Utah Hunger Strike: Prisoners Protesting Housing Conditions And Gang Leaders Placement
A Utah hunger strike is underway at the state prison. Convicts at the Utah State Prison are entering their fifth day of refusing to eat. The prisoners are reportedly engaged in the hunger strike in a protest over housing conditions and the placement of gang leaders inside the correctional facility.
The Utah State Prison hunger strike reportedly includes 42 inmates. The convicts gave prion officials a list of demands on Friday and began refusing to eat. The items on the list relate to the moving of gang leaders out of a maximum security unit, according to Utah Department of Corrections spokeswoman Brooke Adams.
Inmates on hunger strike have legitimate complaints, a former Utah State Prison inmate says: var myPlayer =… http://t.co/kzwzLONxRs
— Supra1BqTeam (@supra1Bqteam) August 4, 2015
All of the Utah hunger strike inmates are also “documented” gang members, Adams said. Although the group was not reportedly involved in planning the prison hunger strike, the American Civil Liberties Union is now backing the protest, according to state ACLU legal director, John Mejia.
Several dozen inmates sent letters to the ACLU claiming that they do not have access to rehabilitative programs, are spending too much time in confinement, and are not getting enough protein in their meals.
“We have had enough of these squalid living conditions and would like to be treated with respect and dignity, with the opportunity to better ourselves,” an unidentified Utah prisoner wrote, according to a release by the ACLU. Another convict claimed that the “solitary conditions” they are subjected to are taking a “heavy psychological toll” and are inducing both anxiety and paranoia.
According to the ACLU, the Utah State Prison inmates, in a “special threat” group, reportedly the gang leaders, are locked in their cells with another prisoner for 47 of every 48 hours. Utah correctional officials do not agree with the prison conditions claims being made by the inmates.
“We understand these prisoners have been determined to present a sort of special threat, but that does not mean the extreme isolation reported to us is justified,” Mejia stated. “When we hear from that many prisoners all at once, in such a short period of time, it really is an eye opener for us.”
As Utah inmates strike against restrictive housing conditions, this from @nytimes on #SolitaryConfinement: http://t.co/lllkLSio3n #utpol
— ACLU of Utah (@acluutah) August 3, 2015
Brooke Adams also noted that Utah prison officials have informed the inmates that a reassessment of cell confinement hours is in the progress. Officials have also reportedly met with representatives of the Disability Law Center, the ACLU, and members of the Utah Prisoner Advocate Network to garner their input during the review.
Although the correctional facility will continue offering the Utah prison hunger strike inmates three meals per day, they will not negotiate or react to the stated demands, according to Adams. The law allows the prison the power to force-feed inmates, but such an action would reportedly require permission to do so with each individual inmate by a state judge.
What do you think about the Utah hunger strike?
[Image via Shutterstock]
