Friday, May 11, 2012
Contagion in Prisons - the editorial
Contagion in Prisons
Looking at various definitions of the word “contagion” you
will find words that should upset you or at the very least alert your awareness
that something is wrong with what you are reading, hearing and seeing about
prisons inside the United States.
Doing a web search on the word contagion, you find not only
“the direct cause, such as virus or bacteria, of a communicable disease” but
also, the “tendency to spread of an influence or emotional state” or “a harmful
corrupting influence”. It is, therefore, a very fitting title for an editorial
about a prison pandemic that has spread since the late 1990’s and is peaking
out as we speak today. The spread has certainly brought a lot of attention to
the topic but it has not yet figured out a way to stop the pandemic of prison
growth or those diseases within them.
This article or editorial opinion explores the effects of
prison growth, the lack of effective prison care and management of its
population as society ignores those subtle changes within the prison walls. Up
to this point, I have not seen governments deal with this matter with reality.
They have not acknowledged the tremendous burden and expense to run a prison
appropriately and orderly.
This outrageous burden on taxpayers to pay for prison
medical and mental health care and other actions associated with public safety
and sound prison operations is out of control. It is proposed this editorial is
both relevant and accurate in its empirical evidence presented as well as
supportive evidence based information that shows prison projects or the entire
prison industrial complex is failing the public’ needs and taxpayers by
projecting an endless vision of maintaining prison growth and mismanagement of
funds to keep them going while ignoring other social and educational needs
within the state.
It offers instead a recommendation for all concerned to
review and examine prison alternatives that will gradually reduction prison
population and costs, as well as associated problems in the medical, mental
health and custodial care of the prisoners.
This former prison administrator / professional does however
suggests that we go one step beyond prison reforms and look for individuals
outside the current prison and political system to become advisors on the
subject matter and through his or her advice comes up with legitimate and sound
correctional practices to reduce the impact of this social disease called mass
incarceration. The state(s) can hire one or more lead characters to come up
with a solution to fix these growing reports of what amounts to "a new
public health threat" for those inside and outside facilities as well as
rapidly injected growing pains. Employees deserve this consideration as they
are exposed daily to the dangers of these pandemic conditions that exist and
can bring the disease into the community and families without warning.
In addition and along with the scientific / medically
directed avenues, investigative reporters should come along to gather the facts
as they really exist and document such existence accurately and independently
from the prison providers.
Perhaps between the scientists and the journalists, a
breakthrough can occur and progress made into the pandemic of prison growth. This
way the chance of “fooling anyone or the people” is a legitimate method to
release the information rather than through whistle-blowers or other paranoid
former or current correctional administrators or employees that face the quick
death of character assassination for speaking out about this internal disease
that exists within our prison systems blowing any chances of being labeled a
conspiracy theory to the public.
So who are the villains and who are the good guys? First and most, the science of prison
management must be kept open-minded and transparent. Facing the various
dilemmas’ inside prisons, the first question always asked is “who is going to
pay for this?” after all, most if not all decisions are made or based on money.
Thus the villains are those who are ignorant of the problem, those who lack of
knowledge these problems exist and not communicated by state leaders and those
who have developed an attitude of “deliberate indifference” on the matters at
hand.
The intent here is not to save anyone or to change prison
conditions to be softer or less harsh in confinement. It is about maintaining
the prisons systems healthy and cost-effective. Every politician should take
the time to make a financial and threat assessment on prison growth, policies
and applicable laws to see if this disease can be controlled and minimized
through sound and legal practices instead of industrial or profit sharing
performance.
We can’t afford to drag our feet on this contagion of
prisons as it is likely to spread like a wild fire if not contained in spending
and judicial oversight. Not trying to be dramatic but stating the facts that if
you think that the present conditions are scary, just wait till you see what
this pandemic might look like in a few years as it consumes budgets and robs
the civic coffers precious funds to keep it rolling in a most unrealistic
portrayal of what prisons should be.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Fullerton Cops Caught on Corner Camera
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- Kelly Thomas Beating on tape reveals need to train COPS on the Critical Intervention Training method. A proactive approach would save lives and keep cops and citizens safer.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T78qc3d1duk&feature=plcp
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