Per our chat last night, I am posting a sample letter and addresses to send them to in case anyone wants to show their support for JD. I am thinking that letting DOC and politicians know that the public has their eye on what they are doing can't hurt.
Thanks in advance to anyone that does this!!
I am also including JD's address. As most of you know, he has been really struggling lately.... he is possibly facing being in segregation until Jan 2004. :( I am the only one that writes him and while I tell him often about his PTO family, perhaps it would help him to hear directly from some of you.... All of this is completely voluntary of course!!
____________________________________________
Sample Letter:

Dear ______:
I am writing out of concern regarding a situation with an inmate in your facility/the Illinois Department of Corrections.

This inmate, Dawson B67250, was placed in the hospital and placed on a mental health watch. He had been in segregation for over three months and has a long documented history of mental health issues. He was given three disciplinary tickets during this time, when he was apparently assessed as not being in a stable state of mind.
For these tickets, he has been given a significant amount of additional segregation time.

While I understand that segregation time may be a needed discipline for intentionally violent inmates, I also believe that this discipline needs to be utilized with careful discretion and it does not appear to be warrented in this case. The Department of Corrections has a responsibility to provide care for inmates with mental health issues and I believe that an inmates mental status needs to be considered when deciding on an appropriate consequence for a disciplinary ticket.

It would appear to me that in this case, the Department's consequences serves only to aggravate this inmate's psychiatric condition and that the severity of the consequence given is not proportional to the severity of the offense.

I would respectly request you to review this case and am confident that you will correct any injustice that has occurred. I also want to express that there is a significant number of voting citizens who are carefully watching the actions of the Department of Corrections and strongly advocate for inmate rights and fair treatment for inmates. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
(Your name)
_____________________________________________
Addresses:

The Warden of his facility.... Jonathon R Walls
Menard Correctional Center
711 Kaskaskia Street
P.O. Box 711
Menard, IL 62259

JD's address..... Jodell Dawson, B67250
(same address as above)

State Director of Corrections... Donald Snyder, Jr.
Director, IDOC
1301 CONCORDIA CT
SPRINGFIELD , 62794

Governer......... George Ryan
JRTC, 100 W RANDOLPH, STE 16-100,
Chicago, IL 60601-3220

I should probably add that I would prefer that my name stay out of this issue. I was a former DOC employee and JD and I have been given a very hard time in the past because of that. I don't want to give DOC a reason to punish me. So.... if big brother asks, you learned of his case through his family... :)

Letters are in the mail!

Thank you Michelle!! :)

Hello,

I'll for sure send a letter. Thanks for the example. Don't worry I for sure understand why you want to leave your name out. I have to do the same thing. Keeping you in my prayers.

JD's

Am writing letters now. Am also sending one to JD.
God Bless & keep you both.

Donna

Thanks to both Donna and Renee!! It means a lot that you are willing to help us both out this way!! :)

I'M GETTING A LETTER OFF TOO--HOPE IT HELPS

SHERRI

Ditto....what everyone else said.

Take care
Joy

Have I mentioned lately that you guys are awesome?!? :)

SEnding mine off too!! and one to JD as well!! you are awesome too!!! :D thanks again for the pep talk!

I will send a letter out in the morning - hope it helps!

I've sent mine out yesterday evening. Need to put some international pressure on these people! :)

EXCELLENT!! Thank you VERY much (both Soraya and Danielle).... I did make a little more progress and talked to a representative of a prison reform/inmate advocacy organization (that has a little clout here in IL) and they are also writing a letter to the warden.... Will let everyone know when I hear something.... I am on-call for work this weekend, so am hoping to get a chance to try to do some research, but won't be able to leave the town I live in to go to the law library at the university.... Thanks for your on-going support...

ok I am late but rest assured I am going to send the letters as well. No problem and I would be more then happy to do it... Can you do me a favor and email me the sample letter and addresses to my work email my printer is on the frits. dh291@damilerchrysler.com

thanks girl

I got a letter from JD today... I almost feel a little guilty being so happy about it (because I know he probably had to trade his meals for another envelope...)
But... he basically says that he is hangin in there... they still aren't giving him his meds and the psychiatrist he was seeing is gone... He did express that he is very grateful for all that I have been doing.. which is always nice... :)
He did write (and I quote): " I haven't gotten any letters from the peeps at PTO yet, but please tell them that I'm really looking forward to it and tell them I really appreciate their concern and support!!"
:)

TELL OUR BOY THEY ARE ON THE WAY. HANG IN THERE

Yeah Shortie... he actually commented in his letter about how he needs to continue to work on patience!! :) That is something we are both working on... :)
He knows y'all are here for him.... he really isn't hard up for letters... I type them on the computer and usually write over 5 pages a day.... and then add pages with jokes and other little tidbits.... I have to remind him every once in awhile that in THAT aspect, he is spoiled... :) I just can't wait for the day when he can be here on PTO himself!! :)

I am glad to hear that JD is hangin in there! He is a strong man!
That's also great that he knows how much you are doing for him & he is grateful for all the work you have been doing to help him out!
With all your research & persistance you are going to get him out of this very UNFAIR situation!
You both hang in there & continue to be strong!

Take care!
D