Looking out: Prisoners pay attention
By Brandon Astor Jones
"He does not wish to have it known that he is a liar, therefore he conceals himself so that he can better accomplish his design and save his own character." — Lemuel B. Haynes (1753-1833).
The Confidential Inmate Grievance Form (CIGF) is used in the Georgia prison system. It allows prisoners to raise reasonable complaints to high levels of administrative review. Let me share a few insights with you.
Not long ago I had a visit from the Reverend Barry Lee Burnside. The room where that visit took place was, in a word, filthy. There were lumps of candy on the seats, spilled beverages on the floor and a thick layer of dust everywhere.
I brought the condition of the room to the attention of the appropriate authority.
A few days later I got another visit from attorneys at law Michael Mears and Gary Guichard. The room was so dirty and dust-laden that when Mears, who was dressed in a dark business suit, got up to leave, Guichard and I had to literally beat the dust off him, as one would beat the dust out of a rug. He looked like a mischievous child who had been playing in a flour sack.
Once again I asked the proper authorities if they would correct the situation. They did not. The filthy conditions continued.
On CIGF #572940093, I wrote, "For the third time in less than 30 days the visitation room was so nasty/dirty/sticky/dusty that my visitors' clothes were soiled".
I was not surprised when, in response, the administration wrote, "Our investigation produced no witnesses to support your statement ... Based on personal daily observations of [the] visitation areas, I declare this grievance frivolous and untruthful. You are encouraged to refrain from further misuse of the grievance process. Grievance denied." It was signed by the deputy warden, Fred Head "for A.G. Thomas", the warden.
Like those politicians who will say anything to get elected, prison officials will put anything down on paper so that when another official (higher up) reviews the record (s)he will only see what the lower official wants them to see; more often than not what is expedient is far more important than what is truthful.
After reading the deputy warden's assault upon my integrity, I wrote to the Reverend Burnside and attorneys at law Mears and Guichard. I asked for their written accounts of what took place on the dates in question.
Reverend Burnside wrote, "Yes, I do recall that I was very surprised at the condition of the room when I entered it ... There was trash and litter across the floor, and evidence of spilled soft drinks [that had] dried on the shelf."
Mears wrote, "I can verify the facts of his complaint. My clothing was soiled while I was in the visitation area."
Guichard wrote, "I write because I have witnessed the problem ... and because it has come to my attention that Mr Jones' complaint has been termed frivolous and untruthful.
"I have further noticed, on at least one occasion, that a visitor's clothing was in fact soiled during their visit.
"What disturbs me more ... is that an inmate's word is seemingly worthless unless corroborated by a witness."
I have highlighted this particular situation, which in the larger scheme of things may seem small, in order to inspire public review/question of a much greater issue.
If society's need for protection from people demonstrating anti-social behaviour is what prisons, and prison administrators, are supposed to be about, then the behaviour of those prison administrators ought to be examples that (by virtue at least) encourage prisoners' rehabilitation.
Unfortunately, what the vast majority of prison administrators are doing these days to prisoners amounts to lying, raping, stealing and an assortment of other equally despicable things that a revenge-driven public routinely turns a deaf ear and blind eye to.
Would I be asking too much of you, if and when you next find yourself throwing up your hands in outrage and contempt when yet another released prisoner re-offends, to direct some of that outrage at those prison administrators who had that prisoner's undivided attention for years on end?