Kay; I've gotten three letters from friends at UCI over the past couple of weeks. All of them are upset over the new chow policy there. Seems UCI is only using 1/2 of the dining hall to feed the entire camp. They feed from one side for a while each meal then switch to the other side to finish feeding. The consequences of this is of course, frustration and the men eating as late as 7:30 pm daily. The institution rotates the dorms, so if you go first on Monday, you're third on Tuesday, etc.

 

At lunch if they have a single recount or long single count, they don't have time to feed all the men prior to work call so that's backed up and then the rest of the men who are off duty can't go to the yard for rec...because they have to return to the dorm at 3:00 and since lunch doesn't finish until after 1:30 and work call after 2:00, the admin refuses to allow the rec yard to open.

 

If it isn't one thing it's three, huh?! It also seems FDOC at UCI is trying to make the camp an uncooperative non-smoking camp. The inmates can no longer smoke going to or from the dining hall, no smoking in the dorms or on the way to the rec yard and back. Since this is a controlled movement facility and men either have to be in their dorm, work or on call out, it's easy to see that by restricting their smoking when they are outside to eat or rec, and in the dorms, they are only able to smoke infrequently. I don't understand this policy since FDOC set the price for a pack of Marlboros at $6.00+!! Why they set such an exorbitant price on that product then restrict inmates ability to use the cigarettes is conflicting and confusing. Either FDOC should go non-smoking through out, or allow the inmates to smoke when they want.

 

Some institutions allow the men outside in the evenings in a secure courtyard area to smoke. This lessens the frustration of being in the dorms from approximately 6:00 pm until 7:00 am without the ability to smoke. Of course, UCI isn't one of the camps that allow that.

The guys say it's not due to maintenance or repairs. They are simply using one side to feed part of the camp then the other to feed the rest...but only one side at a time. I'll have to request further information as to why they think FDOC put this procedure in place and how long they believe it will continue.

 

The one chow hall feeds the entire camp: death row, confinement, hospital and all housing units. When I was there it took approximately 1 and 1/4 hours to feed the entire camp. Now they tell me they start at 5:00 pm for dinner and the last dorm is finished at 7-7:30 pm. Breakfast is running from 6:00 am to 8:00 am. Lunch is also almost 2 hours.

 

UCI has moved men all around until they have certain job assigned inmates located in the same areas as other men similarly assigned. PRIDE is now in A area instead of spread out among A through D areas. I can't explain it Kay, and neither can the guys who wrote to me.

 

Of course if the feeding schedule is such that the officers don't have to spend time watching the recreation area, it benefits the staff to no end. That frees up around 6 CO 1's for other duties. As I said, they are now doing away with afternoon recreation because of the lengthy lunch period and long counts. 

 

Just a couple of issues to keep you busier. LOL! Keep up the good work and keep us appraised of the "Robert" fiasco.

Bob Sloan,
Ex-Offender

ARAMARK FOOD SERVICE

UNION CI