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Protect Our Detained and Incarcerated Loved Ones and

Community Members in Washington

An Open Letter in Support of Our Incarcerated Communities

Dear Governor Jay Inslee,

We call on you to act immediately to protect the lives of Washington State citizens confined in our prisons and jails. As the coronavirus presently threatens the health and lives of people across the country, those imprisoned in Washington State could quickly be subject to a death sentence. Even before the coronavirus, the Washington Office of the Corrections Ombuds identified that our state institutions are vulnerable to a pandemic. As noted, “OCO’s largest area of concern with regard to conditions of confinement for persons incarcerated in DOC is in health services. Over 20% of complaints pertain to allegations of poor quality of health care or inability to access health care.”

In order to truly flatten the curve in our state, we must decrease our population in prisons, jails and detention centers. Other states have already taken action or are considering the following steps to reduce the threat to the lives of incarcerated people. Nearly twenty percent of our state’s prison population is over 50 years old, making them especially vulnerable to coronavirus infection. Close quarters and insufficient supplies exacerbate this threat.

To this end, we call on the State of Washington to immediately:

1) Release all medically vulnerable adults, especially people over the age of 50. The Indeterminate Sentence Review Board (ISRB) should expedite release––consistent with public safety––of all immuno-suppressed, chronically ill, elderly, and/or pregnant incarcerated people.

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2) Release all people who do not pose a risk to public safety. ○ Given that ICE and the Northwest Detention Center have repeatedly failed to

respond to mumps and other outbreaks in the recent past, we ask that you order DOC not to transfer any person released into ICE custody.

○ Grant early release to people with anticipated release dates in 2020 and 2021. ○ Release people whose release has been ordered by the ISRB but who remain

confined pending approval of their release plans. ○ Eliminate minimum sentencing laws, under which judicial discretion is minimized

and systematic incarceration is further facilitated. ○ Immediately release all incarcerated people who do not pose a risk to public

safety. Evidence shows that this category includes people who have served at least 15 years of their sentence, are over 50, and/or are incarcerated for offenses they committed as juveniles.

○ Immediately release all people incarcerated for poverty violations, including those sentenced under the Three Strikes Law.

3) Suspend all probation and community custody violations. Reducing the flow of people into confined spaces such as DOC facilities is crucial to flattening the curve in this pandemic.

○ Accommodate individuals who may not be able to attend check-ins with community corrections officers.

○ Suspend the need for individuals on work releases to have to report to work or school.

○ Release individuals on work release who have 6 months or less time.

4) Expand preventative health care measures for people who are incarcerated. In addition to taking steps to address overcrowding, all people who remain in custody should be cared for. Given this reality, solitary confinement is not preventative health care and should not be used to mitigate the risk to vulnerable prisoners. Instead, our jails and prisons should take the following measures.

○ Provide unlimited and free access to sanitary supplies for those who are incarcerated and enable them to institute safe practices: this includes unlimited handwashing, moisturizers, alcohol-based (60% or higher) hand-sanitizer, bleach-based cleaners, and gloves.

○ Actively screen temperatures and health conditions of all staff members who enter the prisons; prohibit any staff with illness from entrance to a facility.

○ Utilize additional medical staff who are not a part of the DOC to coordinate care.

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○ Establish a quarantine location that is not in the living units and is not solitary confinement.

○ Restrict solitary confinement to no more than 15 days and only use this extreme punishment in extreme circumstances.

○ Set clear limitations on the use of lockdown during this time. ○ Eliminate medical co-pays, provide free testing and treatment

5) Install more JPay kiosks (or Securus kiosks in the local jails) in the living units to allow for more access to video visits between incarcerated people and their loved ones in the community in this time of crisis. Connection to loved ones is especially critical in this frightening time. As Washington DOC has restricted visits, it must provide incarcerated people more access to phone calls and remote video visitations free of charge.

○ DOC facilities and local jails on average have only 2 remote video visitation kiosks per 400 incarcerated people. Installing more kiosks would allow for greater access to video visitations and limit the spread of coronavirus.

○ Given the exorbitant cost of phone calls and remote video visitations, DOC must require the telecommunication companies that are contracted (Jpay and Global Tel Link), to allow for phone calls and remote video visitation at no charge to incarcerated people and their loved ones.

○ Ensure prison/jail staff compliance in allowing incarcerated people more access to phones and video visitation kiosks. Since it is likely that most facilities are on some type of restricted movement or lockdown, prison/jail staff must be required to allow incarcerated people out of their confined quarters to access the phones and kiosks more frequently.

