Strange and fascinating travel

I have been extremely fortunate in my life to have traveled the world rather extensively.  I have spent time in some 20 countries, oftentimes for more than just a few weeks.  I love observing and experiencing  different cultures and customs, seeing different architecture and geographies, eating different foods, encountering different religions, and hearing and talking with people from a different background than my own.

My time traveling, living, and working in other countries remain some of the most satisfying in my life.  It's not always easy, but it's usually most interesting.  There is not a single country that I regret visiting, and few that I would not want to visit again.

When I finally "settled" into Tucson son, Arizona, with a wife, a home, and kids, I went through a bit of an identity crisis.  I would say that this contributed, at least in part, to my divorce.  Eventually,I realized that this new phase of life was in fact another part of my journey.  Parenting was a new frontier to experience.  It came with its own perspectives, it's own language, its own strange customs, and even its own foods.  To look through the eyes of my children, the whole world was magical, new, and wonderful again.

I held this notion as I grew along with my kids, and I always encouraged them to experience their lives and their world to the fullest.  Now, I'm in another stage of the journey.  I am spending the longest period of time "outside" the United States in a strange land called the Department of Corrections, or DOC.  It's truly unusual and not one of the favorite places I've been.  Not only would I not want to visit again, but I think I'd rather not have even visited once.  But here is where I am, so I will continue to try to learn from the strange culture that I find myself in.

The country is very small, with little in the way of flora and fauna, and chain link and razor wire protect its borders.  It's very hard to get a visa to leave this country.

There are a variety of languages spoken here.  Spanish and spanglish are very common and there are several dialects of English that are hard, but not impossible to understand, among these are "homey", "nigggah" and "Gangsta".  People in this country speak unusually loud and like to insert expletives into their conversation for no reason at all.

The national costume is orange.  They even wear orange hats and shorts as well as orange jackets.  A few of the resident wear uniforms, but they have travel visas and do not have to stay in DOC.  All of the residents are male.

The food is a rather bland and lacking in freshness and creativity.  It seems that no fruit or vegetables are grown or even imported into this land.  Many people crowd into a small amount of space and do not have refrigerators, or stoves, or other common appliances.  They have great skills in combining a limited number of resources into microwavable meals.

The society is very much a caste system, based on racial heritage, physical size and strength, age, and ability to procure resources. The "heads" of the villages do not get their position through elections, they seem to be appointed.  They are responsible for the behavior and harmony of their own Clan members.  They also try to maintain peace between clans by talking to other Clan and other village heads.  It is not the custom to resolve differences directly with members of different clans.  It is acceptable to resolve differences with members of your own Clan.  It is also the strange custom to belittle your Clan members and to suggest a wide variety of sexual acts that they should participate in with yourself. with them, or any number of other people, including the woman who gave birth to you.

The punishment for transgressions against clan rule is generally a punch in the head, administered by the clan heads.  It is reserved for more extreme situations like disrespect, inability to pay one's debts, and unacceptable behavior.

The country utilizes a barter economy.  There is trading, gambling, and games of chance where the entry fee is a soup, an envelope, a pouch of coffee or the like.  The Super Bowl pool was the equivalency of a dollar in merchandise, but not "fish, toiletries, or other lame goods."

A very strange custom is the "lighter box shuffle." There are no lighters or matches in this land, but there are electric boxes that can light your cigarette.  There is a strange ritual involved with the lighting of one's cigarette.  People will walk farther to get to a person for a "jumpstart" than they will to the box itself.  This is understandable if the box is not working, but it seems to be the preferred way of doing things.  Also, when one is standing at the box with a lit smoke, it seems insulting to use the box rather than to get a light from them.  And some do not want you to actually touch or take their smokes, and others expect you to do so.  Again, I'm still unsure of the proper protocol even after nearly two years in this country.

Other strange rituals involve removing your clothes on a regular basis for inspections.  In fact, the "homes" are routinely searched for contraband.  At times the residents must wait in the day room in their boxer shorts while this happens.  (There are no briefs in DOC.) Sometimes dogs are present for the searches, and they are none too friendly.

But the residents of DOC are an interesting lot, with interesting stories and very diverse backgrounds.  They have as much to teach me as the citizens of other countries I've visited. Many have elaborate body art.

