Prison report: The corruption factorBy Just A Guy
Editors note: Just A Guy is an inmate in a California state prison. His reports appear twice a week.
I believe it to be an imperative that opposing views should be a part of any dialogue. This is especially true in the comments section of my blog. While we, as inmates, are given a very limited voice, we (or I) should not preclude people who believe differently from being a part of the discussions. Were I to do that, I would be just like the mainstream media, the majority of politicians, and a seeming majority of law enforcement that only reports one side of the story -- which is almost always assumed by a largely vapid public to be true.
It is alarming, though, that when someone with an opposing view posts his or her comments, they mostly seem to degrade into name calling and derision. Case in point would be bobjacboson, who commented about my blog a few weeks ago and accused me of being psychotic.
When I read comments such as bob’s, I can’t help but wonder if the commenters even read the post before making their thoughts known to the public.
I believe I opened that blog stating that I could not be explicit for fear of retaliation, but bob railed one me for not being explicit. Sigh.
Please read before you comment, bob, then think. But I’m going to give you an example of what I was talking about.
Corrupt: 1. dishonest, accepting bribes; 2. Immoral, or wicked. 3. Decaying.
As you can see from this definition, corruption isn’t necessarily the act of taking a bribe or bringing in contraband; it’s also dishonesty or immorality.
Without going into too much detail, I’ll tell you a story and you can make up your own minds.
Let me start with some background:
In prison we have what is called an appeal. An appeal is what an inmate gets to use as a grievance procedure. The form we are supposed to use is called a “602”. The following is taken directly from the form boilerplate:
“You may appeal any policy, action or decision which has a significant adverse affect on you …. No reprisals will be taken for using the appeals procedure responsibly.”
This appeals process is what is supposed to give us an opportunity to seek justice or relief, similar to the courts. But it’s a farce by all accounts; here’s just one.
I appealed a decision that had an adverse affect on me. This appeal was sent to the second level, which is the penultimate level, but was denied by the reviewing staff member. While the basis for the denial was invalid and weak at best, what was unconscionable was that this staff member in the memorandum for my denial wrote about speaking with me about my appeal and hearing my side of the story. This person even noted that the interview took place on a specific day. The staffer claimed to have investigated my side of the story after talking with me. This is not quite true.
You see, until I actually received my copy of the denied appeal, I had never heard of this appeal reviewer or staff member. The staff member NEVER interviewed me and never met me. PERIOD.
I still don’t know who this person is, nor do they know me.
In this denial, the staff member cited the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation policy that states that they are required to meet me. That never happened.
Now, how do I prove this? It’s a prison staff member’s word against mine -- and who will the director believe? What is my recourse?
Not two weeks prior to this incident, my case worker told me that he wanted to help people. When I brought this comment and this appeal situation to his attention, and asked him what I should do, he didn’t offer any advice – but said he was sorry that this had happened, good luck.
Corruption isn’t just lying, cheating or being bribed. It’s also knowingly allowing that behavior to continue.
There are no whistleblowers in CDCR, because without the prison system, a good portion of the talent pool would not be able to do much beyond the service industry or manual labor.
So, this is a small example. Yea, I’m in prison, yeah 80 percent of people doing time deserve to be doing time (and you know how I feel about victimless crimes) but is that a good enough reason to allow the keepers to go on unchecked?
One last thought: Why would I make this up? In what way could it benefit me? Don’t you think if I were not afraid or retaliation I would tell you the name of staffer? Or tell the whole story? I have no faith in the statement that no reprisal will be taken.
So bobjacobsen, who’s the psychotic one? Maybe it’s the staff member who hallucinated the meeting with me.
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Comments (19)
Clearly bobjacboson's objective is to annoy. JAG, you just keep being real
Posted by Nodoubt | November 3, 2009 04:46 AM
Oscar Wilde said: ALWAYS FORGIVE YOUR ENEMIES - NOTHING ANNOYS THEM SO MUCH.
There are none so blind as those who will not see. Rock on, dude.
Posted by TastyAmbiguity | November 3, 2009 10:14 AM
When you say "We as inmates" it sounds as if you have accepted a life in prison. Shouldn't you be thinking more along the lines of (when I get out)?
Being an inmate is something you shouldn't even want to admit to. As far as inmates having a limited voice, that's actually not true. Unfortunately inmates have too big a voice with their constant lawsuits, and manipulation of the prison system.
It's a well known fact, that you know an inmate is lying, when his mouth is moving. Get a clue guy! Stop writing crap online, and get your life straight.
