by Angel Garza, Corcoran State Prison • Published May 2025
Introduction
I wanted to insert a short note here preceding the wonderful article and artwork submitted by Mr. Angel Garza. He writes about the measure LSPC worked on over the course of a few years, that changed from ACA 3 to ACA 8 and at the end of 2024, Prop 6. Although it may seem that Prop 6 lost as the results rolled in, I believe we should consider the last election our test run. This was a step in the learning process towards this goal. Our fight to end the practice of slavery in California—and the United States—is far from over. The next time Californians have the chance to vote on the issue of slavery, we will have done everything we can to have abolished it.
– Alissa Moore, LSPC Re-Entry Coordinator
It is so wrong to get a CDCR 115 write-up, or disciplinary infraction, for not working. At this very moment in Corcoran, almost all five blocks are on C-Status◊ for not wanting to work as slave labor for less than twenty dollars a month.
People in here are willing to get—and are purposely getting—placed on C status rather than be forced to do slave labor for the state to keep the prison running. Why? Think about the alternative: working at minimum 160 hours/month for nearly no pay or a measly $12/month.
So if you ask “Why?” BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT TO BE SLAVES! I have studied this issue over the years of my incarceration. I have seen the Governor veto many bills that us here inside and our families need passed. If the California Model† is supposed to be the new standard, how can we not ABOLISH SLAVERY? The half-hearted support we saw of this measure these past two years is and was absolutely disappointing.
To me, being enslaved is not rehabilitation—nor is it in alignment with the California Model. I was told at sentencing I was going to prison to pay my debt. So far, with things the way they are, little to none of the restitution has been or could be paid. The court sentenced me to time in prison, not SLAVE LABOR. Californians I’m sure would have a cow if they knew we aren’t actually able to pay our restitution while incarcerated.
The cold hard reality is that incarcerated people do all of the work to keep the prison functioning. We are responsible for the laundry, kitchen, yard work, landscaping, welding, electrical work, HVAC repair, clerk services, janitorial services, and construction. We are librarians, canteen workers, receiving and release workers, and somehow we are also able to become certified drug and alcohol counselors within the SAP (Substance Abuse Program). However unethical it seems, yes we are treating some of our peers. We are generally supervised by a Correctional Officer or other staff who are paid significantly more—for just standing around watching us do the work. The wage disparity is unbelievable between us, THE SLAVE FORCE who are actually doing the work, and those tasked with watching us. If this practice is to end it surely will take ALL OF US OR NONE.
I hear that. Work is work. A job is a job. Why should it matter where that job is. And maybe maybe treating us like humans regardless of what we are in jail for would lead us more to that rehabilitated person they are telling society we are when we finally get released. If we were able to do the time they want for our crimes, and require us to work to keep the prison functioning, we should be allowed to be working to be able to provide for our families for the victims or pay property damage court cost what ever we destroyed to get us there, as we are in prison working we would be able to do something positive by repayment and sometimes that’s not going to get someone’s loved one back if that’s the case at least that money they would be able to pay in their honor could go to a charity of their choice or their grandkids slush fund or to the homeless person or they could throw it away it being their choice but it would help. And we the inmate would be building up to when released would have been taking care of things that are required in life and it wouldn’t be so shell shocking and overwhelming and most cant handle all the things that happen the instant we are free. Life starts happening ghd minute we step out that gate. We have been hone sk long and want yo fo so much and the world tresrx you as unhuman as the prison system and all we had to adapt to just to survive it makes us stay that way without guidance and support and win power. Which most don’t have before we went in so…. it being there after is rare. But let us get paid to work and it be distributed to victims restitution. Family and our future we would be paying taxes keeping the prison functioning giving the inmates a positive approach to be easier to adjust to when released. So maybe maybe the fighting would stop and the rehabilitation would start. I’m just saying….