Collective Punishment at Pendleton CF: Extended Lockdown and Starvation Diets Since Oct. 6

IDOC Watch received the message below from someone with a loved one incarcerated at Pendleton CF, dated Nov. 17. An update was sent several days later. To our knowledge, the situation still has not improved.

This has become a human rights issue, inmates have been starved for 39 days and in cells 24/7. The prison is systematically starving human beings. Every citizen in Indiana needs to be made aware of this! If this is allowed to continue, there will be deaths. Most of these men are in terrible physical condition from eating prison food that is not fit for animals. When you're getting 3 cold sack lunches a day with nothing but spoiled bologna and bread and a small portion of broccoli stems it's going to have horrible health consequences. Our loved ones have already received their sentences, it's not the prisons job to withhold food and drink and fresh air to punish them more. It's the prisons job to rehabilitate :the process of restoring someone (such as a criminal) to a useful and constructive place in society. 

The incident that started this lockdown occurred on October 6th. 2023 at Pendleton Correctional Facility at Pendleton Indiana. An inmate attacked a correctional officer and the offending inmate was immediately removed. Since that time a lockdown has continued in retaliation to the rest of the inmates who did not harm anyone. Lockdowns are collective punishment and are a form of punishment that is against our constitutional rights. No person should be punished for the actions of another person. The prison uses collective punishment as a way to retaliate and starve and mentally abuse the inmates. The inmates are starving and depressed and frustrated at being punished for an incident they did not participate in. This treatment has been going on since October 6th. 2023. They are (the prison) is withholding food, the inmates only receive 3 cold sack meals a day with bologna and bread and a few vegetables. They are in their cells 24/7. No recreation at all. Only 2 showers a week and are cuffed going and returning to their cells. No visitations at all. No coffee at all. The prison even removed the small coffee pac from the breakfast sack. They won't allow commissary that has been ordered by the family to be given to them. This has absolutely nothing to do with safety when you restrict food and take away their rights to receive fresh air and exercise with nothing to do but suffer in isolation all day. All the inmates in this lockdown did not participate in any harm to anyone. Indiana taxpayers are paying for this kind of treatment of human beings. It is citizens hard earned tax dollars that fund prisons, I for one do not want my money used to abuse anyone! The citizens of the state of Indiana need to come forward and put an end to this abuse and corruption in our prisons! Indiana has become a state that allows abuse of inmates and it's a human rights issue! If you have any compassion for your fellow man and want all persons treated with dignity and kindness, no matter what their circumstances are, end these human rights violations. This is totally and completely unacceptable treatment of human beings. It's punishment, pure and simple. Inmates with health conditions and mental illnesses will start getting worse and possibly dying. If this isn't stopped immediately the Indiana Department of Corrections will be responsible for sickness and possible death in the near future.

Update November 25:

The lockdown is still going on, the prison has decided to call it modified now! The inmates still get 3 cold sack lunches a day. For 50 days this is their only food. Every 7 days they get 1 hot meal one time. No recreation at all! No video or in person visits. About 10 days ago they allowed inmates to order from restricted commissary a 50.00 food order. But they won't receive it until close to Christmas. They will not deliver Union Supply commissary that families ordered and paid for until the lockdown is lifted. They only receive 2 showers a week. Most workers cannot go to their jobs because of the lockdown. Most men are losing weight and the prison is becoming a powder keg because of this situation. Basically the prison is using collective punishment to the inmates who had nothing to do with the incident on October 6, 2023 that started this. No church services and no doctor or dentist appointments. I think possibly diabetics see a nurse, maybe. They have not even given them coffee in 50 days.

12/8 Update:

They modified it a little, they're still receiving 3 cold sack lunches a day. 1 hot meal one time a week. No recreation at all. 2 showers a week still. They did finally allow the inmates to order $50.00 ( food and hygiene) of commissary one time. Then the next order can be 100.00 (food and hygiene) together. They will not allow Union Supply orders to be delivered either.