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Article by Garrison Johnson

                This communication is intended for the men and women imprisoned in the state of California. Wake-up, come together and expedite what's truly ours. What I'm referring to is taking the Inmate Welfare Funds (IWF) out of the control and management of CDCR. For those who are not aware, there is over one-hundred million dollars in the IWF account. Under state law, the money in the Inmate Welfare Fund is to be used for the benefit of prisoners confined in the state of California. However, that's not entirely the way our money is being utilized, mainly because of the misappropriation and embezzlement by past and present CDCR wardens.

                State law regulates that each prison establishes an Inmate Advisory Council (Mac-Rep.) and select a chairperson for each council. It is the chairperson of each prison who is authorized by law to determine how the Inmate Welfare Funds are to be spent at a particular prison for the benefit of the inmates.

                Please bear in mind that the Inmate Advisory Council chairpersons are often uneducated and totally ignorant to the rules and regulations governing his or her responsibilities and legal rights as stewards over the millions of dollars belonging to California prisoner. It's because of this ignorance the Inmate Welfare Funds are being manipulated and misappropriated by CDCR wardens.

                Now as I stated earlier, the millions of dollars in the IWF is to be spent for the benefit of the inmates. However, the CDCR wardens limit's the area of benefit to recreation equipment and supplies, video's and cable channels. However, after pressure from the California Prison Focus (CPF) the CDCR has allowed the monies from the Inmate Welfare Fund to be used to accommodate inmate visitors. Also, there's a well kept secret that most inmates including the Inmate Advisory Council is oblivious to. That is the majority of the business that CDCR wardens approve the purchases of recreation equipment, etc., are owned by correctional officers, and the Inmate Advisory Council sign off to venders selected by the warden unaware of this fact.

                The funds in the Inmate Welfare Fund account can be used in other areas than what the CDCR limits use to. For example, the funds could be used to have attorney to represent class action lawsuits challenging prison conditions, to create legislation that benefits prisoners and much more. It's time for all California prisoners to overcome their racial indifferences and unite as one body striving to comprehensively influence how the Inmate Welfare Funds are spent. First and foremost, we should petition the court place the management of the Inmate Welfare Fund under the supervision of the California Prison Focus; that the Inmate Advisory Council submit its recommendations to CPF concerning what purchases should be made through the IWF funds; and CPF shall negotiate on behalf of the Inmate Advisory Council with CDCR for approval of the Inmate Advisory Council's recommendations. Through litigation it can be proving that the IWF funds are being misappropriated under the control of CDCR, and without outside supervision said misappropriation will continue. So are we going to continue sleeping or wake-up? This cannot be done without overwhelming support from inmate in all CDCR correctional facilities. Therefore, I appeal to those imprisoned in the state of California to send me a letter in c/o CPF, expressing your wishes as an inmate to have the California Prison organization oversee and manage the Inmate Welfare fund of behalf of California prisoners and, if so, I will initiate a lawsuit to this effect.

By GSJ

ãCopyright by GSJ 2009