○ Provide alcohol based cleaning wipes at the phones and kiosks so people can adequately clean the phones and kiosks before and after use to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Governor Inslee, we appreciate the ways that you and our Washington State legislators take seriously the need to protect the lives of our residents. As you know, the health, well-being, and lives of people in the state’s locked institutions are literally in your hands. We urge you to take immediate and decisive action to save the lives of some of the most vulnerable communities in Washington. You will have our full and active support in this critical work.

Due to the urgency of the issue at hand, we expect a prompt response from you by Friday March 20th 12pm.

Sincerely,

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Organizational Endorsements

Black Prisoner Caucus

La Resistencia

No New Women’s Prison

Black and Pink Seattle

Bridges to Life Restorative Justice

Creative Justice

Disability Rights Washington

FIRELANDS Workers United (Stina Janssen)

Justice Support Group

Central Washington Justice For Our Neighbors Columbia Legal Services Freedom Project Human Impact Partners Left Bank Books Collective Gathering Roots Retreat Center PARISOL (Pacific Rim Solidarity Network)

Real Change

Safety through Solidarity

Solidarity and Direct Action (SoDA) Seattle

Seattle South Asians 4 Black Lives (Rani Hanstad, Aretha Basu, Pranava Raparla)

APICAG (Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Awareness Group)

Cargo Bike Kitchen LLC

Prison Health News

Satterberg Foundation

Seattle ACED

Planning Alternatives for Change Power Past Fracked Gas (Sarah Cornett)

United Students Against Sweatshops

Washington Young Farmers Prison Voice WA (Loretta Pedersen) Reframe Health and Justice Team Child Social Justice Fund NW The Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons WA Statewide Family Council (Loretta Pedersen) Health Equity Circle Spokane Olympia Bail Fund 350 Eastside (Phil Ritter) PSARA (Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action

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Thrive Resilient LLC Dominican Association of Washington State 350 Tacoma, (Bradley Thompson) Dharma Friendship Foundation Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane Kitsap Showing Up for Racial Justice One America

CID Coalition / #HumbowsNotHotels

National Lawyers Guild, Seattle Chapter

Jews Undoing Institutional Racism

Non-Complicit Student Association at the

University of Washington School of Law

Seattle South Asians for Black Lives

Transit Riders Union

Gender Justice Beyond Bars and Binaries

Legal Voice

Post-Prison Education Program

350 Seattle, (Emily Johnston)

Individual Endorsements

Nikkita Oliver Chelsea Moore Dan Berger Suzanne Cook Loren Taylor Linh Nguyen Janet Moriarty Cheuk-Ning Li Cammie Carl John Stovall Emily Childs Sandra Weber Alison Cheung Darby Bundy Therese pfeil Maria Garcia MaryAnne Tran Michael Grant Andy Wen Caitlyn Hynes

Soya Jung Mushawn Knowles Jane Singer Meredith Durbin Heather Dockery Kristina Nielander Portia Ainsley Kelly Narada Roberts Roderick. Roberts Jessica Means Bruno George Gabbi Nazari Jason Beutler Susan M. Taylor, ARNP Michelle Kriebel Maya Ramakrishnan Sarah Desti Jasmine Bernardez Carrie Freshour

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Jessica Ward Danielle Shapiro Amber kha Melissa Dunbar Debra Daniels Danielle Hennigan Marie Artap Katie Wilks Devan Holmes Amy Groesbeck Leo Farbman Kate Brunette Janet Floyd Sherri Caldellis Abigail Johnston Susan Royer Tyler Wilch Heather Manley Katherine Frasier Stacey sevier Peggy Danthanh Trinh Trevor P. Kami Yamamoto Caitlin Nold Julie triggs Jillian Rausa Mark Gravador Diane Durall Sam Lee Lizzy Ott Julia Robinson Lesley Hoare Mark Macomber Margaret Wilson-Briggs Laura Powell Kathleen l Starr Siabhon Ayuso Mackenzie Barton-Rowledge Sierra Kaplan-Nelson

Katherine Schaff, DrPH Waajidah Smith Madeleine Greenfield Ashley Werth Gillian Harkins Stevie Houpt Helena Benedict Alaina Schultz Angelica Jannone Sofiya Liashedko Liz Kroboth, MPH Catherine M. White Rebecca Hill Meredith Ruff Andy Cornell Marc Mazique Frances Lee Aaron J. Shay Tanya Roman Bean Yogi Marisa Ordonia Braden Pence Emilie Carr Hannah Halpern Burke Stansbury Denise Grollmus Jeffrey Davidson Cassandra Butler Tasha Walston Shannon solie Paula Crews Bond Roy Todd Bond Nikki Châu Julie Steinbacher Keren Ram Erin Wolf Laura De Vos Allison Osborne Anna Fernandez Loretta Pedersen

