Inside FCI Fairton Jason Gerhard An enormous amount of money is

Inside FCI Fairton
Jason Gerhard
An enormous amount of money is spent on the federal p r i s o n system. In 2013, i t
was calculated at $29,291 per year, or $80.25 every day for every prisoner, all 210,000 of
t h e m . i The b i l l i o n dollar question then becomes w h e t h e r this money is being spent
judiciously or like the vast m a j o r i t y of federal programs is being m i s a p p r o p r i a t e d . After
having spent the last six years at Federal Correctional I n s t i t u t i o n Fairton, New Jersey, i t has
become obvious to me t h a t there is the rosy story sold to the public and the v e r y different
reality that exists just beyond the razor w i r e .
T h e ACA ABCs
Every three years, the American Correctional Association, a private, n o n - p r o f i t
organization, conducts an audit at Fairton in order to re-accredit the facility. Though
voluntary and non-binding, the process is taken quite serious issue b y prison staff. There
are a number of i n d u s t r y standards, yet failure to meet these standards is acceptable i f
transgressions do not "adversely affect the life, health, and safety of staff or inmates."^
Through the Freedom of I n f o r m a t i o n Act, I was able to obtain copies of the 2007,
2010, and 2013 ACA audits. Curiously, all accounts documenting the various ways i n w h i c h
the i n s t i t u t i o n was noncompliant w e r e redacted f r o m the 2013 r e p o r t . Previously, i n the
2010 audit, names of the staff w e r e redacted i n accordance w i t h "5 USC 552 (b) (6) personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of w h i c h w o u l d constitute a
clearly u n w a r r a n t e d invasion of personal privacy." Using this loophole the names of the
warden, assistant wardens, and other personnel at the administrative and staff levels w e r e
redacted despite the fact t h e i r names appear on countless memorandums and are w e l l
k n o w n to all inmates.
In 2010, Fairton was i n v i o l a t i o n of several standards of serious importance.
Standard 4-4129, "The n u m b e r of inmates does not exceed the facility's rated bed
capacity," is w a y out of whack. F r o m the w a i v e r request we learn that, "The designated
capacity for FCI Fairton is 1264 (FCI 1110; FPC 100; PCU 54), w i t h a c u r r e n t p o p u l a t i o n of
1511 [FCI 1316; FPC 128; PCU 6 7 ) . " (There are three separate facilities on the same plot of
land though fenced off f r o m one another. FCI stands for Federal Correctional I n s t i t u t i o n medium security. FPC is the Federal Prison C a m p - n o fences, the lowest security level.
PCU is a small fortress located next to the FCI's recreation y a r d and is the Protective
Custody Unit where high profile informants find refuge. Government documents refer to
this facility by the m o n i k e r "Sierra.")
Standard 4-4132 requires a m i n i m u m of 25-square feet of unencumbered space per
occupant i n a cell. I n the FCI's 3-man cells (retro fitted 2-man cells) the ACA claims only
17.08 feet is available per inmate. Yet this is not accurate. The standard's i n s t r u c t i o n is as
follows: "In d e t e r m i n i n g unencumbered space i n the cell or r o o m , the total square footage
is obtained and the square footage of fixtures and equipment is subtracted. A l l fixtures and
equipment must be i n operational position and must provide the f o l l o w i n g m i n i m u m s per
person: Bed, Plumbing Fixtures [ i f inside the c e l l / r o o m ] . Desk, Locker, Chair, o r Stool." My
results were only 47 square feet i n the 3-man cell. This equates to only 15.7 square feet per
occupant. [This is easily calculated, as each floor tile is one square foot.]
Standard 4-4134 deals w i t h the amenities t h a t each inmate is to have i n t h e i r cell. I f
one is confined to a cell for less than 10 hours daily [as general p o p u l a t i o n is at the FCI), he
is to have a "sleeping surface at least 12 inches off the floor; storage for personal items;
adequate storage space for clothes and personal belongings."
The FCI was found to be i n non-compliance because, "The b o t t o m b u n k i n the 166 3man cells i n the FCI units is only eight and nine inches f r o m the floor." W h i l e three to four
inches is n o t much to complain about [ o r conversely, to brag about), the administration's
response is of most interest.
"Currently, FCI has 166 3-man cells w i t h prefabil'cated 3-man b u n k beds. Each
inmate i n the 3-man cells is provided w i t h a storage b i n and locker for t h e i r personal
effects. Our current housing plan is to not assign the l o w e r bunks, however t h a t varies w i t h
the population that is assigned to FCI Fairton f r o m the Bureau's designation center i n
Texas. A t this time funds are not available to re-do the pre-fabricated bunks."
For starters, no one was ever issued a storage b i n i n the 3-man cells. They w e r e
available for sale i n the commissary for about $80.00, though. Then, on May 28, 2013, the
Captain issued a m e m o r a n d u m f o r b i d d i n g t h e m for anything b u t legal materials.
Secondly, 1 find i t odd t h a t funds were n o t available to redo the prefabricated bunks
in the 3-man cells, b u t there was money a couple years ago to change 10 cells on C-Unit
f r o m 2-mans into 3-mans. Always seems to be money available to squeeze i n more
prisoners.
Standard 4-4139 concerns showers. A t a m i n i m u m there is supposed to be one
shower for every eight inmates. During the 2010 audit, shower ratios w e r e found to be one
shower per 2 1 inmates. We w e r e assured by the i n s t i t u t i o n that there are no complaints
because "inmates have access to showers 15.5 hours per day, seven days per w e e k at the
FCI."
But wait, on March 3, 2009, a memo, "Water Conservation "was p u t out by the
Warden.
"In the general population units, showers w i l l be open f r o m 6:00 A M u n t i l 9:00 A M .
Once cleaned, the showers w i l l remain secured w i t h the exception of one shower open
upstairs and one downstairs. On Friday before Jumah [Muslim] prayer, an additional
shower w i l l be open f r o m 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. After the 4:00 PM count clears, all
showers w i l l be open." If that memo was issued i n March 2009 and the auditors came i n
September of 2010 that means there was roughly 18 months d u r i n g w h i c h this policy was
in effect p r i o r to t h e i r visit.
Later, i n 2 0 1 1 , the W a r d e n confirmed t h a t the policy was still i n effect. I n a w r i t t e n
response, he passed off the blame to the W h i t e House because the, "Bureau of Prisons has
been mandated by the President of the United States to reduce w a t e r consumption b y 2%."
In true Orwellian style, he added, "The i n f o r m a t i o n utilised for the ACA r e p o r t is an
accurate account of the shower availability at FCI Fairton."
Ironically, about 15 months after the w a t e r conservation plan w e n t into effect, the
Health Services department released a memo of t h e i r o w n . The topic: MRSA. For those
unaware, MRSA is a strain of staph that is resistant to antibiotics and causes nasty skin
infections. Thankfully, several tips w e r e p r o v i d e d w i t h i n this memo to reduce the r i s k of
contracting the nebulous MSRA. Inmates w e r e to, "Maintain excellent hygiene t h r o u g h
regular showers..." and to "Shower after participating i n close contact recreational
activities, whenever possible." W e l l , w i t h about 170 people on each u n i t and only t w o
showers open, i t m i g h t n o t be all that possible.
My attempts to determine h o w much money the taxpayers spend for these p h o n y
audits have been predictably stonewalled by the BOP. A n article by Alex Friedman, i n the
October 2014 edition of Prison Legal News, "How the Courts V i e w ACA Accreditation,"
sheds some light on the issue. Friedman w r i t e s , "The organization basically sells
accreditation by charging fees ranging f r o m $8,100 to $19,500 depending on the n u m b e r of
days and auditors involved and the n u m b e r of facilities being accredited." He goes on to
w r i t e , "The ACA relies heavily on such fees; i t r e p o r t e d receiving m o r e t h a n $4.5 m i l l i o n i n
accreditation fees i n 2011-almost half its t o t a l revenue that year." Not bad for t y p i n g up 50
or so pages and w a l k i n g around a prison for a couple d a y s - e v e r y three years.
[Update: As this essay was being edited for the umpteenth t i m e fwhat, y o u can't
tell?] the BOP decided t o finally fulfill m y FOIA r e q u e s t - f i l e d nearly 11-months a g o - t h a t
requested i n f o r m a t i o n concerning h o w much money the ACA has been paid over the last
10-years. True to f o r m , the government only released one year's w o r t h of records-fiscal
year 2013. A n d to t h i n k this is the most transparent a d m i n i s t r a t i o n i n history.