Stop living for sack lunches, and 602ing petty things. If you need an emergency doctor visit for a hang-nail, just mandown!
Fix yourself!
Posted by C/O in Ca state prison | November 3, 2009 12:14 PM
c/o:
"It's a well known fact, that you know an inmate is lying, when his mouth is moving."
I'm sure that a lot of inmates lie. So do a lot of cops and co's (and if you're in law enforcement, you know that as well as I do, and if you're honest, you'll admit it). A lot of politicians lie, and bankers like, and lawyers lie ....
But not everyone, and not always. Which is why we have procedures and standards of evidence -- and why you have to accept that sometimes, even an inmate might be telling the truth.
Sure, there are medical malingerers -- but the much bigger problem in CDCR isn't the folks wanting to see a doctor for a hangnail but the folks who are really seriously ill and can't get any medical treatment at all. Don't take it from me -- the federal courts have consistently agreed that CDCR fails to provide minimally adequate health care for inmates.
The problem goes like this: What if Just A Guy is telling the truth -- and the CDCR people are refusing to accept that? What if the guards aren't telling the truth -- and CDCR refuses to accept that, either?
What if the person complaining of chest pain really IS having a heart attack -- and since everyone assumes he's faking it, he never gets treatment and dies?
Then there's injustice being done. And claiming everyone's a liar and a malingerer just makes the problem worse.
Posted by tim redmond | November 3, 2009 12:39 PM
Just A Guy sends the following:
c/o: Saying "we as inmate" just shows acceptance of my current situation because until I get out, that's what I am. What am I going to say - "me as a free person?" What you have written just reconfirms what I've said about comments from law enforcement in that your comment has degraded into derision and name-calling. Why are you so defensive? It seems to me that if you're really a c/o then you know that not only when the inmates lips are moving, your peers lips are moving as well -- and are just as susceptible to untruth as anyone else.
As a matter of fact, you have more of a reason to lie -- because you have to protect your job or the way your fellow staffers look at you.
You know as well as I do that if the medical care were as good as you say, then one would not have to do a mandown to get treatment. I have been a chronic care patient for over two years, but have not seen a doctor in over a year. Oh wait -- I'm lying.
Posted by tim redmond | November 3, 2009 12:47 PM
Dear C/O. I occationally read this blog but have never commented before. you have prompted me to do so. Duh!! Inmates must accept life in prison, after all that is where they are living right now.
Unfortunately the way our Ca Prison system works I'd be just as embarrassed to admit to being a C/O. And boo hoo for you imagine having to work in a place where your wards have rights however limited they are. We've all seen on the news what C/O's are capable if they think they can get away with it. (Corcoran is just one example that comes to mind) I'm sure C/O's never lie right??? Why does it bother you so much that an inmate has a voice, are you afraid of what might be said or believed about the system? Just Remember I am paying your salary as well as the medical insurance you have so you can actually be seen for your hangnails. You do not need a 602 to do so, do you? Perhaps you should just remember you work for the Ca Dept of Corrections & REHABILITATION. I won't even bother discussing what a joke that is.
Posted by gmon | November 3, 2009 12:58 PM
The truth of the matter is that EVERYONE lies & inmates & correctional staff do not have a monopoly on lying. Im grateful this column is available so that the public knows what life is like for people locked up from a prisoners point of veiw.
Posted by Dehypnotized | November 3, 2009 02:10 PM
Our prison system is extremely messed up. I am proud to call myself a C/O and wear my badge proudly every day. No, not every inmate is lying when their mouth is moving but there is constant manipulation going on behind the walls every day. Wether it be to the doctors for meds they don't need, to the psychs for more meds they can sell or combine with other meds to get an even better high, or for something as simple as a second bag lunch. It has been my observation that until an inmate or parolee for that fact decides that he or she wants to end the cycle or whatever you want to call it, they will do what they want regardless of what kind of programs there are for them. The only reason a majority of the inmates participate in an educational program is for the half time incentive and thats why the state is getting rid of it and just giving the half time freely. Do C/O's lie, of course. Corcoran was a joke. I guess you didn't see the 20/20 special where it showed the officers were cleared of all wrong doing. FYI, the state forces northern and southern inmates to live together because of constitutional rights depending on what type of unit they live in. Lately we have seen more than a few Officers have lost there job recently. As for us bringing in contraband.... Our bags are checked daily along with metal detectors and lets not forget the elctronic current detectors that are being used on us solely for the purpose of cell phones. Just two weeks ago 3 "innocent" visitors got caught with over a pound of weed go to a weekly visit. I wonder how many times they got away with it before that day. You can sit on the outside and judge what we do according to what the media or one inmates blog says. But until you walk in my boots for 16 hours "forced overtime" and see what really goes on behind bars, you have no right to hate us all. By the way, my closest and dearest friend went throught the prison I know work at years before I got there.
