Dancing with Maggots

Some leaders protect you; others lead you to damnation.

“Your job is difficult enough without the eternal punishment of those in power. Instead of looking out for you, they seek to replace you and find cheaper labor. Instead of fighting for your spirit they are willing to give the enemy their souls so the corporate world can profit on the back of our state prisoners. Having no regard of governmental duties and responsibilities of taking care of those who work hard to maintain the peace, they sacrifice public safety for power and profit. This has become a question of domination and who will dominate who for the answers are clearly written in our Constitution. How many near fatal flaws must we endure before our eyes are opened? How many will be blinded by the big picture and see nothing except their own selfish needs to co-exist in a wrongful world where character doesn’t count anymore and ethics can be traded for the all mighty dollar bill.”

“Even a stranger can see what is happening to our systems. They are being weakened and corrupted by corrupt men and women who serve only themselves for profit and power. When will you see the big picture and put the pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle without a cover picture? Although it appears to be intricate in nature, it is very simple to put together if you work hard enough to find the pieces. The big picture, the main theme is the manifestation of power through complex and covert actions that will release the power of control to those who are instrumental in re-structuring our state.”

The advent of a leader within a state or public service entity carries with it extreme opportunities of improvements as well as potential collisions for both society and the effected constituency. Based merely on earlier expectation and inferences drawn from previous leaders, one must frown at times as there are many emotions associated with such a beginning that could create many feelings that may negatively impact your neighborhood, your community, your workplace, your employment or your overall job satisfaction levels. Citizens, anxiously seeking clarification of newly implemented roadmaps and bridges, become most concerned with the mannerism how this new leader will communicate these changes to those persons who seek positive change and resolution to existing inner strife within the state, an agency or public entities.

The propensity to compare from the past is a poor measurement for the future as many things and governmental dynamics have changed that impact our current destination for success. Thus it is best not to compare management styles as much is to be said about their individual charisma, skills, knowledge and experience in the field of serving others. Experiencing change which appears to be seemingly doomed in recently implemented most negative direction by this leader, has taken awash the positive spirits of the many faithful supporters. The time has come to rise above newly created mandated policies and actions in order to restore the sanity of the state, the community and the workplace by reconsolidating our emotions about the vicious roller coaster ride we are currently experiencing as lawful biding citizens and trade professionals hired to do an ethical job. Showing our weaknesses at the beginning by trusting this new leader, perhaps we have allowed ourselves to be exposed to the dangers of betrayal and extortion as the checks and balances were intentionally eroded to take away our options to protest and seek help.

Taking issue with these most hurtful tactics, these injuries are sustainable only if the means to heal is a healthy and prosperous path to restoring the faith and hope in others who can and have promised this emancipation to free ourselves from this politically induced and personal wretchedness. Today, a few have stood up tall and promised us to take us away from the sickness of this leader and the associated vicious wrath of hate cast upon the citizens and employees in lieu of supporting them. Some, standing up for those principles recognized in good leaders are known to posses, have risked it all to help those who cannot fight this battle alone. One must ask this question and find the answer quickly as time is of the essence in the removal of such a cancer such as this. Whose job is it to seek justice for his or her citizens, constituents or employees? Whose responsibility is it to seek out fairness for his or her citizenry and workers?

Each and every one of us has the right to seek justice and fairness within our own community, neighborhood or workplace and we turn to our elected or appointed leaders to echo such concerns to those who control the ultimate tools to provide us such amenities and conditions. Such disappointments of taking no action on our behalf are not impressive qualities of a leader. In fact, these traits are often those possessed by a traitor or coward.

We have asked sincerely and in a most humble manner, to act in earnestness and support us in our endeavors to protect the citizens of this state as this leader took the oath to do so. Instead, we have been delivered silence on our questions and casts frequent shadows of doubt as the wrath of radical changes spreads through newly promulgated policies and extreme budgetary procedures.

We can ask him to act in earnestness and alarm those he works for what the concerns are; he can echo our pleas for sanity and repel the indignation of state employees who are placed under scrutiny of alleged misconduct while trying to keep their jobs and protect others. We can ask him to act in earnestness and alarm those he works for what the concerns are; he can echo our pleas for sanity and repel the indignation of state employees who are placed under scrutiny of alleged misconduct while trying to keep their jobs and protect others.