The DOC residents (called felons, inmates, sex offenders, or prisoners) tend to be rather spiritual, and many actually carry around bibles and speak of Jesus and the word of god.  Many other religions are practiced and represented as well.  Saturday mornings bring the sound of drums and the smell of burning wood for the "Chief Clan" sweat lodge.

Friday nights, you can hear the sound of some pagan chant and smell burning sage.  Thursday evenings in "the great hall" there's a cacophony of chants, spells, hums, and other sounds as it's the "multi-faith" gathering. 

There is much waiting around and standing in lines in DOC and the standard of living is very low.  A fulltime, semi-skilled worker will make around $14.00 a week.

It's not a country I would choose to visit, but as I am here for a while I will continue to learn from the strange and unique culture that I find myself in.  Happy travels to all.

 

Part One:  Intention and Perspective

                I got fired from my job the other day.  I gave one of the maximum security inmates a hit from my cigarette through the cage he was in.  Tobacco is contraband for these inmates, though not for us, so I was "furnishing contraband to an inmate," which is considered a major offense.  What I see as a random act of kindness, is seen by an administration as a conspiracy to incite subversive behavior.  It's all in one's perspective I suppose.

                So I later spoke to the officer in charge of employment, to see about getting another job, but she was less than sympathetic.  "What were you thinking?" ere her exact words.

                Indeed, what was I thinking.  Well, in retrospect the rapid succession of thought that I had at that very moment was something along the lines of this:

                He asked me if I had an extra smoke.  I was cautious, even a bit frightened at first, and said I did not (which was untrue).  He might very well be a murderer, child molester, or some equally heinous type of thug.  Then, he asked if he could have a hit from mine.

                Then I thought, he's another inmate, like me.  He made some poor choices, some mistakes, much like myself.  Perhaps there were extenuating circumstances that nobody believed or even acknowledged.  He may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, as happens to everyone at one time or another.

                Then I thought how he, as a maximum security inmate, was one of the few people on this planet who had it worse than me.  Nearly 24/7 lockdown, no windows, no natural light, less respect from the officers then even on my yard and far fewer "goodies" than the few we are allowed.

                Then I realized that I was still applying labels.  I was caught up in the same mindset of so many others.  Quite simply, he was a fellow human being, imperfect as we all are, and as such, why not give the guy a drag.  So I passed it through the cage, he took an appreciative drag, it in handed it back and said "thanks".

                The yard captain came around the corner at that very moment and shouted at me not to bother coming back to work tomorrow.  So I have an unexpected "hiatus".  I'm sad I lost my job, as I liked it.  I'm not sad to avoid the multiple strip searches every day and the hours of waiting each week.  I can't, however, regret the piece of my humanity, the compassion, and empathy that led to my "transgression".

                Back to the idea of perspective.  In reality, this truly was a random act of kindness while simultaneously being a subversive and inappropriate action.  It all depends on how you choose to view it.  This illustrates one of the inherent and fundamental problems in the legal system.  In prison, we are discouraged from kindness and compassion by both the institution as well as prevailing prison culture.  And these "opposing" forces are in continued conflict that spirals ever downward.

                In the court system, the emphasis is only on the mistakes that people made, oftentimes dangerous, destructive, and even psychotic, yet they are only a part of our humanity and do not define us completely.  In truth, most are foolish lapses of judgment, often created by adversity, struggle, and ignorance.  Addiction, poverty, lack of education, lack of guidance, and desperation are undoubtedly the leading influences to criminal behavior.  Yet we treat the symptom rather than the cause.

                Then there's the media, which continually sensationalizes the "horror" and tends to skimp on the full story, which perpetuates a climate of fear, segregation, and alienation of the "criminal element" of society.

                I realize that people need security and protection, though I sometimes wonder who we need protection from.  As I gaze down on the run around me, it doesn't seem to be these people.  Is it the guy with whom I shared a cigarette?  I don't know, I don't know him, I couldn't really even see his face well through the cage.  I do know that after I was admonished by the captain, he shouted out to me "Hey man, I'm sorry about that, that was my bad". But it wasn't his bad, it was my good, and I will continue to hold that thought in spite of the attempts to wear down my humanity.