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Pranava Raparla Lacie Braun Will Darling Anna Ivanov Richelle Raphael Felix Alexis Bogan Max Delsohn Dave Bullard Jody Bullard Kari Langsea Susan D Cooksey Elizabeth Lynch Ingrid Pixel David Spataro Sasha Duttchoudhury Renee Shank Phil Neff Remy Teal Jessica Allen Ky Cochran Ian Nava Lorena Matteucci Alexander Stein Meilani Mandery Ammara Touch Anise Rau Courtney Morales Thrall Chen-Chen Jiang Dante Meola Scout Raven Khelian Lo Goens Nicollette Roe Karen Toering Kanak Aniela Gustin Leah van Hoeve Anish Kumar Asha Hanstad Linda Vong

Uma Rao Heather Carawan Eevee Sun Damian Davis Riley Moos Lydia Rubenstein Olivia Mansker-Stoker callie bee Sharada Rayan Lourdez Velasco Ivey Lufkin Tomas Madrigal Sarah Johnson Emmett Stanfield Anna Bychkova Charles Eddington Melissa Stephens Addie Bjornson Karen Pillar Carlos Osorio Gus Voss Jenny McIntosh Archana Ahlawat Alex Eisenberg April Zhang Noah (Julee) Goldberg Piper Carafa-Olson Vernon Roessler Aditi Rajendran Kathryn Gardner Jared Maddox Gabby Goeglein Murphy Dan McFadden Annette Klapstein Kris Chan Eamon Redding Akanksha Jayanthi Alicia L. Lopez Tess Matsukawa

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Tera Oglesby Lucy Middleton Julianna Alson Katie Barnett Robin Narruhn wesleigh richardson Amber Akemi Piatt, MPH Mia McFarland Kristian McFarland Shuxuan Zhou Diane Hernandez Victoria Lewis Katherine Schade Luke Ulrick Elena Orlando Laura Da Sol Lim Casey Murray Juan Cordova Dawn wiltzius Agnes P Cwalina Nesley Bravo Estelle Nelson Scott Groce Anna Micklin Kunthy Nouv Kelly Johnson Raksmey Por Patricia Gojetia Guy Oron Vik DeMarco Rinny Tun Sandra Matthews Hayley Shannon John Cachero Anna Hackman Genevieve Adabelle Spencer Rickman Chelsea Harris Shandrika Demmer

Aaron Hartwell Lauren Holloway Tara Johnson Amara C Monillas Joey Wieser Carmetrus Parker Iris Carrera wilson shook Brooke Kipling Helen Cosmos Greta Roy Judith Oliver Nadelyn king Solona Sisco Nicole Plastino Tobias Gurl David Heppard Laurie Dawson Elliott McMurray Kalisto Nanen Jill Yang Ade Gawdat Bruce glant Amanda Barnett Jaron Kaplan-Parr Yameekia Saxton Bellen Drake Sierra Katz Alicia young Connie Palmersheim Brittany Friedman Lena Klarnet Nicole Bearden Giulia Pasciuto Abra Soule Susan Stahl Krista Hanson Alisha Nieh Rochelle James Jeremy

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Paige Hardy Wyatt Thomas Sasha Pesci Sharon Tsoi Julianne Presson Laura Rodriguez Yolanda Heppard J R Raili Marks Alexandra Blakely isaura jiménez Lily Frenette Ms. Patricia Leckenby, ARNP Olivia Geffner Brent McFarlane Saira Basravi Rachel Scott Nick Dominique Anne Petty Allyson McDonough Jennifer Pritchard Sean Flannigan Krista Sneller Michelle Raine Sarah Benson Rebecca Chan Kamal Patel Celeste Monke Jay Roelof Delphi Drake-Mudede ind Jessica Hartman April Sewell Bhante Nuntiyo Bhikkhu Leela Berman Sara Virginia Newman Carrie Jaecksch Scott Winn Lauren berliner Kirstin Wagner

