The Prisoners Legal Services of New York, better known as PLS [Prisoners Legal Services], is supposed to provide civil legal services to indigent prisoners in New York State Prisons in cases where no other counsel was available. When PLS first began, it was a very progressive legal services organization that protected the rights of prisoners and kept DOC [Department of Corrections] honest by holding prison guards and administrators accountable. This was good for everyone involved. PLS back then forced the state to make DOC more efficient and effective by keeping abusive, sadistic and unprofessional prison guards in check, and by exposing corrupt and incompetent prison administrators.
Taxpayers save money because prison guards and administrators were more conscious about the potential for lawsuits filed by PLS on behalf of prisoners, but in the early 90s, the Prison Litigation Reform Act and other measures were passed, making it harder for lawyers or prisoners to recover attorney fees for successfully proving a case against prison guards and administrators. This created a disincentive for private lawyers to take prison civil cases pro bono. This increased the demand on PLS, which was heavily funded by the state government.
Then, Pataki came to office and slashed funding for PLS. Instead of fighting back and seeking innovative ways to finance themselves, PLS became complacent. I think this had much to do with the fact many progressives back in the 60s and 70s, that ended up founding organizations like PLS, were so liberal they didn’t pay attention to the bottom line, nor to the growing propaganda campaign of conservative elements that turned the public hostile towards progressive programs. So, pseudo progressive lawyers who are nothing more than either capitulationists or opportunists have taken over PLS. They’re just making a buck off of us prisoners doing the least amount possible.
In my 22 years of incarceration, PLS has never once taken any of my cases. In fact, they once led me to believe they would assist me in a matter, only to wait until the last minute for me to file an action to tell me they didn’t find any issue worth pursuing. So, I was forced to scramble and file the matter myself. Ironically, I won, which begs the question, what was I able to see that these so called trained lawyers couldn’t? I questioned several old school prisoners who have told me similar stories. Most when asked, will tell you PLS is, “full of s**t.” It is my belief that PLS is a fraud.
They’re using the struggle of us prisoners to scam the state government and private foundations for grant money, but they aren’t doing s**t for us, except the barest minimum. I can’t even get their help to fight doctors’ clearly unreasonable decision to deny my request for approval to form a prison chapter of my UFD [Ujamaa Fraternal Dynasty] organization, which I use to positively organize, motivate, inspire and educate young prisoners and to steer them away from gangs, drugs and violence. UFD will help lower prison recidivism and decrease prison violence, saving New York State money, but PLS won’t lift a finger to help me.
I’m going to be reporting more extensively on PLS. I believe it needs to be overhauled completely or abolished. I have a few good ideas on how to make PLS better, but I’m going to keep them for myself for now. First, we have to expose it for the fraud that it is. This is Dontie S Mitchell, better known as Mfalme Sikivu, reporting to you from Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, New York. Follow me on Facebook @freedontiemitchell. Thank you for listening, and God bless.
These commentaries are recorded by Noel Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