We can ask him to act in earnestness and alarm those he works for what the concerns are; he can echo our pleas for sanity and repel the indignation of state employees who are placed under scrutiny of alleged misconduct while trying to keep their jobs and protect others. Significant to all of us is the ability to live and work free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and coercing but lately, this has been the norm within the state and particular state agencies and nothing is being done to correct such conditions.

In fact, if you get close to the matter, you can feel the increasing warmth of the advice radiating a group of select few advisors or politicians on how to spread these vile and nasty qualities of what appears to be gross mismanagement to spread it into an epidemic. One must ask themselves, why all this attention to this leader and what can we do about the situation? Every person who takes the responsibility to take charge of a state office, a state agency or publicly funded program or task that is dutiful and bound to perform in an ethical and caring manner. Public service is a field of humanitarian proportions and requires a sincere and genuine attempt to achieve certain levels of proficiency, fulfillment and continuous quests of improvements for operating in a safe and secure manner to protect citizenry, workers, patients and others from unnecessary harm, injury or death.

As I appeal to this leader to find inside his heart a common thread of decency by making our worth in our daily lives significant to those who love and treasure each other; by making the value of life worth taking risks to bring peace and harmony within ourselves and our neighbors. Shed away the feelings of your constituent's despair and rejoin us with hope and wellness by coming together as common ground to heal the state of Arizona and move on with those complicated issues that impact our lives daily and remind us that we are here to help each other and do unto others as they would do unto us. Spending my last eleven years out of a twenty five year career, as a top aide and confidant to various chief executive officers of a correctional facility [wardens], it has become clear to me that this role is much more fulfilling than being the top dog or the designated chief official executive in charge of the facility or complex.

In traversing these multitude of challenging and arduous years as a minion has allowed my eyes and to grow and mature in epic proportion to the degree that today, I am very well aware and learned of the various operational situations, political affiliations and sometimes the demeaning state of affairs in regards to how life really is behind those tall grey walls or rows of stainless steel razor wire. Exposed daily and intimately how they are treated by the upper echelon of so called self appointed leaders and bureau chiefs, I find it puzzling why they endure such torture from this incompetent and often disrespectful group.

Exposed to this sometimes lethal dose of second hand smoking gun, it was interesting to say the least of how these masters of deception and extortion working up there in their well guarded ivory tower can shred away every decent moral value you may possess before their corruptive methods take a hold of you, just to show who is in charge and how easy it is to manipulate their course of action with their coercive mannerism and tactless ways. Constantly purging the common sense of intricate matters at hand and sharing the same room with these elite decision makers, this management process of judging and deciding who is faithful and loyal and who is not is decided by simple mere questions asked to test their loyalty. Rarely do these conversations held on three way conference calls focus on the matter at hand but rather, it stresses the importance of the elite kiss-and-tell their will on these leaders, attempting to reveal the personal thoughts of these men and women during their trials and tribulations while performing their lawful duties as a warden inside a state operated prison.

As more time passes by, it will become clear they are not the ones that run the place, rather you will glean in your own mind and your own eyes, the microscopic role they play in keep the prisons running as they work overtime to apply their indisputable and unconditional loyalty to these elite, begging and role playing a tune of harmony to keep their politically sensitive jobs..

The process of being selected into this elite group of executive assistants to the warden is also a complicated and tenuous progression followed by a vetting method that will reveal your personal history, personal ideas, thoughts and beliefs. Nothing is omitted whenever you are chosen or identified as a person to aide the warden in his or her quest to run the biggest show on earth. This greedy feeling to obtain absolute power and decision making authority regarding life and death is dealt with gross disbelieve and mistrust that these fine men and women will do anything to corrupt the same laws they are sworn to enforce and as we continue this journey behind the tall grey walls, you will find it somewhat shocking as the challenge to maintain your ethics and safeguarding your integrity is much more difficult than one would ever imagine as they find their own genesis to their journey to become a correctional administrator.
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Without doubt, because of the extreme influence of the elite ivory tower dominion characters looming above them on a daily basis, these chief executives dare to cross traditional lines of silence and ethics; and aide and abet the powers upstairs in their path to glory.

