Prison is a little city of its own and has it own rules of engagement as well as cultures. Every neighborhood is different and staff must adjust to that neighborhood or experience both increased stress and anxiety while working there. The first rule learned in the Academy is the “us versus them” rule. This rule supersedes all other rules and can be invoked anytime something goes wrong. No matter who is to blame, no matter who caused the problem prison rules are to be broken and must be kept intact to survive the harsh and demanding conditions that exist behind the walls that society wants to know nothing about. Thus a code is established and the rules of engagement are clear. This is the way it is and nobody is going to change it.
Prisons are impenetrable structures and many have worked hard to keep it that way. Their philosophy is simple and resembles the rule for going to Las Vegas. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas is pretty much the same code the correctional officers live by most of the time. They often believe that the public, the ones who have cast away those thousands of humans convicted of crimes wants to no longer be involved in their problems thus these “castaways” are now under the supervision of a correctional work force. The prisons are staffed with a majority of correctional officers, supervisors and administrators that have worn the badge. “Once a correctional officer always a correctional officer” and another code has been created or is born. The consequence of such births of different codes creates dynamics that are hard to understand unless one is inside these prisons where these elements develop. Thus one must understand the areas where these codes are born, as the neighborhood changes a little bit to adjust to the new expectation of conduct.
One would be foolish to think that they do not need each other to survive. In fact, team work is preached daily to handle the majority of tasks that clearly illustrates the ratio between staff and inmates are always in the favor of the inmate population. It is reasonable to say that at times, correctional officers must supervisor more than two hundred inmates at a time hoping they are not in the mood to give them resistance or non-compliance that day. Walking upon a recreation field of two hundred or more, sometimes more than five hundred men, the presence of four officers watching them work out and exercise is not uncommon. Thus the risks are calculated and the consequences of these physical dynamics are accepted by the officers to do a job the best way they know how. Often said to just get it done in a hurried manner, shortcuts take place to meet the demands of their supervisors who not too long ago, experienced the same hurried pace and understand why shortcuts are taken.
So more codes are developed to keep the truth from coming out as officers are doing their best to get the work load done in the time given and resources provided. This culture of taking shortcuts can be flawed and often results in serious omissions of critical tasks such as searches, unit checks, counts and other security functions. Having only limited time to walk the perimeter to check the fence line for breaches or tampering is difficult when you know you need to be at another location within the next ten minutes to help your partner out in the kitchen as you get ready to feed the population.
There are three dominant dynamics that occur inside prisons. They are employee to employee interactions; employee to inmate interactions and then there is the always hostile employee to the management and administrative interaction that is often dealt with mistrust of the purpose of the meeting.
Paying attention in the corrections academy you learned the “us versus them” mentality quickly to protect yourself from blame and discipline. You don’t trust the investigative process and you have no faith in the due process regarding any staff disciplinary investigations to glean innocence or guilt. Your experience has grown where you can make your own decisions and although well trained and confident, you notice the subtle changes in your performance realizing you are making more and more decisions on your own without any disapproval from your supervisor. This tacit approval works well for those who are experienced and well established in their routine and practice. It does not however, enhance those who are inexperienced and sloppy in their work habits.
Us versus them creates a line in the sand for the inmates you supervise as you begin to see them not so “human” anymore as your job has become robotic and mundane as time passes. You pride yourself on detecting mood changes and behaviors of others but you completely miss your own changes since you became an officer. Once in a while, a friend will tell you that you have “changed” but as you shrug it off as criticism, you embrace every new code that has been established in your own neighborhood and accept it as it is. No questions, no hesitations and no problems
Speaking about your job at home is rare. Unless your spouse is an officer or another family member is an officer, you will never share what you do because you feel they “don’t’ understand the scope of your job.” You refuse to speak of the work place dynamics that include violence, intimidation, fear and retaliation as normal and not paranormal as others may perceive it to be. This misunderstanding of your job creates barriers that often results in domestic depravations or divorce. Not created intentionally, it now impacts how you do your job and whether or not you show up for work or not. These times are difficult and alcohol and pills can help you sleep but as you awake to the alarm clock, you realize another shift is waiting before you.
When it is all said and done, I can only tell my brothers and sisters, I understand!!!!!!!!!
Be careful and be safe!
.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Open Letter to Director Charles L. Ryan - The Perils of Mission Creep
Mr. Director,
It well understood by every lawmaker, every politician and every agency leader in government that the creation of a mission statement should be more than a wall decoration in the office wall. It must reflect a “best practice” and reflect successful planning and goal setting by an agency or organization. Creating a good mission statement is meant to keep you on track and focus on your direction. There are times when the direction you have taken will take you away from your mission statement and into an abyss. This is commonly referred to as mission creep where you “creep” into areas you didn’t plan on departing from or explore.
The Arizona Department of Corrections has set guiding principles within its on strategic plan and mission statement. Some of these principles are to provide a level of comfort for those government branches that interact with the agency daily by statute. Others are designed by federal law or agreements initiated to provide logistic or political support. The idiom of “safe and secure” is always part of a mission statement within prisons but rarely taken to the value it was designed to create. The agency has a legal and operational responsibility to be accountable and responsive to its employees; to inmates and most definitely, its citizens.
Their actions must show a high priority on quality of services and trust illustrating their effectiveness to manage such a large agency. Their work should be transparent, done with integrity and willing to change when mission statements and objectives or goals are not met within their time of expectation. The agency has failed to maintain an environment that is humane and equitable to both employees and inmates. It has failed to address the number of assaults that occur daily within our prisons leaving staff and inmates injured, sometimes seriously and every now and then maimed forever.
Today they have not solved the public’s needs or expectations of a safe and secure prison environment. The leadership has not demonstrated a passion for action and has not demonstrated proactive skills that could in fact reduce the violence within the prisons. These administrators lack the aspiration to do a job and do it well but are not inclined to perform any better unless encouraged by the leadership of the agency. These leaders who are in charge of staff safety and inmate control have relinquished their authority to those unqualified to lead and accept lesser trade offs in their performance to get paid for eight and out the gate every day. Leadership was designed to energize the work force and inspire excellence by role modeling and doing the job with open communication and good ideas. This is most lacking in many administrators today. Visiting the agency’s website, their strategic plan will reveal an extreme high number or escapes last year at 5 reported.
Perhaps it is time for the Director, Charles L. Ryan to review who is at the helm of these institutions where the staff assaults are creeping up beyond limits of reason and acceptance. Perhaps now is the time his energy is directed into the treatment of fairness for all who sweat and toil within the settings of these prisons and receive no gratitude for doing so. Looking at the statistics for 2009 there were an average of 29 staff assaults per month and 52 inmates on inmate assaults reported. Gleaning the same statistics for 2010 the data reveals there the average of 28.5 staff assaults per month and 62 inmates on inmate assaults reported. It is almost certain that he will claim the add inmate population has contributed to these numbers, however, the average reflects no effort to curb the violence.
It would behoove the Director to sit down with his core of leadership [or change his leadership] and review the mission statements for an anticipated change in actions and decision making. Perhaps, he should remind every one of them what the mission statement is and “stick it” into their heads so they won’t forget who they work for [the citizens of Arizona] and who they are accountable to for their dealings and decision making.
One can see by the charts attached the gradual process of maintaining control over the environment has changed over time and resulted in undesirable consequences that labor on staff injuries, resignations, frustrations and low morale. Another aspect of this erosion to the mission statement is the high inmate assaults on both staff and other inmates, suicides and homicides that occur within the prisons within a culture that has developed a tolerance to death or violence.
