In my last column, I implored the California Department of Corrections (CDC) to include registrants in its release of prisoners that began on July 1 due to a growing number of COVID-19 infections in the state’s prisons. Since that time, the number of prisoners infected with COVID-19 has increased dramatically in three of those prisons: San Quentin, Avenal and Chuckwalla.
That is why I am writing this column. We cannot and should not stand by while thousands of prisoners, including individuals convicted of a sex offense, are exposed to this deadly virus.
As of today, a total of 7,739 prisoners have been reported as infected with COVID-19. That total is certain to underrepresent the actual number of infected prisoners because, according to CDC, only 30 percent of prisoners have been tested for COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
In only one of those prisons, San Quentin, it is reported that there are 2,168 prisoners infected with COVID-19. This compares to only 14 infected prisoners a month ago. Of that total, 19 prisoners are reported to have already died from COVID-19 and hundreds of additional deaths are expected.
According to the national media, San Quentin is already being referred to as a death camp. A camp from which hundreds of prisoners are being released although none of the released prisoners are registrants.
What can we do? It is time to protest the inhumanity of refusing to release all prisoners who are registrants!
Because it is unsafe for many of us to protest in person at this time, I recommend we start our protest by sending letters and/or emails to the offices of both CDC Secretary Ralph Diaz and Governor Gavin Newsom:
CDC Secretary Ralph Diaz
1515 S Street, Sacramento, CA 95827
ralph.diaz@cdcr.ca.gov
Governor Gavin Newsom
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.govapps.gov.ca/gov/gov40mail/
I also recommend that we call their offices to complain:
CDC Secretary Ralph Diaz
916- 323-6001
Governor Gavin Newsom
916-445-2841
The message I propose you send to Secretary Diaz is “modify your release plans in order to include prisoners convicted of a sex offense in the current and future prison releases.”
The message I propose you send to Governor Newsom is “fire Secretary Diaz for his past failure to release prisoners convicted of a sex offense during this global pandemic.”
Let’s flood these offices with letters and calls. Depending upon the responses we receive, we may need to grow the protest in other ways. Please stay tuned.
Related article (for additional ideas on what to write):
Janice’s Journal: Let My People Go
Related video:
John Oliver Dissects the Deadly Spread of COVID-19 in Prisons and Jails [rollingstone.com]
Does anyone care about this issue? The silence is deafening. This column on a compelling topic, registrants in COVID filled prisons, was posted about 24 hours ago and yet there are NO comments. How many people reading this comment remember when they or a loved one were incarcerated? Perhaps you can connect with that feeling and find empathy for those who are currently in custody. If so, please speak up….on this website and by calling Secretary Diaz and Governor Newsom. Thank you.
Another possible way to connect with empathy is to watch this “episode” of the John Oliver show which is dedicated to the issue of COVID in prison: https://www.bing.com/search?q=John+Oliver+show+about+Covid+19+in+prisons&src=IE-SearchBox&FORM=IESR4A&pc=EUPP_
I’ll do both the calls and the letters. Hopefully the comments wont be “filed” into the circular bin.
I have a Loved one who is currently incarcerated for a S.O with whom would have had his case dismissed if his over thirty year old past incarceration didn’t become a factor. While he hasn’t been in the system in over thirty years a corrupt system decided to unjustly change that. while I quietly fight this fight with and for him the best we can. I simply want it to be know that I stand strong with this fight and will continue to do my part. One letter done, working on the second.
Dear Governor Newsom,
Covid-19 has hit California like a wildfire with many dying once it grips onto to you. The same goes for inmates who are incarcerated in the California prison system. As I keep up with what is going on within CDCR regarding Covid-19 as well as speaking with an inmate on the daily in the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, CA 92860 I find it beyond disappointing that Ralph Diaz, Secretary of CDCR isn’t doing more to ensure that all inmates get a fair opportunity to early release.
I do not understand CDCR Secretary Diaz for his failure to release inmates convicted of a sex offense. It is simply common sense that not all sex offense cases should be clumped together by the CDCR who already make up their own rules and laws while ignoring the laws voted in especially during a global pandemic that is killing inmates, our loved ones at a high rate.
