Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Correctional Institution

During our stay in Wisconsin we were able to experience something that most people never get to do.  We went to prison and came out the same day! A staff member at a Maximum Security Prison arranged for us to tour the facility.  Scenes from “Cool Hand Luke” and “The Shawshank Redemption” flashed through our heads and Priscilla was more than a little anxious about what she would see and how she would feel.  



The institution is listed as an Historic building (the main building having been built in 1897 as a reformatory for males ages 17-30 years).  It is situated on approximately 28 acres surrounded by a 22ft, high perimeter wall, approximately 3ft thick and with 6 armed towers. Since then it has been expanded several times and now accommodates approximately 1100 male inmates. No one has ever escaped from this prison although, of course, there have been attempts.

During our stay in Wisconsin we were able to experience something that most people never get to do.  We went to prison and came out the same day! A staff member at a Maximum Security Prison arranged for us to tour the facility.  Scenes from “Cool Hand Luke” and “The Shawshank Redemption” flashed through our heads and Priscilla was more than a little anxious about what she would see and how she would feel.  

The institution is listed as an Historic building (the main building having been built in 1897 as a reformatory for males ages 17-30 years).  It is situated on approximately 28 acres surrounded by a 22ft, high perimeter wall, approximately 3ft thick and with 6 armed towers. Since then it has been expanded several times and now accommodates approximately 1100 male inmates. No one has ever escaped from this prison although, of course, there have been attempts.

As a visitor, you approach an imposing dark grey building that, frankly, looks a little menacing. We left purses, cell phones, keys, etc. in the car and went through some serious security before joining our staff member for the tour.  Four sets of gates clanged shut behind us before we arrived in the Rotunda, the central area of the prison.  The inmates probably don’t appreciate the frescoes, the granite pillars, etc. in the Rotunda but it is an impressive area.  Two cell halls, showers, a dining hall and the school hall lead off from the Rotunda.  At least 4 guards were present in the Rotunda during the time we were there.  There are approximately 400 guards and staff on duty at the institution.

Most of the inmates are serving life sentences with basically no hope of ever leaving this or some other correctional institution.  One would think that there would be a feeling of ‘gloom and doom’ but this is not what we saw.  Keeping in mind that we did not see the cell halls, Priscilla remarked that it felt like the boarding schools she went to except for the high walls and the guards in uniforms!  

Part of the Institution’s mission statement is to provide the offenders with opportunities to participate in meaningful programs and activities and help them with resources for essential re-entry into society (whether or not they will be eligible for this some day).  We certainly saw the signs of that policy.

We learned there are strict regulations for everything.  Inmates are not permitted to move about the prison without a pass or being accompanied by an officer or a staff member.   We saw inmates walking to class (classes are mandatory for inmates under the age of 18), to the library (a good selection of books as well as computers with access only to case law) and returning from a musical practice session for the upcoming graduation ceremony. This is not exactly what we were expecting.

All vocational programs are certified by a local technical college and inmates must achieve the same qualifications as the students at the college. We visited the woodworking shop where inmates make furniture for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and we were extremely impressed with the tools available and the quality of the work.  We passed by the Barber Shop where both inmates and staff can have their hair cut. There is also a workshop dedicated to painting and staining  furniture, a Masonry workshop and an Electric workshop is in the process of being set up.

All inmates are dressed in army green trousers and beige colored shirts.  We did see a couple of inmates dressed in orange, escorted by guards, which means they were either in transit to or from a court hearing or the Segregation block. That was the closest we came to the ‘realities’ of prison life.  There is a special block for inmates classified as educationally challenged and who could be victims of abuse in the general inmate population.  There is a health facility offering physical as well as psychological services.  There is also a church on the grounds and services are provided for all religions.

What we learned was that the penalty for disobeying the regulations (and there are many) is severe and the inmates are well aware of this.  They have the choice to live within the system or learn the hard way, which results in loss of recreation privileges, lock down or, worse - segregation.   Occasionally fights will erupt between inmates but the guards and staff are trained to spot potential trouble and take action before major problems arise.  Problem inmates - particularly gang leaders - are transferred to other correctional institutions.

Inmates earn money when doing vocational work as well as when they attend school.  Pay ranges from 15 cents an hour (to attend school) up to $1.00 an hour depending on the work assignment. The money is spent on hygiene items.  No alcohol or cigarettes are allowed although contraband is somehow smuggled into the prison and the guards are always on the lookout for it.  

At the end of our tour we left with a greater understanding of the job that the guards and staff of a correctional institution do every day.  Twice a month they attend mandatory training days.  We had a better understanding of the potential dangers they face every day as well as the state regulations that protect both the inmates and the guards.  Nothing is left to chance.  Every minute of every day for every inmate is planned and accounted for. It is a huge job and one that, as far as we could tell, works very well.   