Dreaming of becoming one of them by preserving political favor with these command level elites for most of the time, they calculate on their years of service to project them into a position of influence and dominance. Dodging the media and scurrying out of sight to avoid being cast into the headlines they often defer such tasks as delivering a message to their executive assistants. Appearing progressive and worthy of their appointments they play their cards well and achieve a favorable status through their pseudo personal achievements which were artificially inseminated by those hard working subordinates who have worked hard to bring their energy and efforts to the table, the paper and then the final product.

In an informal attempt to put together an organized and truthful impression into the symptoms of the Code of Silence one has to dig for the facts inside law enforcement and how it impacts those who participate in this type of conduct either willingly or under duress is a task that is most difficult to understand. One important fact to remember is that the code will vary from agency to agency but shares many commonalities. This critique is a rational explanation of the culture that exists. It is important to illustrate how administrators handle the risks associated with hostilities and challenges in the profession as it has recently become recognized that there are significant numbers of administrators who endorse the code of silence through passive enforcement. First distress sign for the rookie officer is the feeling of vulnerability or needing help fresh out of the law enforcement academy. Strange enough, it is here, in a learning environment, where their judgment has already been prepared to react to the expectations of the Code of Silence.
About 4 out of 5 cadets will acknowledge that such a code exists within their agency and that some of its reasoning is both logical and comprehensible as 50 per cent have indicated it won’t bother them to work within such a customs.

Through the natural process of being involved with the team concept from the beginning, they learn how to follow the culture from within. Quickly, they will be acquainted with good ethical conduct versus bad ethical conduct and many other performance issues. It is most likely that in their early contact with such events, they will remain silent and studiously listen to their mentors or training officers. Many react in the manner trained; these officers act on impulse and must act quickly. Overcoming this rookie feeling of vulnerability first will require them to accept feedback from the supervisors and peers. Based on their academy training, they must identify the events as justifiable incidents and show how it could not have been handled different. Explaining their role as a public servant, they are there to help each other and identify perpetrators who demonstrate anti-social or disruptive behavioral problems. Second, whether a participant or a bystander, they must understand the rationale for the action taken based on the potential risks of the violent event occurring.

Distinguishing between verbal and physical harassment and translating that into imminent danger or possible threats to inflict injuries, the officer must take into consideration substantial information or data before acting. This has to be a lightening quick process. Watching another officer being assaulted requires a transformation from bystander to active participant. Abrupt or sudden action on an observed threat requires taking risks in doing the right thing to help the involved officer and requires acting out the compulsory response. A response that has a two-fold consequence as their actions will indicate the ability to respond and protect; the willingness to engage in the encounter. In addition, there is a social expectation and the legal option to consider in every such case.

This sometimes creates a loyalty versus ethical situation that is often decided on loyalty. In the effort to prevent further violence, the officers focus on controlling the situation and use the tools available as issued. Almost immediately after the incident is under control, there is a pivotal moment of doubt whether or not the actions taken were either sufficient or too much. Because it’s likely the event took place either in front of another officer or a supervisor, the violent encounter is psychologically scrutinized and evaluated by all involved. At times, this presence of others actually stabilizes the environment for chances of de-escalating the threat.

However, whenever such an event is isolated and nobody is present, your ability to control the environment is very limited when confronted with potential violent situations. Thus de-escalation might not be a viable solution at that moment. Taught not to allow the ego to get in the way, officers are taught to stand up for their authority and defend in place, protecting the public. When successful in preventing an escalation of violence, the officer pauses to reflect the action taken and looks at the entire event to see if there was anything that could have been done differently.

This entire psychological chain of events contributes to specific an element that leads officers not to talk about the matters at hand for many reasons. The officer will anticipate an administrative review of the actions as the perpetrator or their families will claim allegations that inappropriate action was used and imply that the act by the officer(s) was unnecessary and excessive. This mode of Monday morning quarterbacking situations can lead to poor morale yet it is done in almost every incident recorded.

Rather than focusing on ethical conduct, some supervisors judge these events by loyalty rather than ethics. Whistle blowers are not accepted within this culture and pay a high price if identified as one. In fact, many administrators will deny there are any ethical issues within their command and encourage others to cast whistle blowers out of their ranks from within. In addition to their denial, officers are often secretly or subversively ostracized and “black balled” from promotion or other career assignments or leadership decision thus adding to the incentive to remain silent. In the end, they justify their silence through the “root cause” of feeling alienation by others as they feel they are being victimized by other people in their own workplace. Setting aside the preliminary questioning and constitutional issues at hand, the officer is taught the confidentiality of such events and issues. Maintaining silence has become a tool of the trade to protect both the innocent and the guilty. Minimizing their involvement creates a buffer for the facts while it enhances the officer’s credibility to work closely with coworkers. Proactively seeking resolve on these matters through silence, the officer knows that unless there is other evidence out there that contradicts the events are reported, this matter will pass.