The Director needs to infuse new energy into the agency and its leadership. He must deliberately discuss the agency’s shortcomings and avoid getting distracted on other issues that created confusion and dissention among staff. He has betrayed his own mission statement and his own policies in the manner business are conducted today inside his agency. His focus has changed and he is losing a grip on those very things that he promised to address when he came on board back in 2009.
Source:
www.azcorrections.gov
It well understood by every lawmaker, every politician and every agency leader in government that the creation of a mission statement should be more than a wall decoration in the office wall. It must reflect a “best practice” and reflect successful planning and goal setting by an agency or organization. Creating a good mission statement is meant to keep you on track and focus on your direction. There are times when the direction you have taken will take you away from your mission statement and into an abyss. This is commonly referred to as mission creep where you “creep” into areas you didn’t plan on departing from or explore.
The Arizona Department of Corrections has set guiding principles within its on strategic plan and mission statement. Some of these principles are to provide a level of comfort for those government branches that interact with the agency daily by statute. Others are designed by federal law or agreements initiated to provide logistic or political support. The idiom of “safe and secure” is always part of a mission statement within prisons but rarely taken to the value it was designed to create. The agency has a legal and operational responsibility to be accountable and responsive to its employees; to inmates and most definitely, its citizens.
Their actions must show a high priority on quality of services and trust illustrating their effectiveness to manage such a large agency. Their work should be transparent, done with integrity and willing to change when mission statements and objectives or goals are not met within their time of expectation. The agency has failed to maintain an environment that is humane and equitable to both employees and inmates. It has failed to address the number of assaults that occur daily within our prisons leaving staff and inmates injured, sometimes seriously and every now and then maimed forever.
Today they have not solved the public’s needs or expectations of a safe and secure prison environment. The leadership has not demonstrated a passion for action and has not demonstrated proactive skills that could in fact reduce the violence within the prisons. These administrators lack the aspiration to do a job and do it well but are not inclined to perform any better unless encouraged by the leadership of the agency. These leaders who are in charge of staff safety and inmate control have relinquished their authority to those unqualified to lead and accept lesser trade offs in their performance to get paid for eight and out the gate every day. Leadership was designed to energize the work force and inspire excellence by role modeling and doing the job with open communication and good ideas. This is most lacking in many administrators today. Visiting the agency’s website, their strategic plan will reveal an extreme high number or escapes last year at 5 reported.
Perhaps it is time for the Director, Charles L. Ryan to review who is at the helm of these institutions where the staff assaults are creeping up beyond limits of reason and acceptance. Perhaps now is the time his energy is directed into the treatment of fairness for all who sweat and toil within the settings of these prisons and receive no gratitude for doing so. Looking at the statistics for 2009 there were an average of 29 staff assaults per month and 52 inmates on inmate assaults reported. Gleaning the same statistics for 2010 the data reveals there the average of 28.5 staff assaults per month and 62 inmates on inmate assaults reported. It is almost certain that he will claim the add inmate population has contributed to these numbers, however, the average reflects no effort to curb the violence.
It would behoove the Director to sit down with his core of leadership [or change his leadership] and review the mission statements for an anticipated change in actions and decision making. Perhaps, he should remind every one of them what the mission statement is and “stick it” into their heads so they won’t forget who they work for [the citizens of Arizona] and who they are accountable to for their dealings and decision making.
One can see by the charts attached the gradual process of maintaining control over the environment has changed over time and resulted in undesirable consequences that labor on staff injuries, resignations, frustrations and low morale. Another aspect of this erosion to the mission statement is the high inmate assaults on both staff and other inmates, suicides and homicides that occur within the prisons within a culture that has developed a tolerance to death or violence.
The Director needs to infuse new energy into the agency and its leadership. He must deliberately discuss the agency’s shortcomings and avoid getting distracted on other issues that created confusion and dissention among staff. He has betrayed his own mission statement and his own policies in the manner business are conducted today inside his agency. His focus has changed and he is losing a grip on those very things that he promised to address when he came on board back in 2009.
Source:
www.azcorrections.gov
Monday, March 14, 2011
Wasted Honor - A Correctional Officer's Job
To live among filth, the lies and violence is common to say the least
For over twenty five years the prison beat I policed
Given a watch and a handshake on the way out the door
It is likely that before the end of day, another good officer hits the floor
Staff assaults are common and frequent today as the youngsters around us
Dwell inside these walls wanting to have their say as who gets on the bus
In what is right and wrong joining in forces to voice their concerns
Within these forces is no honor as it is anyone they want that they will burn
Correctional officers can withstand the heat
As their environment is often the scene of a senseless beat
With blood on their uniforms and no stains on their souls
Every mile they tread is nothing but cindering hot coals
Working hard inside the prison to maintain their honor
Each day as they enter the gates of hell they don their armor
To keep them safe and free from pain
As they form the team to tow the chains
Never asking for praise or a pat on the back
They do their jobs and stay on track
So people can sleep at night and be assured
That the prisoners they watch are all secured
Making society safe forever
Not everyone is designed for this type of endeavor
For the heat, the pain and the courage they show is not for sale or cannot be borrowed
Can come to an end as soon as tomorrow
Friday, March 4, 2011
Prison Life, Not Black or White
Working inside the southwest prisons of New Mexico and Arizona has exposed me to types of customs that are easily misunderstood, misused or abused thus leading me to bring to the conclusion that inferences gleaned through my twenty five years of working inside these chambers of violence and mayhem may have been twisted by factors only the human mind can process and understand but are sometimes not entirely applied into the entire scope of these diverse situations. In a setting such a prison there are various interpretations that can be mistaken for “how things are” to someone who is not engaged in the totality concept of the environment. In an attempt to express and perhaps present another explanation of my reality mindset inside a southwest prison background, there will no doubt be some controversy of these viewpoints or explanations as defined by life’s experiences, political exposures and mentorship influences.
Cultures are not necessarily divided by custody levels but are often enhanced in the art of communication, manipulation and extortion as their reduced ability to move about freely impairs their connections to resources that give them abilities to produce or sustain a game regarding their desired quality of life. The prison system, giving them the basic needs to sustain life such a food, shelter, medication and other items provided by their constitutional rights maintained is the very basic level of every social and psychological foundation of the subculture that exists within that locale or setting. Hence forth, prisoners engage into customs and practices that shape their very existence within a social group or correctional community. Cultures often project an “us versus them” mentality as this applies to a broad spectrum of nemesis type relationships that exist inside the prison world. Thus, prison dynamics hinges on ethnicity, race, nationalities, and color and geographically as it is related to gang warfare and their desire to dominate others while incarcerated as gang membership is an entire culture to its own.
One can not simply say that culture, no matter where it is identified or located, is merely a reflection of the way we live our life within the environment provided. It has simply much more context than that and extends from the surface upward, downward or inward as it needs to be further explained so that it makes more sense that just reading the words or moving the lips. Culture is the main means of connecting of how things are or perceived thus not always accurately portrayed but giving you enough of a glance of what occurs within the parameters exposed or covered or whether visible or invisible as prearranged by forces beyond egotistical, spiritual or politically inclined desires. Just like history has demonstrated that men have experienced diversity in life for many years before, cultures exist in many different forms and levels. Thus there is a desired need to separate these influences and try to make sense out of the message or viewpoint translated by the mind. It is likely when living or working inside a prison, one must deal with at least four other cultures or subcultures that impact their decision making, their conduct and their ability to adapt or overcome obstacles perceived to be placed there for a reason other than incarceration and retribution as the law so clearly states in the applied statutes.
