Why Care??? Because ............... read this

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, October 21, 2012

Why Care??? Because ............... read this

Why Care for Prisoner’s Healthcare?

By Carl R. ToersBijns, former deputy warden, ASPC Eyman

A recent incident reported by an investigative reporter, who received a tip from a prisoner’s family member about the wrongful use of a needle syringe inside a state prison, made the local mainstream news. The reporter revealed poor medical practices as far as “sharp controls” and demonstrated the critical need for needle control within our prisons to prevent exposures to infectious diseases.

This exposure to an infectious disease has been downplayed by the Arizona Corrections Department and only warranted a $ 10,000 dollar fine for not following sound medical standards related to syringe and needle control as well as the use of such instruments. It is exactly this type of lack of concern for the prisoner’s health that impacts our community’s health and public safety daily.

The spread of infectious diseases among prisons impacts not just the prisoner but also the prison staff and the general public. The care for HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis and other infectious diseases within our prisons continues to suffer as our medical providers contracted with the state fail to meet their moral and legal responsibilities to treat prisoners in a timely, effective manner.

The general public must know or should know that whatever happens or whoever lives or works behind prison walls and razor wire impacts our communities when the workers go home and when the prisoners are released. We owe it to the community, our families and our neighbors to protect them from infections by insisting the medical provider for our prison system adheres to and practices sound infectious disease education, prevention and intervention methods.

The infection of a person not incarcerated and the infection of a person incarcerated should be the same and treated with the same priorities. There is a significant difference between the two persons that make it a critical concern to all and that is a person in prison does not have the access or ready means to seek self-protection and other preventive steps as those in the free world.

The bottom line here is we must demand our government takes the appropriate steps to protect prisoners and prison officers alike for it is logical and reasonable to bring this matter to a logical conclusion that by protecting them, we protect society.

October 21, 2012