The Con Being Peddled

I make a simple statement:  Harold Clarke, DOC’s Director, may profess he cares about inmate re-entry and rehabilitation; Governor Robert McDonnell may likewise say the same thing.  But, actions speak louder than words and their actions – or inactions – speak volumes about the current state of Virginia’s prisons – the choice is theirs.  They can put real emphasis behind their words and actually begin changing DOC’s mentality or they can continue speaking empty words and follow the same failed policy that has led to the current crisis in corrections. 

Right now, they are peddling a great con job on the citizens of Virginia.  They need to either do what they claim they want to do or be honest enough to say “screw re-entry; screw restorative justice; screw rehabilitation.”

This prison is now being led by both a warden and an assistant warden who publicly state their responsibility is to keep inmates locked up.

Officers I know reported that the assistant warden announced at his department head meeting this week: 

“I hate flowers, fraternization and felons.”

Flowers?  Yes, here at Lunenburg the inmates maintain two greenhouses where spring and fall flowers are grown.  In April and again in September the yard crew plants these flowers along the sides of the “boulevard” – the main walkway connecting the seven dorms, vocational, educational, factory and chow hall.  Around the flowering pear trees that dot the main lawn, flowers are also planted.  Rich mulch is spread.  The yard crew waters and maintains the plants and learns a little about horticulture and landscaping.  Ah, screw it.  Blacktop the entire area!

What this genius assistant warden missed is the Rudy Giuliani lesson on broken windows.  Want people in a neighborhood to take pride in where they live?  Fix the broken windows, pick up the trash.  Want inmates to feel embittered about their circumstances, bombard them every day with reminders of block and fences and that they don’t matter.

Over and over guys here tell me I’m fooling myself.  “They aren’t gonna help us get an education.  They aren’t gonna let us go early.  They make money off of us and the public doesn’t care.”

What Mr. Clarke and Governor McDonnell need to realize is recidivism is a mindset.  DOC gives inmates zero reason to believe they matter, that what they do matters.  We’ve heard the expression “hearts and minds” whenever the military is involved in an action overseas.  Win the hearts and minds of the population.  Convince them you are there to help them, improve them.

Crime is often described as a war.  Well Virginia, you’re losing the war on crime.  You spend over $1 billion a year with the costs going up each year and the recidivism rate is increasing.  And crime is generational.  Lock up one out of four young black men and see how the children of those incarcerated do.

Instead of being courageous and honest and changing the dialogue and mindset of DOC, Messrs. Clarke and McDonnell do the same old, same old, putting wardens and assistant wardens in place who make no bones about trying to put the brakes on re-entry education programs.

A part of the IT grant money was spent installing “smart boards” in two classrooms – one in the programs building and one in the horticulture building (outside the program building by the greenhouses).  The first term of school, night classes used the boards.  This semester’s math class assigned to the horticulture building has been shifted and the board sits unused.  “Can’t waste an officer out there” is the excuse. 

Is it any wonder these guys lack hope, lack desire to change, don’t believe in the Governor?  They’ve heard it all before.  They know a good con job when one’s being peddled.