What makes prison so dangerous?
You ask what makes prisons so dangerous? Let’s take a look at the system that has not changed with the times. There are three different entities; the Administration, Guards and Inmates. All having some power, money and control in some aspect but who has all three and the most? The answer to that is the Inmates.
Administration:
Administration; There is the Warden, who insist on keeping the same policies and procedures that have been around for over a hundred years. Even when they know that they have the power to change the policies and procedures at anytime. Next are Deputy Warden and Inmate Family Liaison who is supposedly the people you can call and talk to when you aren’t getting anywhere with the guards. These are people are supposed to look into health care concerns, abuse concerns, inmate complaints about guards abusing them, but do they really looking into in a timely manner? Are inmates complaints about abuse believable? Does someone take them seriously? Illness goes on until it’s to late, and guards have been violently physically assaulting inmates to death. All these factors play a part in making the prisons so dangerous.
Guards:
There are some guards that have empathy, integrity, morals and values, code of conduct, and they treat people with respect and humanity. They have everything you want in an employee and a guard. These guards treat the inmates like human beings, they are not intimidating towards them and they are not being paid or coerced at all.
Some guards feel so superior and feel a great power over the inmates. Feel that they can do whatever or treat them however they like. Who’s going to say anything? Some are paid to do task for other inmates.This is what I mean by “paid to” they are paid to look the other way, they are paid to bring drugs, cell phones in, paid to bring other inmates in to someone’s cell, paid to leave a cell unlocked, paid to intimidate inmates and their family members. I mean anything, from verbal abuse to physical and sexual abuse. The incredibly sad thing is that they usually get away with it because who would ever believe an inmate? Right?
Guards will also, verbally, sexually and physically abuse the inmates anytime they want. When they send the male guards to a women’s prison there is tremendous amounts of sexual assaults on the female inmates. The problem is that the inmates are to afraid to say anything because the guards threaten them or their families. Again who would believe an inmate?
Inmates:
Some inmates who are incarcerated just doing there time and want to be released and move on. Others have been in there for years and will never see outside of those walls again. They control the money, drugs that come in, the guards and the inmates. You will never hear or see these inmates get harassed or abused by the guards,Warden or other inmates. Most people leave them alone.
Inmates use other inmates to run drugs in the prison.Other inmates have abused inmates or collected money or store from this inmate when ordered to. Intimidation of family members has been used by inmates that you didn’t know because your loved one has racked a hefty bill. And those foot solider are the ones that will always get the tickets or solitary confinement,
Lifers and Drug Dealers:
Top guys who think that they have”RESPECT” it’s interesting me that everyone in prison call it “RESPECT”. I call it “fear and intimidation”. Let me tell you why. When you “respect” someone, you do not use threats, violence, extortion, bribing, or threatening a family. List goes on and on. However, everything that I just mentioned these guys use all these methods and more to gain” respect” in prison, the guards do as well. When you cause someone mental anguish that is not “respect”, that is FEAR!!
Punishment:
I heard in an news article not to long ago, someone said that ” inmates can’t be controlled unless they know the will have a “Punishment””. Now, I thought to myself that is kind of interesting, considering they are already being “punished” for a crime they committed on the streets. Only they aren’t learning not to do it again. They are learning how to become better criminals. Why do I say this you? Well, inmates do not have any responsibilities for themselves in at all. In prison they are treated like 2 years, they have their food made for them, they have their clothes washed for them (optional), they are told when to eat, when to sleep, when to go outside, and they can’t go anywhere unless they have a guard with them
The prison system:
Prisons are still uses solitary confinement as a “punishment” , which is like putting a toddler in “time out”. Recently, the Department of Corrections, Department of Justice and Courts made a Law and Rule that states inmates are not allowed to be in solitary confinement for a year or years. New York is saying that is making the prison dangerous. Is it though?
Most prisons say they have “Rehabilitation” but what does that really mean? Several prisons do not offer programs or courses until you’re about 6 months from walking out those gates, the prison doesn’t enforce learning or employment and once you’re out those into the world they do not offer assistance of any kind. The courses that they do offer are out dated, not beneficial, and do not assist anyone with the challenges that they will face once they are released. And the question that everyone asks why do inmates or ex-inmates return. Well that is an easy answer because people go back to what they know, they do not have all the struggles and no responsibilities in prison. Prison removed all the independent responsibilities away from an individual as soon as they walked through those gates.
Idle hands and not stimulating the brain makes a very dangerous person. It’s like keeping a lion or tiger in a cage for too long. When you let it out it attacks. Same thing in prisons, when the inmates do not have enough yard time or anything to do they get creative. That creativity start riots, attack other inmates or guards or being destructive. When the brain lacks in stimulation for a long period of time , it can experience decreased cognitive function, including reduced thinking skills, memory loss,and decreased creativity. The lack of stimulation can lead to feelings of frustration, and restlessness. Problem skills and processing information can be more difficult to understand. In some cases, it can cause paralysis.
Mental Illness from an non-stimulated are constant fatigue, depression, chronic stress, anxiety, mood disorders, aggression, ADHD and PTSD. When your body is in a state of fatigue it stays in constant “Fight or Flight” mode, this is your brain’s way of protecting you. It is your defense mode, therefore you’re always on the defense and ready to run or fight at any moment.
Who really has the power, control, and money?
In my opinion it’s the inmates and here’s why. Inmates have the majority of the control, power and money. Well, what do they have to lose? Life in prison, those inmates are not getting out, they control other inmates, and guards. Their families or friends on the outside help get whatever they want, help with intimidation, and everyday new people come into prison. If you think you’re untouchable, you are not. Inmates have built a system of their own that reaches every prison in the United States. It may take awhile, but eventually they will find you or family member. Nothing is going to make prisons less dangerous until the system changes.
If you have a comment or a story that would like to share I would love to hear about ir. I love the comments. Until next time.