Major Misinformation

I expect to hear stupid things everyday around here. It goes with the territory. Part of dealing with prison life is learning that the majority of men – and women – behind bars are not the most well versed. Simply put, much of what I consider common, ordinary knowledge – facts and figures and basics of geography, history, language, that I assume everyone knows – isn’t known by most of the men inside. And not knowing breeds problems. Prisons run on misinformation, whether it be rumors, conspiracy theories or worse, falsehoods. And, you learn to live with it; with some difficulty, you ignore it.

            Yeah, you ignore it. At first, I didn’t. I couldn’t. When I would hear an inmate spout as “fact” some ridiculous statement about the power of the Virginia Governor to change, en masse, sentences, I’d explain how the Virginia constitution delineates powers. Usually the response, mumbled of course, would be “fuckin guy thinks he knows everything.”

            Even worse are the race conversations. Black or white, these guys splintered off into prison-built “religions” – spout segregation-themed words. “Blacks are ______.” Or “Whites are _____.” The only commonality is their misogynistic rants and their utter lack of any factual support for their views. And, I use to argue with those knuckleheads. Not anymore. It just isn’t worth the effort.

            But stupid people in prison isn’t what this is about. As bad as that is, I understand it. After all with over 50% of those behind bars lacking a high school diploma, you expect men not to know. What really bothers me is when those responsible for the system perpetuate falsehoods. That is a major problem. And, that is what is going on in here.

            There is a disconnect between what DOC says it’s trying to accomplish inside and what those in charge actually do. For example, DOC says, “90% of those behind bars will return to their communities.” True. And they say, the goal of prison should be not merely to punish those offenders but to prepare them to “successfully reintegrate into the community.” Fancy terms like “healing environment” are tossed around at places like this. Posters are up in chow halls and buildings promoting this facility as a “healing environment.”

            Then there are the re-entry programs: the “cognitive communities,” the classes called “breaking barriers,” “Thinking for a change,” and “Productive citizenship;” beautiful titles and goals. It is all a façade.

            This compound has a chief of Security – a Major, who is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the facility. Forget the fact that there is more drug use, more fights, more gang activity, than before his arrival (perhaps that is because so many in the population are young, short sentence offenders sent here solely to go through “re-entry,” this hot-shot, relatively young Major said the other day – when shown the summer college schedule – “Great more free education for these guys.”

            An educator then told him 1. Most of the men don’t go for “free” (veterans earned education benefits through service; other students are now paying a percentage of the cost); and 2. Higher education is the single best reducer of recidivism. Do you know what our security chief then said? He said, “No, it’s not.” Hey Major Einstein, yes it is.

            Fact, Major – education, primarily college education is the only factor that significantly effects recidivism rates. So, he’s flat out wrong. More troubling – if the ignorance exhibited by the guy in charge can be more troubling – is that his incorrect assumption is shared by a large portion of those who work here. In some ways, that’s understandable. Their livelihood depends on a steady supply of inmates. Less returning inmates means less prisons. Fewer prisons mean fewer jobs for Unit Managers, counselors and Majors.

            But there’s a more insidious problem. Folks like the major miss what Senator Elizabeth Warren calls “the notion that we are all in this together.” See, the Major – and a whole lot of other people working here – see offenders as “thems.” “Those guys” break the law and expect a free education while “we” pay for all of it. The problem with that logic is, there isn’t a “we” and a “they.” There’s an “us.”

            Some of the “thems” the major refers to – they’re young guys, vets of the Afghan and Iraq wars. They have diagnosed PTSD; they were given too many prescriptions and not enough help. They’re young guys who fought for this country while “we” sat on our asses post 9-11 and hung out flags.

            Here’s the thing, the shortsighted mistake guys like the Major make. Treat people like “thems” and they’ll stay “thems.” And “thems” get bitter, and don’t care; “thems” don’t feel connected to what binds “we’s” in society. That’s what education does – it makes you feel connected; it gives you a purpose. And, if you have a purpose, if you feel connected, chances are pretty certain you won’t reoffend.

            Mexican novelist Juan Villoro said it best, “Criminal acts can be redeemed, but nothing can save us from mediocrity.”

            Mediocrity; that’s what’s taught and expected most times in prison. And it all begins with major misinformation.