Hence, the presence of dashboard and surveillance cameras, recordings and other technology has expanded the administrator’s role in the investigation and places more emphasis on finding the answers and the truth. In the study of the National Institute of Ethics, the writer explains that the “rotten apple” theory that some administrators propose as the cause of their downfall has frequently been nothing more than a self-serving, superficial façade, intended to draw attention away from their own failures.”

To summarize the code of silence, it has long been an acceptable practice to shield and protect the innocent as well as those few who are guilty. The threshold issues of custodial responsibilities are heavy burdens and handled the best way by the majority of officer most the time. The American criminal justice system and in particular law enforcement, has been negligent by not attempting to resolve the negative impact the code as it has been found to nurture other unethical conduct. Realizing the reality that such a custom or practice is difficult to measure; the only ramification for combating such a culture is to conduct intensive training on the subject.

Lurking at the top of negative consequences are the main reasons for silence as whistle-blowers or snitches, are not supported by the administration as hypocrisy and fear dominate this culture. Identified to be much more destructive than the support from field supervisors, administrators must encourage positive role modeling and strong moral courage to openly acknowledge such misconduct when it is identified.
To ignore such a priority would to allow other ethical misconduct to occur. Historically, it is the people outside such law enforcement circles that divulge the ethical issues rather than its own employees.

Another tactic provided for top administrators are the unspoken or silent means to endorse an action, a problem or a situation without saying a word about it, literally. Merriam Webster defines tacit approval as “expressed or carried on without words or speech - implied or indicated (as by an act or by silence) but not actually expressed. One must ask why these words are so important when implemented into a strategic plan or mission. The impact of such conduct determines how a set goal may ultimately change the direction or intent of legitimate goals and objectives designed to facilitate an operation within organizations or public service agencies.

Putting examples towards this concept will reveal how destructive such ambiguous or vague direction alters the behaviors and ethical conduct of those held accountable for desired productive and results. Within any military or paramilitary organization, tacit approval leads to misconceptions and corruption as the various acts or silence creates a culture that thrives on the concept of Colin Powell’s quote “You don't know what you can get away with until you try.” This type of unauthorized but yet condoned flexibility build into a management concept or strategic plan may ultimately weaken the ability to be successful as you inject personal opinions, variations and principles into a directive that has been mutated from the original design or intention. Rather than being labeled outspoken, you are considered to be “butting in.”

Conceptually wrong, the presence of such a potentially poisonous management principle allows corruption to foster, unethical conduct to be ignored and wasted resources to be spent on activities or programs not contained within the original design or prospect. Tacit approval can break or create cultures and be used to sabotage the establishment of one. It can provide conflict and break down the work force and create dissention, discord and hatred if injected by the right people at the right levels of the organization. This poison can destroy every effort to perform at expectable levels and create a division that fosters fear and intimidation. The key to minimizing this type of approval is to hold each and every person employed by the agency or organization to their job description and ultimately hold them accountable for specific objectives attained and through a pre-approved method not subject to alterations unless brought to the table for conference and unanimous approval by all decision makers.

Realizing that this type of action could be a very effective staff method for those wishing to sabotage a program or direction, it must be viewed through a microscope by competent and free thinking individuals or committees. Free from undue duress or influence, approvals for alternatives to the original design must carry with them a validation of evidence based results or content that can be measured and tracked for flaws and improvements. The reason so many agencies have inspector general positions are to conduct such a review on many matters that pass through their office. These would focus on ethical and legal matters more than anything else.
On another level, a local internal coping system must be established and adhered to in addressing all internal alterations or suggestions that deviate from the original proposal or plan. Each administrator must be held accountable for their group of supervisors and maintain a tracking system to illustrate upon demand, actions taken according to the plan and how they were implemented meeting both desired objectives and time frames.

