ati2d
09-13-2003, 11:57 PM
I wasn't sure where to post this, but since I had to write letters, make phone calls, and generally be an inmate's advocate recently, I found lots of good resources that I wanted to share with people with loved ones in the California system.
http://www.prisonlaw.com/eventsa.htm
Offices Established to Conduct Investigations of Staff Misconduct or Other Conditions of Confinement Problems
If a prisoner believes that his or her rights have been violated by the CDC, the prisoner should first file a CDC 602 administrative appeal. The people and organizations listed below will not help unless the prisoner has first tried to solve the problem through the 602 process, unless it is an emergency.
CDC Office of Internal Affairs
If the problem is a serious allegation of staff misconduct, a prisoner or family member can request an investigation by the CDC Office of Internal Affairs. The prisoner should exhaust the 602 process first. A friend or family member call the Internal Affairs office, but they prefer contact by mail.
Thomas Moore, Assistant Director
Office of Internal Affairs
P.O. Box 3009
Sacramento, CA 95812
(916) 323-5769
CDC Ombudsmen
The Department of Corrections has established an Ombudsman, who reviews, investigates and responds to complaints from inmates, families and friends of inmates, and advocacy groups. The Ombudsman also acts as an advisor to the CDC Director and assists the CDC in forming corrective action plans and developing and implementing new procedures and policies. Anyone can request help from the CDC Ombudsmen or Ombudswomen about any issue of confinement, other than issues relating to sentencing, a criminal case, or INS deportation. An Ombudsman/Ombudswoman is an internal troubleshooter--a CDC employee who has been appointed to investigate inmate complaints. There is one Lead Ombudsman several Ombudsman/Ombudswomen who are assigned to help prisoners at certain prisons.
The most effective way to get help from the Ombudsman is to briefly describe the problem, what has already been done to try to resolve it (for example, talking to staff, filing 602s, writing outside organizations), and what the prisoner wants to be done. In general, the key is to be brief and clear. Do not include information on every problem the prisoner ever had--focus on the one or two problems that are most urgent. The ombudsmen and ombudswomen typically will not help prisoners who have not tried to resolve the problem through the regular grievance process, unless it is an emergency. Those requests for help will simply be re-routed back into the prison.
Any prisoner can write to the ombudsman or ombudswoman at the relevant prison by sending a Request for Interview form in a U Save ‘Em envelope. Prisoners and family members can also write to the Ombudsmen at their Sacramento address (a prisoner should write Confidental Legal Mail on the envelope). If there is no ombudsman assigned to the prison, a prisoner or family member can write to any of them; although they will not be able to come to the prison to investigate the problem, they might be able to help.
Sacramento address for all ombudspeople:
P.O. Box 348780
Sacramento, CA 95834
fax # (916) 324-8263
Or call the following numbers:
Ken Hurdle, Lead Ombudsman and CSP-Sacramento -- (916) 445-1748 or (916) 985-8610
Chris Weaver, High Desert State Prison -- (916) 445-1769 or (530) 251-5023
Domingo Uribe, Salinas Valley State Prison -- (916) 324-5448 or (831) 678-5500
Duncan Fallon, Pelican Bay State Prison -- (916) 327-8446 or (707) 465-9171
Deborah Zeh, All Women's Prisons -- (916) 327-8467 or (559) 665-5531
The designated Ombudsman posititions for other institutions are currently vacant.
Click here for a suggested format for complaints.
Office of the Inspector General
Prisoners and their families can also send complaints to the independent Office of the Inspector General. This is an office that was set up to investigate problems in the CDC and in the California Youth Authority. It is an independent agency, not part of the CDC or the CYA. (The Office of Internal Affairs and the ombudsmen and ombudswomen are all part of the CDC.) Again, before sending a complaint to this office a prisoner should try to use the 602 procedure. If that does not work, their address is:
Steve White
Office of the Inspector General
Youth and Adult Correctional Agency
P.O. Box 348780
Sacramento, CA 95834
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Prison Law Office is a private nonprofit tax-exempt organization.
Donations (including used computer equipment) are tax deductible.
.................................................. ..........................................
I faxed a letter to many of the people on this list. The Ombudsman called me back within an hour after receiving my fax. The Ombudsman said that he was going to visit my friend & talk to him about his situation. Today, I received a letter from the Senior Special Agent, Internal Affairs. He has also forwarded a copy of the fax to the Warden of my friend's prison. A couple of days ago, the Administrative Assistant to the Warden called me to tell me that he was working on speeding up the investigation of my friend's issue. (other friends & family members have also been making calls & writing letters.)
Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know the success we've had here in California contacting officials regarding our problem. I think they know that we're serious about this & I'm not going to relent.
I hope this info can help someone else.:o
http://www.prisonlaw.com/eventsa.htm
Offices Established to Conduct Investigations of Staff Misconduct or Other Conditions of Confinement Problems
If a prisoner believes that his or her rights have been violated by the CDC, the prisoner should first file a CDC 602 administrative appeal. The people and organizations listed below will not help unless the prisoner has first tried to solve the problem through the 602 process, unless it is an emergency.
CDC Office of Internal Affairs
If the problem is a serious allegation of staff misconduct, a prisoner or family member can request an investigation by the CDC Office of Internal Affairs. The prisoner should exhaust the 602 process first. A friend or family member call the Internal Affairs office, but they prefer contact by mail.
Thomas Moore, Assistant Director
Office of Internal Affairs
P.O. Box 3009
Sacramento, CA 95812
(916) 323-5769
CDC Ombudsmen
The Department of Corrections has established an Ombudsman, who reviews, investigates and responds to complaints from inmates, families and friends of inmates, and advocacy groups. The Ombudsman also acts as an advisor to the CDC Director and assists the CDC in forming corrective action plans and developing and implementing new procedures and policies. Anyone can request help from the CDC Ombudsmen or Ombudswomen about any issue of confinement, other than issues relating to sentencing, a criminal case, or INS deportation. An Ombudsman/Ombudswoman is an internal troubleshooter--a CDC employee who has been appointed to investigate inmate complaints. There is one Lead Ombudsman several Ombudsman/Ombudswomen who are assigned to help prisoners at certain prisons.
The most effective way to get help from the Ombudsman is to briefly describe the problem, what has already been done to try to resolve it (for example, talking to staff, filing 602s, writing outside organizations), and what the prisoner wants to be done. In general, the key is to be brief and clear. Do not include information on every problem the prisoner ever had--focus on the one or two problems that are most urgent. The ombudsmen and ombudswomen typically will not help prisoners who have not tried to resolve the problem through the regular grievance process, unless it is an emergency. Those requests for help will simply be re-routed back into the prison.
Any prisoner can write to the ombudsman or ombudswoman at the relevant prison by sending a Request for Interview form in a U Save ‘Em envelope. Prisoners and family members can also write to the Ombudsmen at their Sacramento address (a prisoner should write Confidental Legal Mail on the envelope). If there is no ombudsman assigned to the prison, a prisoner or family member can write to any of them; although they will not be able to come to the prison to investigate the problem, they might be able to help.
Sacramento address for all ombudspeople:
P.O. Box 348780
Sacramento, CA 95834
fax # (916) 324-8263
Or call the following numbers:
Ken Hurdle, Lead Ombudsman and CSP-Sacramento -- (916) 445-1748 or (916) 985-8610
Chris Weaver, High Desert State Prison -- (916) 445-1769 or (530) 251-5023
Domingo Uribe, Salinas Valley State Prison -- (916) 324-5448 or (831) 678-5500
Duncan Fallon, Pelican Bay State Prison -- (916) 327-8446 or (707) 465-9171
Deborah Zeh, All Women's Prisons -- (916) 327-8467 or (559) 665-5531
The designated Ombudsman posititions for other institutions are currently vacant.
Click here for a suggested format for complaints.
Office of the Inspector General
Prisoners and their families can also send complaints to the independent Office of the Inspector General. This is an office that was set up to investigate problems in the CDC and in the California Youth Authority. It is an independent agency, not part of the CDC or the CYA. (The Office of Internal Affairs and the ombudsmen and ombudswomen are all part of the CDC.) Again, before sending a complaint to this office a prisoner should try to use the 602 procedure. If that does not work, their address is:
Steve White
Office of the Inspector General
Youth and Adult Correctional Agency
P.O. Box 348780
Sacramento, CA 95834
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Prison Law Office is a private nonprofit tax-exempt organization.
Donations (including used computer equipment) are tax deductible.
.................................................. ..........................................
I faxed a letter to many of the people on this list. The Ombudsman called me back within an hour after receiving my fax. The Ombudsman said that he was going to visit my friend & talk to him about his situation. Today, I received a letter from the Senior Special Agent, Internal Affairs. He has also forwarded a copy of the fax to the Warden of my friend's prison. A couple of days ago, the Administrative Assistant to the Warden called me to tell me that he was working on speeding up the investigation of my friend's issue. (other friends & family members have also been making calls & writing letters.)
Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know the success we've had here in California contacting officials regarding our problem. I think they know that we're serious about this & I'm not going to relent.
I hope this info can help someone else.:o