The women of Alderson continue to undergo opposition from the employees at Alderson Federal Camp.
Over the past few weeks, several women have began the administrative remedy process to get Alderson to use the FSA projected conditional release date formula to apply toward prelease. After reviewing the First Step Act Admission and Orientation (A&O) Addendum that was posted on the TRULINCS inmate Bulletin by the Re-entry department on November 20, 2023, a large number of women started advocating for pre-release community base placement and/or toward early release to a Supervised Release term. In this addendum, there was full explanation and example of the breakdown of how FSA’s are calculated, projected, and applied.
On June 6, 2024, there was a townhall meeting in the unit, given by the Unit Manager and Case Manager. During this townhall, it was explained that the addendum was WRONG and INCORRECT and that it had been posted by an “INMATE” on the TRULINCS bulletin on November 20, 2023.
On June 11, 2024, a revised version of the addendum was reposted by the Unit Team, with a different example and questionable language on how the FSA projected pre-release conditional date is calculated. This action has left women feeling confused and unsure about filing the remedies properly.
Employees continue to retaliate against women who pursue the remedy process by refusing to provide the remedy forms, refusing to make copies (despite the problems with the general copier), threatening to take time away, telling women their remedies will be denied, restricting the use of the BOP typewriter and forcing Adults in Custody (AIC’s) to buy typewriter ribbon and correction tape when it’s not SOLD on Commissary, and providing false/mix information about FSA pre-release conditional dates.
Alderson staff continues to use tactics to deter/obstruct women filing their remedies. One Adult In Custody (AIC) tried to print off the Bulletin from 11-20-23 that was posted by the Re-entry department. The printer did not print the copy so she went to an employee in the Trust dept about her issue. The employee told her the old version was VOIDED and she didn’t need that copy anymore. She should use the NEW VERSION of the First Step Act Admission and Orientation (A&O) Addendum.
Another AIC, was set to return home Tuesday 6/18/2024. She tried to get a date for months because her FSA Conditional pre-release was January 10, 2024. Her family was expected to arrive Tuesday morning to pick her up. Today, (6/13/2024) she was told by her Case Manager, she has to wait until the credits are released for June. Her 6/18/2024 date was PULLED and she will be “STREET RELEASED” in a few weeks.
It is heartbreaking to see the tears in these women’s faces everyday because they are told they can’t return home when the MAJORITY of us should be home by now. Alderson continues to play Judge and Jury with our lives and it’s affecting our mental stability.
The women at Alderson have one thing in common. WE ALL WANT TO GO HOME and trying to advocate for oneself is becoming increasingly difficult. Employees DO NOT support us. They “STAND TOGETHER” in SOLITUDE, “Right or wrong” and the scare tactics are starting to dim the light for some of the women that were hopeful.
Thank you for listening
La’Tonya Richardson Brown 66557-509
