I am an “Adult in Custody” at Copper Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF) and previously held at Washington County Jail, both in Oregon. The treatment many of us here receive from friends, family and the general public while at CCCF and in Jail is something I would have expected in a previous Century with the amount of prejudice and stigma I have witnessed. It is heart breaking because we have people here as a result of false charges and I believe that is unconstitutional.
The medical care is non-existent during this time of COVID, which is inconsistent with human decency. This needs to be addressed. We have people here that had paid taxes their whole lives and to have to come here and suffer with painful injuries, some caused by the prison or jail, is unconstitutional. We have people who did not test positive for COVID sitting in isolation as well, which should not be happening. There have also been lawsuits filed against the prison for exposure to COVID and they have won.
Our rights to counsel, a fair trial, right to remain silent, freedom of speech and freedom of religion need to be respected, and the punishments, threats, harassment, micro-management, slave labor wages and discrimination need to stop. More education needs to be provided, as we have some very intelligent people here doing menial jobs, which is a total waste of brain power and makes no sense. Also, people with extensive schooling in the medical field and others should still be able to work, as the system has people who have been falsely accused and the some women take false charges just so they can go back to their families. That is no reason to throw a lifetime of education and experience away or tell people they cannot work in their field of study. Corrections officers and deputies should be required to have more education and training for dealing with people with people with mental illness, medial disabilities and the elderly to improve understanding and compassion for these people and others.
There should be more respect for people’s personal property in jail and the inflated commissary prices need to stop. If people are going to be isolated, they need to have books, magazines or electronics available and allowed more access to phone calls and showers.
I have also seen so much food waste here and yet the staff is still dolling out minimal servings or none at all. With the amount of food being thrown away here, no one should be going hungry.
Here at CCCF there have been lawsuits fought and won against the Facility for exposure to COVID. There has been a general disorganization here and people who didn’t even test positive have been isolated for months, which feels more like for punishment reasons due to lack of social interaction. At the same time we have been moved into a former COVID isolation unit and it was obvious the cell was not cleaned (and my roommate is not vaccinated). All the orderlies assigned to cleaning empty cells have been put at risk. The masks we are given here are not medical grade and not consistent with masks specified by the Governor of the State. My unvaccinated roommate works in the Clinic and is exposed to everyone in the prison. She is also forced by her supervisor to stay extra hours on her job when her work is finished. We also have people here who are hiding their COVID because they do not want to be isolated. I am wondering if we should file a Class Action lawsuit against the prison. Anyone with information or advice on these matters, please respond. Our health and safety in not being properly taken into consideration here.
Sincerely yours,
An AIC at CCCF