Starting with the most basic of our human abilities to understand and communicate is our basic languages and how we express ourselves. Being cognizant of the various levels of cultures in existence lends to the ability to understand the completeness of language spoken. Most importantly, one must be prepared to analyze the specific societal influences. The language and its translation are divided into sub-classes that represent the different forces present inside the prisons. Regardless of what group of social outcasts you belong to, there is a code of conduct that has to be adhered to in order to be socially acceptable or understood. Just as the free world community has it laws, traditions and practices, so do prisons throughout the world. The social group systems spoken of are the different types of prisoners that have adapted to their respective role within the prison society and ethnicity. Stepping off the curb or trespassing into another caste level or culture spoken is forbidden unless done with the approval or sanctity of those in the position of power in relationship to the locale, population, classes and rank structures. Violations may result in ostracizing of one by others in power, beat downs, or killings. These acts of violence, rejection or non acceptance are normally loud and clear and often not misunderstood thus quickly resulting in a change of locale or class system. Once a prisoner understands their place within this informal caste system, they are normally safe to function in a most generously free manner with the exception of the routine payments of rent for taking up space that exists inside the joint. Therefore, the existence of the language and codes vocalized is very complicated and only understood by those directly affected or impacted by the actions or words spoken. One might say that unless you belonged to the specific social group, it would be difficult to understand their exact meanings, Sharing common ideologies or messages, many words may be pronounced the same but have different meanings within the different groups on hand. Language also includes hand signals, body language, slang, jargon, dialects, nicknames and many other substitute words that shift meanings as expressions apply according to the type of culture that exists.
Without a doubt, all cultures have the existence of their own arts of expression as well as a defined way of science to refine their individual expressions or those of the group they represent. Prison art is no doubt one of the most expressive means to illustrate their own personal views of life and its meanings. What may be perceived to be graffiti or mere scribbling of words, figures, shapes or numbers, may in fact be effective messages to many who understand its origin and its purpose. If one understands graffiti, then you are ahead of the learning curve as it has many similarities in both content and significance in communicating with others. Graffiti is a visual product of the prison culture and part of their dialect, and messages stemming from roots of the society they belong to while incarcerated. Each type of various graffiti plays an integral part in the understanding of culture and as it will become clear, the communal purpose shared by the individuals who create any of these types of graffiti structures the unity and cohesiveness that is a necessary feature of any culture. The social science of how human behavior works inside of a prison is an important element of how society functions. This format that appears scientific in nature develops, adapts, and provides prisoners and staff with learned behaviors that allows the coping skills to peak when survival or knowledge is required of both the prey and the predators inside the place. Therefore, the evolution of biological, sociological and psychological skills is an important element of the culture as it exists. It is often said that science and creativity rules the prison world as it allows the development of constructions of makeshift items never invented in the free world and likely not to be patented as it wouldn’t meet many manufacturing safety specifications.
Different cultures have diverse social values and these values are transmitted through the constant creation of human expressions over time through the use of special words and physiological actions and reactions. These physiological and spiritual elements of the culture steers humans through levels of acceptance and rejections by the social groups’ religious guidance systems. Take into considerations that inside prisons, there are those who are practicing Christianity, Muslim, Jewish, as well as atheists and devil worshippers. This common point in their principles and standards formulate a shared pursuit within the community of prisoners and is often demonstrated in various programs or activities with sacred overtones. Obviously, there are other social values that must be taken into consideration in the art of survival. Such examples are mandatory physical fitness workouts or “mandated recreation” that illustrates the group’s dedication to physical fitness and stamina required to maintain a level of superiority over others as some are predators and others are prey.
Social acceptance of sex offenders, rapist, and crimes related to sexual molestation or abuse of children are not socially suitable in most general population settings. It is most common for these types of offenders to be housed in a segregated manner or in protective custody. Therein, their interaction as a group is very limited and as a result of this rejection or social stigma and intervention process, these prisoners are often collectively housed away from the other prisoners who do not fit the types of crimes already mentioned. Specifically, on these specialized yards, another type of culture developed that somehow exonerates them from their hideous crimes and allows them another type of social interaction required to establish another stabilized social network to exist or coexist within that particular element of the prison.
On the other hand, there are those prisoners who as mentally ill or verified learning disabilities that have experienced the reverse of those strong social stigmas while the community. Mentally ill prisoners are often more readily acceptable in the terms of social acceptance inside the prisons than is the free society. Although susceptible to extortion and manipulation, they often find a safe haven among others who are not mentally ill and are “schooled” rapidly to avoid sticking out from the others. Plainly speaking, they often pose no threat to others but over and over again, they do pose a threat to themselves. This adaptation can create enormous positive coping skills that hide their illnesses well and allows them to do time without the stigma of being ‘different” than the other prisoners. Unfortunately, these coping skills also allows them to elude the constant need for evaluations and assessments by trained mental health professionals hired on to treat them with required medication and programs to assist their way of living inside the prison population. Therefore, the issue of compliance of individual treatment and medication is often jeopardized due to social implications related to acceptance and the basic needs to possess those materialistic things inferred to be required to surviving as they copy the other prisoners in their behaviors. Additionally, mentally ill prisoners tend to barter their medication for store items and cigarettes as they are often indigent and not working.
Cultures are not necessarily divided by custody levels but are often enhanced in the art of communication, manipulation and extortion as their reduced ability to move about freely impairs their connections to resources that give them abilities to produce or sustain a game regarding their desired quality of life. The prison system, giving them the basic needs to sustain life such a food, shelter, medication and other items provided by their constitutional rights maintained is the very basic level of every social and psychological foundation of the subculture that exists within that locale or setting. Hence forth, prisoners engage into customs and practices that shape their very existence within a social group or correctional community. Cultures often project an “us versus them” mentality as this applies to a broad spectrum of nemesis type relationships that exist inside the prison world. Thus, prison dynamics hinges on ethnicity, race, nationalities, and color and geographically as it is related to gang warfare and their desire to dominate others while incarcerated as gang membership is an entire culture to its own.
One can not simply say that culture, no matter where it is identified or located, is merely a reflection of the way we live our life within the environment provided. It has simply much more context than that and extends from the surface upward, downward or inward as it needs to be further explained so that it makes more sense that just reading the words or moving the lips. Culture is the main means of connecting of how things are or perceived thus not always accurately portrayed but giving you enough of a glance of what occurs within the parameters exposed or covered or whether visible or invisible as prearranged by forces beyond egotistical, spiritual or politically inclined desires. Just like history has demonstrated that men have experienced diversity in life for many years before, cultures exist in many different forms and levels. Thus there is a desired need to separate these influences and try to make sense out of the message or viewpoint translated by the mind. It is likely when living or working inside a prison, one must deal with at least four other cultures or subcultures that impact their decision making, their conduct and their ability to adapt or overcome obstacles perceived to be placed there for a reason other than incarceration and retribution as the law so clearly states in the applied statutes.
Starting with the most basic of our human abilities to understand and communicate is our basic languages and how we express ourselves. Being cognizant of the various levels of cultures in existence lends to the ability to understand the completeness of language spoken. Most importantly, one must be prepared to analyze the specific societal influences. The language and its translation are divided into sub-classes that represent the different forces present inside the prisons. Regardless of what group of social outcasts you belong to, there is a code of conduct that has to be adhered to in order to be socially acceptable or understood. Just as the free world community has it laws, traditions and practices, so do prisons throughout the world. The social group systems spoken of are the different types of prisoners that have adapted to their respective role within the prison society and ethnicity. Stepping off the curb or trespassing into another caste level or culture spoken is forbidden unless done with the approval or sanctity of those in the position of power in relationship to the locale, population, classes and rank structures. Violations may result in ostracizing of one by others in power, beat downs, or killings. These acts of violence, rejection or non acceptance are normally loud and clear and often not misunderstood thus quickly resulting in a change of locale or class system. Once a prisoner understands their place within this informal caste system, they are normally safe to function in a most generously free manner with the exception of the routine payments of rent for taking up space that exists inside the joint. Therefore, the existence of the language and codes vocalized is very complicated and only understood by those directly affected or impacted by the actions or words spoken. One might say that unless you belonged to the specific social group, it would be difficult to understand their exact meanings, Sharing common ideologies or messages, many words may be pronounced the same but have different meanings within the different groups on hand. Language also includes hand signals, body language, slang, jargon, dialects, nicknames and many other substitute words that shift meanings as expressions apply according to the type of culture that exists.
