Racial Profiling and Targeting of Black Men a Reality at Kern Valley State Prison

Yes, all prisoners are targeted, and the harshness of their treatment varies only in degree, with the most severe treatment being meted out to those with some political consciousness. They concentrate punishment on the political prisoner because the political prisoner has the clearest understanding of the prevailing exploitative relationships, and so has the greatest potential for awakening and organizing the rest of the prisoners.”

~Mutulu Shakur, Anthony X Bradshaw, Malik Dinguswa, Terry Long, Mark Cook, Adolfo Matos, and James Hoskins, an excerpt from the essay entitled: “Genocide Against the Black Nation in the U.S. Penal System” taken from the book, Imprisoned Intellectuals: America’s Political Prisoners Write on Life, Liberation, and Rebellion, by Joy James.

I have known for years that there was something “strange” and foul happening inside Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP).  KVSP is a facility operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and is located in Delano, California.  In 2020, I was in direct contact with prisoners housed at KVSP.  The prisoners whose identity I decided not to reveal informed me that correctional staff were engaging in activities which helped spread the deadly virus known as Covid-19.  Upon learning this information, I immediately used SF Bayview’s Instagram platform to post these messages that were viewed by many.

 

There is a culture of silence and secrecy that is adhered to by prison and jail officials when it comes to information about conditions within the carceral environment.  CDCR has an image to protect and uphold.  The agency is very careful about what information it allows to be released outside into the community.  Through my years and years of reporting about conditions inside prisons and jails, I’ve learned that there is no more valuable asset to a criminal justice reporter than an authentic and truthful source who has firsthand experience.

CALL ME “TAY”

I first caught wind of the racial profiling happening inside KVSP in December 2024 when I read a brief report written by California Prison Focus, et al. and a collective of like-minded advocates and activists.  The piece was entitled “Kern Valley State Prison Under Fire for Race-Based Lockdowns Targeting Black Prisoners.”

In mid-February 2025 at San Bruno Jail (CJ#3) located in San Bruno, California I met a fellow prisoner who goes by the name of “Tay.”  Although Tay gave me permission to use his full government name, I have chosen to use his alias in order to protect him from any retaliatory conduct by CDCR employees.  No matter what anyone may say or tell you about free speech in a jail or prison setting, I can tell you from my experience that retaliation by prison authorities against those who speak truth to power is commonplace.  The truth teller and the freedom fighter always have a target on their back.  Tay happens to be both.

I conducted an interview of Tay, and he informed me that he had been housed at KVSP during the timeframe that CDCR employees were specifically singling out Black men for arbitrary lockdown status.  Tay said, “Usually one would think that it is a group of racist White Correctional Officers (COs) engaging in this type of behavior, but at KVSP, it was predominantly Hispanic COs mistreating and targeting Black inmates. Only people that were housed or are still housed at KVSP know this fact.”

I must report that when I first heard Tay’s revelation, I was very disappointed.  I personally have advocated and fought passionately for the civil and human rights of Latinx people all over the United States, but especially those in prison.  However, I had to check myself because these CDCR employees are not politically conscious servants of the people, they are state employees making a pretty good living at guarding California prisoners.  The interests of, let’s say, a Hispanic community activist and that of a CDCR CO are not the same.  I’ll expound on that in greater detail later.

On the day that I interviewed Tay, he said that he was preparing to call a community activist known as Minister King X.  Unknown to Tay — until I told him — I was very familiar with Minister King who is also a fairly well-known artist and founder of K.A.G.E. Universal and a key member of California Prison Focus.  Tay had this to say about Minister King X, “Minister King has been on the front line of this specific struggle from the very beginning.  He has been our voice in the community and has been helping us organize the legal fight. I want the courts to know exactly what these people at KVSP have been doing to us.  I’m tired of being a victim.  This racist behavior is not right.”

After our interview, Tay informed me that he was going to phone Minister King, and I advised him that even though we were in the San Francisco County Jail (San Bruno), be careful about what you say on the phone.  State surveillance is real even when you’re doing something that is protected under the U.S. Constitution.

INVIDIOUS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF PROMOTING RACIAL HATE

After my interview and conversation with Tay, I began brainstorming about ways that I could educate the community about what was happening inside KVSP as well as garner more legal help for those still trapped inside the facility.  By the way, there’s a good chance that Tay will be returning to KVSP in order to finish out the rest of his sentence.

My first thought was to specify exactly what the law says about the behavior and action of the CDCR employees at KVSP.

