Wasted Honor -- - Say What you Need To Say......: Arizona prisons

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Arizona prisons - Murder, Mayhem and Malfeasance

Arizona prisons are near capacity and growing. Every year they ask the legislature for more beds either private or public, they are planning growth rather than shrinkage. Arizona is in the prison business as they are locking up more people than most of the other states who are reducing prison populations.

Prisons are being filled with non-violent first time drug offenders and other low risk criminals to make the bed count. Seems the state wants to be the national leader in prison growth and management. They are fueling a formula for disaster as they currently meet the diabolical triangle of disaster by being overcrowded, under staffed and leaving many prisoners idle.

Saturated with a serious multiple gang war, the tension is mounting. The Arizona prison boss promises better security but the homicides keep happening and the gang warfare is still on the verge of a full blown race war. Kept in check by a shaky truce it could break any day with the assault or murder of one or the gang members on the open yards. The mayhem is silently buried under the cloak of secrecy that hides the violence and other management failures. Clearly the malfeasance is in the prison management style.

Max custody beds are full – more are being requested but nothing is being done to reduce the violence except for changing the wording in some of their policies. The culture is pro-violence and staff assaults are higher than ever indicating who really in charge of these prisons on any given moment or day. Inmate on inmate assaults are rising while prison rapes are becoming a cultural norm that everybody accepts as acceptable.

Prison management has failed in three areas – security due to inept staffing patterns imposed – program idleness due to a severe reduction in inmate activities and treatment services – delayed medical and mental care that impacts communal public health risks and safety as there are prisoners released with communicable diseases and spreading them in the community.

In the meantime, the Governor, the legislature and the Attorney General are content with the way the prisons are being operated and refuse to get involved in turning things around back to sound security practices and sound correctional procedures to ensure public safety, staff safety and a secure environment for inmates and visitors.