Prison report: No accountabilityBy Just A Guy
Editors note: Just A Guy is an inmate in a California state prison. His dispatches run twice a week.
By Just A Guy
There are a lot of things I would like to talk about, to be more explicit about, but fear of retaliation stops me, for now.
One of the things I find disconcerting is how many of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation staff and administrators have the ability to lie to cover up things without any thought of being held accountable. CDCR’s staff are able to do whatever they want, with impunity, because they believe that most people just don’t care what happens to inmates.
Sadly, this belief is mostly true -- they can lie, cover up, spend your money and do whatever they want to inmates. They can, and they do.
When the jailer becomes guilty of the same sins as the jailed, but is allowed to continue because he or she is “just doing it to inmates” something is fundamentally flawed.
Some of the CDCR staff justify their behavior because it’s the only way many of them can sleep at night. The fact is that if you do things at the expense of others for personal gain or to protect yourself you are wrong, just as most of us were wrong in the crimes we committed that hurt other people and landed us in prison.
“People are sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment.”
How can the same people that say they are protecting the public use diabolical means and excuses to do whatever they want to inmates, but not be judged for it?
What makes those people at CDCR guilty of such acts exempt from investigation or suspicion? I guess Abu Ghraib is okay when it’s inmates in California.
I’m not saying we, as inmates, are not guilty of this same type of shit. But it’s a discouraging dynamic that we can’t trust anyone: Ourselves, or those that are our keepers.
Sure, sure, just stay out of prison and you won’t have to deal with it. Or, you don’t deserve to be treated as a human anyway.
You realize these same captains, associate wardens, lieutenants, corrections officers and others on CDCR staff are your neighbors, and if they’ll do it to us, they’ll do it to you.
Just as we have been held accountable, so should those that are breaching the public trust.
Everyone has a breaking point, a point where they have been pushed too far, a point at they say things they would rather not in order to get resolution. Every Goliath has its David. .... But there is often collateral damage, unfortunately. Oddly, it’s usually the simplest things that could rectify even the greatest grievances, like saying you’re sorry or just doing the right thing in the face of adversity.
CDCR has proven its inability to self-correct or admit its mistakes. over and over again -- think Philip Garrido or the Corcoran SHU fights -- yet is allowed to run amok by an apathetic public that can’t see beyond CDCR’s disinformation.
Fortunately the three-judge federal panel has seen it and is, I believe, going to release more than 40,00 people.
I can’t wait ....
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Comments (10)
Jason Grant Garza here ... well get used to it ... this is typical of government and city employees (they are protected by our tax dollars in court.) Read this story in the Bay Guardian www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=3956&catid=4 and you'll read how SFGH broke the law, the city TESTILIED in federal court to have my case thrown out, the Office of Inspector General (Donald White 202-619-0088) got a confession signed by the city admitting breaking the law and a fine. The VICTIM got NOTHING except his case thrown out of federal court and NOW an admission of lawbreaking; however, armed with this ... the VICTIM wanted NOT only to make it better for everyone else but have it investigated sos that it COULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN! Our VICTIM went to his supervisors, Mayor, newspapers, etc ... did they care?
REST ASSURED ... NO ONE CARES ... but THEY WILL ALL SAY THEY DO.
Wait for the uproar over the release of 40K prisoners yet ponder ... how difficult was it to hear the silence when the government and its officials KNOWLY broke the law with the overcrowding and cruel and unusual punishment of improper health care that lead to prison deaths?
What you state isn't new ... just like old laws forbidden it ... however impunity, inhumanity and unaccountability will continue because NO ONE CARES ... look at my case ... with a signed confession and I can't officials to look or investigate ...
I wish you well; however, I KNOW you won't get JUSTICE on this planet.
Posted by Jason Grant Garza | October 6, 2009 06:15 PM
97% of inmates come "back" to society. Question is what are they fueling behind these walls? Killing hope, human dignity?
All in total secrecy. Who is watching???
Posted by Dlisted | October 6, 2009 08:13 PM
No One Is Watching.
Posted by Jag | October 7, 2009 08:08 AM
“Every Goliath has its David. .... But there is often collateral damage, unfortunately.” A messege rite on the $. My grandson tells me abot the corrupshun in Prisen. Some ppl cant Treet others w/ Decentcy.
Posted by BillyGoatAcres | October 7, 2009 08:51 AM
wow, nice of you not to be specific in the acts that are being commited. are you one of the many who claim to be psychotic. only to use these drugs for barter, trade or to get high.you make it seem as if you in prison you don't have to live up to the same standard as those in society. as if your in a protected class. nice for you to mention that the average person who goes to prison costs the state 120 thousand dollars a year for the services your not getiing. my advice is if your going to tell a story tell all the facts good bad or other wise.
Posted by bobjacobson | October 8, 2009 06:20 AM
Names documents and other VERY embarrassing things will be forthcoming because of their lie. And i am So psychotic that a paper with a readership of 500K A week publishes this twice a week.
Posted by jag | October 8, 2009 07:23 AM
There are many watching this mess...and have been for a LONG time. JAG is absolutely right on target...posts fact, not fiction.
Most of the GP has NO IDEA what prison is really like, because you believe everything the media throws at you... 'sheeple'....CA- no longer the Golden State- it is the Prison State!!
Posted by PrisonMovement | October 9, 2009 06:40 AM
JAG....there are many of us watching...and making our voices heard- those in power are NOT listening and doing what they want- no oversight and NO accountability....we appreciate your honesty....the GP has no idea what prison is really like...they NEED to know!!
Posted by PrisonMovement | October 9, 2009 07:10 AM
Thanks.
Posted by Jag | October 9, 2009 08:13 AM
I have been visiting my husband for going on 9 years...each year the corruption gets worse. I have seen guards blatantly lie and cover for each other with my own eyes. I uphold the law each day...never been in trouble...graduated college...work for the govt myself...I am outraged at what my husband and the other inmates must endure. The majority of these inmates will be coming home. The media likes to portray us visitors as the ones who bring in contraband such as drugs and cell phones. We have to go through a very strict process to even get inside while guards walk in with HUGE lunch coolers not ever getting checked...yeah. SO on top of the guards getting overtime hours (after switching shifts or calling in sick) they also now get $1000 per cell phone they smuggle in...not bad considering they have no fear of punishment. Oh and we can't forget that EVERY holiday season that comes up they have to create some sort of lock down situation so they get more pay too. Happens like clockwork. I just pray the feds take over the system and CCPOA goes away.
Posted by wife | October 10, 2009 09:41 AM