Two days ago, I received an article entitled quote, “How Scott Semple Helped Turn Connecticut’s Prisons Into a Nationally Recognized Laboratory of Reform,” end quote, which was posted @wwdotconnecticutmag.com. I had just come back to… Full Transcript
The Struggle Continues
Dontie Mitchell
I’m a man of action. So it bothers me I’m stuck in prison and thus limited in the impact I can make in this world to help myself, help my family, and to help others.… Full Transcript
I See Clear Now
Dontie Mitchell
As I said in previous commentaries, the United States Supreme Court denied my petition for a writ of certiorari. Thus, declining to hear my case why the court should extend a constitutional right to rehabilitation… Full Transcript
Conscious Money
Dontie Mitchell
According to Bernie Sanders, 1% of Americans have more wealth than 92% of all other Americans. But even more egregious is a study published in 2016 by the Institute for Policy Studies and the Corporation… Full Transcript
A Call for Prison Reform; Norwegian Style
Dontie Mitchell
I had a conversation the other day with a good lady named Dianna Goodwin. She’s a senior advisor to New York state Senator Lewis R. Sepúlveda, who is also the chair for the State Senate… Full Transcript
But What Is Justice?
Dontie Mitchell
I just got finished watching the TV show We The People. This particular episode moved me deeply because it dealt with the question of bail and redemption. Rodney was being held on a 100,000 dollar… Full Transcript
A History of UFD
Dontie Mitchell
“A History of UFD.” When I first founded UFD on July 29, 2008, it was initially meant to serve as a positive alternative to gang. I got tired of seeing young prisoners get caught up… Full Transcript
A Critique of Liberalism and Progressive Movements Pt. 2
Dontie Mitchell
So, the question was asked in my last commentary: why don’t we see liberals clamoring for comprehensive prison reform? That may not be entirely a fair question. I guess what I’m trying to say is… Full Transcript
In Critique of Liberalism
Dontie Mitchell
“A Critique of Liberalism in Progressive Politics.” The 2016 presidential election and resulting political upheaval reflects the weakness in progressive politics in this country. In my humble opinion, that weakness is liberalism. In progressive politics… Full Transcript
Fight Power With Power
Dontie Mitchell
“Fight Power With Power.” I’ve been watching the BET series Finding Justice, and it brought up a recurrent theme in my mind about the lack of true Black power. How is it that Black people… Full Transcript
Terry Daum
Dontie Mitchell
In 1997, Terry Daum was convicted after a trial, of three commercial robberies in Staten Island. The evidence against him consisted of testimony from one eyewitness for each robbery. In 2014, Terry discovered the police… Full Transcript
![Prison Radio is sharing an abbreviated version of a press release covering recent racist incidents at SCI Rockview in PA and the organizing to demand accountability. We are reaching out to people incarcerated at Rockview as well as recently transferred folks, inviting them to call, in hopes of hearing commentaries from them.
Benner Township, PA.-
On November 24th, 2023, imprisoned people at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for many prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hung, they were told it was a joke.
By December 4th, prisoners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates" and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richard be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Captain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance.
The sergeant and COs are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions...
As of March 10th, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending 100 copies of the grievance. Copies of the letter also were mailed to Governor Shapiro, Senator Fetterman, Senator Street, and various advocacy groups. The demands for relief in the original grievance have now become the platform of demands for this campaign. About 20 of the 100 letters were withheld by the prison.
Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, flooding the phone lines of DOC offices, assisting with outreach to media, and circulating the stories of prisoners who have found unity in opposition to the facility's virulent institutional racism.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, Nicki Paul, the superintendent's assistant and "grievance coordinator" informed the public that they self-investigated their staff and found they did nothing wrong.
Read the full article at i
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“The quality of moral character.” Today, September 4th, 2019, I was singled out of line on the way to morning chow by Sergeant Reynolds who is the grievance sergeant who screens prisoner complaints submitted to… Full Transcript