Without a doubt, all cultures have the existence of their own arts of expression as well as a defined way of science to refine their individual expressions or those of the group they represent. Prison art is no doubt one of the most expressive means to illustrate their own personal views of life and its meanings. What may be perceived to be graffiti or mere scribbling of words, figures, shapes or numbers, may in fact be effective messages to many who understand its origin and its purpose. If one understands graffiti, then you are ahead of the learning curve as it has many similarities in both content and significance in communicating with others. Graffiti is a visual product of the prison culture and part of their dialect, and messages stemming from roots of the society they belong to while incarcerated. Each type of various graffiti plays an integral part in the understanding of culture and as it will become clear, the communal purpose shared by the individuals who create any of these types of graffiti structures the unity and cohesiveness that is a necessary feature of any culture. The social science of how human behavior works inside of a prison is an important element of how society functions. This format that appears scientific in nature develops, adapts, and provides prisoners and staff with learned behaviors that allows the coping skills to peak when survival or knowledge is required of both the prey and the predators inside the place. Therefore, the evolution of biological, sociological and psychological skills is an important element of the culture as it exists. It is often said that science and creativity rules the prison world as it allows the development of constructions of makeshift items never invented in the free world and likely not to be patented as it wouldn’t meet many manufacturing safety specifications.
Different cultures have diverse social values and these values are transmitted through the constant creation of human expressions over time through the use of special words and physiological actions and reactions. These physiological and spiritual elements of the culture steers humans through levels of acceptance and rejections by the social groups’ religious guidance systems. Take into considerations that inside prisons, there are those who are practicing Christianity, Muslim, Jewish, as well as atheists and devil worshippers. This common point in their principles and standards formulate a shared pursuit within the community of prisoners and is often demonstrated in various programs or activities with sacred overtones. Obviously, there are other social values that must be taken into consideration in the art of survival. Such examples are mandatory physical fitness workouts or “mandated recreation” that illustrates the group’s dedication to physical fitness and stamina required to maintain a level of superiority over others as some are predators and others are prey.
Social acceptance of sex offenders, rapist, and crimes related to sexual molestation or abuse of children are not socially suitable in most general population settings. It is most common for these types of offenders to be housed in a segregated manner or in protective custody. Therein, their interaction as a group is very limited and as a result of this rejection or social stigma and intervention process, these prisoners are often collectively housed away from the other prisoners who do not fit the types of crimes already mentioned. Specifically, on these specialized yards, another type of culture developed that somehow exonerates them from their hideous crimes and allows them another type of social interaction required to establish another stabilized social network to exist or coexist within that particular element of the prison.
On the other hand, there are those prisoners who as mentally ill or verified learning disabilities that have experienced the reverse of those strong social stigmas while the community. Mentally ill prisoners are often more readily acceptable in the terms of social acceptance inside the prisons than is the free society. Although susceptible to extortion and manipulation, they often find a safe haven among others who are not mentally ill and are “schooled” rapidly to avoid sticking out from the others. Plainly speaking, they often pose no threat to others but over and over again, they do pose a threat to themselves. This adaptation can create enormous positive coping skills that hide their illnesses well and allows them to do time without the stigma of being ‘different” than the other prisoners. Unfortunately, these coping skills also allows them to elude the constant need for evaluations and assessments by trained mental health professionals hired on to treat them with required medication and programs to assist their way of living inside the prison population. Therefore, the issue of compliance of individual treatment and medication is often jeopardized due to social implications related to acceptance and the basic needs to possess those materialistic things inferred to be required to surviving as they copy the other prisoners in their behaviors. Additionally, mentally ill prisoners tend to barter their medication for store items and cigarettes as they are often indigent and not working.
The gang culture has been explained time after time and can be summarized as being predatory in nature. They claim territory which can translate into an entire yard of a prison, a pre-arranged section of that yard and in some cases, a minority thus functioning as a less influential body on the yard. There are times because of their lack of numbers on a particular yard; they pay rent to co-exist with other gangs. “They are usually self-supporting, have their own language and customs, and establish their own rules and codes of conduct. Their customs are passed to new members by rites of passage from generation to generation, thus ensuring the continuance of the gang. Gang members identify themselves as a people that are separate from the rest of society.” (Etter, 1999, p. 261) Inside prisons, they carry on the same traditions and principles as they do out on the street with a bold emphasis on violence and control of the drugs and other items of value or power.
The social aspect of prison cultures include all these elements and more as you gain insight on the world as it is presented to you whether in full color or black and white. It represents the give and take of societies within the prison walls that translate into cultures, sub cultures and many misunderstandings. Settling with learning the protocols of the dark side of their penitentiary world, their own systems of standards and conduct codes, and their collective definition of the customs within, allows better understandings, communication, negotiations and convention of all who are housed in prisons and those who chose to work inside of these prisons.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Prison Officers Attacked
The recent news out of Washington state prison should be a wake up call for the Arizona legislature. They need to get involved and ensure that staff is appropriately protected by state statutes to ensure the criminals are convicted and will serve additional time if they touch an officer. The Associated Press reported before the homicide of Correctional Officer Jayme Biendl last week, there were two other serious assaults that should have raised a red flag on the issue of planning appropriate staffing patterns for the way prisons are being run today.
Union officials in Arizona should be asking the same questions they are asking in Washington State and determine if the staffing patterns for Arizona prisons are adequate and not endangering employees beyond the reasonable boundaries of working inside a prison where the potential of being harmed or injured is already perilous. Union members have long complained about radios not working with dead spots and dead batteries. They have shared their concerns to the administration about how staff is being pulled away from those areas where the number of inmates outnumber the staff by a 200 to 1 ration. Supervisors tell officers to conduct security rounds inside dormitories or buildings holding two hundred or more inmates at a time with no other officer to observe them for their safety and backup. Furloughs, added posts at the hospitals, escorts and transports take away from other areas and are often left with no one directly supervising the inmates creating more problems along he way. Searches for contraband suffer and conditions of confinement are not met in a timely manner creating tension, animosity and friction between staff and the respective inmate populations.
Arizona has a much bigger system than Washington. Monroe Complex, where Officer Biendl was murdered holds approximately 2,500 inmates. On February 4, 2011, there are approximately 5,173 inmates housed in ASPC Eyman, 4,514 inmates housed at Florence, 3442 inmates at Perryville, 5088 inmates at Lewis complex, 5,559 inmates at Tucson, and 34,823 at the Yuma complex. Arizona prison systems have smaller complexes such as Winslow, Douglas, Phoenix and Safford that have inmate populations under 2,000 inmates. Regardless, these issues of officer safety appear to be disregarded whenever the prison system, which currently holds 40, 129 inmates, experiences a smooth run for a few years and then, the system hits critical mass as staff are assaulted with an increased frequency, sending a red flag up for possible changes in staffing patterns and strategies of moving high risk inmates around to break up gangs, disruptive groups and problematic inmates. A process that should be ongoing at all times to ensure staff safety.
Arizona correctional officers are exposed to many risks and often forgotten, and because of the injuries of many in the past two years, inmate movement, programming, searches, and security practices should be reviewed and adjusted to meet the desired safety parameters that reflect good correctional practices at a time when austerity measures prioritize everything else on the agenda. A report of any findings should be forwarded to the legislature for recommendation to change states statutes or encourage more state charges filed when officers are touched unlawfully and prosecuted to the fullest extend under the law regardless of the cost involved in pursuing such a case in court.
