J'accuse

In 1894 after the disastrous defeat of their army in the Franco Prussian War, the French looked for a scapegoat. They found one in the guise of a Jewish military officer named Alfred Dreyfus. After a trial of seemingly vague evidence and anti-Semitic references concluded, Dreyfus was found guilty of treason and sent to Devils Island.

That was not the end of the story, however, because the truth always wills out. French writer Emile Zola risked his own financial success, his reputation, and his very freedom to publish an essay, "J’accuse" in which he took the French military to task for lying to the citizens about Dreyfus. Demand grew in the public and Dreyfus, on retrial, was released.

Today, the same thing goes on in Virginia's corrections gulag and it's high time the public knows the truth. While the director of the department signs letters urging the Federal Dept. of Justice to fund college programs to teach technology to inmates in prison, his security chiefs have investigators tell students they can't participate in the very activities the programs being funded require.

Case in point: we have ten hand-picked students taking an IT certification class requiring 96 hours of prep time before the exam. If these men are successful, more opportunities will arise. Part of the program is to get inside a computer box and see how it works, where all the parts fit, what goes with what. What has been security's reaction here? They swoop in and tell the men "no." Ironic isn't it. At the notorious San Quentin prison, men are training as code writers and are even being hired by outside companies at real wage levels while still behind bars; here, the only job security that men are working toward is bathroom cleaning.

The chief of security here is a political hack. I hate to be blunt, but he is not qualified for the post. He doesn't believe in the "mission" of DOC (at least the published mission); he disrespects the men--dehumanizes them at every chance; he lacks both the intellectual background and "people skills" to successfully manage his staff and the offender population. His officers suffer from low morale; the inmates despise him; and, things get worse. How is he in this job? Good question. The answer, I believe is that no one is paying attention.  DOC wastes money.

"J'accuse." Zola understood that it is too easy for those in power to make up excuses to explain their failure. DOC spends over $1.2 billion each year of Virginia taxpayer money yet the Commonwealth isn't made any safe. Worse, what goes on inside actually leads to more crime--men and women released are likely to return--RECIDIVISM-- after a stay in a prison. Why? Because prison robs an individual of his or her dignity; it makes you institutionalized; it breaks down your empathy, your humanity.

There is no relationship between what they tell you goes on with "corrections" and what actually occurs. DOC talks big about "re-entry" but in reality the reentry program is a joke. They spend millions on programs that don't prepare anyone for return to society with layer upon layer of administration. The re-entry coordinator here is inept and not to be trusted. The really good counselors and staff are leaving, pursuing other opportunities because this place is a swamp of ignorance, despair, and failure.

What works? Education... a college education. You want to make a difference, Governor McAuliffe--start letting low custody offenders out and push education, spend money on college and post-secondary technical training, and for the love of God, make the people you put in charge responsible for ensuring that those programs are carried out. Don't let inept, politically appointed 'Majors" hide behind "security" to avoid getting men and women educated and trained.

"J'accuse." I'm sure a number of folks thought the blog was over. I hadn't posted anything new in almost 2 months. During that time, folks in charge here--folks like investigators who monitor what I write--spoke to me about my writings. I'm sure people thought I'd given up. No, the manager of the blog was moving. She's now settled and I'm back! My goal has always been to write the truth ad let things fall where they may.

I recently read Bernard Kerik's memoir of his fall from NYC police commissioner on 9/11 to federal inmate. The most eye opening part of Kerik's story was he saw the same things I see and write about daily. Our prison system is corrupt, it is morally and financially bankrupt and it is time for courageous politicians to step up. "J'accuse." If Emile Zola could do it, then so can I. The truth matters; the truth will be known.

Each week I will give you insight into this life and the issues that affect the lives of the men in here and their families. You may not always like what I write, but you'll know it's the truth.