For fiscal year 2013, the American taxpayers w e r e swindled out of $344,536.00 for
pseudo audits, courtesy of the ACA. Audits w e r e " p e r f o r m e d " at 32-institutions for
$9,374.00 a pop and at t w o complexes ( A l l e n w o o d i n Pennsylvania and Terre Haute i n
Indiana] for $22,268.00 each.]
Riding into the R e d
One day, i n 2 0 1 2 , 1 was handed an interesting document. I t was a proposal f r o m the
Supervisor of Recreation at the t i m e , T. B r o w n , to purchase 10 exercise bikes. W h y w o u l d
the i n s t i t u t i o n need m o r e stationary bikes given t h a t there are over a dozen stationary
bikes? Because these new ones generate electricity!
The PlugOut Cycle is simply a stationary bike w i t h a generator and i n v e r t o r
attached, all for a mere $1,399 each. B r o w n figured i t w o u l d cost another $776.45 for
installation materials, b r i n g i n g the grand total to $14,776.45.
Fortunately, this project fell t h r o u g h , or so i t seems. A Freedom of I n f o r m a t i o n Act
request to the BOP asking for details about the project, such as to w h o was to fund i t ,
resulted i n their claiming on March 5, 2013 t h a t no documents existed. The one bike t h a t
was in the gym for several weeks ( u n t i l i t broke) disappeared one day and never r e t u r n e d .
Brown's rationale for the project is enlightening as to the p r e v a i l i n g bureaucratic
mentality. Under the heading, "How Much Money Can You Save," he w r i t e s , "If y o u assume
that most adults w i l l generate 100 Watts continuously ^ d w o r k o u t for 1/2 h o u r on
average, then they w i l l have generated .05 k w h (100 Watts * .5 hours = 50 W a t t hours/1000 Watts=.05 k i l o w a t t - h o u r s ) . This equates to only 1/2 cent per w o r k o u t ,
assuming the u t i l i t y is charging 10 cents per k w h and illuminates the biggest reason w h y
this technology is n o t more w i d e l y used."
Using his figures, i t w o u l d take r u n n i n g the bike 24 hours per day, seven days per
week, for 5,829 days to break even on its $1,399 price tag. That is nearly 16 years. M i n d
you, they only come w i t h a one-year w a r r a n t y . He also claimed the bikes could "be used as
a job description w h i l e being employed i n Recreation." Guess the bikes w e r e n ' t a b i g
enough waste of money, i t was necessary to c o m p o u n d the damage b y paying people to use
them.
Distrust F u n d
According to the BOP Program Statement, 4500.10 the T r u s t Fund/Deposit Fund
Manual, Trust Fund is defined as, "The 15X8408 Account designated b y the U.S. Treasury
for programs, goods, and services for the benefit of inmates (e.g. Commissary)."
Prisoners at Fairton are able to purchase v a r i o u ^ p r o d u c t s (food, clothing, stamps,
etc.) at the commissary once a week. W h i l e selection of merchandise and availability lies
somewhere between a Soviet-era grocery store and M o n t y Pj^hon's Cheese Shop, they do
quite w e l l , thanks to the power of m o n o p o l y (where else are y o u going to go?).
Since the Trust Fund is supposed to fund a v a r i e t y of endeavors, they are allowed to
charge a 3 0 % markup on nearly all the items sold t h r o u g h the commissary. The list of
goods n o t m a r k e d up is quite short: Postage; Self-improvement textbooks;
Correspondence Courses; Tools and Materials for Education/Vocational T r a i n i n g ; Law
Books or Other Legal Materials; Religious Articles; Smoking Cessation Program Materials;
and Passover Meals d u r i n g Passover.
In 2013, the commissary sold $2,180,197.56 w o r t h of goods. Of that, $74,031.45
was stamps, w h i c h cannot be marked-up. This leaves us w i t h $ 2 , 1 0 6 , 1 6 6 . 1 1 , 3 0 % of w h i c h
is Trust Fund profit: $631,849.83. I t should be noted that the commissary figures
provided to me d i d not specify w h i c h sales w e r e exempted f r o m the 3 0 % m a r k up, besides
the stamps, of course. Therefore, this T r u s t Fund p r o f i t figure may be slightly o f f
However, i t is difficult to imagine that m o r e t h a n a few thousand dollars of Passover meals,
prayer rugs, and the like, being sold i n one year.
According to policy, this money may be spent on a variety of items: Arts and Crafts
Activities; Recreation Programs, Equipment, Supplies, and Repairs; Educational Programs
and Supplies; Inmate Service Items [such as microwaves]; etc.
What is t r o u b l i n g is that prisoners are n o t p r o v i d e d w i t h even the most r u d i m e n t a r y
accounting of h o w 'their' money is being spent. Rumors are numerous, facts are not. The
whole process is shrouded i n mystery.
Reassuring w o r d s are contained in the p r o g r a m statement t h r o u g h : "Principal
financial statements and an annual r e p o r t are prepared by BOP staff The final r e p o r t is
available to the public. Trust fund financial records are audited o r r e v i e w e d i n accordance
w i t h Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons requirements."
If the BOP blatantly lied to the ACA, as noted previously, w h y w o u l d anyone t r u s t
them to audit themselves? This is the very d e f i n i t i o n of the fox guarding the henhouse.
Concerning the r e p o r t being available to the public, w h ^ w o u l d anyone care, and i f they d i d ,
h o w w o u l d they k n o w i f the items claimed w e r e ever purchased i f they've never stepped
inside the prison i n question? After all, w h e r e are those 498 gray storage bins that w e r e
supposedly purchased for inmates living i n 3-man cells?
Phantom of the L a u n d r o m a t
A t Fairton, washers and dryers are p r o v i d e d to prisoners by the New Jersey
Commission for the B l i n d and Visually I m p a i r e d (they're under the auspices of the
Department of Human Services} for a fee. Currently, i t costs $.65 per wash and $.65 per 45minute dry. For this privilege, CBVI gives 1 5 % of the proceeds to the feds. This
partnership began in 1999.
The i n s t i t u t i o n provides free l a u n d r y services, b u t there are restrictions on w h a t
may be washed: only issued clothing. N o t h i n g purchased off commissary is accepted such
as sweatshirts, shorts, thermals, etc. Further reducing the services p o p u l a r i t y is the fact
that all institutional laundering is done there. This includes greasy kitchen rags and
aprons, mop-heads t h a t cleaned God only knows w h a t , and other questionable articles of
clothing.
*
In the past CBVI employees w e r e r e q u i r e d , once a m o n t h , to visit all nine locations
where their equipment was located and d o w n l o a d usage data f r o m the debit card readers,
"to ensure the correct percentage of profits is paid," according to t h e i r contract.
On December 2 1 , 2009, CBVI employees managed to d o w n l o a d usage data f r o m t w o
separate locations that stand several h u n d r e d feet apart, at exactly the same t i m e - 8 : 2 7 : 0 0
A.M. Given the fact that they are r e q u i r e d to move w i t h an escort w h i l e on the compound, i t
is difficult to see h o w they managed this feat.
Efforts to obtain the visitor log for the day i n question p r o v e d futile as i t was
completely redacted. The officer log books for three units [ i n c l u d i n g the t w o w h e r e this
occurred) has r o u t i n e activities listed i n t h e m such as ' w o r k call,' 'count t i m e , ' and 'released
unit for chow,' b u t no m e n t i o n of CBVI's visit t h a t day.
On February 23, 2 0 1 1 , roughly 14 months after 1 first started asking questions, the
contract w i t h CBVI was modified. Previously, inmates \^ould go to the commissary and
place money onto their identification cards, w h i c h contain a magnetic strip, like a credit
card. They could either use the ID card to purchase copies o r utilize the washers and
dryers [at $.50 per wash and $.25 per 30-minute d r y ) .
N o w the feds b u y pre-loaded l a u n d r y debit cards at $5 each f r o m CBVI t h a t have "a
value of 10 l a u n d r y cycles," w i t h each cycle being either a wash or d r y . W h i l e this greatly
increases accountability, as there is no need to rely on m o n t h l y usage data f r o m all the
individual machines, inmates for the first t i m e are being subjected to the 3 0 % m a r k - u p for
laundry services.
