Tag Archives: hunger

‘There has been remarkable improvement–Thank you!’

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12-21-16

Dear —,

My deepest apologies. This letter is well overdue. Through no other fault than my own, I have avoided writing for the past 12-14 months. I blame this avoidance on my own indolence, self-consciousness of my penmanship (sloppy and unreadable), and also mostly due to the depression of being incarcerated and what I’ve lived through in the hands of the city of Durham Police department. I believe you have spoken with my parents; you may already be aware of some of what has happened to me.  Continue reading →

‘You need to see what goes on behind closed doors’

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What’s up IOA?

First off, thanks for reaching out to me. I’m just now getting your letter…7 DAYS LATER!!

I can’t stand how this system treats us, it’s like they couldn’t care less about what goes on with us because they wear a badge and can go home at the end of the day. Some of these officers think they can say and do what they want because we wear orange. But we humans, too and we got rights as well. Continue reading →

‘…more like Durham County Jungle…’

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Peace and Love IOA!!!

I hope all is well with you all…peace and love to all the comrades as well!!! Durham County Jail, laugh my butt off more like, Durham County Jungle! You really want to know how is the food in here…Well, let me start by saying it’s some shit. Picture, left over gravy rice, mixed with broccoli, and baby apple sauce on the side. Potatoes that aren’t cooked. Fried chicken patties that are not fried. Fake ass hamburgers. Hot dogs, well hot dogs are so bad I can’t explain them. HOT DOGS SHOULDN’T BE THREE DIFFERENT COLORS! Continue reading →

‘This jail needs to be flushed out and reorganized’

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Hello IOA,

My name is Bernard Cheek. I don’t care if anyone see my name. I’m not afraid of any man or woman but Jesus and God. I would like to say the medical screening is a joke here, they don’t have the right size blood pressure cuff for my arm. The commissary is too high for the inmates, GTL is making a killing off of inmate phone calls. The hot tray they sell are very expensive. The c.o.s get wholesome food at very reasonable prices. The inmates pay for the c.o.s food, because Aramark, the jail’s food service provider triples the inmates’ hot tray price. Continue reading →

DCJ Objective: To cause as much misery and discomfort as possible

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Hey,

How’s it hanging? I pray that God blesses you and all those who are associated with IOA and he provides the resources needed to make a major change, not only in our lives in here but out there in your lives as well. Now what I meant by Durham County Jail “unequivocally causing conflict…” this is the inside scoop. Continue reading →

‘It’s the little things that get a smile on our faces in here’

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5-5-16

It was great to receive your letter…it made me laugh. I was thrilled to see the pictures of Edward Crawford in Ferguson. Thank you guys! It is yet another dreary day in the pokey. I was startled today when I opened my lunch tray to the scent of real meat! Although you could tell it was a hamburger patty of mostly soy, I could see, smell and taste hints of meat. Most likely it was road kill of an unknown variety and not beef. Maybe it was bison? Maybe it was skunk or even turtle meat. Continue reading →

‘We deserve better point blank period”

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To IOA,

Whatever you all are doing is making a difference slowly but surely. We now receive three hot meals a day, but there is a catch to it…they slack on our portion sizes terribly. March 23-24 2016 this change took effect at dinner around 4:00-4:30 pm. We were served Spanish rice, and a piece of cornbread, with a single slot of applesauce. On the 24-25 of March 2016 at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast we were given two small pieces of sweet bread, a slot of oatmeal, and a single slot of syrup. Lunch came and we received a burger, slaw, beans and soy, and a slot of applesauce. And so forth. Continue reading →

‘Canteen items are outrageously expensive’

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2-12-16

Hello —

Thank you for taking the time to write me back. All of the inmates here in medical pod 3C south appreciate your individual and the collective efforts put forth by Inside-Outside Alliance. We have not heard anything regarding the recent death of Matthew McCain. We were all shocked and saddened by the news. Our prayers go out to his family.

A little about myself. I feel like I’m the youngest person in the entire jail, yet I am 18 years old. I have been here for 10 months with no end in sight. Continue reading →

‘They say ‘sir’ while kicking the shit out of us’

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Sorry it’s taken so long to get back to you. I’ve been busy!

They are continually housing state inmates with county detainees and it is causing problems…I myself have been constantly double bunked with county detainees and am told they can bunk me with whoever they want. We state inmates are regarded as regular detainees, when we are not. I work 35 to 40 hours a week for Aramark without pay, however I eat well, better than the others. I have not seen any caseworker, and they fucked up my release date to keep me here longer. My lawyer…is working to help me get it fixed, but it’s slow going.  Continue reading →

‘They treat us as if we’re other than human’

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How is everything going?

Well, I received your letter & it came to me as a surprise cause I watch you all out there every Friday thru my window right in the front. So I want to thank you & everyone else for the time & concern you all are giving us here, the inmates of the Durham County Jail. And I do have a few things I would like to shed some light at about the problems & the conditions we are having in this jail! These problems are nothing new. It has been going on for some time! Continue reading →