Character Counts

Although I have worked under many different philosophies and many different leaders in the past 25 years of correctional experience, I still believe that many of our prison systems nationwide are in the need of change. Realizing that my mentors have prepared me and primed me for particular points of views not without controversy, it is reasonable that today, I feel in any shape or form, believe that the best way is the Machiavellian type of prison systems as they are not part of the answer either.

When individuals are interviewed by someone before being blessed to accept total control of a state agency, you would think that the person selected is a reflection of the person interviewing and delegating their own moral values into the person selected. I find that this is hardly ever the case with positions that are high up and almost exempt from both public scrutiny and political criticism. I say this because I don't see the same values in you Governor Brewer as I do in Charles L. Ryan. The recent appointment of Charles Flanagan to the juvenile system as director leaves the agency at the hands of a person who is not in tune with the purpose nor the sensitivity it requires to run such a prison system with the spirit and ethical conduct required. There will be no transparency in operations as well as internal performance issues that are essential and important to Arizona citizens as well as you, his boss. The absence of Mr. Flanagan leaves the agency without a moral compass to guide them where human lives are a precious commodity but often ignored or discarded like waste and other rubbish in a most analogous meaning.

Arizona prisons were cursed to be led by an individual whose "reputation" was tainted to begin with but somehow preordain their proclivity to running brutalistic prison systems their way and sanctioned by others in the Bush Administration as they were selected to go to Iraq and build their internal correctional systems boiler making their mentality and priorities. Like many people in power, some people just "get off" on hurting others whether those individuals deserved to be hurt or not. Many people selected by the Department of Justice to work in Iraqi prisons sound like they fall into that category. It also sounds like "someone" somewhere has made a decision that inmates need brutalizing to learn to obey; therefore, the hiring of the sadist officials.

Reflecting the way people are dying inside Arizona prisons there must be a link between the power structure and the hypocrisy that exists in denying the existence of poor prison management and leadership to guide subordinates and officers in their role.

Experiencing a culture of entitlement in today's business place, there has always been the discussion between power by position or authority and those who gain power by influence. Needless to say those not in a position of power can't compete with those who have the position thus it is often an unbalanced equation that results in the shifting of power to those who have the authority to do the things they desire. Studies have revealed that those who are powerful and who have been primed to believe they are entitled to their power readily engage in acts of moral hypocrisy. People with power think that they are justified to break rules not only because they can get away with it but also because they feel at some intuitive level that they are entitled to take what they want. This sense of entitlement is crucial to understanding why people misbehave in high office. In addition, there arrives a sense which some powerful people seem to have that different rules apply to them and genuinely believe it. Regardless of what tests you apply to those in power, the results will show that the powerful do indeed behave hypocritically and relative to a higher their position, the less harsh they are on themselves thus suggesting that they condemn the transgressions of others more than they do their own.

This is definitely no way to run a prison. Perhaps if the backgrounds of most inmates were researched, you might find that these people were ignored, shown no respect or dehumanized as children and to be made to feel as though they were worthless. Having to spend their "sentence" in a prison system that only stresses those same negative feelings is certainly NOT going to rehabilitate a new personality from them, but create a deeper psychosis. These are not the people we want eventually released into the general public. So, why would you choose an administrator with a hardened, brutalistic methodology to "whip" aggressive or non-aggressive inmates into shape? By using his methodology of disciplining, are the inmates only angered or defeated by his procedures? Somehow there needs to be more control of who is allowed in those critical positions and "why"? On the other side of this coin, Ryan has disciplined state workers unforgiving and shows no compassion for those hurt while on the job and recuperation from serious assaults or injuries.

Someone in the governor's office must also evaluate whether the recruitment selection and training for this agency is both appropriate and in tune with federal / state laws, executive expectations and sound and practical correctional practices, perhaps best achieved under a strict accreditation program that will sanctify the performance and other elements of the prison environment.

Responsibility goes along with any position such as a director or a warden; power begets madness when allowed to run out of control. The fact that Mr. Ryan has concentrated his attention to rehiring those from the former regime under Terry Stewart and himself in the past, has changed the direction of the agency drastically and wrongfully guided those with sound moral compasses. Hiring those with poor moral turpitude is unacceptable but yet condoned? This is a critical issue that will be difficult to solve...hopefully not with sadistic individuals who are feigning sensibility. Evil has a duality: it can look as innocent as a baby (like a baby rattlesnake), but has the poison and strike of an adult. Where evil lives is in the hearts of those who it once touched and changed to its ways (inmates). Anyone working in that arena (prison systems) cannot escape its touch because that is its lair. It is only getting stronger while man's moral compass is slowing down and breaking down the others who want to do the job with their own moral intellect and guidance systems.

Taking personal responsibility and paying attention to detail are two very important character traits to have. It is important for civilians to demonstrate these traits but even more important for correctional administrators and correctional supervisors. These people in such powerful positions should be held to a much higher standard than civilians because of the position they are in or will be in where they enforce the laws over civilians. They should be a role model for people to follow. A lack of personal responsibility can cause many problems. These problems are not just for the person who is making the choice not to take personal responsibility but for the people around them. The impact is universal and often develops a domino effect that creates havoc in many different areas and positions created to keep others safe and free from any injuries or harm.

Working inside places such as a prison often involves matters of life and death. It is possible that even the slightest error could result in catastrophic results if the person is negligent in any way. Perhaps an exaggeration in some instances, it is a very real scenario. We would be second guessing the potential consequences of such events but the choice to do the job and do it right is a moral decision that should not be so hard to make. Remember that what may appear to be insignificant at one moment could jump up and bring the devil as we are not able to foretell the future and the cause and effect probabilities. Shortcuts can be an easier approach to many ways of doing your job but taking the easy way out is not always the best way to do the job. Training plays a big part in this matter and doing the right thing and accepting responsibility for doing the right thing must be a priority in every person’s mind when wearing the badge and doing it with honor.