Source:
http://www.correctionsone.com/officer-safety/articles/3296853-2-other-women-attacked-earlier-at-Wash-prison/
Union officials in Arizona should be asking the same questions they are asking in Washington State and determine if the staffing patterns for Arizona prisons are adequate and not endangering employees beyond the reasonable boundaries of working inside a prison where the potential of being harmed or injured is already perilous. Union members have long complained about radios not working with dead spots and dead batteries. They have shared their concerns to the administration about how staff is being pulled away from those areas where the number of inmates outnumber the staff by a 200 to 1 ration. Supervisors tell officers to conduct security rounds inside dormitories or buildings holding two hundred or more inmates at a time with no other officer to observe them for their safety and backup. Furloughs, added posts at the hospitals, escorts and transports take away from other areas and are often left with no one directly supervising the inmates creating more problems along he way. Searches for contraband suffer and conditions of confinement are not met in a timely manner creating tension, animosity and friction between staff and the respective inmate populations.
Arizona has a much bigger system than Washington. Monroe Complex, where Officer Biendl was murdered holds approximately 2,500 inmates. On February 4, 2011, there are approximately 5,173 inmates housed in ASPC Eyman, 4,514 inmates housed at Florence, 3442 inmates at Perryville, 5088 inmates at Lewis complex, 5,559 inmates at Tucson, and 34,823 at the Yuma complex. Arizona prison systems have smaller complexes such as Winslow, Douglas, Phoenix and Safford that have inmate populations under 2,000 inmates. Regardless, these issues of officer safety appear to be disregarded whenever the prison system, which currently holds 40, 129 inmates, experiences a smooth run for a few years and then, the system hits critical mass as staff are assaulted with an increased frequency, sending a red flag up for possible changes in staffing patterns and strategies of moving high risk inmates around to break up gangs, disruptive groups and problematic inmates. A process that should be ongoing at all times to ensure staff safety.
Arizona correctional officers are exposed to many risks and often forgotten, and because of the injuries of many in the past two years, inmate movement, programming, searches, and security practices should be reviewed and adjusted to meet the desired safety parameters that reflect good correctional practices at a time when austerity measures prioritize everything else on the agenda. A report of any findings should be forwarded to the legislature for recommendation to change states statutes or encourage more state charges filed when officers are touched unlawfully and prosecuted to the fullest extend under the law regardless of the cost involved in pursuing such a case in court.
Source:
http://www.correctionsone.com/officer-safety/articles/3296853-2-other-women-attacked-earlier-at-Wash-prison/
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Truth about Solitaire, Isolation, Deprivation, (SID) Inmates
Prisons designed for maximum security are instant isolation units merely by their design. The fact that maximum custody is designated to hold the “Worst of the Worst” is most misleading if anyone who worked in such an environment will testify to under oath. Following the road to this endless road to nowhere, you must first understand the dynamics involved to create this horde of thousands of human beings that are confined inside these boxes designed for no human being to escape from. Excluding those on death row, and crimes that are hideous and forever unforgivable, there are many locked up for the sake of being locked up. For the matter of providing the ultimate safety to its citizens, such places as the special management units are designed, staffed and operated in such a manner, every tiny little element of the environment is controlled. Much more restricted than any other place inside a prison, one would tremble with pure fear is ever left alone inside one of these boxes of concrete and steel designed to drive someone crazy through the use of the SID methods readily available to anyone who chooses to use them.
None of the pods are soundproof thus every whimper, every cry and every shout can be heard by all those that live inside. Every sound triggers a response from someone down the tier and whether friend or foe, the result is a mixture of shouts and chants that compete to be heard by its intended receiver. The officers, charged with the duty to maintain order, ignore these chants as they conduct their walks and exit the pods as quickly as they entered thus unable to distinguish a cry for help from a cry of disgust. None, even the best of the best, choose to remain inside one of these boxes any longer than they have to because of the steady pandemonium that exists within cell to cell and inmate to inmate.
The heat in the summer is unbearable as the swamp coolers are insufficient for such a design that collects heat like a sauna does in design. The lack of direct sunlight creates a shadow on every wall and with no hope to see the sun unless fortunate enough to be allowed to exit the cell for the designated recreation time outside the cell but to another concrete box. Many have electricity but often, if the inmate is problematic in sorts, the breaker is turned off for a designated amount of time undocumented anywhere. The water is controlled and can be turned off anytime staff chose to do so as well as adjusting the timers on the showers to shorten their use of water. The grey walls are scratched with graffiti and the front of the cell where the food port is situated is filthy with residue of spoiled food or in some cases, fecal material smeared by someone to get the attention needed to have someone talk to them. The staff, all wearing protective gloves and in some cases, shields to protect them from foreign objects hurled at them from both the top and the bottom of the tiers work hard just to keep up with the most elementary chores to keep it going. Day in and day out, working short handed and against time to complete their required duties, the attitude that prevails is “us versus them” as many inmates choose to duel or engage in combat with the officers just to prove to others he is not a “bitch” to someone.
The presence of SID is abundant and it impacts the quality of life for the inmates to the extent of creating a deep abyss of hopelessness and an alien form of prison reality. Filthy, brutal, ignored and often perceived to be a form of “torture” for many, these inmates are kept away from the eyes of the public and anyone requesting to visit these dungeons. Whenever a legislator, the attorney general, a lawyer or foreign consulate comes to visit the place sufficient warning is given to “clean the place up” and design the approved route for the tour or visit.
Never seen in its real condition, not even by the agency director, it is repugnant that such a place exists in the first place. Toilets that are back up are left that way for weeks forcing some to crap on the floor. Lights stay on day and night and are eventually covered with paper to give them darkness to sleep in. Difficulties in sleeping at night as the screaming never ends, many choose to sleep during the day. The problem with covering up the lights during the night is it makes it impossible for the officer to see inside the cell without a flashlight and when maximum custody inmates are double bunked, there are dangers that an assault might have taken place but the officer’s view is obstructed by the darkness and the willingness to have the inmate remove the cover is reluctantly and rarely done as it interrupts their hasty exit out of the box.
Mentally ill inmates are especially susceptible to the SID treatment. In fact, it is fair to say that because of their individual disorders, many suffer needlessly from sanctions imposed by those who may be unaware of their disabilities or dysfunctional capacities. This is the main reason mentally ill inmates should not be housed with behavioral problematic inmates. This influences administrative decisions when it should rather be a mental health decision to make with those parameters that are clinically sound and treatment effective. These inmates, often responding without malice, are given disciplinary for such conduct as covering their lights as they copy what others do or say while not understanding what they did wrong to get the punishment.
Many support staff, contract, medical and maintenance personnel refuse to enter cell areas because of the potential dangers in dealing with the mentally ill. This is largely due to misunderstandings of managing a mentally ill inmate and lack of training of such behaviors. As a result, the response time to a work order or a medical need is sufficiently delayed. Sometimes it is due to fear but other times it is impose a behavioral modification that if you are going to bother them, they will come and see you on their time and not theirs. The same applies to delayed letter deliveries, torn books, food thrown on the floor as a message that the inmate “needs to clean up his act” and other SID methods of satisfying the boundaries of control and who is actually in control of the box. There are cases where those inmates who have thrown their food tray back at the officer were provided sack meals for years to avoid the clean up of such waste on the cement floors. Never getting a hot meal or balanced diet, they live like that forever until someone questions why this inmate is not getting a regular meal.