Readin'.Ritin'. Rithmetic. a n d R e c i d i v i s m
It w o u l d seem p r e t t y obvious t h a t education is essential for successful
rehabihtation. Numerous studies have shown just t h a t - e d u c a t i o n reduces recidivism.
While I do agree w i t h the Disraeli et al quote, "there are lies, damn lies, and then statistics"
[the ever -manipulated u n e m p l o y m e n t numbers are a good example) a study done by the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice i n 1993 is w o r t h goting. They f o u n d t h a t 6 0 % of
individuals released f r o m prison w e r e re-incarcerated, b u t for those w i t h an associate's
degree, the rate was 13.7%, and for those w i t h a bachelor's degree, i t was 5.6%.^
[Fun Fact: Fairton eliminated t h e i r partnership w i t h Cumberland C o m m u n i t y College
w h i c h p r o v i d e d college courses i n 2010.]
Several years ago, I decided to fill out a three page, official looking, survey w h i l e i n
the l i b r a r y at Fairton. The "Department of Justice Federal Prison System Annual Education,
Recreation and L i b r a r y Survey," to be exact. A p r o g r a m statement n u m b e r 5350.12 was
w r i t t e n on i t along w i t h the date September 8 , 1 9 8 1 .
For one reason or another, I never d i d t u r n i t i n , choosing instead to file i t away.
While researching various aspects of the education department, I figured i t w o u l d be
interesting to see the results of these surveys; and i f anyone ever actually filled t h e m out.
After asking numerous times over the course of several years, via the FOIA for the
last 10 years of these survey results, I was t o l d on March 25, 2014 b y the BOP that, " I n
response to your request for the 'last 10 years of Annual Education, Recreation, and L i b r a r y
Surveys.' Please be advised the policy n u m b e r cited, does not exist."
Really makes y o u w o n d e r w h y someone w e n t t h r o u g h the effort to create a fake
survey i n the first place. Or perhaps the results w e r e scfbad t h a t they w e r e 'disappeared?'
Requests for Bequests
Soon after a r r i v i n g at Fairton, one of m y goals was to have documentaries donated
to the library. They are an excellent w a y to convey i n f o r m a t i o n , especially to those w h o
have difficulty reading as a l o t of prisoners do. Although the DVD collection has expanded
since 1 first came here i n 2008, a good deal of i t is National Geographic titles t h a t are n o t
exactly p e r t i n e n t to the concerns of the average prisoner.
Unfortunately, the Bureau of Prisons only allows donations f r o m "religious o r
educational groups or entities, p r o v i d e d such donations are valued at $250 or less." This
falls under p r o g r a m statement 1350.02.
On March 8, 2 0 1 2 , 1 filed a FOIA for the last 10 years of records p e r t a i n i n g to w h a t
items were donated to Fairton's library. The answer a r r i v e d September 19: "Please be
advised, a search was conducted for q u a r t e r l y reports for the past 10 years. As a result,
only records for the past three years w e r e found." Yet this wasn't entirely true.
Each quarter, or three months, a donation r e p o r t is generated. The reports given to
me began w i t h January to March 2012, and ended w i t h January to March 2008. Missing
during this t i m e span was October 2009 t h r o u g h December 2010, over an entire year's
w o r t h of reports. This may have simply been an oversight d u r i n g the collection of the
records as I was given identical copies for five of the quarters, and for another, July to
September 2008, three copies.
A m o n g the records given to me, there was only one m e n t i o n of a possible l i b r a r y
donation (there is no designation as to w h i c h department items are donated t o - - l i b r a r y or
chapel]. On November 5, 2008, International Prison Ministries donated 250 greeting cards
and 80 paperback books. Except for t h a t possible donation, religious services t o o k the rest.
Among the items they received were: Abalone Shells; Christian DVDs; four Sermon
CDs;
500 Christian testimony pamphlets; 2 Tefillin; 6 Nation of Islam DVDs; and 1 DVD featuring
a Rastafarian concert.
The current policy on donations is outdated and j : o u n t e r p r o d u c t i v e to the t r u e a i m
of education. A l l o w i n g a v i r t u a l l y free-market for ideas [obviously material detailing
pornography and escape m i g h t n o t be the best choice of material for a prison e n v i r o n m e n t ]
ought to be the goal. The idea that someone cannot b u y an educational DVD f r o m Amazon
and donate i t to the l i b r a r y makes no sense since they can b u y a b o o k and have i t sent to
the prison f r o m the same website. Besides, w h y should the taxpayers be on the h o o k for
yet another global-warming documentary?
MPS Players: More t h a n T u n e s
Over t w o years ago, MP3 players w e r e first sold to the inmate p o p u l a t i o n at Fairton.
As can be imagined, they w e r e a big h i t . Songs w e r e available i n three price brackets:
$1.55, $1.20, and $0.80.
Soon thereafter prisoners started asking about making foreign language material
and audiobooks available for the MPS players, myself included. The standard reply was
that the local administrators had no control over that; i t was i n fact up to the b i g shots i n
Washington, D.C. Years later, the same t i r e d line is still being used.
Apparently, the b i g shots i n D.C. believe that such material is already available.
W i t h i n the previously mentioned t r u s t fund p r o g r a m statement the f o l l o w i n g can be found:
"MPS Players. In order to provide an additional m e t h o d to disseminate i n f o r m a t i o n ,
provide educational materials, provide access to music at remote locations and provide
access to culturally diverse music, the MPS Player identified by the Central Office, T r u s t
Fund Branch, is sold i n the Commissary." (Emphasis added).
Short Circuit
In 2015, prisoners are still using electric t y p e w r i t e r s . W h i l e not every job these
days requires w o r d processing skills, possessing such skills w o u l d surely increase a
prisoner's chances of f i n d i n g w o r k upon release.
The BOP might be on to something, though. According to The Economist. "Russia
has ordered 20 t y p e w r i t e r s , reportedly because of the \iulnerability of computers"
(November 29, 2014. page 56).
W h y keep using antiquated technology? Could be because i t is highly profitable.
While the t y p e w r i t e r s are free to use, i t is up to the inmates to purchase the requisite items
to make them w o r k . A t y p i n g wheel w i l l set y o u back $19.99, a t y p i n g r i b b o n is $7.75, and
correction tape is another $1.55. Before y o u type one w o r d i t w i l l cost y o u nearly $S0; and
don't forget the $5.15 pack of paper.
It is stated i n the t r u s t fund program statement that t r u s t fund profits may be spent
on "typewriters and t y p e w r i t e r supplies." According to fellow prisoners, other p r i s o n
libraries supply t y p i n g wheels, among other items.
The warden sees i t differently. According to h i m : "We are p r o v i d i n g y o u w i t h the
t y p e w r i t e r and we are p r o v i d i n g y o u w i t h the o p p o r t u n i t y to buy everything needed to use
the t y p e w r i t e r s . "
Further demonstrating the p r o f i t motive b e h i n d this set-up is the response t h a t the
previous Supervisor of Education, Brian Womack, gave w h e n asked h o w indigent inmates
(one "who has not had a t r u s t fund account balance of $6.00 for the past 30 days" Program
statement 6031.02) m i g h t access a wheel, r i b b o n , and correction tape. He stated, "Indigent
inmates can hand w r i t e legal material."
Adding to the absurdity of all this is h o w broke d o w n these t y p e w r i t e r s are. The
first day that I began t y p i n g this essay, I was given a t y p e w r i t e r whose shift key, along w i t h
several others, did not w o r k . A t the same time that I was r e m o v i n g the $30.00 w o r t h of
accessories f r o m the machine (that the Warden so k i n d l y allows me to purchase), so I could
trade i t i n for a less b r o k e n one, a loud screeching noise was emanating f r o m another
t y p e w r i t e r to the right of me. The older gentleman had no idea w h y his machine was flat
lining, b u t the noise was so intense t h a t a correctional officer came o u t of her office to yell,
"What's t h a t noise?" This finally p r o m p t e d someone to u n p l u g i t .
The next t y p e w r i t e r 1 was given had a m i n d of its o w n . Whenever i t felt like i t ,
instead of t y p i n g the correct letter, i t w o u l d p r i n t t w o parallel lines like the letter H w i t h o u t
the cross bar and taller. Over the course of t y p i n g t w o pages, i t occurred nearly a dozen
times. The best part is t h a t y o u can't erase t h e m due t o t h e i r n o t being real characters
[when y o u erase, the r i b b o n lifts up automatically and the correction tape, t a k i n g i t place is
struck by the t y p i n g w h e e l , lifting the e r r a n t letter off the page].
