Prisoner Politicians are just as Ineffective as Free Ones

 

The counselors in my prison housing unit just finished passing out and then collecting ballots for our block rep elections. This election occurs every 6 months, whereby we elect two representatives (one minority and one non-minority) to represent our collective interests for the next six months.  I chose not to participate in this election for three reasons.  First, I only knew one of the prisoners on the ballot. The other three listed were names I didn't know, even if I may have known the people by their faces (which aren't shown on the ballot). I'm not going to waste my time voting when I know nothing about the "candidates."  Second, the role of block rep in Michigan's prisons has become a joke. These prisoners do NOT represent the population; instead, they mostly choose to run for some perceived personal benefit they aim to gain.  Third, I don't trust the election process. The last election the same prisoners were elected to serve a second term despite a general consensus in the housing unit that they were useless. It appeared like the staff put in who they wanted, not who we attempted to elect. (I don't generally distrust our nation's voting system, but it has much greater checks and controls than is found in prison.) Originally, the block rep system was designed to give prisoners a collective voice to prison administrators on issues that affect the population at large. Prison policies prohibit collective petitions or protests, so this block rep system was implemented as a way for prisoners to voice their concerns.  I've served as a block rep two or three times over my sixteen plus years in prison. Each time, my experience was that the prison administration does not take any of our concerns seriously, they do what they are going to do anyway, and the answer to every request is "no." It's an impotent and ineffective process. Additionally, any block rep who becomes too outspoken or who employs quoting policy too much are usually transferred to other facilities so they aren't a "problem" any longer.  Furthermore, when I served as block rep, I experienced a lot of unreasonable expectations from other prisoners, expecting me to solve their personal problems and complaints and to magically convince prison administrators to say yes to requests. It was an exercise in frustration and futility.  Our current outgoing block reps have been more interested in getting their extra food as taste testers in the kitchen and other perks they may get. For example, during holiday events, winners of tournaments or games often receive some goodies as a prize (candy, etc.). Block reps also often receive some for running the events. As food taste testers, the block reps are supposed to give honest feedback about the food quality and taste. Instead, they protect their extra portions by inflating the quality and taste of the food.  Democratic politics is supposed to be representative OF the people and FOR the people, but as we see in our nation today, it often devolves into self-serving behavior. It's really no different in prison. I guess that's just a common human flaw...put one's own interests above others, even those who elected you to serve.  I didn't vote in today's block rep elections, so I'll have no reason to complain and no expectations that those elected will do their jobs.

Reforming Character is Necessary to Reduce Crime

 I've been reading Chuck Colson's "How Now Shall We Live" as part of a Bible study over the last year or so. The late Colson was famously part of the Nixon Watergate scandal, Nixon's attorney who was convicted of obstructing justice. After he spent time in prison, Colson went on to found Prison Fellowship, a prison ministry aimed at helping prisoners reform their hearts and lives through application of Biblical truths. 

Colson was also an astute philosophy and theology student. He used his wide knowledge to teach others simple ways to discover the root causes of their criminal thinking and behaviors. I'm grateful that despite his criminal and unethical behavior that led him to prison, he refused to let his past dictate his future. I'm sure some people discredited him because of his involvement in Watergate, or because he was a Republican, or because he was a Christian. It's unfortunate, but some people are unable or unwilling to see someone as other than their worst choices. 

But Colson didn't let others' single-minded judgment stop him from doing the right things. He could have seen himself as a discredited corrupt politician, or as an ultimately unethical lawyer, but instead he dedicated himself to righting his wrongs and helping others do the same. Regardless of any "labels" people might have given him, I respect him for his commitment. 

I also appreciate his insight into human behavior. For example, quoting theologian Michael Novak, Colson noted that society often focuses on trying to understand the causes of crime. Yet, even if we uncover the answer to what causes crime, how would it help us? Can we legislate our way out of it? Create new laws to prevent immoral conduct? No. All we'll discover is how to produce more crime. 

The only way to reduce crime is to focus on producing more character and virtue in people. Instead, our society has focused on moral relativism, excusing immoral and unethical behavior as "personal choice." That is, until those choices trample on others' "rights." 

Our prisons are full of people who don't even understand what virtue is, let alone character or ethics. And I'm not just talking about the prison inmates. 

As a state, Michigan has made remarkable inroads towards supporting prisoners upon their release from prison. Vocational training, vital documents accessibility, housing and transportation support, emergency medical coverage...these all have improved outcomes for those leaving prison. But other important elements are still missing. 

Some prisoners are trained in a trade, but they don't know how to be wise money managers. They've also never been taught how to reduce their impulsivity, including in spending. They've learned how to recognize triggers and use coping mechanisms for their addictions, but they've never been taught that selfishness needs to give way to selflessness, that pride needs to give way to humility, or that self-control is a virtue worthy of pursuit. 

Michigan's prison system spends so much energy on security and control, aiming to reduce bad behavior by taking away opportunities for it. Instead, they ought to be focused on re-forming prisoner's character and rewarding demonstrated change. For those who are willing to be reformed, anyway. And those who aren't willing, well, Colson had some wisdom that tells us where that leads, both for prisoners and society as a whole: 

"If we cannot govern ourselves, then we invite others to govern us. The death of virtue threatens our very liberty as a people." 

