Is speaking out duty self-condemnation or condemnation?

Not too much has been said about those who speak out against prison abuse and advocate for prison reforms in Arizona or many other places. It is true that many have witnessed the atrocities and the horrific prison conditions that exist today but many have refused to talk about it. Basically speaking, if you are put in this situation would you speak out as if it is your duty or would you remain silent and allow the carnages to continue without shedding light on the matter? Are you that worried about the self-condemnation that will occur in your life?

As former deputy warden that has worked in solitary confinement for close to seven years either as an officer or administrator inside New Mexico and Arizona prisons. I have witnessed the violence first hand and am appalled we are not trying to resolve those concerns of killing incarcerated men and women without any kind of due process or justified reasons to allow this to go on.  I have been accused of treason by my former peers as well as a disgruntled former employee that has nothing to add to constructive criticism when in fact; I have offered many solutions to the problem.

I was one of the deputy wardens assigned to Special Management II in Florence Arizona. I didn’t like what I was seeing and hearing but realized that the staff assigned there was doing the best they could under the cultural and departmental influences and cultures. They did their best to abide by their training and oath to preserve life and to follow the rule of law but the environmental conditions were overwhelming and created a pure conflict of interest between staff and inmates.

In my work I saw disturbing behaviors towards the seriously mentally ill persons as well as abuse and mistreatment. Some intentionally others were created by cultural biases, stigmas and misunderstandings between learning disabled persons and poorly trained correctional staff.

It is true I spoke out against what I thought was wrong. I based my inferences, opinions and feelings on my training, experience and cultural awareness skills acquired over a span of twenty five years or more. I raised questions and whether this was up to me to address or not became an issue with my peers and superiors. It was clear I had made a career decision to step out of their line of thinking and think for myself regarding the abuses I saw and became a part of involuntarily and within the environmental controls given to me as a middle level manager.

I would love to return to work and do my duty to work hard to resolve such critical matters I have written about and feel strongly about as well. There is no evidence that what I say is happening is false. Rather, there is overwhelming evidence what I am saying is truthful and ignoring that fact only makes the problems at hand worst.

I am currently unemployed and looking to work again coming out of retirement and becoming productive again. I want to pursue prison reforms and implement better programs and training material for staff to enable them to take care of business as it is required to be done., I never protested about the job but rather, how the job was being done with its high levels of intolerance towards death and the protection of basic human rights inside our prisons.

The mass incarceration agendas from the past still dictate overcrowded prisons, high suicide rates and prison violence either sexual assaults or physical beatdowns. The violence is out of control as prison gangs prosper and the administration has done’ nothing but come up with rhetoric to lock up those that are mentally ill or having difficulties coping inside their most volatile general population yards.

Today treatment for those returning war veterans diagnosed with PTSD or other disabilities are ignored. They are discarded as many came from homeless situations and without family support. They are castaways in a most violent world. They know they must survive or die if they don’t establish some kind of behavior pattern that makes other inmates leave them alone and accosted.

This advocacy for better prisons is not about me or anyone particular, it’s about everyone that is incarcerated and that works inside our prisons today. We must change how things are being done and change starts with us, with me if it has to be that way. It’s really that important to go beyond normal limits and express the truth as it exists and not how the political system wants you to believe it is. Unpopular, you bet but it’s the truth.