A Different Direction?
Once Womack left i n the spring of 2014, there was hope that perhaps the l i b r a r y
w o u l d start to resemble a library. In t h a t vein, I approached the n e w supervisor, K i m
Neely, shortly after her arrival i n the summer, about a concern of mine. For the w h o l e t i m e
that I have been here, no system has existed to r e t u r n books to the l i b r a r y that are on the
various housing units.
When Ms. Neely heard h o w books w e r e being t h r o w n away, as there are no
bookshelves i n the housing units [ o r unfortunately i n the i n d i v i d u a l cells) to store t h e m ,
she appeared to show genuine interest. Several weeks later, I once again asked i f any
change w o u l d be coming and she assured me of her concern. Finally, on October 3 1 , 2 0 1 4 , 1
sent her an email, "Several weeks ago y o u said t h a t you'd be t r y i n g to establish some sort of
mechanism to have books on the units r e t u r n e d to the library, i n lieu of being t h r o w n away.
Has there been any progress made i n this effort, cause [«ic] such a measure is sorely
needed. Thanks." A n d the bureaucratic response was, "Yes, I am l o o k i n g i n t o this. I am
w a i t i n g on a budget." To top off the tall glass of indifference, i t was signed, "Brian
Womack." 1 guess changing the rubber stamp is too t i r i n g these days.
It is difficult to understand about h o w i n i t i a t i n g a system to r e t u r n books to the
l i b r a r y w o u l d cost m o r e than a few dollars. A l l inmates are r e q u i r e d to have a j o b b y policy.
In general, the lowest pay is $5.25 per m o n t h . Compared to some of the other inmate jobs,
going to all eight housing units once a week, to pick up l i b r a r y books is a dream job. A l l y o u
need is to place a cardboard box on each u n i t and then have a guy go e m p t y i t once a week.
This isn't difficult to imagine or to execute.
No, i t isn't about the money at all. The t r u t h was obvious as 1 w a l k e d into the l i b r a r y
to type this essay. Just beyond the m a i n door was a five-foot tall circular stack of books
about three feet at the b o t t o m and n a r r o w i n g t o w a r d s the t o p , draped i n Christmas tree
lights. The juxtaposition of this "tree" w i t h e m p t y bookshelves a r o u n d i t was striking. For
this is the essence of our prison library—a p r o p , n o t designed for actual use, besides b i l k i n g
the taxpayer, of course.
Conclusion
Before any reforms can be made w i t h i n the federal p r i s o n system there needs to be
a thorough accounting of w h a t is actually going on. This however is nearly impossible
under current circumstances. Obtaining i n f o r m a t i o n t h r o u g h the Freedom of I n f o r m a t i o n
Act and filing grievances is intentionally made slow, grueling, and expensive to discourage
any would-be reformers.
A good example of this w o u l d be w h a t happened to m y grievance, filed t h r o u g h the
BOP administrative remedy system, concerning the storage bins t h a t w e r e never p r o v i d e d
to inmates living i n 3-man cells. Central office was supposed to provide an answer to m y
grievance by December 16, 2013. Over a year later I'm still w a i t i n g .
While I could proceed to the courts (in w h o m I have about as m u c h faith as the BOP
to do the right t h i n g ] , due to the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA], doing so w i l l cost
$350 for the initial filing fee. To appeal costs another $450.
A d d i n g yet more bureaucrats to this stew of incompetence t h a t is the BOP w i l l not
help, no matter w h a t phony title they are given. Business as usual is s i m p l y too profitable.
An outside voice is r e q u i r e d to amplify the voices of prisoners w h o have a vested interest i n
an efficiently r u n prison and are i n t i m a t e l y aware of waste w i t h i n the system.
This can be achieved by creating a Citizen Advocate (CA] position for every federal
prison complex. In order to m a i n t a i n his independence f r o m the BOP, the CA w o u l d be
selected f r o m amongst all the resident prisoner's approved visitors by those very same
visitors t h r o u g h an annual popular vote. A l l o w i n g only the visitors to vote for one of t h e i r
o w n w o u l d prevent prisoners f r o m p o l i t i c k i n g on the compound yet a l l o w t h e m an i n d i r e c t
voice, t h r o u g h t h e i r visitors, to express t h e i r approval or disapproval of the CA's job
performance. Additionally, the CA should be paid f r o m the inmate t r u s t fund, so as n o t to
burden the taxpayer w i t h another bureaucrat's m o u t h to feed and f u r t h e r guarantee the
CA's independence.
The Citizen Advocate's duties w o u l d include:
•
Ensuring t h a t all audits, financial records, contracts w i t h outside vendors,
trust fund expenditures, etc. are made available to the public and inmate
population w i t h i n 90 days of t h e i r publication or acquisition by the BOP.
•
Attending any public meeting that the p r i s o n a d m i n i s t r a t i o n conducts w i t h
the c o m m u n i t y (i.e. Community Relations Board meetings] and m a k i n g the
meeting minutes available to the public and inmate p o p u l a t i o n w i t h i n 90
days.
•
Assisting prisoners i n t h e i r fihng of legitimate FOIA to ensure the BOP
follows the law.
•
Producing an annual r e p o r t detailing any areas of concern w i t h i n the prison
that w o u l d be released to b o t h the public and inmate p o p u l a t i o n .
There already is an infrastructure to a l l o w inmates to v i e w digitized documents: the
Electronic Law L i b r a r y t h a t is i n each federal prison. Court decisions that are hundreds of
years old, various legal assistance books, and the v a r i o i f t BOP p r o g r a m statements (they
detail h o w policy is to be enforced] are available at the click of the mouse. W h a t is
preventing the publishing of audits, t r u s t fund data, etc.? By p r o v i d i n g the public access to
the exact documents t h a t prisoners see w i l l cut d o w n on the tendency w i t h i n the BOP to
redact information that i n actuality is n o t sensitive. I t w o u l d be difficult to explain to the
average American h o w the Warden's name is sensitive i n f o r m a t i o n .
Efficient prisons do n o t only benefit prisoners; they benefit the communities that
w i l l eventually reabsorb t h e m years d o w n the road. As a Fairton a d m i n i s t r a t i o n official
candidly confessed to me recently, "prisons are just schools w h e r e [prisoners] learn h o w to
become better criminals." This is true under the c u r r e n t set up w h e r e educational
opportunities are more readily found amongst fellow prisoners than t h r o u g h official prison
programs that are often mere Potemkin Villages, whose sole purpose is to justify the
department's bloated budget. A whole slew of unofficial, prisoner taught, classes are
available though: Crack Dealing 1 0 1 ; P r o s t i t u t i o n 1 0 1 ; Bank Robbery 1 0 1 , etc. t h a t provide
quality guidance for today's up and coming criminals.
We can't honestly believe t h a t the very people w h o are benefitting f r o m the
dysfunctional state of the BOP w i l l be its saviors. No sane bureaucrat w o u l d i n t e n t i o n a l l y
derail the gravy t r a i n that he's r i d i n g to r e t i r e m e n t . A n outsider, w h o doesn't take his
marching orders f r o m D.C, is needed for any hope of meaningful r e f o r m .
Jason Gerhard is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for assisting a
New Hampshire couple during their approximately 8-month standoff with federal
authorities over the legality of the federal income tax.
For more information, as well as for documents cited in this essay, visit:
AmericanPoliticalPrisonersAlliance.info
or email:
[email protected]
Citations
1 Congressional Research Service; Bureau of Justice Statistics.
2 Agency Manual of Accreditation Policy and Procedure (Revised September 2007].
Page 4 1 .
^Gerber, Jurg and Fritsch, Eric J. "Prison Education and Offender Behavior: A Review of the
Scientific Lit-erature." Texas Department of Criminayustice: Institutional Division.
July 1993.
COMMISSION ON ACCREDITATION FOR CORRECTIONS
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Correctional Institution - Fairton
Fairton, New Jersey
September 21-23, 2010
Visiting Committee Findings
Non-Mandatory Standards
Noncompliance
Standard #4-4129
THE NUMBER OF INMATES DOES NOT EXCEED THE FACILITY'S RATED BED
CAPACITY.
