In mid-March we received a memo stating there was no corona virus in the IDOC. Nevertheless, we have been put on lockdown, because of “coronavirus.”
Continue reading “Corona Virus Measures in the Illinois Prisons”Author: Larry Harris
My name is Larry “Rocky” Harris and I am serving a sixty-five year prison term in the state of Illinois for a crime I didn’t commit. After I went to prison, I began to study the law, and now I am what is called a “prison lawyer.” I provide legal advice to inmates who can't afford a lawyer. I am looking forward to telling my story in this blog, and also providing a forum for prisoners everywhere.
Commissary Issues
Understaffed
After my transfer to Centralia Correctional Center, I wrote a letter to the Warden and to Governor Pritzker about the commissary not being fully manned. They are missing an employee to ring out sales in one of the four windows. Because the Commissary is understaffed, we have no weekly shopping. Even though I am now in A-Grade, I am not allowed a weekly shop, but more importantly, 60 percent of the revenue raised at the Commissary goes into the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) budget. Thus the prison is losing 25 percent of the sales revenue daily because the fourth window is not manned and the prisoners can only shop twice a month instead of weekly. So actually 50 percent of the monthly income to the IDOC budget is not generated. Then the taxpayer is forced to pick up this lost revenue with their taxes.
Continue reading “Commissary Issues”A Prisoner’s First Amendment Rights
In a very important and groundbreaking case, I have finally won the First Amendment right to hold the Department of Corrections staff accountable for their acts behind these walls and fences. See Harris-vs-Calloway, 2:17-cv-02075-MMM in the U.S. Central District Peoria Division.
Continue reading “A Prisoner’s First Amendment Rights”Every Prison Should Be Like This
My new prison home, Centralia, should be used as an example to run the other prisons by.
Staff are respectable toward the prisoners. If you ask a question they help you, and tell you the truth—something I have not experienced in a lot of years now. This place runs on the principle the prisoner receives what he has coming by law. Only an idiot would violate the rules and get his programs and privileges revoked.
Continue reading “Every Prison Should Be Like This”History Repeats Itself
On January 7, I appeared in court in Peoria for my case Harris vs Calloway et. Al. 2:17-cv-02075-MMM Document #58. The judge has ruled in my favor in this land-breaking case—he ruled that I could not be punished for exercising my First Amendment rights.
No longer can the prisoner be punished for exposing the malfeasance and corruption in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Continue reading “History Repeats Itself”Dangerous Situation at East Moline Correctional Center
We have a very dangerous situation here at East Moline Correctional Center. As I have reported on my Facebook Page, an African American gang has been stealing from the inmates here. As the prison authorities will not allow us to lock our cells (as is required), we are easy targets. A few weeks ago, they stole about two-thousand-dollars worth of possessions from me, including food. Of course, I filed a grievance; however, the grievance was not passed along to Internal Affairs as it should have been. Moreover, the perpetrators have not been adequately punished—just a slap on the hands—and have continued their stealing activities. In fact, many of the inmates here are fearful of their lives, as it seems that the gang activity will continue unchecked.
Continue reading “Dangerous Situation at East Moline Correctional Center”Update on East Moline Correctional Center
Happy Fourth of July to my readers! I hope you had a great day on this one of independence. I thought I would give you an update on my situation here.
Continue reading “Update on East Moline Correctional Center”Good News and Bad News at East Moline
Let me give you the good news first:
The commissary issues are being addressed. Change was brought by posting the current practice and discriminatory policy in place on social media outlets. The limit of one-hundred dollars per shop on food items was raised to one hundred fifty. I believe this was an act to pacify me so we would quit raising this issue for public review.
So let us review here…
Continue reading “Good News and Bad News at East Moline”Problems In Paradise
As stated in my last blog, in March I was transferred from Shawnee, which is run like a maximum security prison, to East Moline Correctional Center, which is considered a minimum security prison.
Continue reading “Problems In Paradise”Dangerous Condition of Confinement
Well, the year is about over. I have won some of my cases, but lost the big one on the soy diet. Well, kinda lost. The Seventh Circuit court of Appeal denied my case. They stated that the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) dietary staff would not be held accountable for the soy diet being detrimental to my health. So there will be no compensation for the life-long disease of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis that I developed from eating the soy diet. The pacemaker in my chest due to the thyroid disease will not see compensation.
Continue reading “Dangerous Condition of Confinement”