Life’s complications:
Have you ever had one of those moments in your life where nothing is going right? You know those moments. You get ready for work. You get the kids ready for school and realize you forgot to buy milk at the store, no cereal today. Get into the car for work and you have a flat tire. You have a huge presentation today, you’re going to be late for work. The last thing you need is get fired. Your teen age child is moody, doesn’t want to go to school, nor do their homework and refuses to clean their room. You have been employed for 10 years with same company. Haven’t had a raise in over 2 years. Looking in then mirror, asking yourself maybe it’s time for a change. Welcome to my life right now. I’m working on my changes very slowly.
My life:
Change happens every second of every second of everyday. All you can do is accept and do what you need to do. My website has some issues, had change security. So I do apologize about my website. I left my job after 35 years because of health issues which I knew was going ot happen, I just didn’t know it would happen this soon. I have had to change many aspects of my life due to my health issues, not having employment or the same type of employment. And I do have a grandchild is a pre-teen and moody as all get out. I understand it’s the frontal lobe that hasn’t developed yet in teenagers and it’s slowly developing but goodness pre-teens and teenagers are difficult.
Nothing has changed in prisons:
Earlier I said change happens every second of everyday. Well, prison is the only place that hasn’t changed in about 100 years. The prison system continues to the same things over and over again. Prisons use the same punishments, put anyone and everyone together no matter the crime and/or time and use the same methods of dealing with everyone. The services they offer haven’t changed or been updated. The programs do not educate anyone for release. Conditions of the prison are questionable at best. Psychiatrist give the same diagnosis to every inmate and prescribe medications that were popular 20-30 years ago. Inmates come out angry and with PTSD, that no one wants to admit to.
New Director:
Arizona Department of Corrections has a new director. He is making changes. He has made the decision to put all the inmates together and remove protective custody(PC). PC is there for a reason. There are some people who can not handle general population, some people who get physically attacked and are in PC for that reason, and some are in there because they need to be protected. Hence the title “protective custody”Not sure that was wise or a good choice. The Governor decide in 2019 to try a new drug program and give inmates Vivitrol. The new director is just now implementing this plan. First few days, 4 inmates overdosed 3, survived the last died in chow. They left him on the floor and put a sheet over him until chow was over. Now, that was very disrespectful, He ws someone’s son ,dad, brother, uncle,and boyfriend/husband. He deserved some respect.
Making a difference:
Having separate prisons for inmates. One for inmates that are in life, serial murders, criminally insane and anyone who caused bodily harm. Second one for anyone who has sexual assault charges and charges for child abuse. Third one drug dealers and gang related charges in for life. Forth one drug dealers and gang related not in life. Fifth one individuals who went to prison as a child but this is with conditions this who can get released one day, others will have to go one of the other prisons that life without parole. Sixth one these are for your non-violent crimes and ones that have long sentences but will get out in 30 years or less. seventh one these are non- violent crimes less than 30 years. Eighth one for individuals that are addicted to drugs, this one would be a little different from all the others.
The Eighth one:
I know that prison isn’t a place for people who are addicted drugs. For many reasons they should be sent to a drug rehab facility to recover and get the help that they need.If they cannot make it mandatory to stay in a drug rehab facility then send them to a prison but one that doesn’t have drug dealers Giving them a drug to help with withdraws or giving them Narcan to bring them back to life isn’t helping them either. Prisons have easy access to drugs, they do not give you proper counseling or therapy to help your addiction. And there aren’t any programs to help you become an successful independent adult. This is a do able situation. Every state has more than enough prisons to separate everyone.
Supporting themselves:
All the ones that do not have any violence in their past or charges should be able get jobs. Those jobs should provide them the money to be able to support themselves. Their housing, food, and a portion put into account for them. That will be given to them when they are released. Implement training, classes and teaching them how to be successful in the real world, prepare them for their release. Get certified counselors and have actual counseling sessions. If these inmates are away from the ones who are violent, the anger, PTSD and the suicidal thoughts might now be as prevalent as it is today. It also gives them a purpose to go to a job everyday. You probably wouldn’t have so many return. For the ones who are in for life, give them the same opportunities it will be at their prisons only.
Jobs:
When I say”jobs” I don’t mean like the ones that some inmates have now. Some inmates are washing cars for $7.00 a week for 40 hours a week, That is 17 cents an hour. I’m sorry but that is free labor. That is simply unacceptable and wrong! Inmates need jobs that they can continue on with and be able to support themselves with in and out of prison. Not all inmates have families that can help financially. It is very difficult get employment after you have been in prison. There are a lot of companies that say that will hire inmates, but after you work for them for about two weeks they let you go. It takes about two weeks for your background check come back. Yes, you told them they knew, they said it was fine, it wasn’t fine in the end.
Making adjustments:
. Change happens every second of every second of everyday. I think change can be successful if done correctly, for the right reasons and has positive outcomes. No matter what happens you will always have to make adjustments with change. Positive or negative outcomes. I do know if the prison system ever decided to catch up with and meet us where we are now, changed how they do things, maybe inmates wouldn’t keep going back.THere are a few things I know for sure. When you keep your mind busy there is less time for violence, less time to get into trouble and less time for negativity. When your mind is busy it’s learning, it’s being productive, it’s not losing any skills. The brain needs “to be fed” just like the body does to work correctly.