FINDINGS:
FCI population 1283, rated capacity 1014; Camp population 127, rated capacity 100;
(b)(7)e
AGENCY RESPONSE
Waiver Request
The designated capacity for FCI Fairton is 1264
1110; FPC 100; (b)(7)e 54), with a
current population of 1511 (FCI 1316; FPC 128; {b)(7)e 67.) At this time, the total number
of inmates is in excess of the designed rated bed
ity at the three facilities. Although
we exceed our designated capacity at this time, we manage our inmate population by
providing a variety of work and program opportunities which allows inmates to be out of
their cells approximately 15.5 hours per day. We promote and encourage positive
interaction with others on a daily basis. By offering programs in education, recreation,
psychology, religious services, and vocational training, we are able to mitigate crowding
conditions and manage inmate idleness, which enhances our ability to operate an
institution that is safe for both staff and inmates.
In order to accomplish this
management philosophy, the following is a list of program opportunities available to the
inmate population:
22
6.
A l l staff are trained and practice effective communication skills at all levels.
Although there is a formal grievance process, most grievances are resolved
informally due to the open communication and effective conflict resolution skills
practiced by staff on a daily basis.
7.
The quality of life, safety, and security at FCI Fairton is maintained at the highest
levels for the benefit of inmates/staff. Although the population at our facility
exceeds the designed rated capacity, our institution is managed by professional
staff that are highly trained, skilled, and committed to our mission of providing a
safe, secure environment every day.
AUDITOR'S RESPONSE
Auditor concurs with waiver request. There were no overcrowding complaints due to
mitigation through programs and activities.
Standard #4-4132 Revised January 2007.
CELLS/ROOMS USED FOR HOUSING INMATES SHALL PROVIDE AT A
M I N I M U M , 25, SQUARE FEET OF UNENCUMBERED SPACE PER OCCUPANT.
UNENCUMBERED SPACE IS USABLE SPACE THAT IS NOT ENCUMBERED BY
FURNISHINGS OR FIXTURES. A T LEAST ONE DIMENSION OF
THE
UNENCUMBERED SPACE IS NO LESS T H A N SEVEN FEET. IN DETERMINING
UNENCUMBERED SPACE IN THE CELL OR ROOM, THE T O T A L SQUARE
FOOTAGE IS OBTAINED A N D THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF FIXTURES AND
EQUIPMENT IS SUBTRACTED. A L L FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT MUST BE IN
OPERATIONAL POSITION A N D MUST PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING M I N I M U M S
PER PERSON:
•
•
•
•
•
BED
PLUMBING FIXTURES (IF INSIDE THE CELL/ROOM)
DESK
LOCKER
CHAIR OR STOOL
FINDINGS:
FCI 3 man cells unencumbered space is 17.08 square feet per inmate; Camp
unencumbered space is 22 square feet per inmate.
24
standard #4-4134
EACH INMATE CONFINED TO A CELL/ROOM FOR 10 OR MORE HOURS D A I L Y
IS PROVIDED A SLEEPING AREA W I T H THE FOLLOWING:
•
A SLEEPING SURFACE AND MATTRESS AT LEAST 12 INCHES
OFF OF THE FLOOR
A WRITING SURFACE A N D PROXIMATE AREA TO SIT
STORAGE FOR PERSONAL ITEMS
ADEQUATE STORAGE SPACE FOR CLOTHES A N D PERSONAL
BELONGINGS
•
•
•
EACH INMATE CONFINED TO A CELL/ROOM FOR LESS T H A N 10 HOURS
DAILY IS PROVIDED A SLEEPING AREA W I T H THE FOLLOWING:
•
•
•
A SLEEPING SURFACE AND MATTRESS A T LEAST 12 INCHES
OFF OF THE FLOOR
STORAGE FOR PERSONAL ITEMS
ADEQUATE STORAGE SPACE FOR CLOTHES A N D PERSONAL
BELONGINGS
FINDINGS:
The bottom bunk in the 166 three man cells in the FCI units is only eight and nine inches
from the floor.
AGENCY RESPONSE
Waiver Request
Currently FCI Fairton has 166 3-man cells with pre-fabricated 3-man bunk beds. Each
inmate in the 3-man cells is provided a storage bin and locker for their personal effects.
Our current housing plan is to not assign the lower bunks, however that varies with the
population that is assigned to FCI Fairton from the Bureau's designation center in Texas.
At this time funds are not available to re-do the pre-fabricated bunks.
Although FCI Fairton is over our rated capacity, only 12.6% of the FCI population has a
bunk that is not 12 inches off of the floor. The following information shows how we
mitigate the time inmates on the lower bunks would physically be on them:
Each housing unit has common areas in which inmates have the opportunity to interact
with others and to participate in a variety of unstructured activities such as: reading,
writing letters, playing cards, board games and watching television that inmates have
access to from 6 am until 10 pm (with the exception of our 4 pm count which takes about
30 minutes on average to complete). Inmates are encouraged to participate in programs,
structured or unstructured, in addition to their work and educational programs.
27
standard #4-4139
INMATES
HAVE
ACCESS
TO
OPERABLE
SHOWERS
WITH
TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED HOT AND COLD RUNNING WATER, AT A
M I N I M U M RATIO OF ONE SHOWER FOR EVERY EIGHT INMATES, UNLESS
N A T I O N A L OR STATE BUILDING OR HEALTH CODES SPECIFY A DIFFERENT
RATIO. WATER FOR SHOWERS IS THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED TO
TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT TO 120
DEGREES FAHRENHEIT TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF INMATES AND TO
PROMOTE HYGIENIC PRACTICES.
FINDINGS:
Shower ratios at the FCI A, B, are 1:21; C unit and one of D unit 1:20.5; and the Camp is
1; 13. It should be noted the last report plan of action for the camp w i l l be completed in
October 2010 and the camp showers w i l l meet the standard for the current population.
AGENCY RESPONSE
Waiver Request
The facility consists of eight general population housing units in four different buildings
and a Special Housing Unit. Units are equipped with operable showers with temperaturecontrolled hot and cold running water, at ratios of: FCI - A, B and C Units 1:20: DL
Unit 1:16 and DR Unit 1:19. We manage our inmate population by providing a variety of
work opportunities and programs at varying times throughout the day, alleviating the use
of showers at the same time.
Inmates spend an average of 15.5 hours per day out of their cells. Inmates are only
confined to their cells from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. A l l
medically able inmates are required to work. Normally, inmates work an average of 7
hours per day. Since the institution coordinates a number of activities during evening
hours and weekends, it is necessary for inmates to hold jobs during the operation of these
programs as well.
•
We encourage the inmate population to participate in educational, recreational,
religious and psychology based programs to better manage inmate idleness which
effectively reduces the number of inmates needing to use these facilities at the
same time.
In conjunction with security and management procedures, inmates have access to
showers 15.5 hours per day, seven days per week at the FCI. Inmates at the FCI are able
to use these facilities without staff assistance when they are not confined to their cells or
sleeping areas. With these procedures, the facility does not experience long waiting lines,
nor have we received any complaints that inmates do not have access to these facilities
when needed
31
U.S. Department o f J u s t i c e
F e d e r a l Bureau o f P r i s o n s
Federal C o r r e c t i o n a l
Institution
Fairton, New Jersey 08320
E a c h i n m a t e i s r e q u i r e d t o m o n i t o r t h e i r own amount o f p r o p e r t y a n d
e n s u r e t h e y do n o t p u r c h a s e more t h a n what t h e y c a n s t o r e i n s i d e t h e i r
locker.
Any e x c e s s p r o p e r t y n o t m a i n t a i n e d i n s i d e t h e l o c k e r w i l l b e
c o n f i s c a t e d and an i n c i d e n t r e p o r t w i l l be g e n e r a t e d f o r R e f u s i n g
Programs.
May 2 8 , 2013 ,
TO JU^L
MEMORANDUM[ TO
KLl. S S I ^ F
THRU:
i^^R
Raagguucckk a s ,
U
U ni t
Manager
THRU:
E.
Unit
Manager
THRU:
D. v'^^^y',
FROM:
J.B<A*»«rsries,
SUBJECT:
Williams,
i\ate
Unit
T h i s memorandum has, b e e n s e t i n . p l a c e t o e n s u r e
safety standards o f ; t h i s i n s t i t u t i o n .
Manager
Captain
Property
E f f e c t i v e immediately, g e n e r a l p o p u l a t i o n inmates a r e r e q u i r e d t o
maintain a l l t h e i r i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s s u e d and ]pers9nal p r o p e r t y . i n s i d e
their assigned locker.
