Being a Critic isn’t easy

"I'm proud to say I've never been anybody's lapdog..."
Author: Dan Rather

Being a critic of someone or something requires an intestinal fortitude that cannot waver in the moment of battle, of pain or in sorrow. When things go sour and your name is being tarnished in public in a blatant attempt to smear your credibility and ruin your reputation for speaking out the truth against a power structure that stands firmly in place [both politically and strategically]  you got to stand tall and take the heat along with the beating or punches thrown at you from all directions.

Whether it comes from the left or the right wing, it doesn’t matter for it is for sure coming after you. Some will come from your former peers too weak to stand on their own and others will attack you because you are advocating humane and dignity for prisoners that have committed some of the worst crimes mankind can imagine.

A critic must remember two things before he or she starts the journey. Whoever you are, be it and wherever you are, be there with both feet firmly planted on the ground.  There will be times when your name is dragged through the mud and only your words, actions or deeds can stand the test of time. Be who you say you are and do what you say you are going to do.

After spending 25 years inside prisons I knew that sooner or later, I would want to talk or write about the truth. The truth as I personally lived it and not the truth that someone wants me to tell. I knew there would be miles of disagreement between what I wrote and what they wanted me to write but I put my conscience in check and did what I set out to do; write the truth as I experienced it in my life, my way.

 Ever since my self-imposed retirement from prison work, I have been working on documenting and revealing abuses that exist within our prison systems either in Arizona or anywhere else. I write these stories for two purposes: the first is to create an interest in the subject matter and secondly, create a debate or an awakening about the story so that whatever it is I am writing about does not become obscure and forgotten but most importantly, that the criticism for telling the truth and exposing the flaws of the administration creates enough friction and sufficient political heat that something must be done about it to offset any negativity my story might have created.

I didn’t do this to “undermine” the correctional officer or the administration. I didn’t do this for personal gain as I get no compensation for writing my blogs and expressing my viewpoints as it stands. I do this to protect those who work so faithfully the toughest beat in the criminal justice system and get no recognition whatsoever but are quickly flawed and blamed when failure arrives at the front door via the media. I do this to protect those who do their jobs by pointing out deliberate indifferences that are embraced by administrative jockeys who allow deviations from policies and give tacit approval to do the job as misfits out of control.

I write about the horrors and torture within prison systems nationwide because it happens and is being ignored. The culture inside has a strict code of silence and its taboo to talk about it in any shape or form.

Many know the story of Abu Ghraib yet no one wants to admit that we have our own Abu Ghraib right here in the continental states. Whether you believe that or not depends on your willingness to be open minded and think for yourself rather than repeating others.

Solitary confinement and stories of horror already exists throughout our country but no one wants to take a stand and challenge the practices. Just recently, United States Senator Richard Durbin took the stand to address solitary confinement and held a congressional hearing on its long term impact on prisoners. This was truly a breakthrough for this topic as many have written about it but fell on silent ears and mouths afraid to talk about it in public.

Solitary confinement is still kept in the dark. Stories come through the darkness and tell of horror and torture but few are listening as others scoff at the idea that criminals should be treated and mistreated in the manner revealed from inside these torture chambers that include our national federal prisons Florence ADX and Guantanamo Base detention center.

It’s not a secret. People know what is happening but at a small scale. Fortunate for prison administrators, social indifferences, ignorance and cultural influences allow the stories to be told by washed away with little interest or credibility attached to them. Stories being told were recanted and denied by those in power and the blame game focused on smearing reputations and credibility of those who remain critical to the management styles applied inside these prisons.

Whispers are getting louder now and more people are paying attention to solitary confinement stories and issues. The evidence is mounting and surreal that a harsh and toxic condition does exist beyond those tall grey walls and shiny razor wire. Abuses are commonplace and hidden well. However, eyes are opening and minds are realizing something is wrong or amiss with the way society and penal experts are conducting these unsanctioned formats of torture and destruction of human bodies and human minds.

Since the Senate hearings more people have come forward with information regarding isolation techniques and practices. Some administrators are saying in public that it’s not the first option on how to run these isolation cells and that other options should be put on the table. This in itself is a shift in this paradigm of isolating prisoners behind windowless walls and tons of concrete and steel.

A critic’s job is never done. This story is still unfolding and by far from being over. As it unfolds the truth must remain to be a driving factor of future direction related to operational issues and mental wellness.

Participation must be universally applied and accepted to include scholars, physicians, psychologists and penology experts to sort out the best practices and revise, amend or eliminate the isolation practices today inside our prison systems.