               

Part Two: Humane Solutions

                It was brought to my attention that while I often point out the flaws and foibles of the legal system, I rarely offer up a solution.  Yeah, I know; bitching about things is easy and it's a very complex situation which has a direct causality to the safety and security of society as a whole.  So I realize the gravity of this issue.

                I will present some possible suggestions that could improve the system.  I am not a policymaker, nor do I understand the complexities of budget manipulation.  Though, generally speaking, these ideas would probably save millions in tax dollars in the long run.

                First, I look at the state penitentiary system.  Quite simply, one idea is to replace the prevailing culture of dehumanization and suspicion to one of mutual respect and true rehabilitation. The training of correctional officers could be expanded to include such phrases as "please" and "thank you" when "ordering" us about.  An officer once told me, and I swear I'm not making this up, that in training they are taught to assume that anything an inmate says is a lie.  This is not a path to respect, correction, or rehabilitation. The inmates should also be instructed on the values of mutual respect and politeness.  While there will always be those, on both sides, that will be hard to get through to, most people will be respectful and accommodating when they are treated with respect.  It should be the rule rather than the exception - from both groups. And it must start with administration, as they should set the example.

                Real therapy, counseling, and support groups are absolutely a necessity to rehabilitation.  There are many intelligent, specialized, and even professional inmates in the system that much of this could be done by inmates, especially with incentive programs.  And as a culture of mutual respect develops, it would become easier to establish such programs.

                Also, an encouragement of education and exploration in the arts seems to be essential to healing, growing and above all creating self respect.  Art, music, drama, sculpture, and so on should not be discouraged or prohibited, but should be offered, encouraged, and taught.  Again, much of this could be done by inmates themselves.  There are extremely limited opportunities offered here at present along those lines.  Resources could come, at least in part, from inmates and scholarships and grants could also supplement this.  Perhaps partnerships with arts councils or other organizations could be established and they could identify potential talents and even recoup these investments by selling or saving the work.  Some states have similar arrangements.  A sense of purpose and self worth is absolutely essential to meaningful rehabilitation.

                As far as the court system goes, it seems that GPS and monitoring could be better utilized in the many situations where a perpetrator has no history of violence, like first time offenders, if there is no victim, no aggression and/or no predation.  It seems this would be far cheaper than paying for food, shelter, clothing and Medical Care for thousands and thousands of individuals.  This would greatly relieve the financial burden of those left behind, assuming the convict can secure employment though a shift in societal perspective seems necessary to have success in this area.

                Admittedly, the trick is effective and objective measures toward potential danger, but as I mentioned in previous posts, I went through an extensive psychological evaluation that was pretty much ignored. Judges could be far more creative in assigning sentences that truly address the issues of the defendant, like mandatory social work, volunteerism, court ordered treatment, and restitution toward victims both financial, and if applicable, in other ways as well.  Many in here have court ordered restitution, but this has little meaning when you are incarcerated for years, and if you're able to work, you make 35¢ per hour.

                Perhaps felonious co-ops might have a place in this brave new world of real and effective justice.  It doesn't seem impossible.  I'm not suggesting the expectation that felons around the country will suddenly all join hands and start singing "Kumbaya".  I'm saying there are better ways to deal with crime and criminals.

                This country has a significantly higher percentage of our population behind bars and any other in the world.  In fact, I read that the number of incarcerated Americans exceeds that of all other countries combined!  Why is this so?  Are we more immoral?  More criminally inclined?  I doubt it.  What are other countries or other states doing that are working?  These are things to explore.  Is there a Justice Committee in the House or in the Senate?  If so, what do they do?  If not, why not?

                Finally, how do you change the mindset of the entire country's preconceived notions of crime and criminals?  The media has much to do with this.  How do you curtail their sensationalism and fear mongering without limiting freedom of speech?  What about more balanced reporting?  What about prohibiting media coverage until after a case is decided?  After all, isn't everything before that conjecture?  Innocent until proven guilty has little credit in the news reporting, and does that not influence the supposed impartiality of the justice system?  It has been repeatedly suggested to me that I got more time than most in here, with similar charges, because I was a teacher and because there was media coverage.  How is that an impartial justice based on equality?

