[mgj-discuss] FTAA statement and demands from Dade County women prisoners

[Chuck0]

FTAA statement and demands from Dade County women prisoners

Infoshop News Exclusive

MIAMI -- (November 27, 2003) The Dade County Women's Detention Center 
prisoners express their solidarity with the protesters of the FTAA. Many 
of the conditions the protesters found in the jail and detention 
centers, however horrific, are just examples of what we live with every 
day. There are many health code and civil right violations in the Dade 
County jail system. The women prisoners would like the following 
conditions to be addressed immediately:

1) There is black mold in our showers that cause rashes and breathing 
problems.

2) There are large amounts of bugs in our cells and in our showers.

3) The food is often in terrible condition, sometimes even rotting. We 
have no salt or pepper and are fed mostly starches and sandwiches.

4) We are not given enough opportunities to clean ourselves. Not enough 
cleaning supplies.

5) Though there is a 24-hour health clinic with a nurse, we are rarely 
allowed access to it or her, and our medical requests are not dealt with 
promptly. Prisoners with serious illnesses such as TB are neither 
attended to regularly or segregated from the rest of the population. We 
have almost 400 prisoners and access to one doctor (during an 8 hour 
period) per week and only one OB/GYN visit a week. So many women need 
access to more health care.

6) We were promised pillows--nobody has pillows. We only get one 
blanket, dspite the temperature being kept at 50 degrees. Our blankets 
are threadbare and holey.

7) We have to beg for paper, pencils, and envelopes so we can write to 
our loved ones.

8) Despite what they promise, there is not enough access to regular 
libraries and never any REAL access to the law library.

9) Our guards are often whimsical and brutal, often beating us for 
simple requests such as a phone call.

Please add our cause to yours and do not forget us!