This from Erik Ruin posted at the Just Seeds Blog:

Leonard Jefferson is a prolific artist who has used his art to provide analysis and commentary concerning Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system and his lived experience behind bars. His art is typically small/medium-sized pen & ink drawings of prison settings; he has used his art to do outreach to the general public by sending it to various individuals and organizations, including human-rights groups.

In April 2009, he completed the drawing Sista-matized, (displayed above), which was confiscated from him during a cell search in July 09 at State Correctional Institute (SCI) Albion, at the discretion of the corrections officers who were conducting the search. The reason they gave on the official prison paperwork was that the drawing was “racial artwork”. Mr. Jefferson filed requests and grievances for the return of the drawing, which were denied. The justification given on the final denial by the Secretary of Corrections’ office (the head of the PA state prison system) was that the drawing had “negative connotations towards Corrections Officers, Judges, and the Criminal Justice System”. That is to say, they didn’t like it because it calls these people and groups perpetrators of racial oppression and genocide.

Mr. Jefferson finished the necessary paperwork in October ’09, and filed a pro se (representing himself) civil suit with the county court, asking for a list of redresses– including court costs, damages ($1000), the return of his artwork and an order preventing the prison from further arbitrary confiscations. As of June, 2010, the suit is still in litigation. He continues to create art that has negative connotations towards corrections officers, judges, and the criminal justice system.

Write him!

Leonard Jefferson
CL-4135
SCI Albion
10745 Route 18
Albion, PA 16475

Please visit Erik Ruin’s blog post at Just Seeds for more details including a template letter to send to the Judge. Make sure to send a copy of your letter of support to Mr. Jefferson as well.