Often called administrative segregation or lockup by many, the road to such a place is well designed and intentionally vague. Any inmate, whether serving life or serving two years of time can be directed to follow the course to solitary confinement through careful design of a set of management tools that can effectively erase someone’s existence off the face of this earth for years. This toolbox of lockup tools consists of instruments that have for decades facilitated the route to lockup in a most legitimate manner but with the wrong spirit or design for use of such places. Let us examine these tools up close and decide whether or not they are legitimately or appropriately used to serve the purpose of administrative segregation for those who need such management controls.
Designated SID inmates are the focus of management efforts to remove them from the open yards or general population and cast them out of sight and out of mind. Tools designed to accommodate such a purpose are: 1. misconduct reports 2. Alleged threats to security or security staff 3. Alleged threat of harming themselves 4. Suicide ideations or expression of such 5. Attempted suicide 5. Assaultive behaviors 6. Gang activity or validation 7. Possession of weapons 8. Predatory conduct or behaviors. Paying attention to these tools in the hands of a sound and ethical practicing corrections administrator creates no harm in the process. However, this would be the exception to the rule as each and every one of these tools provided, allows an administrator to remove an inmate to the most restrictive custody level without absolute proof of such conduct or behavior as it may only be inferred, speculated, documented as a possibility or with thin evidence that these tools can and do provide the catalyst to clear the administrator of any legal burdens for moving a inmate to a higher custody level without just cause.
Sometimes, when a high ranking administrator wants to issue retribution or retaliation to a SID designated inmate for doing something negative on their “domain” they will enter a comment into the computerized management system that will override any custody score or any other trigger than would have allowed that person to be reduced when eligible to do so upon review. Thus an abuse of such a administrative ‘flag” could result in an extended stay in the higher custody level until such time the inmate is considered “taught a lesson” and reviewed for consideration to be lowered. Herein lays the biggest problem as mentally ill inmates are included in these behavioral difficult inmates as no distinction is being made at the time of placement. Nobody speaks up and nobody challenges the move and when the inmate grieves the process, the system has already been updated to show just cause for the placement. The tricks of the trade allows that to be done since anyone can enter into the computerized management file and insert whatever critical comment needs to be made to justify the need. This is regardless whether disciplinary was upheld or not. It has no bearing.
Once the inmate is housed inside a maximum custody unit he or she is subject to a review and medical / mental health assessment. These screens are pencil whipped by many [not all] and reveal only two things for sure. Cooperative or uncooperative attitudes towards those who interviewed them which rarely results in any productive dialogue. There is no value in these screening processes as the inmate rarely talks about anything in fear of being targeted for more retribution or retaliation by staff through the administration. The routine inside is both mundane and often out of compliance with mandated living conditions.
The frequency and the amount of time allotted for each inmate to have recreation and showers are often curtailed or in many cases skipped due to lack of staffing to facilitate such a task. This builds animosity between staff and inmates and often results in frequent force being used during those periods where the inmate is escorted out of his or her cell to go to the recreation pen.
Visitation is only as good as the inmate’s ability to recognize what day of the week it is and the ability to schedule such an activity with the case manager or visitation officer. Mentally ill inmates do not participate as they are either drugged through chemical restraints or unaware of their visitation privileges or they show no interest in seeing family as solitary confinement breeds hopelessness and depression. Calls are good for those functional but not a means to talk to family by the mentally ill. Competing with behavioral inmates for the telephone means somebody has to lose his or her turn and therefore gives up the opportunity to call home. Personal property is limited especially if designed a suicide problem or behavioral troublemaker. Kick starters are those who ramp up others into creating chaos inside the concrete boxes and as a result, the entire day is spent on lockdown status with no showers and recreation.
Mentally ill inmates are often intimidated, manipulated or otherwise convinced to hand over their personal property e.g. television, walkman, or anything else that can serve someone else in an entertainment mode or item for barter with others as officers rarely search the cells for contraband and items switched, traded or stolen. One can only imagine that mentally ill inmates are often stripped of anything worth value by those who do it because they can. A review of suicides, self mutilations and other bizarre conduct within these isolated grey walls are horrendously revealing of a bigger problem. Being forced to live in isolation for years at a time creates intense feelings that can break a person’s will to live or maintain a level of remaining rational under so much distress. It is not unusual for behavioral inmates to cut themselves just to get the attention from staff so they can socialize for just a few minutes with the nurse or staff member. Unfortunately, for the mentally ill, this could result in death as they have no idea where the boundaries are when they self harm themselves and may incur a more severe or serious wound that could be fatal due to emotional and mental deterioration inside this box.
SID can be used by staff, employees or even other inmates. This method of controlling behaviors inside a maximum custody unit have been effective for years and is often not questioned and rather, approved through tacit approval of those who choose to look the other way or not make changes in the routine of the unit affected. SID is destructive and responsible for homicides, suicides, serious assaults on both staff and inmates and is rarely identified as the cause or catalyst for such disruptive conduct. The inmate has to tow the line and accept responsibility for all he or she does without any reprieve or relief through grievances that are totally ignored or processed unless the right person gets a hold of such a document. Staff is rarely punished for excessive force or unprofessional conduct unless such conduct was viewed on a surveillance camera, a taped recording of the incident or word of mouth by other participants who are willing to speak out loud and tell the truth. Such conduct is considered to be a blatant violation of the code of silence and offers repercussions that could result in future disciplinary by designation (ironically the same method used to elevate the inmate’s existence into max custody through paperwork) , banished or removed from the work setting, passed over for promotions. It can be accurately said that for both staff and inmate, only the strong survive.
The early warning signs for SID inmates are normally well structured and very transparent if someone is looking for them. The reason they are so transparent is because nobody has ever bothered to conduct an audit of these placements in maximum custody thus giving the administration free will and room to maneuver. If assigned to a human rights fact finding team it would be most expeditious for any member to pull out their records on all maximum custody inmates and glean their housing record, their mental health, medical scores, their disciplinary for frequency, severity and locations and most of all their use of force records, activity pod sheets showing participation in those mandated living conditions considered constitutional issues and comments by staff.
The disciplinary report, frequent and stacked by offenses indicates the severity of consideration provided. The signature of a lieutenant and above indicates ownership in the problem and the review by the deputy warden or designees shows the will to get rid of this SID inmate. Then when the inmate gets to the destination you must see if the person picks up more reports and gleans whether they were written by one person all the time or multiple persons including medical staff and administrative staff. This is important as it may indicate a targeted effort to keep this inmate at this most restrictive level. Statements supporting bizarre or unusual behavior can often support the placement into a temporary security watch or suicide watch depending on the space availability inside the max custody unit. Follow up indicators should reveal the existence of a long term threat as the short term threat has now been assessed as needing more time in max custody. Max custody overrides are common tools to keep a SID inmate in max custody. Scoring lower levels but being overridden to remain in isolation and in a high secure setting is a powerful tool to break the spirit. One should read their classification forms and see what rationale was given to keep them in max custody. The filing of grievances is a poor indicator of staff abuse or harassment as it is taught in “max custody 101” to file a grievance whenever you arrive. The key to such instruments are the topics of concerns e.g. medical care, food, property and staff harassment and then follow the trail to names, frequency and history of prior institutional placements to see if the problem was pre-existing.
The most obvious means for family to be concerned with is the sudden interruption of regular phone calls or letter since both are controlled by the staff or administrations. Any inquiries by family members may prompt further SID treatment and create additional stress between the administration and the inmate. This elevation to a “high profile” inmate is not a popular event inside the box as it draws more heat on the living area with more cops being present to interrupt the inmate’s games and schemes. This SID inmate will soon have to be moved due to threats made on his safety by other inmates. Attempted suicides when there is no history of previous suicides is a cry for a “come look at me please’ for I have problems. It could also be an indicator they have reached the end of their ability to manage their behaviors where they are assigned and asking for a “room change” not otherwise considered. Excessive uses of forces are indicators of agitation and confrontation by staff who like to abuse their authority on others. SID inmates are often exposed to such an individual and are regularly abused by being played one against the other being blamed for things that happen inside the box when in fact, the officer created the problem.
