Divide and Conquer--How Prisons Limit Community Building

 Recently, while walking with another prisoner on our prison's big yard, I noticed a gathering of gang members. They'd pulled several tables near each other and were having a powwow. Of course, I have no idea what they were discussing, but it was clearly a gathering of at least two, maybe three gangs. 

I commented to the guy I was working with that I was surprised the officers had not broken up the meeting. We continued walking for the next 30 minutes or so when we finally saw a yard officer and captain head over to the gang meeting. The officers didn't say anything, but by just stopping next to the tables, the meeting broke up immediately, and the gang members disbursed. 

For obvious security reasons, the prison yard rules prohibit gatherings like these gangs were having. In fact, the rules prohibit more than six people gathering at the same table. During softball games, it's not uncommon to see eight people sitting at a table, though. It's obvious, however, that these are just spectators, not people meeting together. 

The following morning, I grabbed my Bible and headed out to our small yard for our weekly Bible study. It's been growing over recent weeks and has had between ten and twelve people getting together. We've been left alone by staff as our study has grown, but not this morning. About 15 minutes into our study, the same Captain came and told us to disburse. He was respectful about it, but he cited a yard rule that prohibited religious studies on yard. 

Many of the men were upset that we were being told to disburse. We were just studying the Bible, after all. We were not having a "gang meeting" or doing anything nefarious. But the rules are the rules. I'm quite sure the Captain knew he had to apply the rules across the board fairly, regardless of if we liked it or not. 

It's, perhaps, against religious liberties to stop prisoners from collecting together to study the Bible, but the courts will always side with security over things like religious rights. So, we have to find ways to study that don't violate policies. 

Since the primary purpose of prisons is security, other "rights" are often relegated to a secondary place. It's never simple. You'd think prison would be pretty simple and clear cut. It's not. Rules are enforced when the powers want to enforce them, and they aren't when they aren't considered important. 

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of prison "rule enforcement," though, is that corrections officers and their bosses enforce rules on prisoners, sometimes even petty rules, but often don't follow their own rules. It's simply a hypocritical part of prison that we have to learn to deal with. It definitely teaches humility, patience, and a host of other positive qualities, if one is willing to be taught by this incarceration experience.

Shattering Hope in Prison through Bureaucratic Ineptitude

 Hope can be a dangerous thing in prison; however, without it, prisoners lean into despair, sometimes choosing to take their own lives. Others give up and surrender to meaninglessness. That might take the form of illicit drug use, or it might look like sleeping or watching TV all day, among numerous other useless endeavors. 

Hope can also cause many prisoners to grasp onto every rumor of good time bills passing or revolutionary court decisions, or even onto promises of reform from politicians. In the fifteen plus years I've been in prison, I've heard the same rumors recycled over and over, often with a new twist to give it a hook to catch desperate people. Sadly, both unscrupulous prisoners and cold hearted staff members start these rumors. Sometimes, though, the rumors simply morph from one tiny bit of true information. 

Last year, for example, the Michigan legislature passed the state budget. Within the Corrections budget was a line item for the purchase of electronic tethers. If anyone bothered to look, that line item is in the budget every year because the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) manages the State's tether programs. This normal line item, though, somehow morphed into the rumor that the MDOC would soon be releasing thousands of prisoners early, on tether. 

Of course, this rumor was completely untrue, but trying to reason with people who are desperately clinging to any scrap of hope is usually pointless. I tried to explain the truth to those who excitedly shared this juicy rumor with me, but to no avail. 

Some hope, though, is reasonable. For example, prisoners who have been scored with a "high probability of parole" have an expectant hope that they will, indeed, be paroled. Lately, though, many prisoners have been receiving a deferral from the parole board. This isn't a denial of parole, but it's not an outright parole, either. 

The Michigan Parole Board usually gives deferrals for psych exams, community placement housing, or to complete a class. A prisoner might spend 10 years in prison, for instance, and complete all the requirements he was given, only to see the Parole Board who then decides they want the prisoner to take another particular class. The Department had ten years to add this requirement, but they wait until the prisoner is expecting a parole and hopes to leave prison within a few months. 

The book of Proverbs says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12). I've seen this scripture fulfilled, sadly, hundreds of times. It shouldn't take months to conduct a psych evaluation or to find public housing. Prisoners have to tell their counselors months before they see the Parole Board where they intend to live, so the department knows well in advance if a prisoner needs community placement housing. 

