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texxasco · 11-22-2005, 12:46 AM

When I first read the first post I thought.... what a completely stupid post. I read it again, then read through the replies, and then read your followup post. You've got my vote on this one.

I have spent the last 8 years as a Correctional Officer. I have worked on maximum, medium, and minimum security units, as well as units that have drug treatment and other behavior modification programs in operation, as well as State Jails (these are for prison sentences of 2 years or less in TX). Currently Texas has 106 prison units overall, with a very small percentage being run by private contractors. There are 101 ways an officer can get into trouble each day, and a large majority have to do with violating one of the prisoners rights. I haven't done a lot of research on the subject, or inquired as to how other states do things, but I can speak from personal experience on what goes on in Texas prisons. Rehabilitation in prison? It doesn't exist. Those that are somehow rehabilitated are only that way because they made a personal decision to change. Where that decision comes from varies. Some change because of remorse, some because their heads have cleared from the drugs, and some (mainly younger offenders) change because for the first time in their lives they have been held accountable for their actions. I also believe that occasionally, I can influence a youthful offender, whether it be from giving him/her sound advice (not sugar coated, but sound), or by my example. Call it stupid, but in 8 years I have been approached many times out in the "world" by ex-offenders, and have been thanked by them for being a hard ass, and a couple times thanked by parents after visiting with their son.

Sadly though, these are very isolated incidents, and overall prison is too soft a place these days. Inmates have been granted too many rights, and it has left us (staff) with our hands tied in most situations. Over the past 8 years I have watched the average age for convicted criminals drop, gang numbers increase, and not been suprised as I have watched it become common knowledge amoungst thugs that we (correctional staff) are very limited in what we can do with/to them when they screw up. The average inmate these days is younger, meaner, and in his or her mind has less to lose, and it shows in their attitudes and actions on a daily basis. I have gotten into countless confrontations, a lot ending up in my having to use force, simply because the offender doesn't think he has to do what I say. I have been lucky in that I have never been brought up on charges, mainly because I am a stickler for following rules and policy. But who is really winning...me or the convict? In the long run, nobody. I lose because eventually I will have to go toe to toe with the same inmate, or another over a similar situation. The inmate loses, because eventually they will do as told, and in Texas we can and do use force if necessary to gain compliance. And last but not least, the public loses because everyday we release hundreds (if not thousands nationwide) that haven't learned their lesson, and they are ready to go out and re-offend again. The general public thinks they are doing a good job by being "tough on crime", but once the trial is over and the convicted person sentenced, the average person's "get tough on crime" thought process stops. So what are we doing? We lock 'em up....the convicts set on their asses, and eventually they get out... and not a damn thing was accomplished. In Texas the recividism rate hovers around 50%, and many states have the same problem. We get to feed, clothe, and house these people while they learn how to become better (in their minds anyway) criminals.

JinnKai, you hit the nail on the head. Either we need to start rehabilitating criminals, and that takes money (hear that voters??), or prison needs to be returned to being a hellish place that people do NOT want to return to.

Thanks for the post JinnKai. I wish more people would think about this sort of thing. Some may have found humor in the original post, I sure did. But, you'd be suprised at how many criminals actually think like that. In the end, it's really not funny. Sad, and a waste would be a closer to the truth.

11-22-2005, 12:46 AM	#71 (permalink)
texxasco Insane Location: Somewhere in East Texas	When I first read the first post I thought.... what a completely stupid post. I read it again, then read through the replies, and then read your followup post. You've got my vote on this one. I have spent the last 8 years as a Correctional Officer. I have worked on maximum, medium, and minimum security units, as well as units that have drug treatment and other behavior modification programs in operation, as well as State Jails (these are for prison sentences of 2 years or less in TX). Currently Texas has 106 prison units overall, with a very small percentage being run by private contractors. There are 101 ways an officer can get into trouble each day, and a large majority have to do with violating one of the prisoners rights. I haven't done a lot of research on the subject, or inquired as to how other states do things, but I can speak from personal experience on what goes on in Texas prisons. Rehabilitation in prison? It doesn't exist. Those that are somehow rehabilitated are only that way because they made a personal decision to change. Where that decision comes from varies. Some change because of remorse, some because their heads have cleared from the drugs, and some (mainly younger offenders) change because for the first time in their lives they have been held accountable for their actions. I also believe that occasionally, I can influence a youthful offender, whether it be from giving him/her sound advice (not sugar coated, but sound), or by my example. Call it stupid, but in 8 years I have been approached many times out in the "world" by ex-offenders, and have been thanked by them for being a hard ass, and a couple times thanked by parents after visiting with their son. Sadly though, these are very isolated incidents, and overall prison is too soft a place these days. Inmates have been granted too many rights, and it has left us (staff) with our hands tied in most situations. Over the past 8 years I have watched the average age for convicted criminals drop, gang numbers increase, and not been suprised as I have watched it become common knowledge amoungst thugs that we (correctional staff) are very limited in what we can do with/to them when they screw up. The average inmate these days is younger, meaner, and in his or her mind has less to lose, and it shows in their attitudes and actions on a daily basis. I have gotten into countless confrontations, a lot ending up in my having to use force, simply because the offender doesn't think he has to do what I say. I have been lucky in that I have never been brought up on charges, mainly because I am a stickler for following rules and policy. But who is really winning...me or the convict? In the long run, nobody. I lose because eventually I will have to go toe to toe with the same inmate, or another over a similar situation. The inmate loses, because eventually they will do as told, and in Texas we can and do use force if necessary to gain compliance. And last but not least, the public loses because everyday we release hundreds (if not thousands nationwide) that haven't learned their lesson, and they are ready to go out and re-offend again. The general public thinks they are doing a good job by being "tough on crime", but once the trial is over and the convicted person sentenced, the average person's "get tough on crime" thought process stops. So what are we doing? We lock 'em up....the convicts set on their asses, and eventually they get out... and not a damn thing was accomplished. In Texas the recividism rate hovers around 50%, and many states have the same problem. We get to feed, clothe, and house these people while they learn how to become better (in their minds anyway) criminals. JinnKai, you hit the nail on the head. Either we need to start rehabilitating criminals, and that takes money (hear that voters??), or prison needs to be returned to being a hellish place that people do NOT want to return to. Thanks for the post JinnKai. I wish more people would think about this sort of thing. Some may have found humor in the original post, I sure did. But, you'd be suprised at how many criminals actually think like that. In the end, it's really not funny. Sad, and a waste would be a closer to the truth. __________________ ...A Bad Day of Fishing is Better Than a Great Day at Work!