What justifies the exclusion when we as voters made it clear based on the laws we voted in(prop 57), what justifies the exclusion when each case should stand on its own merit, what justifies it being okay for sex offense cases to be subject to a death warrant caused by Covid-19, what justifies CDCR Secretary Diaz to be the sole voice of deciding such an exclusion.
Governor Newsom as voter and someone who Loves an incarcerated human being, I am asking why doesn’t the CDCR have an independent oversee panel as well as why hasn’t CDCR Secretary Diaz not been fired due to his inability to be non-bias against sex offense inmates, what justifies CDCR Secretary Diaz to not follow the law(s) that are already in place.
Every and I mean every inmate who follows under the guidelines set forth by our voted in laws deserve to be equally looked at without exclusions of the offense. A corrupt prison system does not have the right to decide to change the laws that voters took their time to vote on to ensure an equal and just system.
Please fire CDCR Secretary Diaz for his past and current failures to release sex offense inmates who are due rights by the laws as well as during this world wide pandemic. I will keep fighting for the inmates for I do not appreciate feeling like my vote is being wasted because CDCR Secretary Diaz wants to wrongfully speak for me when my vote already spoke.
Sincerely Grateful,
Wrote this to Diaz. I hope it helps.
“Hello, I write to you today in hopes my words find you well. I have never written to any public servant before but these extraordinary times have made me push away my own present pains to reach out to you sir and beg for you to please modify your release plans in order to include prisoners convicted of a sex offense in the current and future prison releases.
We are all humans and none of us received a handbook for this life but sex offenders seem to be put into a subhuman category almost instantly. The rates for recidivism are extremely low yet many of these inmates waste away in old dangerous cells waiting for the virus to spread.
I can’t be any more compassionate, I don’t understand why they are not considered human? The consequences for these offenses come with a myriad of life changing punishments as it is. So much so, that they had to pull back some because it is basically abolishment! How can any human flourish passed their mistakes and grow to be a productive member of society? The goal of corrections should be, corrections..please help them, please consider them too!
God, life is so interchangeable, so many factors, so much that influences and corrupt us without safe nets or educated family structures to help understand and process our minds and emotions. So many of us carrying the sins of our flawed bloodline just hoping for a chance to break the cycle, only to be deeply challenged by a system that sadly isn’t as interchangeable.
I believe that True wholesome values will always make good people and that in turn will make them make good decisions.
I believe we should all be guaranteed a second chance…
Please release them.. fuck life is so hard as it is..
Please we are all human and our souls are in the biggest battle we’ve all ever seen with this virus
God it’s not right.. please find it in your heart to push whatever is stoping you from considering them too we all need a fighting chance in 2020
This is our only life…. please help.“
God bless you guys and thank you so much for your help and support
My loved one has served his sentence and is home, however, it doesn’t take much imagination to think how I would feel if he were in prison waiting to become ill with Covid 19. It is now known that even if you recover from the Corona Virus there are often permanent damages to one’s heart and/or lungs. And those of us who have either been incarcerated or have friends or loved ones who have been incarcerated are aware of the indifferent medical attention inmates receive, even without Covid 19 infecting prisons.
I hope that everyone will send a letter, an e-mail, and make a phone call protesting the inhumanity of the decision to exclude all convicted of a sex offense from being released from prison during this pandemic!
I emailed Ralph Diaz, this was the auto response.
“I will be out of the office until August 16th. If you need assistance, please contact my Executive Assistant Christina Acosta-Hoshall.”
Thank You,
Ralph
I also emailed the gubner
Sent my email to the governor, will be making calls and put together an email for Ralph Diaz.
I sent my e–mail to Secretary Ralph Diaz and will follow up with phone calls tomorrow.
Sorry for the delay. My e-mails and follow-up phone calls will go out first thing tomorrow.
🗒️ I sent my strongly worded emails yesterday. 📨
☎️I will be making my phone calls today. ☎️
My son was at Chuckwalla, released March, 2019. It was for a minor offense, not for a sex offense, but since he is a registered person he was treated as such. I know that I wouldn’t be able to sleep if he were there now. I can imagine just how hard this must be on loved ones of those incarcerated. I have written and will call today!