                Perhaps the media could give equal treatment to the causes of subversive behavior rather than sensationalizing the threats they pose.  Nowhere is this more evident than the exaggeration of "sex offenders".  Are there really more child abductors, kidnappers, and child molesters lurking behind every bush now then there were 20, 30, or 40 years ago?  When I grew up, this was not really a concern.  Is society that different now, or have we been programmed to believe so?  Does the influence of media actually encourage such deviance, creating self-fulfilling prophecies?  Or if we really are so different now, why is that so?  This is the real story.

                Again, perhaps looking at media and news in other countries might give us insight.  It seems in most other nations, news is more about news without the hype, conjecture, and melodrama. These are but a few ideas toward a newer and more effective way of dealing with crime in society.  As always, I welcome any suggestions, criticism, feedback, or additional ideas that you may have.  Perhaps an improvement is really possible.

Imagine

In pondering and writing about all of the events and circumstances in my situation, I think about the callous and faceless nature of the court system as a whole.

I had very little opportunity to present myself to the courts as the human being that I am. The vast bulk of the process is lawyers dickering with each other, filing motions, affidavits, and petitions. Several of my court appearances were to read a charge and set up another date. Other times, for one side or the other, were to postpone or extend, to set up another date, and so on.

So I wonder, why could there not be a process where a judge just talks with the defendant. The system would probably cry out the courts are already so overburdened and backed up that there is neither the time nor resources for such an endeavor. Yet it seems to me that it would be less cumbersome and time consuming than all of the motioning, posturing, and dickering that goes on now.

I had to undergo extensive psychosexual evaluations, but ultimately they seemed to mean little to nothing to the judge or prosecutor. So why the charade of this procedure? Perhaps as a true component of the judicial system there could be a risk analysis and a treatment proposal that actually carry some weight.

The system itself perpetuates this lack of "cutting to the chase". One should never speak without a lawyer. In most cases the lawyers do the majority of the talking. A lawyer is necessary to navigate the maze and hoops of the system.

But why must it be this way? Ostensibly it is to protect the rights of the accused, but that seems not to be the case. That the courts are "out to get you" should not be the reality, though in my experience and also from listening to and reading about many others, this seems to be so.

I realize that I'm seeing and hearing about only those who have been found guilty and are incarcerated, but the scenarios are both commonplace an astounding. I acknowledge that I can't believe everyone's story, but the truth is that we are already in prison so there's little incentive to lie. Most all that I talk to will readily admit they are guilty, but there are often tales of outlandish assertions on exaggerations that add to the consequences. And relevant circumstances that aid and reduce the offense are dismissed as immaterial. Anything damaging is fact, and anything exonerating is suspicious or irrelevant.

This is certainly true in my case, and I hear similar tales again and again. There is no attempt at real meaningful dialogue in the justice system. That does not have to be the way.

This is also a problem with our whole political system as well. Everyone has an agenda, which is more important than the good of the whole. Compromise, communication, and rationality play little role in the decision-making process.

Of course how can I expect the court system to communicate or to understand me when even my fiancé was unwilling to do so. While the courts might have little or no inclination to understand the big picture, one would expect or hope that their loved ones would. One would be wrong in that supposition.

Is this an anomaly due to individual circumstances? Or is society as a whole buying into a program of condemn first ask questions later. I notice that the media will always sensationalize the negative and condemn well before any attempt is made to see the whole picture, and if that ever happens, it's already too late.

But it's not too late to shift towards empathy, compassion, and understanding. I'm not suggesting to give felons bouquets of roses, but at least give them a legitimate voice in the process and to propose a course of action and a dialogue that has a productive and constructive outcome. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one! Imagine that!

Incarceration Inequality

I had a discussion with another inmate recently. We were talking about how inmates on minimum security yards are able to work on the "outside" for minimum wage. This is around 15 times more per hour than we can possibly earn on this medium security yard.

Sex offenders (SOs) can never move "up" in security clearance regardless of crime, or behavior while incarcerated. Yet, the vast majority of those here are convicted of non-violent crimes, and many, like myself, have "non contact" charges as well.

