HOLLYWOOD WORK RELEASE CENTER
8501 W. Cypress Drive, Pembrooke Pines, Fl 33025

Major Rita Gallo is ultimately over the Hollywood WR
She can be reached via email at: gallo.rita@mail.dc.state.fl.us

Phone:  954/985-4720 
Fax:     954/967-1251

Women prisoners are subjected to varying forms of oppression and inhumane acts while confined in our nation's penal system. So this is an urgent call for any and all the help you can offer on behalf of the female prisoners being held at the Hollywood Work Release Center.

The following are some of the major problems being experienced at this facility:

1. There is reportedly a group of rogues in uniform that are **terrorizing the women at this facility.

NAMING: Lt. Humpsinger, 
                          Major Rita Gallo 
                          Sgt(s) Ms. Curseo & Jennifer Ruthann 
                          C/O(s) Rigena Gomez, Mr. B. Arrow, & Angela Hendrix.

2. In violation of Chapter 33-103, FAC, female prisoners report they are being denied access to proper informal and formal grievances in triplicate form. For the past eight(8) months these women have been forced to use a single paged copy of both informal and formal grievance forms, which prevents them from retaining a copy of submitted grievances for their records. This has enabled the staff at the work release center to easily ignore and destroy grievances filed by these women. Chapter 33-103.005 (2) (b) (2), clearly states that informal grievances shall be submitted in triplicate. Chapter 33-103.006, FAC , governing formal grievances also clearly states formal grievances will be filed in triplicate form. This can not be done if the women are being denied the proper forms for filing their grievances.

** Some of the women been threatened with lock-up for writing about these problems, and have been transferred back to prison by Lt. Humpsinger, Maj. R. Gallo and other staff for complaining about this problem.

3. Dental and medical care is neglectful at best. First off, diabetics are being forced to use the same syringe for one week at a time before they are issued a new one.

4. There are major problems with Aramark's food service at the prison. I've received reports that Aramark prepares the trays and sits them out on the line long before the prisoners arrive and there are flies and bugs everywhere.

The chow hall is filthy, and utensils and trays are often times dirty and have food particles from previous meals still stuck to them. Some workers from the kitchen have written about being forced to prepare spoiled meats, and to serve outdated milks, bread, and other food items.

I'm told that the statewide menu which is suppose to be strictly adhered to is seldom followed by Aramark staff, and the company is a habitual offender for "shaking the spoon" (serving smaller portions than the menu calls for) on the women at this facility.

5. The "Spectrum" Drug Abuse/Self-Help  Program is a prerequisite for placement on community release status which enables these women to participate in employment inside the community while serving the last portion of their sentence. The problem with this I'm told is that the majority of the time there are no ** counselors available to teach the program, so women eligible for work in the community are unable to complete the program, and therefore are denied the opportunity to obtain employment and begin the gradual reintegration back into the community.

** It's worthy to note that the staff is reportedly padding the stats and records to cover-up the Spectrum counselors absence. Thus the FDOC continues to receive federal and state funding for a program that is virtually non-existent.

6. I'm also being told that certain women are being denied community release and permanent party status because they desire to get into the computer course offered at the facility, while other women are being allowed to do both.

7. Visitation forms are not being processed in a timely manner and some others have not been processed at all.

There are real problems at Hollywood WR that need immediate attention from all of us. Work Release Centers are supposed to provide prisoners with an opportunity for gradual reintegration back into our community, teach them good work habits, allow them to obtain and maintain gainful employment while incarcerated.  It is supposed to give them a chance to save up money prior to release in order to assist their families, pay any restitution or court costs owed, and preserve their family and community ties. But this is not happening at Hollywood's WR. The staff there are enforcing their own set of policies and procedures, and reportedly daring any of the women confined there to question their illegal and possibly criminal activities.

Subject: In response to your site
Date: Sun, 06 Oct 2002

I also have a loved one at hollywood work release... She actually works in the kitchen and has alot to say about alot of things too... Everything you mentioned on that site is true... Not to mention what all you had to say over... Lets just say that it is even worse than your imagining... I could even go one step further than just the abuse in the work release center...

Below are specific complaints about Hollywood WR from prisoners who wish to remain anonymous for now due to fear of retaliation (i.e. being sent back to prison).

