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"I can relate to your experiences at SCI-Frackville [state prison
in eastcentral Pennsylvania]. My husband was sent there two years
ago for a parole violation. The one time I went to visit him
I had the worst experience of my life.
"My husband is black; I'm white. Apparently the staff, especially the then superintendent Joe Chesney, do not agree with interracial relationships. At the time Chesney was the super at Frackville. He's since moved to SCI-Retreat. "About two hours into our visit, a guard came out to the visiting area. He advise us that our visit was terminated. No explanation was given at the time. There was a couple at a table across from us who had been warned several times about 'inappropriate' [meaning affectionate] behavior. Mind you, both of them were black. Their visit was not terminated. "A few weeks after our visit, I received a certified letter from SCI-Frackville. It advised me that I was banned from SCI-Frackville as well as from any other Pennsylvania correctional facility. The reason given to my husband was that I had been 'inappropriately' touching him. "My husband sent several requests to Superintendent Chesney to have our visits reinstated. The final request resulted in a response indicating that if the issue was not dropped, charges of sexual assault on an inmate would be filed against me. 1 "I live in Pittsburgh and got to Frackville through the Families Outside program. At Frackville I had to wait several hours, but I was told I couldn't wait outside! "My husband is currently at [another state prison]. I visit him every weekend; no problems at all! Most of the guards are actually very friendly.2 We have never been warned of any inappropriate behavior or had a visit terminated at [this prison]. "Due to the facility closing it's likely that my husband will be moved back to Frackville. I know that our trouble had to do with race.3 My husband was scheduled to be sent to Frackville last week, but due to the prison bus breaking down, it was put off but could occur any day." 1A wife cannot be guilty of sexual assault of a prisoner. That charge is limited to assaults by guards or other persons in authority. Sexual assault by guards on prisoners is quite common. Almost all such assaults are homosexual in nature. At Frackville, it's reported to occur in the hole (no pun intended). This is just another example of the dishonesty and intimidation used by the Frackville prison staff. 2It's not unusual to find "normal" guards at some of the state prisons. Generally, prison administrators try to put guards in the visiting room who possess some skill at interacting with people and who have pleasant personalities. By contrast, the guard staff at Frackville is the worst and most inept in the state. Almost all are bullies who lack basic skills of talking to, and dealing with others. The regular guards in the Frackville visiting room are utterly inept; crude, rude, self-important, intrusive and callous. Not only do they lack elementary manners, but they lack good sense. 3 Racism is rampant at the Frackville prison. Everyone is treated badly, but blacks seem to be treated worst of all. You are welcome to use or republish
any of our material.
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