I know several prisoners, right now, who are stuck in a black hole of waiting. They've been given a deferred parole, but they've since been given no updates, no expectation, no information for months. They may as well have received a denial (called a "flop"). Most of these deferred prisoners wait between 6-9 months after their expected parole date to finally leave prison. It's completely unnecessary, and I would argue unjust, to hold a prisoner past his earliest release date when he's done all that has been required of him.

I don't want to be cynical and say that the Parole Board intends to strip these prisoners of hope, but that is the effect of their current system. It's enough to make someone lose his mind...expecting to leave the hell of prison only to be told, "Sorry...you'll have wait some more, but we don't quite know how long." It's just another thing to add to the long list of reasons prison can contribute to a break down in mental health. 

The prison system ought to be cultivating a growth mindset in its prisoners, not causing constant disillusionment. It's enough to make some prisoners lose all hope.

Paying it Forward in Prison -- Recovery and Rehabilitation

 In prison I facilitate (teach) an addiction recovery group called Breaking the Chains. It utilizes some Alcoholics Anonymous materials, as well as materials I've developed on subjects related to addiction issues. After recently training several other facilitators, we now conduct six classes a week, each meeting twice a week. Each class has around 15 participants at any given time. 

In recent months, we've had a surge in requests to take the class. We now have nearly eighty prisoners on a waiting list to take the ten week class. There's not much else to do at Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson, Michigan, unless you are a prisoner who has been accepted into the Jackson College program or the Vocational Village trades program. 

Some of the prisoners who participate in Breaking the Chains are there simply because they want the certificate and the parole board recognition of participating in a self-help group. That's fine. I don't mind those prisoners attending. I hope they get something out of sitting through the classes. Others, though, are actively working on gaining or sustaining recovery. 

One of the likeliest causes of a person returning to prison is when he (or she) returns or continues in their substance addiction. To support a drug or alcohol habit, some return to crime, which inevitably leads back to prison. We have some prisoners in our groups who have been to prison five or six times, usually for the same types of crimes. 

I get a sense of fulfillment in teaching these classes. I've seen prisoners decide to stay on their mood stabilizing medications after discussions in class, begin setting and working towards goals, identify and focus on living into their values, and do the difficult work of forgiveness and making amends for their past wrongs. I've also seen guys relapse, and though that can be discouraging, it's still satisfying to know they have more tools to recover (again) now than they did in the past. 

Substance abuse continues to be a big problem for many prisoners (as well as those in the free world!). That's why I focus on helping these men identify and deal with the root issues that led to their addictions. Failing to deal with the root cause means any recovery will simply move the problem to another area of their lives. Discovering that root cause, though, is tough for a lot of these men. Their lives are often marred by a history of trauma, and that makes it tough for them to know where to start. 

I don't believe I can give these guys everything they need to know to recover, but it feels good to have a purpose in prison that leads other prisoners to unburden themselves and make better choices. It feels good to be able to make even a small difference. I'm simply paying it forward after others have helped me along the way.

Labor Day in Prison Means More Cancellations Amid Critical Staff Shortages

 Today, as I write this, it's Labor Day. This holiday, like most in prison, is always a disappointment. Yeah, it's a day off work, and sometimes there are activities, but we're separate from our families. That's the part that really hurts. 

Additionally, especially since the MDOC has had a major staffing problem, holidays in prison have become another major excuse to cancel things. For example, this morning's big yard time and gym were cancelled...again. It's been cancelled almost every morning this week. Holidays are no exception. 

The restrictions implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic radically changed how Michigan operates its prisons. Many restrictions have remained, despite the lifting of social distancing mandates. Religious services are still restricted (limits to number of prisoners), visits are still restricted (2 hour limit, scheduling required), and internal fences and mingling restrictions have remained in place. 

These mingling restrictions, especially in a level 1 low security prison, were very uncommon prior to the pandemic. Holidays saw large events on big yard times -- concerts, softball and corn hole games, and people making and sharing food. Now, you can hardly tell it's a holiday, except that everything is cancelled (library, classes, etc.) due to the holiday. And "staffing shortages" mean our yard times and recreational activities are cancelled too. 

I know prison isn't supposed to be "fun," but when prisoners have nothing to do, nothing to keep them busy, their energy is spent in other ways. And those ways are not very often productive. 

It's a beautiful day out, though, so I'm going to make the best of it, get some sun, talk with some other prisoners, and keep my attitude positive as I look forward to future Labor Days spent with my family, doing what I want and eating what I want. Those days can't come soon enough!