Illegal Denial of Video Visits on Secure Housing Unit (SHU) at WVCF by Kwame Shakur
by Kwame “Beans” Shakur
Due to the Covid-19 virus Wabash Valley Correctional Facility closed the visitation room in March. Those of us held captive in the SHU have not been able to see our loved ones in 9 months, however, population has still been allowed to maintain contact with the outside world during this pandemic thru the use of video visits on kiosk machines located in every cell house.
The refusal to place kiosk on the SHU even prior to the pandemic is another form of sensory deprivation used to break the minds & spirits of those held in solitary confinement. To my knowledge this is the only lock up unit in the state that does not have video visitation as an option, an option that exists in order to make visits more convenient due to the fact most of us are shipped across the state hours away from home and a lot of our loved ones work during visitation hours. Under normal circumstances 9 months in captivity with no interaction from a loved one is enough to cause an individual to experience a number of issues, not to mention the uncertain times We find ourselves in now. With family members and loved ones dying and testing positive for covid-19, the refusal to place a kiosk machine on the SHU is causing extreme mental & emotional distress for both captives and those on the outside.
The SHU is also the only lockup unit in the state that does not allow individuals on disciplinary segregation to purchase "picture tickets/tokens" on commissary. I have been housed on the SHU since July 31 ,2018 and in that time I have not been allowed to have a picture taken to send to my family.
Following the visitation room closure in March, GTL began giving out 2 free 5 min calls every week for everybody locked up using their services. They followed that by also giving out free video visits each week. So, even a super exploiter- parasite company like GTL understands the hard times we are all experiencing as a people and the need for ones to have contact and support from the outside world. With that being said I am demanding that my captors place kiosk machines for video visits on the SHU as soon as possible and allow ones to have their pictures taken on disciplinary segregation. #prisonlivesmatter