Prison Reform & Inmate Rights

September 19, 2011

The names Donna Leone Hamm and James J. Hamm have become synonymous with prison reform and prisoner rights advocacy in Arizona. As executive director of Middle Ground Prison Reform, Mrs. Hamm has been on the frontlines of the battle for reform in Arizona's criminal Justice System and inmates rights for nearly a quarter of a century.

Middle Ground Prison Reform has in the past handled all sorts of issues related to prison and prisoners. Recently, Middle Ground has taken a stand against two new policies lawmakers approved earlier this year that was intended to generate money for prison building maintenance and repair.

Since July 2011, the ADOC has been charging a $25 background check fee for most adults applying to be able to visit an inmate in ADOC. In addition, ADOC has been collecting 1 percent of any deposit made to an inmates' prison account. The money, earmarked for the building maintenance & repair fund, is not being used to pay for the background checks or costs of running the inmate banking system. The fees amount to an unconstitutional tax levied on prisoners and family & friends of prisoners only. Because taxpayers already pay for the general maintenance & repair of all ADOC buildings, the $25 seems to be a double taxation to me for those loved ones in ADOC. In addition to these two sources, the new building maintenance and repair fund also receives money from other ADOC account reserved for other purposes, such as the Arts and Recreation Fund. I suspect that some of these ADOC funds that feed the new building maintenance & repair fund is not able to be appropriated by lawmakers. However, this new fund created is.

Middle Ground Prison Reform is helping to right these wrongs. I ask everybody with a loved one in ADOC to visit Middle Ground's website and explore. You can also download and print a copy of the lawsuit. It's on the homepage partway down in pdf format (21 pages),
www.middlegroundprisonreform.org.

Middle Ground can also be contacted at:
James and Donna Hamm
Middle Ground Prison Reform
139 East Encanto Drive
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 966-8116
donnaleonehamm@yahoo.com
middlegroundprisonreform@msn.com

Squirrel!!!

August 26, 2011

On 8/18/11, I was transferred to Barchey Unit. A medium security yard at Lewis complex. The reason behind the move was not given to me, but I'm certain that it was caused by CO IV Goins.

Goins is an African American guy whose pompousness and ignorance outshine his professionalism. Rumored to have sued this way to his current position within ADOC, Goins walks the yard spinning lies, instigating drama and deepening the dislike for him that prisoners and staff have. In addition to petty annoyances that could be attributed to his personality, Mr. Goins also had a few quite serious quirks. Two of which were his outspoken prejudice and brash attitude towards drug addicts. My own shortness with people like Goins contributed to my demise as a minimum security inmate on Eagle Point Unit.

Despite the fact that the Deputy Warden, two COIII's, COIV and Central Office authorizing me to stay a minimum security inmate on Eagle Point Unit, it's apparent that Goins has used the "Morphine Incident" to harass me, make accusations against me of illegal activities, and get me moved off of the unit.

Some may ask why he would single me out. There are multiple reasons, but to be honest I don't know his true reasons.

Since his arrival on Eagle Point, Goins had complained to me numerous times about my blog writing and "warned" me more than once about the contents of what I write. I've also spent time and money starting and keeping alive a program he has been trying to put an end to. The arts and crafts program. There are many reasons I could guess why he targeted me, but I won't. I don't care what his reasons are. I go home in mere months to live my life, be happy and leave all of this behind me.

I'm doing well here and continue to ready myself for my new life.

Oh yeah, upon packing my things for the move, the CO's found my cellmate's two round tail ground squirrels. I'll miss them.

Shannon has moved...

September 4, 2011

Hello readers:

Shannon has been moved to another unit in the prison system and hasn't communicated with me until now. He sent a brief postcard communication requesting I post his new address for you all and assures me he will be sending a blog post soon providing a detailed explanation regarding the move which apparently relates to his last post.

The new mailing address:
Shannon Clark 113372
ASPC-Lewis
Barchey Unit
PO Box 3200
Buckeye, AZ 85326

Sincerely,
Sue O, Blog Administrator