Thankfully, there are only a few staff members that engage in such abusive practices of “kick starting” a SID inmate but as others may look the other way, the abuse continues. This blind eye is driving those who are mentally ill beyond the parameters of coping with their lives. It is with deep regret that I feel so compelled to write such a document when in fact, there are many great and dedicated staff that work inside these units who perform with diligence and energy unmatched by many who chose to be a correctional officer or administrator.
The truth, revealed only shows our weaknesses in management prisons designed for solitary confinement, isolation from the world and other human beings and deprivation of those basic rights to live under the most reasonable correctional practices allowed by law and policies. Human rights are valuable possessions no matter where they are located and should be respected as the rules are clear and compliance is an expectation. Unless the culture inside these prisons change, there will always be abused inmates and abusive staff. The rules are vague and it’s easier “to do as I say rather than what is written.” The oversight is nonexistent and the care or interest in such a place is apathetic and lackadaisical to say the
None of the pods are soundproof thus every whimper, every cry and every shout can be heard by all those that live inside. Every sound triggers a response from someone down the tier and whether friend or foe, the result is a mixture of shouts and chants that compete to be heard by its intended receiver. The officers, charged with the duty to maintain order, ignore these chants as they conduct their walks and exit the pods as quickly as they entered thus unable to distinguish a cry for help from a cry of disgust. None, even the best of the best, choose to remain inside one of these boxes any longer than they have to because of the steady pandemonium that exists within cell to cell and inmate to inmate.
The heat in the summer is unbearable as the swamp coolers are insufficient for such a design that collects heat like a sauna does in design. The lack of direct sunlight creates a shadow on every wall and with no hope to see the sun unless fortunate enough to be allowed to exit the cell for the designated recreation time outside the cell but to another concrete box. Many have electricity but often, if the inmate is problematic in sorts, the breaker is turned off for a designated amount of time undocumented anywhere. The water is controlled and can be turned off anytime staff chose to do so as well as adjusting the timers on the showers to shorten their use of water. The grey walls are scratched with graffiti and the front of the cell where the food port is situated is filthy with residue of spoiled food or in some cases, fecal material smeared by someone to get the attention needed to have someone talk to them. The staff, all wearing protective gloves and in some cases, shields to protect them from foreign objects hurled at them from both the top and the bottom of the tiers work hard just to keep up with the most elementary chores to keep it going. Day in and day out, working short handed and against time to complete their required duties, the attitude that prevails is “us versus them” as many inmates choose to duel or engage in combat with the officers just to prove to others he is not a “bitch” to someone.
The presence of SID is abundant and it impacts the quality of life for the inmates to the extent of creating a deep abyss of hopelessness and an alien form of prison reality. Filthy, brutal, ignored and often perceived to be a form of “torture” for many, these inmates are kept away from the eyes of the public and anyone requesting to visit these dungeons. Whenever a legislator, the attorney general, a lawyer or foreign consulate comes to visit the place sufficient warning is given to “clean the place up” and design the approved route for the tour or visit.
Never seen in its real condition, not even by the agency director, it is repugnant that such a place exists in the first place. Toilets that are back up are left that way for weeks forcing some to crap on the floor. Lights stay on day and night and are eventually covered with paper to give them darkness to sleep in. Difficulties in sleeping at night as the screaming never ends, many choose to sleep during the day. The problem with covering up the lights during the night is it makes it impossible for the officer to see inside the cell without a flashlight and when maximum custody inmates are double bunked, there are dangers that an assault might have taken place but the officer’s view is obstructed by the darkness and the willingness to have the inmate remove the cover is reluctantly and rarely done as it interrupts their hasty exit out of the box.
Mentally ill inmates are especially susceptible to the SID treatment. In fact, it is fair to say that because of their individual disorders, many suffer needlessly from sanctions imposed by those who may be unaware of their disabilities or dysfunctional capacities. This is the main reason mentally ill inmates should not be housed with behavioral problematic inmates. This influences administrative decisions when it should rather be a mental health decision to make with those parameters that are clinically sound and treatment effective. These inmates, often responding without malice, are given disciplinary for such conduct as covering their lights as they copy what others do or say while not understanding what they did wrong to get the punishment.
Many support staff, contract, medical and maintenance personnel refuse to enter cell areas because of the potential dangers in dealing with the mentally ill. This is largely due to misunderstandings of managing a mentally ill inmate and lack of training of such behaviors. As a result, the response time to a work order or a medical need is sufficiently delayed. Sometimes it is due to fear but other times it is impose a behavioral modification that if you are going to bother them, they will come and see you on their time and not theirs. The same applies to delayed letter deliveries, torn books, food thrown on the floor as a message that the inmate “needs to clean up his act” and other SID methods of satisfying the boundaries of control and who is actually in control of the box. There are cases where those inmates who have thrown their food tray back at the officer were provided sack meals for years to avoid the clean up of such waste on the cement floors. Never getting a hot meal or balanced diet, they live like that forever until someone questions why this inmate is not getting a regular meal.
Often called administrative segregation or lockup by many, the road to such a place is well designed and intentionally vague. Any inmate, whether serving life or serving two years of time can be directed to follow the course to solitary confinement through careful design of a set of management tools that can effectively erase someone’s existence off the face of this earth for years. This toolbox of lockup tools consists of instruments that have for decades facilitated the route to lockup in a most legitimate manner but with the wrong spirit or design for use of such places. Let us examine these tools up close and decide whether or not they are legitimately or appropriately used to serve the purpose of administrative segregation for those who need such management controls.
Designated SID inmates are the focus of management efforts to remove them from the open yards or general population and cast them out of sight and out of mind. Tools designed to accommodate such a purpose are: 1. misconduct reports 2. Alleged threats to security or security staff 3. Alleged threat of harming themselves 4. Suicide ideations or expression of such 5. Attempted suicide 5. Assaultive behaviors 6. Gang activity or validation 7. Possession of weapons 8. Predatory conduct or behaviors. Paying attention to these tools in the hands of a sound and ethical practicing corrections administrator creates no harm in the process. However, this would be the exception to the rule as each and every one of these tools provided, allows an administrator to remove an inmate to the most restrictive custody level without absolute proof of such conduct or behavior as it may only be inferred, speculated, documented as a possibility or with thin evidence that these tools can and do provide the catalyst to clear the administrator of any legal burdens for moving a inmate to a higher custody level without just cause.
Sometimes, when a high ranking administrator wants to issue retribution or retaliation to a SID designated inmate for doing something negative on their “domain” they will enter a comment into the computerized management system that will override any custody score or any other trigger than would have allowed that person to be reduced when eligible to do so upon review. Thus an abuse of such a administrative ‘flag” could result in an extended stay in the higher custody level until such time the inmate is considered “taught a lesson” and reviewed for consideration to be lowered. Herein lays the biggest problem as mentally ill inmates are included in these behavioral difficult inmates as no distinction is being made at the time of placement. Nobody speaks up and nobody challenges the move and when the inmate grieves the process, the system has already been updated to show just cause for the placement. The tricks of the trade allows that to be done since anyone can enter into the computerized management file and insert whatever critical comment needs to be made to justify the need. This is regardless whether disciplinary was upheld or not. It has no bearing.
Once the inmate is housed inside a maximum custody unit he or she is subject to a review and medical / mental health assessment. These screens are pencil whipped by many [not all] and reveal only two things for sure. Cooperative or uncooperative attitudes towards those who interviewed them which rarely results in any productive dialogue. There is no value in these screening processes as the inmate rarely talks about anything in fear of being targeted for more retribution or retaliation by staff through the administration. The routine inside is both mundane and often out of compliance with mandated living conditions.
