Good Afternoon,
Today I received a phone call from a social worker and then Redacted who is located in the ECU (Emergency Care Unit) as of the last few days. Redacted told me that he was bitten by his roommate, that this guy threw a book at his face that knocked out the bridge in the front of his mouth, that this guy was poking him with some sharp object in the face, and that this was after the guy was verbally assaulting him demanding that Redacted give him some of his commissary food items.
Redacted said he was bitten in the right hand on the ring finger. He told me that no one had done anything in terms of cleaning/disinfecting the area. Does he need a tetanus shot? Does this guy have any communicable diseases?
Redacted told me that on Sunday he was brought to the ECU when he told the guard that he wanted to kill himself. He had to do this to get out of the cell and away from this guy. Otherwise, if he snitched, then he would face other possibly worse repercussions. What is wrong with this picture? Redacted told me that he has reported what happened to the Sergeant since then.
Redacted told me that he asked for some ointment to put on his finger. Is it really possible that no one has attended to him but the psychologist, Dr. Parker, as Redacted told me that he spoke with him.
It is no wonder that these types of events occur. When you treat people like animals, they act like animals. When you let people suffer for days, months and years, without being afforded the least amount of decency, this is what happens. Violent behavior is encouraged by virtue of the CO’s turning their heads. That happened to Redacted in the Monmouth County Jail when he was pummeled by other prisoners and ignored by the CO’s, and left in his cell to suffer and lost the vision in his left eye due to the trauma. He could have died from head trauma. Where were the CO’s when this beating was occuring?
If you “snitch” to save yourself from your cellmate or other prisoner, like Redacted did in July when his roommate threatened to kill him with a knife, you also have consequences, as Redacted was also treated like the criminal. So the system discourages one from reporting violence. Redacted is now living in the restricted area due to being charged with the knife that was found in the cell, even though he was the one being threatened. So to get out of his cell with this “guy” that was threatening him and bit him etc., instead of turning the guy in he got out by saying he was going to kill himself so as not to suffer the retribution of “snitching” from other prisoners. All of the above I have heard first hand from Redacted and many other past incarcerated individuals.
The culture that is created in prison, which includes the employees and all the way to the top of the heap, Ms. Kuhn, as the buck stops with you, exposes the inhumanity of the system.
South Woods is the largest prison in the state. How much violence and death will it take to change the system? What are you waiting for? There are other prisons in the US that are moving forward. Below I have links on information for prisons that have made radical change. Our state needs to follow suit.
https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2022/06/02/north-dakota-finds-success-re-thinking-prison-culture/
https://restoringpromise.vera.org/where-we-work
Governor Murphy and Commissioner Kuhn, you have choices to make….continue the status quo or make positive changes, which can affect not only the prisoners but can also benefit the staff. The outcome of less recidivism and more rehabilitation is worth every penny.
Please make sure my son is kept safe.
Susie Guardia