Heather Day Jessica Anthony Marisa Hendrickson Alana Gorman-Knutson Hannah Lessing Dana Barnett Jieyi Ludden Che Sehyun Maggie Grae Clogston Charles Collins Kate McIntosh Rachel Barnett Frances O'Shaughnessy Susan A. Verbalis Sarah Sense Wilson McKenzie McCallister Anne Dwyer Michelle Hu Alison Kelly-Rostholder Susan Sheinfeld Michael H. McIntosh Peter Pihos Rabbi David Basior Kelsey Hamlin Michelle Dillon Elena Fazeli Moira Leibowitz Mia Mendoza Scott Kurashige Robin Counts Sallie Lau Miles Lizzie Simon, RN LYnn McIntosh Molly Brashear Claire Clayton Meryl Geffner Marissa Hoffman Frances Dierken Jennie L

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Danielle Rowland Cole Buckley Gail Tsai Jose Luis Rodriguez Vince Schleitwiler Scott Hana Ferronato Benjamin Kunzo Crook Naomi Finkelstein Thiago Marques Randy Meier Anthony Rella Xander Kahn Camilla Guevara Caralise McIntosh Willa Osborn Jason Thoennes Amanda andrews Cherie Lee Kaylee Knowles Mytoan Nguyen-Akbar Evette Jasper Eliza Davison toetie zwart Michelle Habell Casey Drobnick Claire McHale Emmett Moore Taurmini Fentress Makenna Lehrer Laura Stembridge Reilly Richards Erin Bednarz Joanie Fuller Andrew Wurtz Caleb Knapp Jessamyn Abby Welch Wan Nur Ardini Batrisyia Binti Wan Anuar

Shannon Landheer Phoebe Fanganello Maricruz Maldonado Kristen Reijonen Gabby Lacson Devany Shikiar Jaylen Sabini Tedi Beck Faye Alarcon Sadie Katon Erica Weiland Stephanie De La Paz Cerda Corinne H Carol willuams Kaitlyn Laibe Arista Chen Ruba Ayub Ruby Harlin Riley Meeks Alejandra Puerto Nick peters Eowyn Orleck Maren Nielsen-Thompson Randi Fleming Myra Lara Andrew Grant Houston Allison Campbell Omid Bagheri Garakani Clara Sheffer Jocelyn Santacruz Natalie Jamerson Frank Blanco Serenity Chan-hamilton Sai Samineni Elena Perez Kathryn Grubbs Morgan Stine Alexis koch Allison Goldberg Jaci Leavitt

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Julie Xia Elena Chiu M. Angela Castañeda Carl W. Elliott Carol Olivier Jaiden Feldman Ananya Garg Amanda Brown Carly Rose Erika Decker Diane Baer Simon Knaphus Maggie Rickman Elizabeth Nichols Courtney Hooks Athena Addams Christy Cox Caren Hill Emily Johnston Claire E Smith Katy Allen-Schmid Aubrey Wisdom Jamie B Uma Jared Bennett Lisa Logan Kovas Zygas Elizabeth Reis Karen Schneider Jeanne Deller Devon Tremain Valentina Warner, MD Jean Berolzheimer Elaine Hickman Jordan Van Voast Riddhi Mehta-Neugebauer Marlen Ruedas Castro Max Drewes Shannon Carman Carrie Matthews

janet Glenn Christina Antonakos-Wallace Jacob Meyers david kipnis Megan Ybarra Becca Meredith Dean Spade Meera Sethi La Tisha Conto Cole Willsea Geoffrey D’Alosio Jamil Suleman Paula Bond Shelby Handler Chelsea Myers Ross Girshick Brie Gyncild Meghan Thompson Aaron Shay Eric Padget Becca Jay Billings Jeffrey Freiberg James Page Rachel Shapiro Karla Elena Lyn Orlando Elise Cooksley Katie Freeman Todd Bohannon Greg Thiessen Natasha I Terry kai aprill-tomlin Annie Gordon Werner Emily Yoshioka Ashley Barnes-Cocke Yaya Megan Munk Kelsen Caldwell

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Casey Motson Rosalie May Tiffani Escalante Lynnda Escalante Katie Pekarsk Matty Whyte Ellen Jennifer Gosar Sophia esparza Lea Kronenberg Shelli Django Paris Julie Feng Adrienne Domingus Natalie Chapman Brett Mille Autumn Vanderkloot Sriram Parasurama Mara Dauber Tashina Shepherd Bonnie Robyn Greenfield Eleanor Ryan WD Susan Wade Brit Erika Kathleen Starr Elaine Mehary Noah Rachel McBain Kaylen Hendrick Kathy Frasier Sina Sam Jessica Mitchell Noreen Light Anita Barker joanne glant Liz Spoerri Candice