The bottom line is that this is a maximum security prison and the inmates are there because they have committed some very serious crimes that have destroyed the lives of many people, including their own.  They are still human beings and are treated as such, however, rules must be obeyed or serious consequences will be faced.  Unfortunately, there is a small proportion of the inmate population that has chosen not to conform.  These are the ones that fall through the cracks, land up in segregation or being sent on to other correctional institutions.  This is not so much due to prison policy but because of their background and their inability to accept responsibility for their actions and conform to the system.

Is our correctional system the best?  Maybe not.  But, having seen one institution first hand, we have come away with a better understanding of the efforts that are made to ensure the safety of the public, the staff and the offenders by operating safe, secure and humane institutions.  This is an experience we will never forget.
As a visitor, you approach an imposing dark grey building that, frankly, looks a little menacing. We left purses, cell phones, keys, etc. in the car and went through some serious security before joining our staff member for the tour.  Four sets of gates clanged shut behind us before we arrived in the Rotunda, the central area of the prison.  The inmates probably don’t appreciate the frescoes, the granite pillars, etc. in the Rotunda but it is an impressive area.  Two cell halls, showers, a dining hall and the school hall lead off from the Rotunda.  At least 4 guards were present in the Rotunda during the time we were there.  There are approximately 400 guards and staff on duty at the institution.

Most of the inmates are serving life sentences with basically no hope of ever leaving this or some other correctional institution.  One would think that there would be a feeling of ‘gloom and doom’ but this is not what we saw.  Keeping in mind that we did not see the cell halls, Priscilla remarked that it felt like the boarding schools she went to except for the high walls and the guards in uniforms!  

Part of the Institution’s mission statement is to provide the offenders with opportunities to participate in meaningful programs and activities and help them with resources for essential re-entry into society (whether or not they will be eligible for this some day).  We certainly saw the signs of that policy.

We learned there are strict regulations for everything.  Inmates are not permitted to move about the prison without a pass or being accompanied by an officer or a staff member.   We saw inmates walking to class (classes are mandatory for inmates under the age of 18), to the library (a good selection of books as well as computers with access only to case law) and returning from a musical practice session for the upcoming graduation ceremony. This is not exactly what we were expecting.

All vocational programs are certified by a local technical college and inmates must achieve the same qualifications as the students at the college. We visited the woodworking shop where inmates make furniture for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and we were extremely impressed with the tools available and the quality of the work.  We passed by the Barber Shop where both inmates and staff can have their hair cut. There is also a workshop dedicated to painting and staining  furniture, a Masonry workshop and an Electric workshop is in the process of being set up.

All inmates are dressed in army green trousers and beige colored shirts.  We did see a couple of inmates dressed in orange, escorted by guards, which means they were either in transit to or from a court hearing or the Segregation block. That was the closest we came to the ‘realities’ of prison life.  There is a special block for inmates classified as educationally challenged and who could be victims of abuse in the general inmate population.  There is a health facility offering physical as well as psychological services.  There is also a church on the grounds and services are provided for all religions.

What we learned was that the penalty for disobeying the regulations (and there are many) is severe and the inmates are well aware of this.  They have the choice to live within the system or learn the hard way, which results in loss of recreation privileges, lock down or, worse - segregation.   Occasionally fights will erupt between inmates but the guards and staff are trained to spot potential trouble and take action before major problems arise.  Problem inmates - particularly gang leaders - are transferred to other correctional institutions.

Inmates earn money when doing vocational work as well as when they attend school.  Pay ranges from 15 cents an hour (to attend school) up to $1.00 an hour depending on the work assignment. The money is spent on hygiene items.  No alcohol or cigarettes are allowed although contraband is somehow smuggled into the prison and the guards are always on the lookout for it.  

At the end of our tour we left with a greater understanding of the job that the guards and staff of a correctional institution do every day.  Twice a month they attend mandatory training days.  We had a better understanding of the potential dangers they face every day as well as the state regulations that protect both the inmates and the guards.  Nothing is left to chance.  Every minute of every day for every inmate is planned and accounted for. It is a huge job and one that, as far as we could tell, works very well.   

The bottom line is that this is a maximum security prison and the inmates are there because they have committed some very serious crimes that have destroyed the lives of many people, including their own.  They are still human beings and are treated as such, however, rules must be obeyed or serious consequences will be faced.  Unfortunately, there is a small proportion of the inmate population that has chosen not to conform.  These are the ones that fall through the cracks, land up in segregation or being sent on to other correctional institutions.  This is not so much due to prison policy but because of their background and their inability to accept responsibility for their actions and conform to the system.

Is our correctional system the best?  Maybe not.  But, having seen one institution first hand, we have come away with a better understanding of the efforts that are made to ensure the safety of the public, the staff and the offenders by operating safe, secure and humane institutions.  This is an experience we will never forget.

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