Conflict Management

Over the last 25 years of my incarceration a lot of things have changed. When I first came to prison there was a distinction between someone who identified as a convict vs someone who was an inmate. Today the Department of Corrections refers to the inmate population as “offenders”. While I could probably explain the distinction and what makes a prisoner a convict vs an inmate vs an offender it’s really not all that important to me. I have never identified as any of those things. I have an inmate state number the Department of Corrections identifies me by and I understand this but it’s not who I am. Despite having lived in prison for 25 years, this isn’t my home. At least not in my mind and my heart.It’s interesting to me how over the years society has come to accept someone’s personal “identity” as a matter of fact.Today it has become increasingly acceptable to be able to identify as a male or a female despite the biology of one’s birth. Men can be women and visa versa simply by identity preference. Even in prison there are many men who identify as women and amazingly the Department of Corrections actually honors their preferred identities and makes special accommodations for them. This got me thinking about how I might fare if I were to make a formal declaration that I identify as a free person. That after 25 years of incarceration I no longer identify (and in fact have never identified) as a convict, inmate, or offender but that I am a free man who would like to transition into freedom. If anyone is aware of a legally protected right that would allow me to do this, please hit me up on one of my social media sites.I know it sounds kind of ridiculous but I wanted to begin with an absurdity to get your attention so that I could discuss another absurdity.River North Correctional Center is currently on some kind of wired quasi modified lockdown status following several incidents.Apparently there have been some gang related fights over control of the phones, several drug overdoses, an assault on staff and some other prison related foolishness.In response, the administration has limited the amount of time out of our cells to 1 hour a day 10 cells at a time for EVERYONE not even involved in these behavioral issues here at the prison.I’m sure there are many people reading this who are of the opinion that prison should suck and freedoms and liberties should be limited. Let me assure those people that it does suck and prison “life” is more of an existence than anything else.Being in prison is a terrible if not torturous experience. I could enumerate the horrors of prison but I’m afraid it would only come across as if I were “crying” and I don’t want to make this particular blog about my personal dissatisfaction with my experience in prison.What I really want to talk about more than anything is the “philosophy” of corrections. How do we manage the multitude of disciplinary issues that arise in this prison or in any prison here in Virginia?The fact of the matter is the Vadoc has many of the same problems society has. There is a gang problem in most prisons. Despite the fact there are rules prohibiting gang association and gang activity this behavior is largely overlooked. Which is really a tragedy because the overwhelming majority of all prison violence and disruption stems from the virtually unchecked gang populations.Much like today’s society, Virginia prisons also have a drug problem. Drugs inevitably find their way into the prison system and sadly it’s very much a part of the culture here. I say sadly because it’s no secret 75% to 80% of those who end up in prison have a preexisting drug and or alcohol problem. It’s almost inevitable…if you put predisposed addicts and alcoholics in an environment surrounded by violence, despair, inactivity, hopelessness and mindlessness and make drugs available, what would you expect the outcome to be?I have written previously and I will restate it here in this space that corrections as a whole is failing society and it’s failing those it claims to be correcting.River North has an inmate population with a drug and a gang problem. Same as every prison within the Vadoc. The Department of Corrections knows this and the administrations of each prison are aware these issues exist.This is often a difficult environment to navigate. Despite the fact I do my best to avoid all these issues and the problems that inevitably arise from being around them, I find myself at 56 years old and 25 years into my OWN incarceration continuously being subjected to the inexplicable philosophy that “punishes” a whole prison population for the actions of others. I emphasized the word OWN because decades ago when I was sentenced to prison I am certain the judge sentenced me to serve MY time and not the time of the hundreds and thousands of other offenders around me.Years ago when I was still at the local jail awaiting sentencing someone gave me a book called the “Prison Survival Handbook” Something similar to Surviving Prison for Dummies. Basically, this book stated if you want to survive your prison experience stay away from; drugs, gambling, borrowing & lending money, and homosexual behavior. To that I would add gang association which has become a problem today that it wasn’t when this book was apparently published.According to my experience, most people can survive their prison experience by following these few simple rules.Speaking of rules, the Vadoc has many rules prohibiting many different behaviors and consequences for the individuals who break them. These rules and the disciplinary procedures are outlined for us in Operating Procedure 861.https://www.vadoc.virginia.gov/files/operating-procedures/800/vadoc-op-861-1-rh.pdf