The frequency and the amount of time allotted for each inmate to have recreation and showers are often curtailed or in many cases skipped due to lack of staffing to facilitate such a task. This builds animosity between staff and inmates and often results in frequent force being used during those periods where the inmate is escorted out of his or her cell to go to the recreation pen.
Visitation is only as good as the inmate’s ability to recognize what day of the week it is and the ability to schedule such an activity with the case manager or visitation officer. Mentally ill inmates do not participate as they are either drugged through chemical restraints or unaware of their visitation privileges or they show no interest in seeing family as solitary confinement breeds hopelessness and depression. Calls are good for those functional but not a means to talk to family by the mentally ill. Competing with behavioral inmates for the telephone means somebody has to lose his or her turn and therefore gives up the opportunity to call home. Personal property is limited especially if designed a suicide problem or behavioral troublemaker. Kick starters are those who ramp up others into creating chaos inside the concrete boxes and as a result, the entire day is spent on lockdown status with no showers and recreation.
Mentally ill inmates are often intimidated, manipulated or otherwise convinced to hand over their personal property e.g. television, walkman, or anything else that can serve someone else in an entertainment mode or item for barter with others as officers rarely search the cells for contraband and items switched, traded or stolen. One can only imagine that mentally ill inmates are often stripped of anything worth value by those who do it because they can. A review of suicides, self mutilations and other bizarre conduct within these isolated grey walls are horrendously revealing of a bigger problem. Being forced to live in isolation for years at a time creates intense feelings that can break a person’s will to live or maintain a level of remaining rational under so much distress. It is not unusual for behavioral inmates to cut themselves just to get the attention from staff so they can socialize for just a few minutes with the nurse or staff member. Unfortunately, for the mentally ill, this could result in death as they have no idea where the boundaries are when they self harm themselves and may incur a more severe or serious wound that could be fatal due to emotional and mental deterioration inside this box.
SID can be used by staff, employees or even other inmates. This method of controlling behaviors inside a maximum custody unit have been effective for years and is often not questioned and rather, approved through tacit approval of those who choose to look the other way or not make changes in the routine of the unit affected. SID is destructive and responsible for homicides, suicides, serious assaults on both staff and inmates and is rarely identified as the cause or catalyst for such disruptive conduct. The inmate has to tow the line and accept responsibility for all he or she does without any reprieve or relief through grievances that are totally ignored or processed unless the right person gets a hold of such a document. Staff is rarely punished for excessive force or unprofessional conduct unless such conduct was viewed on a surveillance camera, a taped recording of the incident or word of mouth by other participants who are willing to speak out loud and tell the truth. Such conduct is considered to be a blatant violation of the code of silence and offers repercussions that could result in future disciplinary by designation (ironically the same method used to elevate the inmate’s existence into max custody through paperwork) , banished or removed from the work setting, passed over for promotions. It can be accurately said that for both staff and inmate, only the strong survive.
The early warning signs for SID inmates are normally well structured and very transparent if someone is looking for them. The reason they are so transparent is because nobody has ever bothered to conduct an audit of these placements in maximum custody thus giving the administration free will and room to maneuver. If assigned to a human rights fact finding team it would be most expeditious for any member to pull out their records on all maximum custody inmates and glean their housing record, their mental health, medical scores, their disciplinary for frequency, severity and locations and most of all their use of force records, activity pod sheets showing participation in those mandated living conditions considered constitutional issues and comments by staff.
The disciplinary report, frequent and stacked by offenses indicates the severity of consideration provided. The signature of a lieutenant and above indicates ownership in the problem and the review by the deputy warden or designees shows the will to get rid of this SID inmate. Then when the inmate gets to the destination you must see if the person picks up more reports and gleans whether they were written by one person all the time or multiple persons including medical staff and administrative staff. This is important as it may indicate a targeted effort to keep this inmate at this most restrictive level. Statements supporting bizarre or unusual behavior can often support the placement into a temporary security watch or suicide watch depending on the space availability inside the max custody unit. Follow up indicators should reveal the existence of a long term threat as the short term threat has now been assessed as needing more time in max custody. Max custody overrides are common tools to keep a SID inmate in max custody. Scoring lower levels but being overridden to remain in isolation and in a high secure setting is a powerful tool to break the spirit. One should read their classification forms and see what rationale was given to keep them in max custody. The filing of grievances is a poor indicator of staff abuse or harassment as it is taught in “max custody 101” to file a grievance whenever you arrive. The key to such instruments are the topics of concerns e.g. medical care, food, property and staff harassment and then follow the trail to names, frequency and history of prior institutional placements to see if the problem was pre-existing.
The most obvious means for family to be concerned with is the sudden interruption of regular phone calls or letter since both are controlled by the staff or administrations. Any inquiries by family members may prompt further SID treatment and create additional stress between the administration and the inmate. This elevation to a “high profile” inmate is not a popular event inside the box as it draws more heat on the living area with more cops being present to interrupt the inmate’s games and schemes. This SID inmate will soon have to be moved due to threats made on his safety by other inmates. Attempted suicides when there is no history of previous suicides is a cry for a “come look at me please’ for I have problems. It could also be an indicator they have reached the end of their ability to manage their behaviors where they are assigned and asking for a “room change” not otherwise considered. Excessive uses of forces are indicators of agitation and confrontation by staff who like to abuse their authority on others. SID inmates are often exposed to such an individual and are regularly abused by being played one against the other being blamed for things that happen inside the box when in fact, the officer created the problem.
Thankfully, there are only a few staff members that engage in such abusive practices of “kick starting” a SID inmate but as others may look the other way, the abuse continues. This blind eye is driving those who are mentally ill beyond the parameters of coping with their lives. It is with deep regret that I feel so compelled to write such a document when in fact, there are many great and dedicated staff that work inside these units who perform with diligence and energy unmatched by many who chose to be a correctional officer or administrator.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Subject: Arizona’s incarcerates its citizens at one of the highest rates in the country.
Support Representative Cecil Ash's bills -
• HCR2025 A bill to grant authority to the Board of Executive Clemency to authorize pardons and clemencies. This would remove the final decision-making process from the political arena where political considerations may compete with the just merits of the case.
• HB2374 A bill to give discretion back to judges who have actually heard the facts of a case, and can impose a sentence which is proportionate to the seriousness of the offense, rather than arbitrary sentence terms imposed by the legislature.
• HB2648 A bill to allow inmates the incentive to earn early release credits for good behavior, for participation in education and treatment programs - all of which are a good indication of how they will perform when released. Currently, inmates must serve 85% of the imposed sentence. This bill would allow eligible individuals to serve 66% of their imposed sentence with the remaining 34% served under community supervision. Evidence from other states shows that this practice has a very high potential for a successful reentry.
• HB2664 A bill to establish a sentencing commission which can review the performance outcomes of various programs, study the statistical successes of local and national incarceration alternatives, and make non-binding recommendations to the legislature on how to get the best reentry outcomes for taxpayer dollars invested in the corrections system.
• HB2380 A bill to release elderly and infirm inmates to consenting family members on medical end-of-life issues that render the inmates incapable of aggression. This reduces the medical expense to the Department of Corrections, and allows the family to attend the final days/months of the inmate’s life.
• HB2378 A bill to equalize the playing field for those who were convicted before the statutes changed in 1973. This would allow anyone convicted of murder before 1973 to apply for parole on the same eligibility basis as those who have been convicted of murder since then. This would apply to only 28 inmates, all of whom have served 35 years or more; but it does level the playing field for parole eligibility and would reduce the future medical expenses of the state.
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