Sophia Posnock Carly Greyell Elise McKinnon Jeanne Berry Charlie Shih Kimberli Burrow Elam Matthew Van Duyn Hannah Wilson Sue Kay Evalynn Romano Leah Wood Whitney Wood Grace Ott Deborah Massachi Elisa Cozad Leah VanHoeve Natalie Snitzer Florence Sum Marco Henry Tamara Lea Spira Michael Foster Felipe Perez III Otelia Lundberg Emily Pacunski Charlie Kundts Meagan Bernatchez Jessica Rock Alan-Michael Weatherford Jonathan Pincus Autumn James Talonya Adams Christoph Adams Mary Mitchell Dennis Young Rachel Page Thomas Sargent Moore Maureen Janega Alexa Fay Alora McGavin Sela Mafi

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Juawana Grant Simon Juliet Le Amanda miller Kelsey Souza Tonya Tolliver Phoebe Faulkne Chanda Mak Chessie Snider Francis Jason Jackson Pietsch Bana Be Sewheat Asfaha Lynn Ausley Shaniah Card NANCY L COLLINS B. Williams TJ Main Sam Rell Be Free Sweller weller quinn rao Sarah Staley Karen Taylor Mollie Wolf Scout Smedley Steve Leigh Sarah Egger Jeff Campbell Beck Fiona Sheehan Sarah Sara Yinling Post Jack Finley Mac Peyton Kathryn Sanlis Rebecca Petersen David Ellenwood Brittney Bush Bollay Mai Takahashi

Fletcher Christie Toetie Ross Kirshenbaum Sarah Bishop Byron C. Coates Ashleen O'Brien Darius Fullmer Rebecca Allen Jieyi Arthur Ludden Dora "Duaa-Rahemaah" Williams Anna Jacobsen Agnes P. Cwalina Will Toaspern Eliana Horn Rae Paris Mary RobertS Ed Mast Tianna Andresen Madeleine Sosin Jasmine Fernandez Nick San Miya Woo Jeremy Milloy Maria Porter Steward Michael H McIntosh Diana Xin Jared Austen Maddox Tushar Carl W Elliott Cassandra Yabes Miranda Mellis Sarah Cornett Letauaeletise Hunkin Nina Wallace Kyli McGillivray Brad Blackburn Aidan Moore Tiffany Chen Lauren Moore Morgan Michel

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Emijah Smith Aline Prata Jada Marsden Stephanie Trasoff Kathleen Brian Rudy Sarah Schwab Elizabeth Seibel Camille Walsh Linda Phan Aleksandrea Johnson Alena Huynh Justin totaan Elicia Shotland Rachel Anderson carol williams Zainab Jabboua Eden Amital Maana Mesbahi Peggy Korpela Emily Silva Arianna Nord Gregory Lewis Noah Collier Devon de Leña Naomi Smith Emily Rose Childs Derek Boiko-Weyrauch Summer Diegel Nicole C Zeller Rose Ernst Kim Wool Darcy Peth Karyn Poblocki Talya Gillman Sayer Rippey gretchen siegrist Oloth Insyxiengmay Shirley gumabon Vanessa Moreno

Jay Thompson Nancy Alia Taqieddin Koko Takahashi Mike Phimpiela Alexandria Jones Norma Timbang Carmen Felicia Forsman Sharrin Manor Tara Fisher Joanne Murayama Andrew Hedden Cameron Withey Chris Eisenberg Anthea Hubanks Rita Montour Gretchen Sleicher Matthew Hernandez Jeremiah Bourgeois Lorena Mendoza-Flores Karla Davis Phebe Jewell Luke Patterson Adrian Tunney Michael Paradis Mel Landquist William McKeithen Susan Helf Denise Hotchkiss vy nguyen Lucien spect Benji Astrachan Madeleine Vidger Jennifer Ting Helena Ribeiro Laura Elaine Daza Shanine Lofton Hannah Myrick Jessica Frank Sarah K Burkhalter

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Lorinda Rowledge Camille Rosanna Sze Sara Brickman Paige Lester Evelyn Morris Kayleen Oka

CC: Stephen Sinclair, Secretary, Department of Corrections CC: Robert Herzog, Assistant Secretary, Department of Corrections

CC: Senator Joe Nguyen, 34th District - Seattle (Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee)

CC: Senator Claire Wilson, 30th District - Federal Way (Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee)

CC: Senator Jeannie Darneille, 27th District - Tacoma (Senate Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation Committee)

CC: Representative Laurie Jinkins, 27th District - Tacoma (House Speaker)

CC: Department of Health, Washington State