Seems like this prision ordeal has gone on long enough and its a Fools parade of pay to the piper or elso you will have to do as I say and bow down to me.. You have a president that doesn’t like democrats and is bias as he thinks republican’s are the upper crust, women that back bite any chance they get, or should one go ask Opra or Alice. One wonders who’s looking in their looking glass to predict the future. You have authorities that seem to bear down with knee chokes and government out of control, plus this virus that is amongst us. Call it an act of God if you want or some bat disease from china… give me a break. So who’s killing who. Were is love thy neighbor today, or is it love thy money till one’s debt is paid. I wonder if government pays their debt?
Punishment is a bit different from the Old testament ordeals as compaired to the new. One can call these laws ordinances, doctrine’s, or who is coveting in government. Who has blood on their hands or the writtings on the wall? No wonder this virus is here. Things are out of control. Nose rings, Tatooe’s, wife swapping and many more uncommon things. Oh excuse me all that is common today. So where does that leave principals or morals or judgement.
Is this come compromise and get it over with. Some plea deal’s to say “Let my people Go” or should one just suffer and if one die’s due to this virus while in prison, Tough luck.
Government just like anyone that has wisdom just wants to be right in their understanding. Sp wjere dpes tjso wisdom and understanding come from. everyday life, from that gal that took you for a ride, or from those government officials that suppose to have some biblical understanding and true wisdom but are jack asses or a horse with no name.but they can still ignore letters, don’t have to be bother with the lower class or even care if one die’s. Remember its all part of punishment.
So what is punishment. Is it going against the grain. Growing mary jane in California when government controls the money flow or Caring and feeding prisoners when they could all just as well be justified but due to bad representation and being intimidated and treated like outcasts, officials want to override the little person. And thats exactly what they are doing out in California. Were is respect today. Its not in government in so many ways or the criminal Justice System or Prison Systems. All this should be taken into account.
I guess if radio activity came people would still be held up in prison. Government tends to have no compassion today in many view’s. So people speak up in California. Get something in the newspapers or do what you can. Never give up in one’s inalienable rights. And yes we are all blessed when we use wisdom, understanding, and truth or do two wrongs still make a right or a wrong.
Most all court systems are not biblically sound and the ethic’s are out the window today. People don’t care about the other person thats in dire straights. Much of this sex offender issue is wrong when they amend and give a person a one trick charley with these sex offenses. One wonders how much time one could get for sticking up their middle finger to the judge and jury in a courtroom not to mentioned the D.A.
So they released a woman in CA in her early 40’s, due to covid, from prison who was sentenced to 80 years for first degree murder after only serving 20 years and they won’t release any sex offenders?
I could understand not letting someone out early if they hurt a child in any way .
That’s not fair to child victims and there family’s that rely on the courts and the prison system for justice.
So when somebody’s released early after committing a heinous crime against a child that’s not kool ..that’s like a slap in the face after the fact .
what if that was your child or your family member I’m pretty sure everybody would want Justice to be served to the fullest extent for there child or family member as well. …..
GOOD LUCK
Everyone “except sex offenders” this needs to be brought to the front burner in everything.
Janice if this will help this letter will go out tomorrow. Here is a copy that I have written. We can all have our good days and out bad. This might help.
To whom it may concern:
I am a sex offender and yes I am from Virginia. You know their was a song written a long time ago by the Rascals. People got to be free. One wonders who is the rascal today? Has government gone to far, are they bearing the sword in their vain glory or does the Dept. of Justice care about these people in prison with this Convid-19 effecting so many people today.
I am sure if the state has any conscious or understanding or ethical wisdom and understanding, they should give thought to releasing many or most of those offenders or those you label sex offenders do to this Virus ordeal that has “killed” thousands of people thus far. Those that are locked up behind bars during this time of crisis is a bit inhumane for any true justice to have this fall upon them. So who is the guilty. Some can say let the punishment in crime but what about the crime of being inhuman. Where does love thy neighbor come into practice, in the afterlife or the after thought of any state government.
While one can bear the sword of justice seems to me that much of this registry is like going against of the grain in your oath to God and it seems authorities have no compassion in California for their fellow man or woman in this incarceration of true justice gone a foul.