When filing a federal civil lawsuit, 42 U.S.C. §1983, it is very important that the plaintiff and his/her attorney(s) allege certain actions that the defendant engaged in as well as be specific in language.  I’ve been subjected to almost the exact same unconstitutional conduct as the KVSP inmates.  “Invidious Racial Discrimination” is the terminology of what is happening here.  In layperson language, this means that the CDCR employees at KVSP visited arbitrary and discriminatory lockdowns upon Black prisoners simply because they were Black.

In this case, there is a strong element of racial hatred and bigotry at play which must not be ignored.  The textbook definition of “invidious racial discrimination” is contained within the context of 42 U.S.C. §1986.

Invidious discrimination is a legal term used to describe the act of treating a class of persons unequally in a manner that is malicious, hostile, or damaging. It refers to discrimination that is motivated by animus or ill will towards a particular group, rather than based on a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason.”

Ladies and gentlemen there is a politic to racism in California prisons.  Some CDCR employees — I SAID SOME BUT NOT ALL — promote racial enmity and strife among prisoners.  They (CDCR staff) utilize the element of racial hatred as a means to manipulate and control prisoners, pitting one group against another. It’s a not-so-sophisticated strategy meant to divide and conquer as well as to keep prisoners focused on each other instead of directing their energies toward the “oppressor.”

Apparently, this racial discrimination and animus doesn’t stop at the prisons’ gate.  Another example of this is depicted in this article, “Prison guard union places gun target on image of Black elected official” (September 2020).

https://sfbayview.com/2020/09/police-group-places-gun-target-on-image-of-black-elected-official/

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association…“in a two-minute political video, clearly displayed an image of a ‘crosshair’ symbol over the face of State Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, at the 1-minute-20-second mark of the clip, which was widely circulated before it was deleted.”

If the CCPOA does not respect the dignity and humanity of a California legislator, then what makes anyone believe that they would respect Black males who are incarcerated at KVSP?  This should generate a broad public outcry.

Now, when CDCR employees foment or create hostile environments, they utilize the resulting violence as an example when they lobby the legislature for more fiscal funding every year.  You see, peace is not profitable to CDCR.  That leads me into a brief discussion on the Agreement to End All Hostilities in California prisons (AEAH).

Here’s a link to this iconic document (2012): (link)

The whole purpose of the AEAH was to create an environment of mutual respect and peace among all prison organizations and street tribes.  Once again, Peace is not good for business from a corrections standpoint.  In order to make sure that the taxpayer dollars keep flowing into CDCR’s coffers, some employees have employed tactics that continue the cycle of hate and violence.

For example, forcing the Sensitive Needs Yard population into the General population was one key strategy that have sowed seeds of violence and chaos among California prisoners.  This is not a secret, and all those who advocate for the health, welfare, and safety of all prisoners know exactly what I’m talking about.  The targeting and racial profiling of Black prisoners at KVSP is another unsavory tactic of the “oppressor” that must be called out and addressed in federal court (civil setting).

I believe I’ve made my point, but what we need is legal help from law students at Stanford University, U.C. Davis Law School, U.C. Berkeley Law School, and any other law school in Northern California that is willing to provide support.

I end this piece with a final quote from the essay referenced above by Mutulu Shakur et al. at the beginning of this article.  I request that you reflect upon this quote especially if you have a loved one or friend inside a local jail, prison, or detention center in the United States or beyond:

In prison, (or jail) isolation and sensory deprivation, deficient diets, confinement within a limited space, denial of privacy, lack of natural light and fresh air, lack of comradeship, lack of undisturbed sleep, lack of proper health care, lack of educational and recreational outlets – all reduce one to an existence of lifelessness.”

We ask activists, advocates, and legal observers who read this article to contact Chief Deputy Carriedo and Warden Horn to open a line of communication to address this long-standing issue and as a means of hopefully reaching an amicable solution for all parties concerned.  Nevertheless, our respected legislators in Sacramento as well as our members of Congress in Washington, D.C. must stop ignoring the blatant bigotry and racism that has reared its ugly head inside KVSP.

Kern Valley State Prison, P.O. Box 1810 Delano, CA 93216

Phone: (661) 721-6300

Email:  patwin.horn@cdcr.ca.gov

CDCR Office of the Ombudsman: (916) 445-1773 | Kyri.Owens@cdcr.ca.gov

Malik Washington is a freelance journalist and Director at Destination: Freedom and Destination Freedom Media Group.

 

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