Many correctional officers have admitted to me that the SO yards are far less violent than the general population (GP) yards. The Arizona Dept. of Corrections will periodically switch the designations of yards, and swap inmates around so that the SO's can "clean up" the messes left behind by the GPs.

So how is it that the "system" recognizes this on the one hand, yet continues to subdue this class of felons on the other?

I think about how, had I stabbed, robbed, or beaten someone, I'd be able to provide more for my kids, ex wife, and ex-fiancé than I can at present. It's sad that the families of SOs are subject to the similar inequalities and persecutions as the inmates themselves.

Of course it can be said that I should have considered that before downloading illegal porn. That I did not realize the inequities of the correctional system is a paltry excuse, and I regret that decision every moment of everyday. But is that any less true for someone who decides to knock off a liquor store? The kids and families are no less innocent, or no less important in either situation, yet the consequences for them are quite different.

The inconsistencies and inequalities seem to be capricious and unfounded. These topics need consideration, research, awareness, and publicity.

Permanent Probation

I recently read a science fiction novel where there was a class (or caste) of society called "permanent probationers" (PPs). That status is determined by psychological tests that deem them to be potentially dangerous to society. They therefore have significant restrictions on movement, employment, and residency.

This is exactly what is happening to the majority of sex offenders in this country. Arizona typically includes lifetime probation as a sentence in these cases, in addition to the lifetime sex offender registration prevalent in most states. There is little to no consideration of the actual offense, whether there was actual sexual contact, whether there was violence, or consent, or even the age of the perpetrator.

Ironically however, as opposed to the science fiction scenario, I underwent a psychological exam which indicated that I was highly unlikely to act out on my attraction or to re-offend. I have no idea how such things can be determined mathematically, but the profile assessed a 0.05% chance of re offending or acting out. Yet I was given lifetime probation.

I do not believe that this lifetime probation is being assigned to any other class of felons. I have heard that it was challenged in the courts as being unconstitutional, as " cruel and unusual punishment" but was upheld by the Federal courts because each state has the right to administer its own penalties. So much for the "supreme law of the land." Of course we have seen constitutional violations becoming commonplace in many areas of society in recent years.

An obvious question to me is how bad do things have to get before they get better? Everything passes through cycles. Time and place seem to be a random determinant of circumstances. Had I been born in another time or place, with the same charges, I would not be facing the same penalties or persecutions. Of course, I could have been a slave, or worse. I think about how in another phase of my life, these factors worked to my benefit. The fact that I was able to travel the world, and to make good money merely for being able to speak the language I learned from birth, always struck me as an incredible stroke of fortune, based also on time and place.

So perhaps what goes around comes around. I find it, though, an interesting anomaly that morality, legality, opportunity, and even spirituality are so influenced and dictated by geography and chronology. I suppose that this is the nature of the cosmos, all is impermanent. Except of course, "permanent probation."

Prison Efficiency

On this, my last day in the building maintenance course, I had a typically interesting morning. The general rule of thumb is that we are supposed to be "called out" for school, work, chow, meds, and whatnot. For some reason, they rarely ever call out my CAC building class. So I have devised several ways to "escape" from my run and get to class on time. Well, as usual, I got out this morning and was at the gate between yards to go to class. The cantankerous cop asked where I was going, and I told her.  

"They haven't called you out yet," she said to me.

"They never call us out," said I.
"Yes they do, if you would just wait in your run, you would hear them, now get back home and wait until you are called."

"Yes ma'am," I said.

Of course, they didn't call. By this time I was late, and I asked the CO in my run if we had class. Twice. He couldn't be bothered to pick up his radio and ask. Eventually, breakfast was called, so I went back up to the gate. I asked the same cantankerous cop if there was CAC. She did bother to pick up a radio, this time, and call to the class.

"Did you call for CAC?" she asked.

"Negative," came the crackly response.

"Is a teacher there, are there students there?"

"Affirmative," came the reply.

So she gave me a dirty look, and said "wait by the fence," as if I were the one who messed up. she made no apology or even acknowledgement that she had sent me back, telling me that they "always" call for class.