There isn't much of a difference between prison and political tyranny. Both are a result of a lack of personal (and collective) virtue. And both lead to a loss of personal and collective freedom.

Power Over Truth in Prison Leads to Injustice

 Michigan's prisons use three classes of misconduct tickets. Class three tickets are considered "minor" tickets and usually come with minor and short-term consequences. This might include loss of privileges (LOP), like use of the phone, Jpay emails, and recreation time for a few days. 

Class two tickets are a little more severe, and they lead to longer-term LOP, perhaps ten or fifteen days. They also earn prisoners "points" on their misconduct history, which may eventually lead to an elevation of security level. 

Class one tickets are considered "major" tickets, and they often lead to administrative segregation (the hole), a greater increase in points, and longer-term consequences, like 30 or more days LOP or top lock. Top lock includes everything LOP does, plus it confines prisoners to their cells or bunks (or the hole) for a period of days. 

This morning, another prisoner told me that he received a class 2 ticket for an incident in the medical area. He is insulin dependent and must go to insulin lines in medical 3 times a day. A few days before, he had an issue with the corrections officer covering medical, and the officer wrote him a ticket as a result. Class 3 tickets are "heard" by a unit officer who assigns the sanction. Class 2 tickets are "heard" by a sergeant, or sometimes a lieutenant. 

Today, the prisoner had a hearing with a lieutenant, where the prisoner pled his case. Apparently, the lieutenant agreed with everything the prisoner had said in his defense, and then told him, "But, I have to side with my officer and find you guilty anyway." Understandably, the guy was very unhappy. 

I know from experience that many times other prisoners do not know how to handle themselves or communicate properly with authority figures, so I am keeping that in mind. But, I also have seen too many times to count when prison staff treat prisoners unjustly and side with their officers, even when knowing the officer is wrong. It's a "code" they often abide by. Truth, evidence, and right don't matter in these situations. Only power matters. 

And power trumps justice every time. 

I know that it's ironic for a Michigan prisoner to be speaking about justice. After all, I'm in prison because of my own unjust actions. But as my mom used to say all the time when I was growing up, "Two wrongs don't make a right." 

A system that is designed to punish injustice ought to at least try to model justice. At times it does, but more often it models that "might makes right," a fallacy that got many of us in trouble in the first place. That's not how you teach wrongdoers to reform their faulty thinking. 

This prisoner was given only 2 days LOP for his supposed infraction, which itself illustrates that the lieutenant didn't think the prisoner was actually guilty. It's too bad that our justice system and prison system have adopted the philosophy of convict first and ask questions later (maybe). I know our Founding Fathers would be appalled at such injustice.

Time Outs for Toddlers Can Work for Adult Prisoners, Too

 I had to put myself in time out earlier this week. I know, a grown man shouldn't need time outs, but I still do from time to time. 

This past week, I was playing a game of Scrabble at a table on base in our housing unit. The unit was particularly loud and crowded at the time, but I can usually tune out the noise, for the most part. But, a guy decided to stand literally inches from my shoulder, and after time in higher security levels, I'm a little touchy about people standing so close to me. 

I somewhat politely asked him to move away and give me some space, which he did. However, within seconds, he'd moved right back into invading my space. Now, I've worked hard for many years to change my communication style from passive aggressive to assertive. However, my irritation level rose sharply, and I resorted to being passive aggressive again. 

After some choice words said loudly enough for him to hear but without directing them TO him, I switched seats at the table. Shaking my head at the blatant disrespect at this level 1 minimum security prison, I got back to the game. 

Within a minute or two, another guy came and stood right to the left of me. He began hollering at a guy in the hole behind me, right over my head. It was difficult for me to even think with how loud the two of them were being. Again, I resorted to passive aggressive comments. 

Recognizing that I was highly irritated, and that I'd resorted to communicating in a way that I've worked hard for years to avoid, I knew it was time for me to utilize a healthy coping strategy. I put myself in time out. I had to avoid resorting to aggressive communication, which is likely to lead to worse problems.

I told my gaming partner that I needed to go, so we packed up the game, and I went to my cell. 

Over the years, I've learned to recognize situations and reactions like this, and to employ healthy coping strategies to avoid conflict and violence. It's helped me to go 16 years misconduct-free (minus one minor misconduct for cutting someone's hair in the bathroom). These are lessons I plan to take with me when I leave prison. 

I've also worked for several years to teach other prisoners how to identify trigger situations and emotions and to pre-plan coping strategies to manage their emotions and reactions better. Too many prisoners, and if we're frank about it free people too, are impulsive and let their emotions dictate their behaviors. 

The truth is, we can't always depend on other people to be respectful, to understand and read situations accurately, or to manage their own emotions well. It's critical, especially for a class of people who are prone to being impulsive, to increase our emotional regulation skills. 

I'd rather take myself to my room and self-impose a short time out than to end up in the hole in an extended time out, with all the consequences that come with it. It just makes sense to me.