Garth Rattray | Our prisons are reflecting society – Part 1

Some time ago, a man who used to intermittently seek my financial assistance brought his friend to see me. He introduced his friend as someone who was just released from prison and was experiencing difficulties. He asked if I would be able to give him some money. I gave his friend, a man that I did not know, today’s equivalent of about $5,000. I thought that I was being very generous.

As soon as they left, the office experienced a power failure; however, I noticed that my neighbours still had their electricity. We checked the electrical panel only to discover that someone had removed the main breaker. When I eventually saw the customary beggar again, he confessed that his friend wanted more money from me, so he opened the panel and yanked out the main breaker to sell it!

To say that I was incensed is putting it very mildly. I reported the matter to the police and seethed for many months at the ingratitude and barefaced theft that the ex-con committed. It was very obvious to me that he was far from rehabilitated/reformed and that he was going to end up right back behind bars … It made me wonder about the rehabilitation process, and whether or not most are being reformed.

A long time after that, I was invited to a panel discussion at the Tower Street Rehabilitation Centre (formerly called, and still referred to as the General Penitentiary – GP). I had the opportunity to speak with several inmates and correctional officers. Several, on both sides, complained vociferously about the paucity of meaningful rehabilitation programmes. I understand that there has been improvement in that aspect of the institution but it is still in need of bolstering and improvement.

Then, someone that often did work for me erroneously believed that he could ignore a court-ordered financial restitution to someone that he allegedly injured during a brief fracas initiated by his accuser. He ended up behind bars. When he was released, we had a long talk about the system. It was the motivation for my November 1, 2010 article, ‘Don’t Dehumanise Prisoners’. He spoke at length about the crowded and cramped cells, sleeping on makeshift hammocks or the concrete floors, the lack of amenities, the toilets, the food, the utensils, the need for people on the outside to supply essential necessities for everyday living, or money for the commissary.

CONTRABAND AND RACKETS

He spoke of contraband and rackets (organised corruption) surrounding them, he explained the long hours of ‘lockdown’ before the ‘fly up’ the following day. He also bemoaned the fact that only a few inmates took advantage of the rehabilitation programmes that existed, and he thought that they should be compulsory. He asserted that most come out of the system as survivors, more knowledgeable in criminal matters and that they resume their nefarious lives where they left off. I spoke with a retired corrections officer, and he corroborated the statement that the reform process is lacking. However, he added that some inmates pretend to be rehabilitated while only biding their time until their release back into society.

While researching the topic of the ‘prison system’, how it is failing to rehabilitate most convicts, and the inhumane circumstances that exist, a government official remarked, “That’s why they must not go to prison!” Clearly, she was unaware that many convicts are victims of our failings as a society. Obviously, she did not realise that anybody can end up in prison, and that unreformed convicts pose an even greater danger to society than people realise. Prison is not just for housing those who are deemed dangerous to society. Prison is not only for deterring others from wrongdoing. Prison is not only about punishment. Prison is meant to rehabilitate inmates for everyone’s sake.

What do we expect to achieve when inhumane and/or cruel conditions in communities produce brutal and cold-hearted behaviour in individuals who end up in prisons to face inhumane and/or cruel conditions? Even dangerous prisoners need decent treatment if they are to be rehabilitated. Prisoners also need discipline. Several videos have emerged on social media, depicting flagrant block parties in prison. With music playing in the background, inmates were seen smoking and drinking expensive liquor. They were also decked out in the most up-to-date fashionable and name brand wardrobes from head to toe. The big-ups, mirth and levity were loud and unrestrained. Where were the correctional officers during those noisy and blatant breaches of the rules?

The illicit prison parties are reflections of the parties that we see in free society. The vertical bars in the background, the lack of booming DJ music and the absence of women are the only hints that these activities are taking place in prison. If inmates are able to repeatedly record and broadcast or live stream those parties, it seems to me that there may be no limit to what they can do while in prison.

We have all right to expect incarceration to neutralise underworld crime bosses. However, we already know that criminal activities and contract killings are sometimes ordered and/or organised from behind the walls of [supposed] high-security prisons. Obviously, it must require the abject carelessness or complicity of those entrusted with guarding prisoners. As usual, there is little accountability whenever these [serious] infractions are discovered.

Next week: Our prisons are reflecting society – Is rehabilitation working ...

- Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com