Without oversight of the quality control of any strategic plan or desired objective outcome, the potential for failure is multiplied for every instance where the element of tacit approval to make a change or decision that drifts away from the original intent. Not suggesting micro managing the elements of the workplace, there can be checkpoints of accountability along the way to reaching the summit of the plan and make the appropriate changes based on the original intent or design to accomplish a certain task or goal. Rather than using tacit approval to make the change, it is strongly recommended that those same recommendations are brought forth to the proper authority to bless such a change as it is productive to their arrangement and goals contained within the strategic plan.

Tired of seeing this senseless play making for a good Broadway show, it has become clear to my peers and former correctional administrators that those with good ethics and unquestioned integrity are disposed of like a BIC cigarette lighter. Following a gauntlet of fallen heroes who could not withstand the force that was brought upon them form the evil force above, it is now time to reveal the truth of these fanatical games they play and how they influence your lives with their petty views of issues so important to you and your family. Truly it will show them without their body armor and brittle minds when it comes to dealing with the reality of taking care of business and keeping people safe while exposing their true feelings why they care for the convict more than their staff due to political fallouts that are hard to control. Exposing their weaknesses, it is high time we get the facts straight on who really runs the prisons in these most complex correctional systems.

Leaving behind a legacy of strength and power, these individuals have tapped out their resources and absorbed every good idea from their underlings to look good and not necessarily be good. This will also explain the rationale behind moving them around so much because of political factors hard to control and necessary to preserve their careers and so-called integrity. Initiating damage control every so often, some are more problematic that others but all, even the weak ones, will eventually seek to gain the power and control they envisioned as they started this journey to hell.

Corruptive, easy to manipulate and persuade, these men and women have sold their souls to the devil who often dwells inside those ivory towers untouchable by laws of men and society. Working with these people at the peak of their career, one should expect a relationship with the devil some time in their quest for power as this is a most common associate within this circle of friends. The prison world, ripped between two worlds brings to the surface evil influences and sinister promises to Lucifer to get where they want to go.

Goodwill to all mankind is thrown out the window and choosing to live in the chambers of hell, takes the front seat of the limousine they so badly want to own and drive around the block. Impressing all and eliminating those who do not want to associate with them on this elevated plateau of arrogance and corruption, they progress into a lifestyle that will eventually bring them loneliness and sorrow. Hanging out with fellow sinister groups and attempting to rise above the clouds of control, these individuals are above contempt and unlawfulness.

Doing the devil’s bidding, they turn into demons which practically makes them un-killable and immortal. Rising in the morning to spread their disease and dealing with a host of issues they are most certainly uncomfortable with, they close immensely close to the devil to seek his support and wisdom. Hostile to change and experiencing paranoid illusions to intrusions of their thoughts and actions, they absorb the airborne virus of self-preservation and inject themselves with its poison to survive and keep their promise to live with the other demons. Never alone, and almost in the company of other magical creatures, they prey on normal human efforts to glorify their own image and brandish their wisdom and influence over their opponents with righteous beliefs and swords of justice.

Failing to fool all, they hide behind their cloaked garb and target those who are weak to their influence. Those who are not familiar with this demonic world and have difficulties in believing in their existence, will eventually be sucked into their world. Perhaps because they are naïve and less experienced than their masters who will reach out and grab those eager to please and raring to go to work for them to show off their talent, their ability to be creative and energy to finish the tasks at hand. This will slowly wear off as they will experience the burning of their powers and the emergency of their true feelings as time goes by. Never possessing any psychic powers to tell the good guy from the bad guy, there are trials and tribulations you must experience before such a judgment is made or confirmed.

Emerging a winner in such a situation requires strength, fitness and perseverance as these powers imposed on you are satanic in nature and creates issues within you own world where you have to make morally driven decisions between good and bad. Trying to be sophisticated and intelligent in your decision making, you hopefully choose the path of righteousness and not that of evil. For someone to choose the evil way is dangerous and not without heavy risks. Going along with a barbed and smart mouth attitude you can handle anything is not unique to this situation.

Many have tried and many have failed to contain their own existence in this world without giving up a part of their own lives or struggling to maintain such portion of their individual lifestyle. The issue of will is at the forefront and must be addressed quickly in the path to success as waiting will only prolong the inevitable that you will be sucked into this evil world dominated by captive individuals either settling in to achieve raw power or crawling to get out to save their sanity or souls. Either way, it could be a path to self-destruction if you don’t deal with it immediately when approached.