The Vadoc makes these rules available to us and each individual person is supposed to be accountable for their own behavior.When an inmate breaks one of the many rules that individual person is expected to face the consequences for their own choices.I don’t know how many people were involved in the disciplinary issues here at River North that resulted in the prison being locked down but I’m CERTAIN the administration here knows exactly who is responsible and for what behaviors. This prison is wired with dozens and dozens of cameras that give the officials here perfect knowledge and understanding for who is responsible for what when things happen.The administration can then write charges according to the disciplinary procedures, put individuals in segregation and even transfer those individuals to a higher security level prison when it’s appropriate.Despite having these consequences available to hold individual offenders accountable, the administration is choosing to hold hundreds of inmates accountable for the actions of some.Twenty plus years ago the Vadoc “sold” Virginians on the need to build 2 massive maximum security level prisons in south western Virginia. Virginians were told the state needed these two 900 bed facilities to house the worst of the worst of Virginia’s inmates. Wallens Ridge State Prison and Red Onion State Prison cost Virginians close to 200 million dollars just to build. I don’t have access to the information that would tell me how much these prisons cost Virginians to operate.My point is THESE maximum security level prisons were built and remain in operation to house the kinds of inmates who fight over the phones, the gang bangers, the drug offenders and other disciplinary problem inmates.Each security level prison has a certain amount of privileges and “liberties” that create incentives for those who follow the rules. The lower the security level the more privileges and liberties for each inmate. Prisons in Virginia are assigned security levels ranging from level 1 to level 5.River North is a security level 4 prison and based on that designation has certain privileges and liberties. When inmates here at this level don’t follow the rules they should be individually accountable for their OWN behavior.The administration has the ability to identify problem inmates and transfer them to maximum security level prisons for appropriate management. It’s a merit system that also “rewards” inmates who follow the rules and allows these individuals to transfer to lower security level prisons.With this merit system available to the Vadoc and the administrations of each prison it’s inexcusable that the entire River North prison population is currently locked down because of the behavior of a handful of offenders.The Vadoc has gang unit task forces that know EXACTLY who the gang affiliated inmates are. The administration does little to nothing to hold these individuals accountable for their lifestyle choices. The Vadoc could designate whole prisons to manage its gang populations. Instead they leave them in the general populations with the non gang affiliated inmate populations. As the Virginia inmate population gets increasingly older and even geriatric this causes a significant problem for a demographic that can no longer defend itself.Most housing areas have 5-6 phones for up to 80-90 inmates to “share”. When problems inevitably arise over use and control of the phones, prison officials blame the inmates rather than take any personal accountability for the impossible situation they have created.Likewise the drug epidemic within our prison system is not being aggressively fought by the prison system. Officials are quick to lock a prison down when there are overdoses but where are the proactive treatment programs? Why aren’t inmates being drug tested more frequently? Why aren’t special housing units being utilized for repeat drug offenders? Or why aren’t the inmate populations given healthier options for serving their time? WHY aren’t prison officials holding THEMSELVES accountable for HOW these drugs are even getting into these supposedly secure environments?As I have said, I believe corrections are failing society and the citizens that are being sent to prison for “correcting”. The Vadoc annual budget is $1.5 BILLION dollars a year! I will repeat this figure in blog after blog until Virginia tax payers start holding Vadoc administrators accountable. For that kind of money surely Virginia can do better.Politicians cite recidivism statistics to “justify” mass incarceration and no parole policies that keep inmates incarcerated well into old age when the philosophy of corrections is failing society at every level.It’s a failing and broken system. Today I haven’t been outside for 3 weeks and counting. I haven’t gotten any exercise, fresh air or sunlight in that amount of time. I am only getting out of the cell for one hour a day and not always even for this amount of time. My access to the phones and the kiosks to call or email my family and loved ones has been severely limited or denied. How is this in any way acceptable when it’s not even humane!It’s certainly not “corrective” because none of us have even been told by the administration exactly what’s going on. No one has informed anyone why these restrictions are being imposed on us. Most of us are just guessing about what is going on and or trying to put bits and pieces of information together.Even when you punish a dog you tell him WHY he is being punished. Otherwise, it’s ineffective!For years I’ve always tried to go with the flow in here. I’ve often said, “Far be it for me to tell these people how to incarcerate me”. But as I’ve gotten older I have come to believe if you aren’t a part of the solution you are a part of the problem.Hopefully through my insight and my conversation about these things I can contribute to the solution which is my only objective in this space.

And remember:

The Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) is continuing its efforts to halt the attempted stream of drugs and contraband into its facilities, by urging individuals to anonymously call its recently created Drug and Contraband Tipline at 540-830-9280.

https://vadoc.virginia.gov/news-press-releases/2024/vadoc-launches-tipline-to-prevent-flow-of-drugs-and-contraband-into-facilities/

Thanks, Jeffrey Shortal