• 11
  • June
    2012

While protesting inadequate conditions at Ohio State Penitentiary, prisoners have resorted to hunger strikes to draw attention to their complaints. The second hunger strike at OSP this year began on April 30.

Inmates participating in the latest hunger strike cited two chief concerns. The first involved commissary practices and prisoner pay. Inmates complained that the system used by the OSP commissary to set prices for ordinary necessities such as hygiene items and food have fluctuated without notice. Prison officials are allowed to increase prices by as much as 35 percent over cost on available items, and with inmate's current rate of pay at $9.00 per month, purchasing basic provisions is difficult. Many inmates require financial support from their families to purchase necessities.

The second major concern voiced relates to security classifications. Ohio's prison system assigns security classifications to convicted offenders. This security classification is used in determining where offenders are placed and the conditions they live in. OSP currently only houses level four and five prisoners, the highest levels of security. Inmates assert that state law allows for a downgrade in the level of security assigned to a prisoner, based on good behavior and other guidelines. However, according to inmates, prison officials at OSP keep security classifications the same without regard to inmate behavior.

The first hunger strike at OSP earlier this year achieved some modifications to the number of hours of recreation inmates are allowed each week. Inmates participating in that strike also protested commissary pricing conditions, and the institution's failure to deal with that issue added motivation for the inmates to keep trying for improvements during the second strike.

Fair treatment for prisoners is just as important as fair judicial process. If you are concerned that someone you care about is being illegally mistreated within the correctional system, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney today to better understand your legal options.