lulu
05-04-2004, 07:17 AM
Some inmates sent to Texas agitate to return to Arizona
12:34 PM MST on Sunday, May 2, 2004
By Barrett Marson / Arizona Daily Star
KMSB
http://www.fox11az.com/news/state/stories/050204cckkFOX11azinmates.182
4a6134.html
PHOENIX - Groups of Arizona prisoners transferred to a Texas private
prison staged fights and hunger strikes to either improve conditions
or earn transfers back to Arizona.
According to records released by the Arizona Department of
Corrections, more than 240 Mexican nationals refused to eat for more
than a day because of how the work assignments were handed out by
prison officials, and then refused to go to assigned positions. At
least eight inmates continued the hunger strike, which began April
11, through April 17.
In another incident, a fight broke out between Mexican nationals and
an unidentified gang. The investigation showed that, in part, inmates
hoped to create a big enough disturbance that they would get
transfers back to Arizona prisons.
Tension noted for some time
"Tension has been noted within the unit for quite some time, due to
issues, such as the current food service assignments, phone access,
restricted movement, long distance relations with families and
limited commissary that they claim remain unresolved," the report
reads.
The incident report from Wackenhut Corp.'s Pecos, Texas, prison
officials recommends eight inmates be sent back to Arizona because
they are security problems.
In the report obtained by the Arizona Daily Star through the state's
open-records law, all inmate names and gang affiliations were
deleted.
No inmate has been sent back to Arizona yet, pending a review of each
prisoner's security classification.
The report details a fight between two groups of prisoners, with at
least 14 taking part in the late-night April 10 fight. The subsequent
investigation showed that some inmates from each group were
conspiring to get back to Arizona.
Arizona prisons spokeswoman Cam Hunter said Wackenhut reacted well to
the situation, and the state has resumed sending inmates to Texas.
About 650 inmates are expected to be there by next week.
"They were wonderful. They were responsive," Hunter said. "We would
not have resumed the transfer. Any time there is a perception of a
problem, we stop and assess things."
Specifically, "a disturbance was allegedly planned in an attempt to
receive transfers back to Arizona," the report states. "Both groups
continue to blame each other for the conspiracy."
Mexican nationals angered
Work assignments angered Mexican nationals, according to the report.
They were upset that no Mexican nationals were preparing food, and
decided not to eat several meals to protest.
The warden at the Pecos facility, Martin McDaniel, did not return a
call seeking comment.
The decision last year by the Arizona Legislature to ship about 2,000
inmates to out-of-state prisons angered some inmate family members,
mainly because contact with inmates will be limited by the financial
ability to travel to either Texas or another prison in Oklahoma.
Shannon Downey, whose husband, Matthew, was sent last week to Pecos,
said she is concerned that some inmates will use the system to return
to Arizona while the ones who comply with the rules must stay in
Texas at least six months.
"He's already told me that there are a lot of people over there who
are trying to get themselves in trouble so they can get themselves
moved back," Downey said. "He wants to be able to come back in six
months. So he is trying to keep out of trouble."
The prison system needs to ensure that the private facilities are
operated on par with the state's, said Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, D-
Tucson, who sits on the Appropriations Committee.
° Contact reporter Barrett Marson at 1-602- 271-0623 or at
bmarson@azstarnet.com.
12:34 PM MST on Sunday, May 2, 2004
By Barrett Marson / Arizona Daily Star
KMSB
http://www.fox11az.com/news/state/stories/050204cckkFOX11azinmates.182
4a6134.html
PHOENIX - Groups of Arizona prisoners transferred to a Texas private
prison staged fights and hunger strikes to either improve conditions
or earn transfers back to Arizona.
According to records released by the Arizona Department of
Corrections, more than 240 Mexican nationals refused to eat for more
than a day because of how the work assignments were handed out by
prison officials, and then refused to go to assigned positions. At
least eight inmates continued the hunger strike, which began April
11, through April 17.
In another incident, a fight broke out between Mexican nationals and
an unidentified gang. The investigation showed that, in part, inmates
hoped to create a big enough disturbance that they would get
transfers back to Arizona prisons.
Tension noted for some time
"Tension has been noted within the unit for quite some time, due to
issues, such as the current food service assignments, phone access,
restricted movement, long distance relations with families and
limited commissary that they claim remain unresolved," the report
reads.
The incident report from Wackenhut Corp.'s Pecos, Texas, prison
officials recommends eight inmates be sent back to Arizona because
they are security problems.
In the report obtained by the Arizona Daily Star through the state's
open-records law, all inmate names and gang affiliations were
deleted.
No inmate has been sent back to Arizona yet, pending a review of each
prisoner's security classification.
The report details a fight between two groups of prisoners, with at
least 14 taking part in the late-night April 10 fight. The subsequent
investigation showed that some inmates from each group were
conspiring to get back to Arizona.
Arizona prisons spokeswoman Cam Hunter said Wackenhut reacted well to
the situation, and the state has resumed sending inmates to Texas.
About 650 inmates are expected to be there by next week.
"They were wonderful. They were responsive," Hunter said. "We would
not have resumed the transfer. Any time there is a perception of a
problem, we stop and assess things."
Specifically, "a disturbance was allegedly planned in an attempt to
receive transfers back to Arizona," the report states. "Both groups
continue to blame each other for the conspiracy."
Mexican nationals angered
Work assignments angered Mexican nationals, according to the report.
They were upset that no Mexican nationals were preparing food, and
decided not to eat several meals to protest.
The warden at the Pecos facility, Martin McDaniel, did not return a
call seeking comment.
The decision last year by the Arizona Legislature to ship about 2,000
inmates to out-of-state prisons angered some inmate family members,
mainly because contact with inmates will be limited by the financial
ability to travel to either Texas or another prison in Oklahoma.
Shannon Downey, whose husband, Matthew, was sent last week to Pecos,
said she is concerned that some inmates will use the system to return
to Arizona while the ones who comply with the rules must stay in
Texas at least six months.
"He's already told me that there are a lot of people over there who
are trying to get themselves in trouble so they can get themselves
moved back," Downey said. "He wants to be able to come back in six
months. So he is trying to keep out of trouble."
The prison system needs to ensure that the private facilities are
operated on par with the state's, said Sen. Gabrielle Giffords, D-
Tucson, who sits on the Appropriations Committee.
° Contact reporter Barrett Marson at 1-602- 271-0623 or at
bmarson@azstarnet.com.