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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

State Struck


You hear it all the time in here, the expression "state struck." It's thrown at a guy who tends to follow the rules, shows respect for the COs, won't skirt the "law." You'll hear it like this: "an you is so state struck. You say 'yessum" to these sons of bitches and always follow the rules like they is gonna help you." The term means institutionalized. The other night there was a near fight at midnight in here. Our bathroom cleaning guy was trying to clean the urinal when another man walked in the bathroom. "Can you wait til I finish?" "You are so state struck, cleaning the bathroom like they tell you." Yeah, that's the stupidity I deal with when guys think you're helping the system when you try and do your job and clean a commode.


But, institutionalization is a big problem; the real problem is the guys who talk about being "state struck," they're the real institutionalized ones. They keep coming in and out of here and want to tell everyone "how it used" to be in prison. They break the rules, lose their good time and then say stupid shit like, "They can't take anything away from me." As if staying even an extra 30 days isn't taking something away from you.


And the system thrives on guys like that. See, they make it easy to fall into a coma. Prisons tell you when to do everything. They turn the lights on in the morning for 6:00 a.m. count; they call you to breakfast, and school, and rec, and medical appointments. You can literally set your entire day around the calls they make. They let you change your sheets out every Saturday; there's request forms" for any question--no matter how ridiculous or inane. And it makes guys mentally weak and reliant on the system. No one has to act on their own behalf. It breeds contempt and whining and bitterness. And, I think it's done that way to keep cycling men--and women back in.


I had an interesting conversation the other day with one of the really good counselors here who works the "reentry building." That building is a zoo and everyone knows it--reentry is a failure here and there is no matrix to hold those in charge accountable. Anyway, he told me that the guys act out over in 3 bldg. because "they're scared. They've done nothing with their lives and they're getting ready to go home and they know in their hearts it's easier sitting here and complaining than having to make it out there."


Perhaps that is the biggest failure of the criminal justice system--it breaks you down and institutionalizes you. Then again, maybe it's not a failure; maybe it's a willful plan to destroy lives and keep this whole ugly apparatus afloat. The sad truth is, most who go to prison will get out; but most find their way back. It shouldn't be that way.


This week, President Obama said "America is a nation of second chances." Really? We talk a good game, but when push comes to shove, do we believe that? Are we ready to take an honest look at the failure of this place and say "enough is enough?" In truth, it takes more energy to say, "I will not be institutionalized. I am better than this." In the end, for me at least, it's the only way I can face myself.


"State struck." It's a term I hate because the guys who use it don't understand they are keeping all this going. It's time for a change.

Saturday, July 4, 2015

New York State of Mind--or Not


I can't speak the word--that may be considered a security breach," but the recent reaction here to the events at New York's Clinton Prison breakout shows just how silly--and unprepared the folks who run this place truly are.

Don't get me wrong, I watched those two knuckleheads evade NY's "finest" with a little schadenfreude--after all, what do you expect people to do? You send a man (or woman) away for 50, 60, 70 years- -or life--and then you say "behave." Meanwhile, we applaud POWs as they seek to "e" (you know the word) every chance they get.

No doubt, these two were killers--and socially beyond rehabilitation. But, does it surprise anyone that a middle-aged blue-collar woman would live out some "trues lies" fantasy with these guys or that another "good old" boy would help them. Hey, that's what you get when you employ anyone as a prison guard and set low standards of professionalism.

The same thing happens here. They walk at least one employee off every month for fraternization--this past week it was a nurse lying about her break times so she could diddle a captain. Meanwhile, the "chief of security" keeps telling everyone how they have to tighten up- -this guy is hated by the rank and file CO’s, not because he's tough but because he's incompetent.

How does the facility respond to all this? They announce in meetings that another "count" will be added. They send new memos out to staff warning about "fraternization," all the while they continue with the same failed policies and programs that lead guys to continue to come back.

And come back they do. Our building just welcomed back a man--a graduate of the "new and improved re-entry program" who left the 2nd week of December; ten days later there was coke in his urine; back to jail, court, receiving and--you guessed it--good old Lunenburg--all within 6 months.


Yeah, the drug and alcohol treatment programs work great here.
New York--kind of looked a lot like "Shawshank" don't you think? What's the answer? I don't know, but here are a few things. Prisons are poorly run and managed--the wardens and the chiefs of security are not responsive to reality--they hide behind "security" without being held accountable. Silly rules are enforced that piss guys off, all the while important programming and education is ignored. Medical care is pitiful; too many guys are drugged up with high doses of psychotropic meds--walking dead--who get addicted not cured from their drug reliance.


There are--with long sentences--no reasons for men to follow the rules and change. Tell a 24 year old he has 75 years to do with good time he'll get out in 70!), and see how well he does behind bars. And then, staff your facilities with underpaid, undereducated officers who can get more cash for sneaking in a cellphone than they make in a week--it's a bad combination and it's getting worse.

New York State of mind--it can be a wake up call for serious prison reform--or we can do what's being done now which is the same tired old responses you get every time something like this happens.

Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it--that should be the motto for DOC--sad, isn't it.