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.
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.
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