What changes in America’s prison system would you like to implement?
I would like to implement a change that would revolutionize the entire prison system: eliminate mass punishment and reward positive accomplishments.
Mass punishment is a tool often used by prison staff/administration to influence inmates to behave or use other inmates surrounding the individuals responsible to stop their “trouble making behavior.” It rarely works. Men and women do their prison time differently. The male prison population expects to go through hardships even if it is on behalf of others, but if any influence comes to bear it is because the older inmates talk to the younger ones. They do not counsel them on desisting their rule breaking behavior; they counsel them on how not to get caught. They do not want any disruptions in their livelihood or programs. The women, on the other hand, cannot pressure each other to follow the rules. In general, women do not allow other women to tell them what to do. So mass punishment is futile; it serves no purpose.
On the other side of the equation, it makes the staff appear prehistoric or oppressive in perspective. It is an antiquated tool that tends to pit the inmates against the staff and create alliances where none existed prior to the mass punishment. Additionally, if the same type of punishment is used repeatedly, it will quickly become leveraged against the staff. It is no longer punishment, it becomes a way to manipulate the staff into doing what the inmates want.
To effectively eliminate the staff would have to pinpoint the individuals who broke the rules when problems arise. Often times that is difficult, but given the advancements in technology – cameras, microphones, digitally recorded phone calls and electronic mail to scan every email and letter – the staff investigating infractions or illegal activity have little explanation for why they cannot determine who is responsible. It also requires a revolution in penological thought: the staff cannot respond immediately. They must pause while they allow their investigators to work and then those responsible can be held accountable.
Then, the second half of the change would become the opposite side of the coin: rewarding positive accomplishments. Positive reinforcement has been proven to work in all types of training. You just have to have the right carrot, or the right cookie. If an inmate is behaving and goes an extended period of time with no infractions, or has accomplished positive things (GEDs, College degrees, finishing VTs or apprenticeships, RDAP, FIT), a reward is the best way to ensure continued good behavior or positive accomplishments. It needn’t entail an early release, there are minor things all inmates want: better housing, better food, more time on the phone or in visitation, better commissary products or access to different products. There is a long list that any inmate could, at the drop of a dime, spit out with pleasure so that any staff member could immediately begin improving their stay in prison. It could be something as simple as ensuring all the communication outlets work: computers, charging stations, telephones, video visit computers, etc. This isn’t actually an “incentive” but it will lessen the angst when trying to communicate or use their electronics. After the inmate(s) have maintained good behavior and no infractions for years, then freedom could be considered an option, much like the FSA Time Credits, or “Earning Freedom”, as Michael Santos calls it.
Naturally there is a side effect to this change in penelogical procedures: castes of those rewarded and those that are not. It could lead to tension or problems. But the Bureau of Prisons already anticipates these types of castes and immediately steps down the security level for males in confinement. It is also another way to show inmates who cannot stay out of trouble or who do not want to attend classes or contribute positively to their community, that they are missing out. Prison, no matter what custody level, can quickly become a meritocracy instead of a system of seniority or the most attention given to the “problem children.” There is also the idea that mass punishment has not worked thus far in correcting behavior in prison, so why not try something so radical that no one believes it will work? Invest an entire agency into the idea that rewarding good behavior and eliminating mass punishment will be the direction for the next 30-40 years of confining people and see what type of inmates are then released into society.
How are you serving your community?
FCI-Aliceville has created a Peer Success Program spearheaded by one inmate and managed across the dorms by 12 other women in conjunction with Michael Santos. As one of the leaders in a unit, I am working almost every day to create a sea change amongst the women. We are working to exchange bad habits for good ones, plant the seeds of preparing for re-entry, introduce the books and tools that Michael Santos has created, and in general, create a better morale so that the women here are not bound by prison limitations or a prisoner’s mentality. It is a novel thought for prisoners to invest in their community so that they take care of each other or their quarters. Each day brings new challenges.
The leaders meet several times a month and then weekly in the dorms to make sure the individual dorm mentors are carrying on the same expected events: biography workshops, poetry slams, scavenger hunts, re-entry workshops, counseling for help with parenting from prison, goal setting, budgeting in prison, etc. Each unit has some autonomy necessary for the mentors and leader to gauge the mood of the inmates in their dorm, but overall the program is run cohesively so that there is always someone to speak to for any problem that could arise. And the mentors, leaders and mentors-in-training are all working to assist the women transition into or out of prison successfully so that it stops being a horrible experience where few leave prison with skills or knowledge.
In what ways are the skills you’re developing now going to influence your future?
Many of the skills I am practicing in the Peer Success Program involve working closely with others to create a larger success. I am acting on behalf of the Program creator as a unit leader so I am focusing on my communication skills with different types of individuals, networking to accomplish various goals, delegating activities to workers with specific abilities, and giving people other options so they don’t need to get caught up in popular prison pastimes. Occasionally I must deal with mentors who are not living up to their full potential so I must pause to assess the root cause. If it can be adjusted so they can resume working within the structure of the program, then we can move on. If the problem cannot be solved, then I must release them from the group. Managing inmates is challenging even on the best day, so I am learning how to deal with some of the most difficult people and convince them to work together for the betterment of their community.
I have also been studying the Michael Santos books, guide and workbooks – not just for myself but also to be able to teach others exactly how to make it work for them. The Santos Program helps inmates focus their thoughts on their future and figure out how to make those thoughts into goals and then how to make those goals attainable.
These skills will help me whenever I am released because I will be able to communicate with almost any type of person in almost any type of situation. I hope to be able to manage people at a business one day and also give back to my community by getting involved in some type of program for trouble kids. Communication is key, no matter what job one has. Additionally, I will need lived experience so that teenagers can relate to me when I’m talking about making better choices. It will be very rewarding to be able to use the skills I have gained through the Peer Success Program as well as the Santos books/program to help others, no matter where I am or what I’m doing.
