2 March, 2012
What’s going in America’s prisons? Do people really know? I’ve been writing people from inside prison since 1996. I’ve written people all over the world and all over the United States and in my personal experience I don’t see that they TRULY know what goes on in prison. I think people depend on TV shows and twisted new stories to get informed and that only leads to cloud the reality more. I’m not a harsh critic because I’m a prisoner. I’m a harsh critic because the conditions are bad, and there’s always a double standard for the prisoner to follow the rules and do right, but not the same for the people that over-see/ govern us. Rules are rules. Law is law. Human standards are standards for reasons. However, that balance just doesn’t exist on this side of the fence.
I’ve been at McConnell Unit since September 2007 and I have watched it decline. While I’ve watched spending go up for security on the unit I have watched the concern for our well-being go down. The food has worsened, programs have disappeared (like Education- as a result of the 82nd Texas Legislature), more has been taken from us as prisoners. Why? And why does it matter?
Do people care that these men and women must return to society? Do people care that their tax dollars are not used properly? Why is the Texas system failing? Why can’t they provide adequate treatment for prisoners?
What are the backwards things taking place in Texas that is causing the system to decay and be congested? The prisons are over crowded. Why? Because the Parole board doesn’t want to release prisoners? Why? Because high incarceration rates means more free labor and capital from inmates. Where does the capital come from? The $100 a year we pay for medical care (see section 501.063 of Texas Government code). The telephone system. The high priced commissary. The free work inmates do and also side projects that TDCJ/TCI markets. But, TDC then shoots itself in the foot through their greed by not wanting to parole inmates and it causes an over flood which causes them to build more prisons. They can’t maintain their means nor their intentions. It’s a constant cycle of up and down.
If Texas wanted to make extra income to help their deficits why not allow prisoners to receive parcels from family members like other States? Is their desire to punish and oppress that deeply rooted? They could offer rental fees for hospitality houses for conjugal visits for husband and wife. This could promote good behavior in prison and financial gain. But, it’s too much to the prisoner. What does that say of the true intentions of prisons? Is there rehabilitation? Do they want it to be?
The conditions have gotten so bad at McConnell Unit that they can hardly staff the unit. Why? Why can’t they keep workers here? Why do officers not want to work their shifts here? In today’s economy you would think they would be running to work and make money for their families. But, this unit gets so many call-ins that they sometimes have to shut down the unit. And of course it’s the inmates that suffer. What/ how do we suffer? Sometimes we get no recreation. Recreation is our means to move around, get exercise, let off stress on the yard. Sometimes we don’t get showers. This unit has gone 3,4 days without running a shower for the inmates. Then to top it off no hot meals are served (just sacked lunches- which are HIGHLY inadequate). This is the norm here now. Will it change? In my experience it always gets worse before it gets better. A lot of that is going to depend on the inmates and their families. Inmates must begin to care about their conditions more, they must address the problems when they occur and they must get their families involved to contact the proper officials- NOT Wardens or even Regional Directors. All they do is cover-up and contain the problems. They must go OVER their heads to Senators, State Reps etc… THOSE are the people that over-see TDC business and can make the proper changes.
Being all the way fair about it- inmates may not have cared before because they had easy access to cell phones, drugs and were caught in fastlife. Because of those behaviors the sole focus has been on security- not the upkeep. Now, in the downhill, you (us, we) are going to HAVE to care, because it IS going to get A LOT worse before it gets better. Once upon a time guys like David Ruiz fought tirelessly for our rights. It took years for Texas to get up to par (keeping Ruiz’s lawsuit tied up in the courts while they did), and once they did the Feds finally stepped out of the State’s business. Now, a few years later, the conditions have begun to decline. We are going to have to do the same things Ruiz did back then. It’s no ifs, ands, buts about it. IT’S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.
I’ve made a New Year’s resolution to play my role. I am going to keep a schedule of exactly what is going on and I’m going to post it month by month. I want the people in society to know what’s going on and how bad it’s getting. We will need you people- those who care (even if not about us then just the principle of the matter) to write letters of concern. Ask for investigations to be done. It’s not hard to get facts about what’s going on inside these prisons.
Please pay attention and take part, because this is not just about inmates, but about the bigger responsibility these people have taken on with the Judicial and Penal System. People in society need to pay closer attention to the officials they let run these offices and agencies. Everytime we look up some politician is doing something illegal or inappropriate. It’s not just people on the block or in the streets doing wrong anymore. They’re in the offices and on the campaign trails.
I invite any questions or comments. Let’s take part in this world. It’s ours too!