I would also like to say that forgiveness is seldom looked upon by authorities that issue harsh punishment. Is not this pandemic punishment enough or should we all say it is what it is in California as one of our leaders said. One would tend to understand that California and the penal system would have some ethical compassion and understandings about this and let some of these offenders out of prison on early release. So remember whoever is reading this forgiveness is always blessed when we forgive others.
So whoever is reading this letter do not let this letter fall upon deft ears.
Many blessings,
Just called both the Govenors office and Secretary Diaz’s office. I got in touch with actual people and left messages. If my anxious self can do it, so can you!
You know Janice is right and yes for any civil law and order and constitutional values its standing up and speaking out. I’m glad I came to this article again tonight as it reminded me to put a stamp on my letter and get it in the mail box so the postman can pick it up.
Sure anyone can get along with a system. In some ways its like a marriage if you can’t get with the program than don’t get married. I never could stand jail when I was a teen and actually who could as that’s not a part of life. True justice is understanding, and yes speaking out is also. Sometimes I’m sure my dad, and he even mentioned to me not to get married unless you actually meet the right one but things can crop up in many haphazard ways.
Much of this offender ordeal is an immoral shopping cart game of vain justice. Its like a turnbuckle with authorities setting others up via some electronic device. Forgiveness well for the sex offender it seems their is no forgiveness and the value of true justice is washed away. Even some of you all have said murderer’s have more rights than sex offenders and other ordeals or offenses of justice. Call it a debauchery of justice or whatever. So one wonders who actually has knowledge today or did Elvis Presley actually die of a broken heart or drug depression/ overdose.
Correct me if i’m wrong, but when when were we ever released from prison. I still need to check in.I still am required to give any jurisdiction my info if I even step foot out of my area. I can’t leave country without telling someone. I am rejected internationally due to notices. My face is posted as a dangerous person even though I have never physically confronted another human being in anger or malice. So , honestly, am I not a prisoner for the rest of my life. Actually, in majority of cases, I personally see prison as a safer environment. Many of us have moved on , with the help of our families and being lucky enough not to want to travel. Or to have an occupation that Allows you to hide. But for those of us without those benefits, that have the possibility of a loving, friendly life elsewhere but will likely never experience it again. That have been shunned by family, by our occupation, by society. Please someone show my where I have been “released” from confinement.
A.D.A.T you not wrong but right. Matter of fact I didn’t go to prison but have the same rules as you. The judge in my case didn’t really know what to do. So he just tossed it over to the PO. and thats when things started. I went thru several PO’s until they found the right one for me. We can all get confused with this offender issue/ordeal at times.
Even after that myself and my PO we had our ups and downs. I remember one time my PO couldn’t make monthly visit to me so they send some younger person to visit me. Things went good until he started talking about conspiracy than I showed him the door. I said next time send my original PO. Don’t you think at times its I have said its better for me to have gone to prison.
But you see this ordeal can make one a prisoner of the mind if you dwell on it In other words who’s testing who’s spirit with truth. Governments are just as wrong as any other person that puts their pants on.
Sure one can talk about women’s rights to vote but lets not get into that. Three things one should never talk about and you all have heard this I’m sure. Sex, Politics, and religion. My dad was a member of the Moose Club and Elks club. I can hear mom complaining about a little drinking and playing cards with all the socialite business people and this golf club well that was and a four letter work course we all went swimming. Don’t think a sex offender could do that today with the other kids. Myself I got in trouble in school at times. Here I am at 66 and on this site. Well Janice is doing good but she and her team do have a lot to tackle.
One of my brothers was into suzuki motor cycles. Sure I knew some Hell’s Angels. Grew up around Black people went to school with them and yes they are good people even went to school with some physically challenged people. So who’s putting a label on who in this sex registry issue.
Standing up for prison population or visiting a prisoner is good as they have rights also, so something is out of balance not only with this sex offener issue or a lot of issues or who lets people slide for their Beaver or Ranger merit badge. Government has their faults also.
See you guys Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament or should we all be stoned.. Course don’t get me on a motorcycle had trouble popping a wheelee.