In the News…
I usually don’t blog about news articles; however, this story needs to be shared with the whole world. The holidays are supposed to be full of family time, making memories, and happiness. This holiday, there is a family who lost one of their family members in the most horrific and tragically unimaginable way. A man who has already spent 7 years in prison was transferred from one prison in New York to another prison and then was brutally and violently attacked by guards. The attack on this man was unprovoked and senseless. The man passed away the next day at the hospital.
The video:
If you have seen the video of this horrible and alarming attack on this man, then you know there were about 13 guards around, and the man was handcuffed. In the beginning, you see guards just punching and shoving this man around on a table. At one point in the video, one of the guards gets up on a table and shoves his foot into the man’s neck, while the man is lying on a table. Then the guards pick him up by his neck to get him up to move him. It’s truly one of the most disturbing things I have ever watched.
What goes through someone’s mind?
What was going through the guard’s mind to physically attack this man? Were they thinking they needed to sentence him? He had already been judged and sentenced for his crimes. The guards are not judge and jury. Their job is supposed to be to keep inmates safe. They don’t have the right to decide who lives or dies for their crimes. This is not a hundred years ago when you would take someone out back and shoot them or hang them. Very few death sentences are given these days.
Did he look at one of them crossed-eyed, or make a judgemental comment? Was it the way he looked or his nationality? He could not have punched or kicked, he was handcuffed and most likely shackled. Come now, you are grown men and if it only took someone saying something or a look to make you that enraged then there is a serious problem.
Stressful Job:
Undoubtedly the job of being a prison guard is a stressful job. Guards put their life on online every day while they are at work. However, that is not an excuse to murder someone or watch your co-worker murder someone and you don’t try to stop them. Being a bystander ends your life and now you’re in prison also. If you did try to stop them, you become the not so popular but at least you still live. When the stressful jobs become overwhelming, take time off, get a different job, transfer to a different prison, or find something that you can do to manage the stress.
Training:
I have said this more times than I can count. More training is needed. I think that in these stressful jobs there needs to be psychological testing done every 6 months. I think that counseling needs to be done regularly to see how everyone is managing their stress and their life, and if they are capable of working or they need time off for a certain amount of time.
Before you hire them, have them spend the day working in a prison with a guard. Let them see what a day as a guard looks like. Then if they think they can handle it, then train them. I did that when I had my company working with behavioral children with disabilities. I would ask them to come in for an interview and spend the day with my kids in the building. Sometimes, they didn’t even make it passed the interview when I explained what could happen like getting hit, kicked, bit, hair pulled, or spit on. If they weren’t going to work out, we didn’t move forward with training. It was a great learning experience for that person. Also, it cut down on training costs for us. Working with children with disabilities who are very behavioral is very challenging and stressful.
On very difficult days, I could see when my employees, needed a break. I would tell them to go take 5-10 minutes and come back when they were ready. I had an open-door policy and I was always training my staff. I gave them time off when needed, and we were always available to everyone who was involved with these children. Maybe that is what is needed in prison also. Someone who is always there checking and teaching guards as well.
Justification:
There will never be a justification for this man to lose his life in the manner that he did. He wasn’t the only one who lost his life that day. The 13 guards who physically attacked this man and the guards who stood around and did nothing also lost their lives that day as well. We as a society may never know the reason behind this senseless act and even if is there a reason it wouldn’t justify why. Nothing will ever justify taking someone’s life.
if you want to see the video please go to: www.nytimes.com
I do not want to post it on my blog because of how violent and graphic it is and I’m not sure of my audience’s ages.
My heart goes out to the families that have lost their ones. My deepest condolences to the Brooks Family. I’m truly sorry for your loss.
I hope everyone had a great holiday. Happy New Year!!
I love all the support that I receive from you. And if you have a story or comment please let me know. I love reading all your comments. Until next time.
this was à d ath that never should have happened. my deepest sympathy to the family.