BackRULES – The Abusiveness
E-Mail by Ron Slatton Bio/Address
A prison is many things, but most importantly it is a place where rules of behavior are prescribed in detail for every aspect of institutional life. The most intimate details of living in a prison are not regulated by the inmate (convict) but the staff. The aspects of life left to the inmate's (convict's) choice are small as to be almost non‑existent. The inmate (convict) man is reduced to an inmate (convict) child, who must ask and receive permission before he can do anything, and the inmate (convict) is constantly warned that failure to adhere rigidly to the system of child like request and response, or to obey any orders, can have dire consequences.
There is a 54-page rulebook and an inmate (convict) is admonished to study it carefully. You are taught," you can never win by violating the rules." In fact, in the beginning it states: “Ignorance of the rules is no excuse for violation of the rules and will not be tolerated.”
During this, the alleged orientation, inmate (convict) learns he is assigned randomly to a cell and must keep that cell in good order. Randomly in Ohio means if you are white you will automatically be housed with a minority and vice versa. He is informed, in minute detail, of what is permitted in the cell. He is told how many socks, blankets, shoes, shirts, underclothes, etc., he is required and/or allowed in his possession. Any more of the assigned quantity he may be punished and his items confiscated and destroyed. He must post no pictures on his cell walls, and cannot accumulate papers, books or magazines.
Inmate (convict) is restricted in his use of his money and consumption of goods. He is told he may only purchase items on a biweekly basis and can only spend a maximum of $75.00. These items are strictly prescribed. You can only purchase 40 packs of cigarettes, 5 each of canned goods, 2 each of Kool-Aid and other items are rigidly controlled for you to buy. He is warned, moreover, that commissary items not purchased by him may be declared contraband and confiscated if found in his possession. It is even regulated on how much time you have to consume the items purchased and if not done within the specified time it is contraband. Trading and holding property of others is forbidden.
The rules within all cases, eating, spending are paralleled with respect to almost every other aspect of the inmate's (convict's) daily life. You are told when to shower, to eat, how to dress, when to visit, when to worship and when to recreate.
You are told whom you may see at visiting, immediate family only and two friends. You are told when and how to visit. Do not embrace except at the beginning and end, no public display of emotion is permitted.
Above all, the inmate (convict) is told and retold that he has an overwhelming obligation to obey all rules and orders. It is expected that every inmate (convict) shall be industrious, submissive and obedient and shall labor diligently, in a pervasive system of authoritarian rule, covering every aspect of institutional life. The authoritarian enforcement of the rules is a major source of an inmate's (convict's) discontent. That discontent turns to rage when the inmate (convict) perceives how arbitrarily these rules are applied by correctional staff.
I have spent 22 years in prison; know every rule that has been passed during that time, hundreds of them, dozens of them contradictory and confusing. The main beef of the prisoners is not the lack of rules governing them ... but... the stupidly capricious and arbitrary misapplication of the rules by the staff and disciplinary boards.
Every guard who is so inclined passes his own set of rules every day, especially from shift to shift. Any time an inmate (convict) complains about such a thing to the supervising Captain, this immediately takes a more or less threatening attitude into intimidation or an attempt to intimidate the prisoners. His main idea and concept is always the same; "My guards are right, no matter what he has done." The inmate (convict) should follow the orders of the guards, irrespective of the fact that, as so often happens, the prisoner may be right. But to survive, no matter how it is, the concept "follow your last order" and you cannot fail, maybe!
Prison behavior is greatly influenced by the psychological pressure on the prison staff. Bureaucratic infighting is the life in prison administration as in any hierarchy. The typical division is that between treatment and security personnel. The typical prison has two deputy wardens. Here there are three. But of the two, one is in charge of custody‑security; he supervises Captains, Lieutenants, officers, etc., and has direct responsibility for order, discipline and security. The other is in charge of treatment - psychologists, social workers, diagnostic personnel, etc. The last part of the century 70's through 90's, it has been a constant battle between custody and treatment, with custody winning at all costs.
The prison administration commonly denies that they intend to punish inmates (convicts). Most subscribe to the conventional rhetoric that inmates (convicts) are sent to prison as punishment, not for punishment. But in reality the many deprivations imposed can be explained only by assuring that staff do in fact seek to punish but cannot openly admit it. Why then are prisoners permitted to spend only $75.00 biweekly? Why are visits and correspondence so curtailed or intrusive? Why can't a grown man receive an adult magazine? They claim that such restrictions are imposed in the name of custody and internal order is viewed by inmates (convicts) as a mere rationalization. There can be nothing intrusive about an adult magazine, or an open visiting list.
Treatment and rehabilitation are not there. Wouldn't it be better to allow a person to see whom he wishes, to buy what he wants, to read what he likes, and make some decisions. In Ohio, it will not happen. We must remove Rehabilitation from the title of Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, just as they took our college programs, and call it, as it is, Department of Corrections.
Discipline and Committee Overview
Misconduct in prison is punished, more often than not, by "punitive segregation" called the hole. That punishment, in most prisons, is imposed by a disciplinary committee, whose operation is the least visible of the secretive processes in any prison, except the parole board.
Inmates (convicts) are called before the committee of three persons. They rely on the officer’s written report, and it is true no matter what the inmate (convict) has to say, the officer never lies.
The punishment by the committee is the most unfair kind of "triple jeopardy." The same committee that ordered punitive segregation also has the power to transfer and take statutorily or meritoriously earned good time. Thus increasing the time an inmate (convict) must spend in prison. The inmate (convict) knows further misconduct will be seen by the parole board and will factor in for a parole denial. Thus resulting in basically three separate losses of freedom.
These are regular security supervisors, Lieutenants, Sergeants and maybe a case manager, who all must work with the officer who processed the report and thus in order to maintain a good working relationship will sacrifice the inmate (convict) for their own good.
CONCLUSION
In a rhetorical speech I heard in the beginning it went something like this, “You men might as well get this straight. You are here because you good and well deserve to be. You are here because society has found you not fit to live among it. If you want, it can be the toughest goddamn time you will ever pull. You will be given a rule book, memorize it, follow it to the letter, break any of these rules and the roof will come down on you. The first rule is you will give total respect to every official‑also we are never wrong, do as I say… not. as I do!”
There are many things that come to mind when I ponder the Ohio Department of Corrections policies. Below are some quotes from important historical figures that may be the basis for what the Ohio DOC believes and adheres to.
"Never give anything to the people until you have convinced them that they want it." Adolph Hitler
"The tool of power is terror ...physical and mental ...the only way to assure victory and control.…” Himmler
"Absolute authority comes from God, absolute obedience come from the devil." Hitler
We have no rights within this government agency. We cannot speak without fear of repercussions, all adult magazines and other material they don't like are banned. We cannot think we are asked to only do. Our phone calls are monitored and all incoming letters are read. If their paranoia dictates, they will even read outgoing mail. Thus policing the prison population as Hitler did the population of Germany.
”I have abolished the constitution, taken away all civil rights, decreed away freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to think, to make phone calls, to send and receive letters without fearing of interception. This shall be done ...decreed by the Nazi party,” Adolph Hitler ...i.e.. Ohio Department of "Rehabilitation" and Corrections.