Posted by Another C/O | November 3, 2009 03:57 PM
The Corruption factor is rampant at CDCr...from their own CO gangs to the code of silence...JAG is and always has been right on target with his articles!
The True Story of California Prison Guard DJ Vodicka, Whistleblower;
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/809389/the_true_story_of_california_prison.html?cat=10
Posted by PrisonMovement | November 3, 2009 04:22 PM
You are doing a great job "JAG"! I know you see right through those innane remarks from your detractors. Some of them are pretty lame. They adopt that tired old practice of shooting the messenger if they don't like what they hear.
I enjoy your letters and I know there are many others out there who feel the same.
Those of us who have been at the receiving end of our dysfunctional system of "Crime and Punishment"
know the truth when we hear it. I understand full well why you must choose your words carefully because I know what you mean by "retaliation" from the "Powers-that-be". Keep the faith man, if you were'nt effective they wouldn't bother to respond.
Posted by Larry Phipps | November 3, 2009 05:14 PM
HI CAROL....perhaps you could pass this along to 'just a guy' for me. Let me know?
Hi "Guy" (which is what I will call you as I don't know your real name). Just wanted to let you know that I'v e been reading your blogs for 6 months or so now and really enjoy them. You are bright, articulate and straight-forward. I can clearly understand where you are coming from when you say "fear of retaliation". I've worked with California Prison Focus for 10 years (just recently resigned) and have advocated for many a man who's gotten the shit beat out of him, or worse...simply for trying t assert his "rights". Prisoners, DO afterall, have "Rights" under the Constitution of our United States. (That would be a good subject for a blog for you....it never occurs to most people that prisoners have "Rights") In any case....this whole thing with the 'appeal' and the CO not meeting with you face to face......hmmmm....can't you "Appeal" the appeal ? I think you can.....I guess it just depends how important this issue is to you and if it's worth getting roughed up over....cuz for sure you'll piss someone off if your question the "Intergrity" of said Officer.....anyway...just a thought....really enjoy your blogs...keep it up. PJ................ps; dont know if you are interested or not but Ed Mead ant CPF would probably be very interested in printing some of your essays in the Prison Focus Newsletter....just a thought. Peace & Blessings
Posted by PrisonMovement | November 4, 2009 04:15 AM
Of course there's constant manipulation going on by inmates and part of that manipulation is lying. THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE!! Is it right? NO, but they are FORCED into survival mode when they are incarcerated. They are told "NO" for the most minor of things. So when inmates get desperate (and how hard is that?) they manipulate. I've personally seen officer's abuse their power over and over and over again...denying and inmate's request to do a minor thing such as use the restroom. I've seen guards deny inmate's request to use the restroom, not because it was in inconvenient time or that it represented a risk to the safety and security of the institution, but because the officer "has the power to do so." NO other reason than just to abuse his/her power. And for those of you reading, please understand that this is JUST ONE EXAMPLE!
I worked in the prison system for years. I worked down on the yard with inmates, correctional officers and free staff. You want to talk about manipulations, lies and corruption??? OH MY GAWD...many of the officer's do the exact same thing as inmates, they just haven't gotten caught yet. And why is it that you only hear about how bad inmates are and how rough it is for prison guards? It's because inmates don't exactly have the direct phone number to the media the same way the Public Information Officer (PIO) does at the prison, and even if they did, they'd fear retaliation.
My point to all of this is that yes, many of the inmates belong in prison. But it's the correctional staff that perpetuates the actual behavior that they complain about by doing the same thing as inmates. C/O's lie, they manipulate and they abuse their power just as inmates do. Is it right for anyone to do that? No, but PLEASE C/O's enough with the hipocracy already. Get your heads out of your $80,000+ a year salary (with overtime), your Hummers (unnecessary) and Mercedes and start representing that badge you all wear on your uniform that states California Department of Corrections and "REHABILITATION."
I will end this by saying that there are both good and bad officer's in prison and good and bad inmates. We are human, we all focus on the bad...it's in our nature and it's very sad. There are a lot of success stories coming out of prison. Can we hear about one of those from a C/O???
