Sterilization of women in California prisons without proper consent revealed by audit. One third of 144 inmates who underwent bilateral tubal ligations from 2005-2013 did not lawfully consent. In 27 cases, required consent forms indicating patient understanding were not signed by physicians. California law requires 30-180 day waiting period between consenting and procedure, but this was not followed in 18 cases. More than 60% of prison population are now racial/ethnic minorities.

7. Sterilization of Women in California Prisons
-In the past, sterilization of vulnerable populations in the name of "human
betterment" was carried out legally and was supported by political elites
-What current and past practices share is the assumption that some women
because of their class position, sexual behavior, or ethnic identity are socially
unfit to reproduce and parent.
-An audit on the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation
revealed that one third of 144 inmates who underwent bilateral tubal ligations
from 2005-2013 were performed without lawful consent.
-In 27 cases, the inmate’s physician who would performed the procedure did
not sign the required consent form indicating the patient was of sound mind
and understood the permanence of the operation.
-According to California state law, sterilization can only be carried out
between 30 and 180 days from the time a woman agrees to the procedure,
“to provide the patient with enough time to reflect on her choice and to make
sure she desires sterilization.” In 18 cases potential violations of the waiting
period were noted between when the inmate consented to the procedure and
when the sterilization surgery actually took place.

8. More than 60% of the people in prison are now racial and ethnic
minorities
In 2000 black women were incarcerated in state and federal prisons
at six times the rate of white women. By 2009 that ratio had declined
by 53% . . . This shift was a result of both declining incarceration of
African American women and rising incarceration of white women.
The disparity between Hispanic and non Hispanic white women
declined by 16.7% during this period.
• Powerlessness and Humiliation There are 148,200 women in state and federal
prisons. In federal women’s correctional facilities, 70% of guards are male.
Records show correctional officials have subjected female inmates to rape, other
sexual assault, sexual extortion, and groping during body searches. Male
correctional officials watch women undressing, in the shower or the toilet. Male
correctional officials retaliate, often brutally, against female inmates who complain
about sexual assault and harassment. • Retaliation and Fear In many states
guards have access to and are encouraged to review the inmates’ personal
history files (this includes any record of complaints against themselves or other
prison authorities). Guards threaten the prisoner’s children and visitation rights as
a means of silencing the women. Guards issue rules-infraction tickets, which
extend the woman’s stay in prison if she speaks out. Prisoners who complain are
frequently placed in administration segregation.

9. Discrimination Based on Race: • Over a five-year period,
the incarceration rate of African American women
increased by 828%. (NAACP LDF Equal Justice Spring
1998.)
An African American woman is eight times more likely
than a European American woman is to be imprisoned;
African American women make up nearly half of the
nation’s female prison population, with most serving
sentences for nonviolent drug or property related offenses.
• Latina women experience nearly four times the rates of
incarceration as European American women

16. S*A*M*I*
Students Against Mass Incarceration

17. Join SAMI
• end the 2.5 million and growing
that are incarcerated.
• As well as the 7.5 million
people that are under some
sort of probation/parole.
• As well as the almost 2 million
children that have at least one
parent incarcerated.
• Let’s end the failed War on
Drugs and make it a public
health issue so people can
receive rehab and counseling
instead of being criminalized.
• Let’s get real help for people
with psychological disorders in
stead of locking them up and
throwing away the key.
• Let’s stop the criminalization of
our youth.
• Let’s end the school to prison
pipeline.

18. TIME FOR REVOLUTION
BY, SARAH SCOLLAY
Anger and frustration,
Humanity needs emancipation,
Crimes against humanity,
Have we all lost our sanity?
The entire system is a failure,
Wake up society we need a cure.
In the 1960’s we went two steps
forward,
Only in the new millennium to go two
steps backward,
This is so absurd,
Do not stay stagnant,
Or trouble will increase like metal on a
magnet,
We need to unite,
To fight,
Against the inequalities we know are
just not right,
With all of our might,
So we can leave a legacy,
Of our children living truly free,
America can be the land of equality.