Changes at Perryville Women’s Prison (Part 1 by Lifer Renee)

Renee – As a teenager, Renee received a 60-year sentence from a judge in Pima County. 15 years into her sentence, she’s writing from Perryville prison in Goodyear, Arizona, providing a rare and unique insight into a women's prison.

After Marcia Powell died because of the guards, so much has happened. I went a round or two with depression. Her death was a slap in the face of what the reality of my life is. All of us who reside in this prison felt it. It was hard to deal with, but life goes on.

Her death has changed the dynamics of life here drastically. There are now larger “rec enclosures” no longer to be referred to as cages. In the guards’ inner circles, they are referred to as “play pens.” There are mister systems and shade structures.

There is a new administration: DW [Deputy Warden], ADW [Assistant Deputy Warden], and captain. The DW is out of control. If you have an opinion, something to say and it goes against what he says, you’ll find yourself moved to the hole in the blink of an eye. This has happened to several women. They also move you into the kitchen with 56 other women if you ask for a room change because you do not get along with your roommate, and this is escalating the fighting.

26 yard (closed custody) has lost an increasing amount of rec time. The women who are trying to be responsible and have a job miss out on rec when they are at work. They are not even allowed to take showers anymore when they get back from work. The response from the officers is “Take your shower on your rec time.” But they can’t just leave their job to take a shower. So either the ladies chance a ticket by getting a shower anyway, not bathe, or wash up in the sink (referred to as a “ho bath”) [known as a “bird bath” in the men’s’ prison].

Well two days ago, 100 inmates had had enough. They refused to lock down. Simply, they were tired of not getting their rec. 100 disciplinary tickets were written.

Administration said there were fights, people were taxing people, robbing, breaking/rigging their cell doors and God knows what else. So they locked 26 yard down for 48 hours. They moved all of the “problem inmates” to D pod, next to the control room so they could all be supervised. They received a nice green bologna sandwich for breakfast.

Click here for Renee's previous blog about the guards pepper-spraying a dead female prisoner.

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Shaun P. Attwood