~Peace~
Posted by ex staffer - prison wife | November 4, 2009 07:54 AM
Having never been in prison myself, but having a child in there I can say that I know that neither the inmates nor the CO's are not all pure as the driven snow. I have had to deal with many of them. It's been my experience that no matter how respectful and courteous I have been to them MOST of them treat ALL people (not just prisoners, but the family, i.e., me) like degenerates of society. Any citizen who believes that an officer who carries a badge and/or gun is automatically a virtuous, intelligent person is sorely misled. For those of you that believe that crock, you need to do some research and see how many officers have been, and continue to be, accused and convicted of crimes, not only against the very inmates they are supposed to be 'guarding' (thus 'protecting'), but against society. Yes, they too, are wife-beaters and drunk drivers...the list goes on...my point being, they are no better than the average Joe Blow citizen. And not every inmate is a slimebag, manipulating liar. My son spent a total of 37 months in prison with one minor infraction - or so they called it when he couldn't hit the floor, face down, fast enough to their liking during an incident that didn't even involve him, due to his severly broken ankle that was the result of lazy CO's who wouldn't mop-up water that was sitting in the shower which the inmates repeatedly reported but were ignored...which, oh by the way, the inmates also repeatedly asked for either a squegee or a mop to clean up the water themselves, as well as to have the leak fixed. Nothing was ever done until the day my son slipped and fell and broke his ankle so badly that it required surgical repair. That same day, we were told by inmates, that a clean-up was done and a bunch of 'suits' were checking out the scene. Oh, and I want to mention the fact that it took the State prison's piss-poor medical system well over a month to do the surgery, which resulted in them having to re-break my son's ankle and then use rods to repair it. It was directly resultant of the CO's who don't give a damn that his accident even happened, and then the attitude of the system that 'he's just a convicted felon that really doesn't deserve treatment'. Kiss my fat you-know-what. Am I bitter?? My son was sentenced to a term of incarceration, not cruel and inhumane punishment. And to you ignorant morons that would say that wouldn't have happened if he wasn't locked up - that could have very happened at Chuckie Cheese's (where he is now once again able to take his children) or while he was working on his well-paid job as a tile-setter. No, my son was not an angel, obviously, or he wouldn't have been there. But there are many, many others like my son who makes mistakes and then man-up and do their time - and do it without causing trouble. Those of you with the 'cuff 'em and stuff em' mentality and who know nothing about how what goes on behind bars - and those of you CO's who think all inmates AND their families are scum - are pitiful people. You get what you give. You treat inmates like shit, they're gonna throw it right back at ya! Don't spew garbage from your pie whole based on your own self-righteous ignorance.
Posted by Monica Morton | November 4, 2009 08:02 AM
Its mutual “JAG”. We admire the work you do and thank you for giving us that vantage point. Many blessings to you and yours.
Posted by typhoidMary | November 4, 2009 10:07 AM
Dear Another C/O
Some of your points are well taken and I never said I hated all C/O's. There are good and bad, I hate none of them nor none of the good and bad inmates. It is just that the ones like C/O make you all look bad and I would be embarrassed if I were a c/o, to have it believed that all were like him/her. His prejudice of inmate is obvious in his response. As for those cleared at Corcoran, I'm sure it did not involve every C/o but give me a break, the fact that such a thing could happen for entertainment you must admit is outrageous. And as to being forced to place northerners and southerners together, I am aware of an instance where after a riot two of one group were placed in a dorm with NUMEROUS members of the other group. Gee I wonder what happened to the two inmates. It would be obvious to anyone yet the C/O's did this with no disregard for their safety. This is just one instance on one yard and I do not personally know anyone from either group but we must all remember inmates are human beings. Also I don't know where you work but within the last 14 days I was early for visiting and watched as the C/o's bags were checked. They were asked to open the top and it someone glanced inside. Nothing was moved, side compartments not looked into and no detectors of any kind. Just food for thought,
Posted by gmon | November 4, 2009 01:26 PM
CDCR Officer Faces Weapons Charges
California Corrections Officer Accused Of Bringing Drugs, Weapons Into Prison
POSTED: 4:23 pm PST November 4, 2009
UPDATED: 4:47 pm PST November 4, 2009
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A California state correctional officer allegedly brought drugs and weapons into a prison facility, according to Sacramento County authorities.
Domingo Gardea Garcia, 39, bailed out of jail Wednesday after being arrested on several counts.