N o t h i n g c a n b e s t o r e d on t o p o f t h e l o c k e r s o r
h a n g i n g from t h e s i d e o f t h e l o c k e r s .
The o n l y e x c e p t i o n s t o t h e i t e m s w h i c h c a n b e m a i n t a i n e d
l o c k e r a n d hung on t h e t h r e e a u t h o r i z e d h o o k s a r e
o u t s i d e the!
(1) J a c k e t and windbreaker
(1) Mesh /bag w i t h d i r t y laundry
(1) Towel
Under t h e bed,
each
inmate
i s a u t h o r i z e d t o have 4 p a i r s
o f shoes
(2) Sneakers/casual o r 1 sneaker and 1 c a s u a l - t o t a l 2 shoes
(1) Work boots o r medical s o f t shoes
(1) P a i r of shower shoes o r 1 p a i r o f s l i p p e r s
On t o p o f t h e t a b l e y o u a r e a l l o w t o m a i n t a i n t h e a u t h o r i z e d amount
BOoks/Magazines/Newspapers ( B i b l e )
Each inmate c a n o n l y have
(1) Bowl - which must be s t o r e d i n s i d e
(1) Laundrymesh bag
the l o c k e r
I n m a t e s who c u r r e n t l y h a v e t h e g r e y l e g a l b i n s c a n c o n t i n u e t o
,
maintain l e g a l m a t e r i a l b u t n o t s t o r e commissary items o r c l o t h i n g . ^
E a c h i n m a t e must p r o v i d e p r o o f o f o w n e r s h i p f o r t h e g r e y b i n s i n o r d e r
t o m a i n t a i n them.
I f ownership cannot be provided, t h e grey b i n s w i l l
be c o n f i s c a t e d .
high s a n i t a t i o n and
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Correctional Institution
Fairton, New Jersey 08320
March 3,2009
MEMORANDUM F O R A L L C O N C E R N E D
//s//
FROM:
Paul M. Schultz, Warden
SUBJECT:
i
Water Conservation
In the general population housing units, showers will be open from 6:00 A M until 9:00 AM.
Once cleaned, the showers will remain secured with the exception of one shower open upstairs
and one downstairs. On Friday before Jumah prayer, an additional shower will be open from
10:30 AM to 12:30 PM. After the 4:00 PM count clears, all showers will be open:
cc:
All Unit Staff
Lieutenants' Office
All Staff
.•
i
G E R H A R D , Jason
Register Number: 20229-045
Administrative Remedy Number: 669085-Fl
Part B - Response
This is in response to your Request for Administrative Remedy, received in my office on
December 14, 2011, in which you are requesting to know if a memorandum regarding water
conservation, dated March of 2009, has been rescinded. You state that you believe A C A has
been misinformed regarding shower useage.
A review of this matter reveals that the metnofandum referred to has not been rescinded. The
Bureau of Prisons has been mandated by the President of the United States to reduce water
consumption by 2%. The ittfqrniation utilissed for the A C A report is an accurate account of the
shower availability at FGI FairtOii.
Accordingly, this response is for informalioaial purposes. • If you arc dissatisfied with this
response, you may appeal to the Re^ionflDircctptj J^orlheast Regional Office, U.S. Customs
House, 7*'' Floor, 2''^ and Chestnut Streets, Philadelpliia, Pennsylvania, 19106. Your appeal
must be received in the Regional Of0co withm 20 '3af s from the date of this response.
J.T. Shartlc, Warden
Date
U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Correctonal Institution
Fairton, New Jersey 08320
June 7,2010
Shower after participating in close contact recreational activities, whenever possible. Don't
get tattoos in prison. Don't use injection drugs. Don't have sexual contact with other inmates.
MRSA skin infections are often treated with frequent warm soaks, draining of wound and
strong antibiotics. Serious or highly resistant MRSA may require intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
But with appropriate therapy, MRSA can be successfully treated.
Always seek medical attention if you develop a boil, red or inflamed skin, insect or spider
bite, or a sore that does not go away. Your clinical provider can check if MRSA bacterial
infection exists by swabbing the site to collect drainage or secretions.
If any inmate has concerns they should contact Health Services staff during sick call.
MEMORANDUM F O R A L L I N M A T E S
FROM :
SUBJECT:
Health Services Dq)artment
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcal Aureus(MRSA)
Please be advised that we have several cases of skin infections caused by MRSA in our
institution. The Health Services Department has taken steps in identifying preventive
measures to contain the spread of MRSA bacteria.
The following are facts about MRSA :
MRSA refers to strains of bacteria called ( staphylococcus aureus or "staph") that cannot be
killed by ( resistance) the antibiotics (like Methicillin) used to treat infection. Staphylococcus
aureus " staph" is a common type of bacteria that is found on the skin and in the nose of
healthy persons. Staph bacteria may cause minor skin infections such as boils or more serious
infections such as pneumonia and blood poisoning. MRSA infections are more difficult to
treat, but usually respond to incision and drainage and/or antibiotics.
MRSA is usually spread through direct physical contact with an infected person, but may also
be transmitted through contact with contaminated objects or surfaces. MRSA is not spread by
coughing unless the infected person has pneumonia.
MRSA can be prevented by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water throughout
the day, particularly every time you use the toilet and before every meal. Never touch another
person's wounds, infected skin, or dirty bandages. Don't scratch skin rashes. Maintain
excellent personal hygiene through regular showers and by keeping your living space clean,
including the regular laundering of your bed linens. Don't ever share personal hygiene items
with others, including toiletries and towels. Clean off any surfaces shared with others such as
weight benches. Use a towel or a shirt as a barrier between your bare skin and exercise
equipment.
PluqOut CvGlinq Program
T. Brown, Supervisor of Recreation
Introdimtion
The energy that is being exerted by inmates exercising in recreation can eltlier be wasted or converted
into electricity and used. Wlien exercising Kineticenergy Is being produced and the benefits of the
electricity they generate by relating it to vjhat energy consumption they are able to offset in their lives.
The concept of generating electricity to help the environment is one of the many benefits. The users aremotivated to workout harder when they know their workouts have that additional benefit of helping
the environment. Along with helping the environment this also promotes better general health among
Qur inmate population and can be utilized as a job description while being employed in Recreation.
Purp<yse
Kinetic energy Is the energy an object possesses due to its motion. Kineticenergy from working out on ;
cardio fitness equipment Is convertfed to electrical energy, which can be returned to the power grid. The
equipment uses an electronic braking system to coritrol the resistance felt by the user and generate
electricity.
.
On cardio fitness equipment such as stationary bikes, the pedals power a drive train (either belt-drive or
chain-drive) that is connected to a generator. The generator creates electrical current that feeds into an
inverter (contained within the piece of equipment) which converts it into AC power. A circuit board
communicates with the resistance control and the Inverter to allow the user to select the amount of
resistance they want to feel by controlling current. The user can generate more power by any
combination of Increasing either RPM's or electronic resistance. The AC power generated Is returned to
the building's electrical circuitry through a power cord that connects to the inverter and is plugged into
a standard wall socket.
. /
Pmlect DescriOtl^n/ Res^arph Questions
;
To facilitate this project the fQllowing items would have t o i l e In place. A power strip would have to be
installed of eight to ten 110 volt outlets in the wellness robm for the PlugOut stationary cycles, along
with the purchase of the Plugbut cycles.
How Is the electricity returned to the grid? It is a common misconception that electricity is pushed
through the power grid. In fact, when you turn on an appliance it draws electrical cufrent. The source of
this electric power is typically some large scale electro-mechanical generator driven by steam from fossil
fuel combustion or heat released from nuclear reactions, or from kineticenergy harvested from wind or
water that is then supplied to your home or building by a utility. Howeier, it can come from other
sources such as on-site generators, solar power, or electrjcity generatiiig cardio fitness equipment. The
el'ectric power generated from PlugOut equipment flows through the piower cord to a standard wall
socket that is connected to the buildings electric circLiits where it can be used to power TV's, lighting,
fans, and other appliances, essentially reducing or subsidizing the amount of electricity that would
rridoorCycra Bike (individaal or Group)^
The PlugOut Cycle is an extrenriely.Y^f$§tll6i3lec.egf
a workout Jtworks wk\r groua^Msses, wannlrig
e d u d M w i tc^l/when incx>rpjDr#^dii3fe# high ^
' - S1^0S& FEATURES .
.