I got through the fence, but of course the classroom area was locked, so I waved through the window. Eventually, the instructor shuffled out and gruffly said "would you explain why you're half an hour late?" So I punched him. 

Oh, wait, that was just my fantasy. I explained, he let me in, and then the TA said, "good thing you're here, otherwise I'd have to giving you a zero"-- meaning 0 hours for zero "pay". Then I asked him if I could take my final exam. "No, we are getting sent home in a few minutes." And we were.

So, on the plus side, I will get paid my 75¢ for the day, but on the minus side, I have to go through all of it again… tomorrow.

Prison Economics

In previous posts, I have mentioned how the prison system is dictated by economics rather than any desire to rehabilitate prisoners or even to protect society. I would like to illustrate by giving some examples of prison economics. Please realize that I have very little access to any research materials, particularly those regarding prison policies; these are very much censored, but I both challenge and encourage you to do any facts checking or research that you like and feel free to point out any errors.

First, and most obvious, is the fact that states are given funding per prisoner by the Federal government. This is in addition to any state taxes designated toward the prison system. These funds are ostensibly to cover the costs of facilities, like housing, food, medical care, clothing, and other "necessities". Following this money trail would be an interesting endeavor. These are the "costs" most commonly associated with the prison system.

There is a whole other world of economics also depended on or influenced by this institution. Employment is amongst the most significant of these. The entire community of this small town in Arizona is completely dependent on the several prison complexes is located here, it is fair to say that the town would probably not exist without state prison.

The indirect economics are even more far reaching. There is first, the exorbitant bail bond percentages. While in county jail, I tried to use the "bail bond ATM" that took an immediate 10% of the transaction. In my case this would have been $500, poof - up in smoke. Fortunately, I was unsuccessful and had to sit in jail until my sister posted bail, without this fee, as she paid cash, in person.

These, and other transaction fees, are a part of every money exchange. Any money sent to me in prison has a 1% fee taken off. Western union or other money wiring services also tack on additional fees. When considering the thousands of inmates in Arizona alone, that is big money.

The telephone system might be the biggest money scam going. For in - state calls, it costs about $6.00 for 15 minutes. That's whether the inmate pays or the call's receiver pays. Out - of - state calls are around $10.00 for 15 minutes. Those with cell phones (which is almost everyone now) must set up an account and pay a service fee of $5.00 every time they add money to this account. This is obscene when one considers that some phone plans are $10.00 or less for unlimited calling per month!

Then there's the "store" operated by an outside vendor. A package of ramen soup is 59¢ at present. Grocery stores might sell 10 for $1.00. Soft drinks are $1.50 for a bottle, candy bars $1.15. These prices are similar to those one might find in a convenience store, but we have no other options. If a loved one sends us a care package, they pay a $5.00 fee for an order up to $40.00 (that's the maximum) regardless of the amount spent. This is more than 12% at best!

We have several "fundraisers" throughout the year for pizza, or Sam's Club, burritos or whatnot. The price to the inmate is double the cost to the general public, with 50% going to some charity. I believe this is a nice gesture, but one must consider that if an inmate is able to get a job, they will earn from 20¢ to 45¢ per hour.

Funding is also generated for programs such as anger management, drug or alcohol abuse, job training, and GED education. Again, this is not a bad thing but it is curious that these programs are frequently canceled, often run much shorter than their allotted duration, and are repeated with different names. I suspect that the funding comes in regardless of whether or not the class runs its course.

Here in Arizona, visitors must pay a "background check" fee of $25.00 to be allowed to see their loved ones. That's a lot of money considering the number of inmates in the state. Never mind that for an economically struggling single parent, this could be prohibitive, preventing spouses, families, and even parents and kids from being allowed to see each other. I'm sure that there are many who feel that inmates should not have any of these "benefits." This is not the point at hand. There are a number of people and companies that depend upon this captive population to generate revenue, and this puts pressure on legislators and politicians to appease those with a monetary interest in the system. This requires a stream of prisoners with long sentences, paroles and probations with some ludicrous requirements, a violation of which will send them back into the system. To give just a single example I know and 80 year old man who is here because he was two days late in registering his address after moving a few miles away. This is an all too common scenario, but that's not important, keep the money rolling in!