Wasted Honor -- - Say What you Need To Say......: Open Letter to Gov. Janice K. Brewer

Wasted Honor -

Carl R. ToersBijns is the author of the Wasted Honor Trilogy [Wasted Honor I,II and Gorilla Justice] and his newest book From the Womb to the Tomb, the Tony Lester Story, which is a reflection of his life and his experiences as a correctional officer and a correctional administrator retiring with the rank of deputy warden in the New Mexico and Arizona correctional systems.

Carl also wrote a book on his combat experience in the Kindle book titled - Combat Medic - Men with destiny - A red cross of Valor -

Carl is considered by many a rogue expert in the field of prison security systems since leaving the profession. Carl has been involved in the design of many pilot programs related to mental health treatment, security threat groups, suicide prevention, and maximum custody operational plans including double bunking max inmates and enhancing security for staff. He invites you to read his books so you can understand and grasp the cultural and political implications and influences of these prisons. He deals with the emotions, the stress and anxiety as well as the realities faced working inside a prison. He deals with the occupational risks while elaborating on the psychological impact of both prison worker and prisoner.

His most recent book, Gorilla Justice, is an un-edited raw fictional version of realistic prison experiences and events through the eyes of an anecdotal translation of the inmate’s plight and suffering while enduring the harsh and toxic prison environment including solitary confinement.

Carl has been interviewed by numerous news stations and newspapers in Phoenix regarding the escape from the Kingman prison and other high profile media cases related to wrongful deaths and suicides inside prisons. His insights have been solicited by the ACLU, Amnesty International, and various other legal firms representing solitary confinement cases in California and Arizona. He is currently working on the STG Step Down program at Pelican Bay and has offered his own experience insights with the Center of Constitutional Rights lawyers and interns to establish a core program at the SHU units. He has personally corresponded and written with SHU prisoners to assess the living conditions and how it impacts their long term placement inside these type of units that are similar to those in Arizona Florence Eyman special management unit where Carl was a unit deputy warden for almost two years before his promotion to Deputy Warden of Operations in Safford and Eyman.

He is a strong advocate for the mentally ill and is a board member of David's Hope Inc. a non-profit advocacy group in Phoenix and also serves as a senior advisor for Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council in Chino, California As a subject matter expert and corrections consultant, Carl has provided interviews and spoken on national and international radio talk shows e.g. BBC CBC Lou Show & TV shows as well as the Associated Press.

I use sarcasm, satire, parodies and other means to make you think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Open Letter to Gov. Janice K. Brewer - Prison Expansion

The Honorable Janice K. Brewer
Governor of the Great State of Arizona
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007

August 26th, 2012

Dear Governor Brewer,

As a retired correctional professional and a former deputy warden at the Special Management Unit formerly named SMU II and now re-named the ASPC Eyman Browning Unit, I join many other individuals and organizations in Arizona to express an opposed opinion to the current plans to expand Arizona’s prison system.

Specifically, I am addressing the proposed 500 maximum security bed expansion unit planned to be built in the ASPC Lewis Complex in Buckeye, Arizona.

I am urging you to immediately cancel this prison expansion proposal and not allow this project to go forward because:

Current operational practices at the maximum custody units throughout the state have demonstrated numerous policy failures based on the high number of:

Staff assaults in these level 5 units
Inmate deaths occurring within these special management units which was a direct result of bad policy making and decisions related to staffing, security procedures and lack of support services specifically mental health and medical services.

The evidence is clear that the ADOC cannot engage in any expansion plans within the parameters of maximum custody until they effectively handle and manage the current status of its maximum custody population and reduce deaths related to:

Suicides, homicides and delay of medical and mental health treatment.

Re-instate staffing patterns pre-2010 that includes the assignment of additional correctional officers and supervisors, case managers, medical and mental health support staff and logistical support to provide adequate safety conditions for all staff assigned there and enhance such services within the confines of these special management units.
Remove all severely mentally ill (SMI) inmates from the maximum custody units and provide funding for a stand alone mental health treatment center that will focus on two primary goals for the SMI –

Stabilization of those incarcerated scoring a Mental Health score of 4 or higher to be diagnosed, treated and provided individual treatment plans (ITP) according to those needs identified and recommended including evaluations and medication needs.
Identify and assign mental health ITP to those scheduled to be released back into our communities within six months and ensure their ITP’s for all mental and medical needs are provided prior to release with conditional treatment supervision while in community corrections supervision.

Thank you for any consideration you may give this most important matter and I hope to meet with you or your agents in the near future to discuss opportunities for potential cooperation. I am willing to share my viewpoint with you or your chief of staff if you desire to meet with me for this purpose.

Sincerely,

Carl R. ToersBijns