/
, i l | i l i ^ t e m i II .1 ,.V|j
;
iii^Myari.ia
ipment thaft provides one h$ck of
a training studio, or even as an
'
imm-,
iMii
.
l^ly\^ie8lWQighl:40lbs
Fi%m Sted
Dinienslons: 30" L x 25.2''W
Power Cord;
gauge
Pc5wer Cord Length: Adjwst^te
HafKSa Bars; AC^ustabls Height
Seat Adjusteble Hdght/Ostance
Te^ivsionj ManuaJ (Knob)
Pedals; Sotf-leveling. non-slip
^Tow Strapa: Ft% A<|ustabl$
•. BecritrfeiVpulput Range: 0W.250V*f
Warmnty: 1 Yee?
Includes: Power Co5^, rrvanual.
- .-
W i l O u t Techr#k3gy
^
Our equipment is ready to work right out of the box. You .don't need to make any additional purchases.or aliar your building In any way for your equipment to work. Th© electricity is returned to
the buiiding's electrical system by plugging the standard three prong power cord that is included
Vi/ith the unit directly into a standard outlet.
© Oopjiigfrt 2011 RugOut CsfcBo fitness EqulpiTjerit / v»v«w.pkjgoulfJin(3ss,c»rn
otherwise be drawn from the utility. If you were able to generate more power than your facility was
consuming, the current would flow past your meter back to the power grid, and down the line to the
next facility that was consuming electricity. The current flowing backwards over your meter would
actually spin the meter backwards. Traditionally, facilities that generate more electricity than they
consume, such as those with large solar arrays, will set up what's called a net-metering agreement
where they sell the electricity that they are generating back to the utility, often at a higher rate than
what they purchase it for.
How much power can a human generate?
Electrical power is measured in Watts and is calculated by multiplying Force (Voltage) by Current
(Amps). The current world record holder for average watts over the course of 1 hour on a bicycle is
Ondrej Sosenka at a whopping 430 wattsi Riders climbing the Alps In the Tour de France will peak at
over 500 watts. However, most adults will generate between 50 and 150 watts while working out on
PlugOut fitness equipment depending on fitness and effort level, t h e amount of energy generated over
time is measured in Watt-hours. So, the average adult wooing on PlugOut fitness equipment for an
hour will generate 100 Wtstt-hour;5'(100 Watts * 1 hour = iOO Watt-hours).
What can that power?
A couple of different Items that almost everyone can relate to are a 40" Energy Star^ LCD televisibh that
require about 70 Watts which means most users will be able to directly offset TV watching. A laptop
requires about 25 Watts while in use (not sleep mode). One half-hour workout will power your cell
phone for a week. Through a little bit of on-line research you can obtain the amount of power (Watts)
necessary to run pretty much anything.
Benefits/Anticipated Outcomes
How much money can you save?
Most utilities charge by the Kilowatt-hour (kWh) and the rate varies regionally In the United States from
$.05/kWh to $.20/kWh. If you assume that most adults will generate 100 Watts continuously and workout for K hour on average, then they will have generated .05 kWh (100 Watts * .5 hours = 50 Watthours/1000 Watts = .05 Kilowatt-hours). This equates to only K cent per workout, assuming the utility Is
charging 10 cents per kWh and illuminates the biggest reason why this technology is not more widely
used. Currently electricity is cheap, humans cannot generate a lot of power,, and therefore the monetary
payback for implementing the t^echn(ilogy Is small.
the overaH health benefits and the Inmate jobs
that would be generate^ffrOm^His program would be a positive asset to the mission of FCl Fairton."
Cost
PlugOut Cycle for $1,399.00, x 10= 13,990.00, not including volume discounts.
Materials: conduit (81.35, 50'x 1), electric wire (124.80, lOO'x 1), box (41.03x10) and outlet (16.00x10)
=776.45
Total Cost=$14,766.45
U.S. Department o f Justice
Federal Bureau o f Prisons
Northeast Regional Office
U.S. Custom House - 7th Floor
2nd & Chestnut Streets
Philadelphia. PA. 19106
Febr
y 26, 2013
Jason Gerhard
R e g i s t e r No. 20229-045
Federal C o r r e c t i o n a l I n s t i t u t i o n
P.O. Box 42 0
F a i r t o n , NJ 08320
RE:
Fairton
Freedom o f I n f o r m a t i o n Request No. 2013-03966
Dear Requester:
This i s i n response t o your r e q u e s t f o r r e c o r d s t h a t was r e c e i v e d
by t h i s agency on January 14, 2013. You r e q u e s t c o p i e s o f a l l
documents r e l a t e d t o t h e Plug-out C y c l i n g Program i n i t i a t e d by
R e c r e a t i o n s t a f f a t FCI F a i r t o n . You a l s o r e q u e s t i n f o r m a t i o n
concerning t h e source o f funds f o r t h e program.
I n response t o your r e q u e s t , a search was conducted and no
records were found r e s p o n s i v e t o your r e q u e s t .
I t r u s t t h i s has been r e s p o n s i v e t o your r e q u e s t . However, i f you
are d i s s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h i s response, you may a p p e a l t o t h e A t t o r n e y
General by f i l i n g a v / r i t t e n appeal. Your appeal m.ust be r e c e i v e d
by t h e O f f i c e o f I n f o r m a t i o n P o l i c y w i t h i n s i x t y days f r o m t h e date
of t h i s l e t t e r i n o r d e r t o be c o n s i d e r e d t i m e l y . You may appeal t o :
A t t o r n e y General, O f f i c e o f I n f o r m a t i o n P o l i c y , U n i t e d S t a t e s
Department o f J u s t i c e , 1425 New York Avenue, S u i t e 11050, Washington,
D.C. 20530-0001. Both t h e envelope and t h e l e t t e r o f a p p e a l i t s e l f
should be c l e a r l y marked: '"Freedom o f I n f o r m a t i o n A c t A p p e a l . "
D0bli0k
L-FCI FAIRTON
D«bUtll Report ID 584
Location
LAUNDR C - L E F T
Download Date
Downioad Time
12/21/2009
8:27:00 AM
Reader Version
-Model
Asset:
03.09.00.39
"Laundry Controller
CL
Printed Date:
Printed Time;
Upload Date
Upload Time
: 12/21/2009
: 6:53:07 PM
DebUtJi Version
: 02.01,00.05
12/21/2009
7:04:34 PM
Transaction Count:
Data Integrity:
1635
ValicT
Laundry Cycle Data
#
#
Cyc
11
376
12
Cyc
561
#
13
#
Cyc
554
Cyc
14
1
#
Cyc
#
Cyc
#
Cyc
1
#
Cyc
299
Totals
Period
Debits
List Price DeWta
Vending Discounts
Total Debits
Totals
Grand
572.00
0.00
572.00
Discounts^onuses
Total Dlscount/Bcnus
0.00
Laundry Cycles
1790
V^id MAC
Grand Total Debits
Grand Total Disc/Bonus
Totals
35070.00
5.00
129A9972
Page: 6
4'^ .
,
Dobliok
L - F a FAIRTON
DebUtll Report ID 587
Location
: FCI FAIRTON
Download Date
Download Time
: 12/21/2009
: 8:27:00 AM
Reader Version
•—Model
Asset:
ALLAUNDRY
Upload Date
Upload Time
12/21/2009
7:04:33 PM
Printed Date:
Printed Time:
: 12/21/2009
: 6:53:23 PM
: 03.10.00.08
DebUtil Version
"•:—Laundry Controller
AL
Transaction Count:
Data Integrity:"
: 02.01,00.05
1579
Valid-
Laundry Cycle Data
* l
Cyc
11
#
321
12
Cyc
531
#
13
Cyc
#
480
Cyc
14
#
Cyc
#
Cyc
#
Cyc
1
#
Cyc
\
322
Totals
Period
Debits
List Price Debits
Vending Discounts
Total Debits
Discounts/Bonuses
Total Discount/Bonus
Casii Sales
Laundry Cycles
Valid MAC
Totals
Grand
552.00
0.00
552.00
0.00
Grand Totai Detiits
Grand Total Disc/Bonus
Totals
11166.40
3.85
2102.00
1654
229EC341
Page: 3
HOUSINGUNIT L O G • DAY WATCH
BASE COUNf:
(b)(7)f
DATE:
(circle)
Sun (Mon) Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat /X
1^1
I
Signature:
J ^ ^ ^ ^
. REMEKt^kA: YOU MUST SIGN POST ORDERS WHEN YOU mmAUTKSSuME
ANY POST
Officer: (Print Name)
~~
S H A K E D O W N S : All six cell shakedowns must be fiilly documented. (Do not use "Mass Shakedown".) Also, ensure
that you document the cells you search on the weekly insert containing the unit diagram.