ANONYMOUS PRISONER #1

A. Prisoner Number 1 has been threatened by Maj. R. Gallo, Lt. Humpsinger, c/o B. Arrow and others with DR's, CC's, and a "transfer back to prison" for complaining about the fact that the prisoners do not have access to "complete" copies of Chapter 33 as required pursuant to department policies. According to the department's own policies and procedures "each dorm and the library will have complete copies of Chapter 33" for prisoners to sign-out and review.

 

B. Prior to being transferred  to Hollywood WR, Number 1 was  housed at Hernando CI, where she was on the dental plan and had been fitted for a plate prior to work release because she is missing two front teeth. After arriving on work release, she was told by Dr. Humber that a rule stated that the only  who can receive a plate are those missing three or more teeth. (We cannot find any reference to this 'rule' in Chapter 33.) This  appears contradictory since Number 1 was fitted for a plate for her two front teeth prior to being transferred to Hollywood Work Release. Perhaps this is an economic move by the FDOC to save money at the expense of a prisoner's health.

 

C. Number 1 has been trying to see a doctor for excessive bleeding and pain caused by an earlier surgery to remove boils from her buttock area. She complains of great discomfort whenever she tries to walk and/or sit.  To date all she has received is the usual run-around from the medical staff.

 

ANONYMOUS PRISONER #2

A.  Prisoner Number 2 has been waiting for several months to see an eye doctor  and have her glasses fixed. On 4/17/02, she was told by medical that she was on the list to see the eye doctor, but to date she has not been seen.

 

B.  Number 2 also has severe headaches for which she's sought medical attention over the past 61/2 months, but to no avail.

 

C.  Number 2 has a release date of December 21, 2002. She signed paperwork prior to March 25th for assignment to permanent party status, but as of this date (August 6, 2002) she is classified in the FDOC system under pre-work release status which isn't correct nor fair, since, according to the department's own rules, Number 2 has long since been eligible for work release status.

 

D.  On 03/25/02, Number 2 was transferred from prison to Hollywood Work Release Center. On 06/25/02, Classification Officer Ms. Scarane told her that Number 2 was subject to a 180 day deferment which will end on 09/25/02 (three months before her release). There is nothing written in the FDOC policies and/or procedures that states that she must be at that facility 6-months before she is allowed to get a job.

 

E.  Number 2 states that not all women are subject to this 6-month deferment and that there have been some women who have come "before" and "after" her and HAVE been assigned to permanent party and/or work release jobs. The case of Number 2 doesn't appear consistent to the cases of other prisoners.  If she is eligible and has signed all the right papers then she should be allowed to find a job so she can care for her family and pay the restitution she owes.

 

F. Number 2 has not only been denied medical care, she's also been denied access to a ophthalmologist who can fix her eye glasses.

 

ANONYMOUS PRISONER #3

A. Prisoner Number 3 says she has been threatened and harassed by Maj. R. Gallo, and others for complaining about the conditions inside the chow hall. She has also written several grievances and none of them have been answered; which is to be expected given the fact they aren't using the proper forms.

 

B. Number 3 says she has been on the dental plan for two(2) years and the FDOC hasn't even cleaned her teeth, let alone treated her for ongoing dental problems.  She is experiencing extreme pain on the left side of her mouth and says she's been unable to chew on that side of her mouth for nearly a year. She keeps going to dental and being charged a co-pay fee, but she has not been treated.

 

C.  Number 3 was seen by Dr. Gros for her foot and said doctor told her that they would be prescribing a medication for her to pick up for her foot. Two weeks and $ 16.00 in co-payment charges later, said medicine had not been received. Number 3 learned during her last trip to sick call, that Dr. Gros had not written the prescription he said they were going to write.

For what good it will do, grievances were filed about this matter but nothing to date has been heard back and no action has been taken by either the medical staff or Dr. Gros.

 

ANONYMOUS PRISONER  #4  

A.  Prisoner Number 4 has been threatened for complaints about the new 'rule' about care packages. In contradiction to the rule, policies and procedures governing the FDOC, Maj. R. Gallo has apparently taken it upon herself to implement a rule forbidding work release prisoners from receiving care packages (hygiene items, sneakers, underclothes, cigarettes etc.) either in person and/or through the mail. Although work release prisoners are entitled to receive care packages according to the rules of the DOC, Maj. Gallo has decided that she will run things differently than any other work release center in the state. This issue can not be ignored. If she's allowed to get away with this then she'll surely come up with other personally preferred rules in the future.

B.  Number 4 has been threatened by the uniformed rogues for complaining about the unsanitary conditions in the kitchen, about the lack of proper grievance forms, and about the lack of adequate medical and dental care being provided to women prisoners.