Sacramento County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran confirmed Garcia was arrested Monday at California State Prison, Sacramento. Curran identified Garcia as a state correctional officer.
In addition to charges of bringing drugs and weapons into a prison facility, Garcia was also booked on suspicion of conspiracy to bring drugs into a prison facility.
It was not immediately clear into which prison facility Garcia is accused of bringing weapons and drugs.
He's scheduled for another court appearance Nov. 9.
http://www.kcra.com/news/21525372/detail.html
Posted by ex staffer | November 5, 2009 09:02 AM
ex staffer
It is my understanding that Officer Garcia was bringing in drugs to the Norteno gang members. Upon further investigation it was found that Garcia was also a member of the Norteno gang. He had passed the background investigation because he had not been arrested for anything prior to working for CDC. The gun he was arrested with was supposed to be for his own protection. This is an ongoing problem with new recruits that have not been caught for their crimes. Unfortunatley you are only hearing the one side of this story. Sure, he was a C/O, but not for the reasons many of us have become C/O's. I am by no means defending those who do wrong within the prison system but for every officer who has lied or not done their job correctly, I can show you twenty officers that have been assaulted or had false accusations filed against them simply because of the job we perform. When was the last time you had a client, customer, or a patient tell you, "If and when I get the chance, I will kill you or hurt you as bad as I can." Just something for you to think about. All of us just want to go home to our wife and kids at the end of the day and aren't here to make the inmates lives miserable, but simply because we are officers and wear a badge we are targets for that reason and that reason alone. As for the woman who stated, " You treat inmates like shit, they're gonna throw it right back at ya!" Wow! I hope you don't mean that literally. You have no idea what it's like to have an inmate who you know is HIV and Hep C positive throw a cup of urine and feces in your face because you didn't give him an extra lunch. I've been there.
Food for thought. How many prison law firms are there? How many law firms for the elderly are there? How many law firms for the children who don't have enough food to eat?
Posted by Another C/O | November 9, 2009 06:05 PM
Another C/O,
I appreciate your response; however, if you notice, I made no personal comments towards the posting that was in regard to Mr. Garcia. I just simply posted the article. Not to judge Mr. Garcia or make any statements to his case or background at all. I simply posted the article to show that there ARE C/O's that are corrupt (for whatever reason).
In response to your statement: "for every officer who has lied or not done their job correctly, I can show you twenty officers that have been assaulted or had false accusations filed against them simply because of the job we perform"
I can say EXACTLY the same thing about inmates (except for I think the inmate count is much higher). For every inmate that has lied or assaulted an officer (for whatever reason) I can give you THIRTY inmates that have been judged, treated unjustly or abused by a correctional officer simply because they are in prison!
In response to your Food for thought. There are many prison law offices. The elderly DO have their legal rights. If an elderly person commits a crime, they have a right to an attorney and if they cannot afford one, the courts will appoint one to them FREE OF CHARGE! If they are convicted; however, I'm sure they will be able to get as much FREE legal advice in prison LOL.
As for children who don't have enough food... For one, I don't see the connection to inmates and their law offices...but OK. I will say that there are MANY, MANY, MANY places for children to get food. As a social worker, I can tell you that there are many programs in place for children to get food. The problem is that most of their parents are incarcerated on minor drug charges or sent back to prison for minor parole violations. We need to reform the out of control prison sentencing and get the real parents back into their childrens lives!
Again, I make no personal comment about Mr. Garcia's involvment in drug smuggling, except for the fact that so many C/O's try to ignore the few corrupt officers. Put those officer's in prison (or ANYONE for that matter) and see how they eventually act.
There is a movie, based on the REAL life Stanford Prison Experiment from 1971. If you're not familiar with the experiement Wikipedia has some info on it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_Prison_Experiment
I encourage anyone to watch the movie, Das Experiment. It's in German, with English subtitles, but very worth reading subtitles to get the message.
Comments about the movie are welcome!
Peace
Posted by ex staffer | November 16, 2009 08:41 AM
it is simply unbelievable how far the administration's will go to coverf up their own behavior and corruption.
i just finished today's blog from my laptop (i am out now) and you can get a small taste of what parole is like.
i will soon be publishing an article with sfbg about my experiences and my blog will continue for some time as Prison Report (the parole factor).
i am going to expose some corruption and some things that many will find deplorable, many will not be surprised, and many will remain in denial...
Posted by just a guy | November 20, 2009 08:29 AM