Room No.
Registration N o .
Inmate Name
—
Date
Time
Remarks
staff
^
/X/li
(b)(7)c
V
1
C E N S U S
1
C O U N T S
Time
Accounted For
Dificrepancies Noted
I*ritnary Officer Gounting
OfQcer Backing Count
Assigned
W E E K E N D
& H O L I D A Y
1C:C0 ajxt. Count |
D A I L Y
Unit Count
C O U N T S
A C T I V I T I E S
A.
Activity"
Time
(b)(7)f
• (b)(7)f
H O U S I N G U N I T L O G • DAY W A T C H
I RA«ir r n i i M T . I
(b)(7)f
Officer: (Print Name)
"
REMEMBER:
Signature:
YOU MUST SIGN POST ORDERS WHEN Yj
SHAKE DOWNS: All six cell shakedowns must be fully document
'Mass Shakedown".) Also, ensure
that you document the cells you search on the weekly insert containing the unit
R o o m No.
Registration No.
Jmuate Name
Date
Time
^ \
\^^\
(b)(7)f
^AfcK^.
CENSUS COUNTS
Time
Remarks
Assigned
Accounted For
Dijfcrepaxicies|Noted
" ^ ^ - ^ — ^
WEEKEND & HOLIDAY COUNTS
10:00 a j n . Count j
Unit Count
|
Primary Officer Counting
OfTlcer Backing Count
(b)(7)f
DAILY ACTIVITIES
Time
ActiviQ'
{b)(7)f
(b){7)e. (b)(7)f
(b)(7)c, (b)(7)f
y
BASE COUNT:
(b)(7)f
HOUSINGiJNIT L O G • DAY WATCH
^—7^
DATE: (cireie) Sun(^oir)rue Wed Thu F r i Sat / ^ - / ^ l /09 fVCF'I5S,0«07.
Officer: (Print Name)
I
REMEMBER:
re
Signature:
YOU MUST SIGN ^OST ORDERS WHEN YOU INITIALLY AS^ /ME ANY POST
SHAKE DOWNS: A 1 1 six ccll shakedowns
must be fully documented. (Do not use "Mass Shakedown".)'Also, ensure
that you document the cells you search on the weekly insert containing the unit diagram.
Room No.
Inmate Name
Registration No.
Date
Time
Remarks
SWT
IV
U
(b)(7)c
^(
-
/ v o r u L .
.
wrf
CENSUS COU^JTS
Time
m
i
igned
ApCDuntedFor
Discrepancies Noted
WEEKEND & HOLIDAY COUNT
10:00 a.m. Count
Primajry Officer Counting
Krimajr
DAILY ACTIVI
Time
Activity
(b)(7)c, (bK7)f
5?
r Backing Count
-
Attachment 1
Page 2
5350.12
Attachment I
5350.12
Sepicniber S, i 5 S i
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
F E D E R A L PRISON SYSTEM
September S, i 9 9 i
5. Select three leisure t i m e activities i n order o f your preference. For example, i f you think ails and
crafts is best, list 1 ; i f you think exercise is next, list 2, etc.
a.
ANNUAL, EDUCATION, RECREATION, AND LIBRARY SURVEY
Arts & Crafts
c.
I'able games (cards, dommoes, etc.)
d. _ ^ ^ E x e r c i s e ( j o g g i n g , w e i g h l l i f t i n g . w a l k i n g , etc.)
W l i i c h o f the f o l l o w i n g educational offerings do you believe w o u l d be o f most bcnctlt to you
w l i i l e incarcerated?
e.
ABE
GED
-X^Collcge
^ • Readin.n
b.
3 , WatchinK T V , listening to radio, w a t c h i n g movies
f.
Religious activities
g.
Cultural groups or social groups
h.
Other (please specify)
6. List the recreational activities ( i n w h i c h you have participated that have been most beneficial
Social Education
to you.
Vocational T r a i n i n g - Type:
Other (Specify
2. W h i c h courses w o u l d you like to see offered that aren't already offered'-'
7. Is tiie recreation staff open to suggestions \\hich might i m p r o v e recreational activities'.'
Yes
3. Do you believe llie education staff are open to suggestions
offerings'.'
-A
Usually
K^No
which m i g h t improve course
_U»uany
S. W r i t e any neneral comments that w o u l i l assist staff in improvins; the recreational program.
i f your answer is N o , please e\plai)i.
V.
4. W r i t e any general comments that you believe w o u l d assist staff in i m p r o v i n g the education
program.
uo
you lia\'c a c c e s s to l i b r a r y s e r v i c e s . '
10. D o you find the materials you v\ant in tlie library?
Yes
ic No
I f your answer is N o , please explain:
Attachment 1
Page 3
5350.12
S e p t e m b e r s , 1991
11. What additional l i b r a r y materials and/or services w o u l d you l i k e to have available?
12. A d d i t i o n a l C o m m e n t s ;
Gerhard, Jason
R e g i s t e r Number 20229-045
A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Remedy No. 798659-Fl
Part B - Response
This i s i n response t o your r e q u e s t f o r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e remedy r e c e i v e d
i n t h i s o f f i c e on October 27, 2014, w h e r e i n you complain t h a t T r u s t
Fund P r o f i t s may be used t o purchase t y p e w r i t e r s and t y p e w r i t e r
accessories.
You are r e q u e s t i n g f o r T r u s t Fund t o purchase a l l
typewriter accessories.
According t o Program Statement 4 500.10, T r u s t Fund/Deposit Fund
Manual, T r u s t Fund p r o f i t s may be expended on i t e m s .
I t i s guidance
on what can be bought and not what has t o be bought. We are p r o v i d i n g
you w i t h t h e t y p e w r i t e r and we are p r o v i d i n g you t h e o p p o r t u n i t y
t o buy e v e r y t h i n g needed t o use t h e t y p e w r i t e r s .
A c c o r d i n g l y , your request i s b e i n g d e n i e d . I f you are d i s s a t i s f i e d
w i t h t h i s response, you may appeal t o t h e R e g i o n a l D i r e c t o r , F e d e r a l
Bureau o f P r i s o n s , U.S. Custom House, 7^^ F l o o r , 2""^ and Chestnut
S t r e e t s , P h i l a d e l p h i a , PA 19106, w i t h i n 20 c a l e n d a r days o f t h e date
of t h i s response.
J. T. S h a r t l e , Warden
Date
TRULINCS 20229045 - GERHARD, JASON - Unit: FAI-C-R
FROM: Education
TO: 20229045
SUBJECT: RE:***lnmate to Staff Message***
DATE: 01/21/2014 01:48:20 PM
Indigent inmates can hand write legal material.
Brian Womack
Supervisor of Education
FCI Fairton
» > ~^!"GERHARD, -'^lJASON" <[email protected]> 1/18/2014 6:12 PM » >
To: Supervisor of Education
Inmate Work Assignment: UNIGOR
Quick question for you, what is the procedure for indigent inmates to access a wheel, ribbon, and correction tape for typing in
the library? It is my understanding that all of the aforementioned items are available on commissary and therefore are not
supplied by the education department. However, I asked several of your inmate employees and they were unaware of any way
for indigent inmates to access these items. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jason Gerhard
TRULINCS 20229045 - GERHARD, JASON - Unit: FAI-C-R
FROM: Education
TO: 20229045
SUBJECT: RE:***lnmate to Staff Message***
DATE: 11/03/2014 01:27:02 PM
Yes, I am looking into tliis. I am waiting on a budget.
Brian Womack
Supervisor of Education
FCI Fairton
» > -^{"GERHARD, ~^!JASON" <[email protected]> 10/31/2014 4:20 PM » >
To: Supervisor
Inmate Work Assignment: Rec AM
Several weeks ago you said that you'd be trying to establish some sort of mechanism to have books on the units returned to the
library, in lieu of being thrown away. Has there been any progress made In this effort, cause such a measure is sorely needed.
Thanks
PRll
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DATE
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11-12--2013
REMARKS..:
CURRENT
DATE DUE
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1ntp^^://bopAcp-doj.gov:904<)/SLNTRY/J- M^rRPRado
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