Retaliation

By Jay Goodman

By now, the reader of this literature, either has the opinion, something is very wrong inside the Texas prisons, or this is the best fantasy writer of all time. I will say this for Texas. They have made it easy for people to look up the decades and decades of mistreatment that has gone on in here. I try not to blow up at those that clap at the atrocities prisoners have endured and continue to endure in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. These are the same people that believe the Jewish people were never slaughtered by Hitler during World War II. Remember these words when you hear them again. We are from the Government, and we are here to help. Be afraid, very afraid. I still have yet to see one person that comes into each prison for an inspection. Whether it’s an audit, safety, or health inspectors from Huntsville or Austin, to ever sit down with the inmates and really ask, what’s going on?

These people could care less if we’re being beaten, starved or killed. Even after the “Quota system” and planting contraband was exposed at the Ramsey Unit, last year. The only thing John Whitmire, chairman of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee said was, “Every time I think I’ve seen everything, I see this. We don’t condone speeding ticket quotas, why would we have quotas in prison?” It sounds good Mr. Whitmire, but surely you know this is not an isolated case. This type of system has always gone on. Also, Mr. Whitmire, if you think for a moment this is terrible? Send some people out to all of the Texas prisons who actually care. Have these people spend a week or so talking to the men and women inside these prisons. Then, my friend you will be shocked at what is really going on.

No one starts out serving their sentence in the Texas prisons with the intent of being a writ writer, “Jail House Lawyer”, “Grievance Writer”. You would have to have no moral fortitude to witness evil in its most primal state and do nothing to fight it! Because we are convicted felons, does not mean we have no ethics. We broke the law, and as our punishment we have been sent to prison. We have had our freedom taken from us. We have lost years, or decades, with all of our family and friends. Many of us will watch our mother’s and father’s die. I have lost both of my parents here where I sit now, and believe me, I have suffered. Fourteen years have gone out of my life. Is that not punishment enough? The problem begins with misconception. We were sent here as punishment, not to be punished. Therein lies the problem. Is everyone in prison guilty? “No”, then how do you compensate a person that has been mistreated? Let’s look at the prisoners who have worked hard to change. Who have attended school, college, vocation classes, and have done everything in their power to change, so they can go home. Then to have been set up by guards with drugs or shanks, or written fake cases to cover the “Quota act”, put in place to keep us in here. To work for these industries for free. How do you compensate these prisoners? How do you compensate these inmates children, who have lost years or decades with their fathers or mothers? Because you have to keep these prisons full. You can’t. You will never receive an apology from any Government agency, especially anyone that works for the Texas prison system. In fact, even when the Texas prison system has broken the law, by violating our constitutional rights. Allowing prisoners to be cooked to death inside their cells that have reached to over one hundred and twenty degrees. Instead of doing the right thing, they will spend millions of dollars fighting something they already know they did wrong. Now tell me, that’s not insane? They do it all the time. They don’t care, guards, ranking officers, and wardens have conspired to write false disciplinary cases. Planted shanks, drugs, or other illegal contraband on prisoners. They won’t even fire the ones they catch lying, stealing, falsifying disciplinary cases. Such as in the “Quota act”, setting prisoners up, assaulting inmates. If the state of Texas used harsh treatment on the dirty employees as they do us, none of this would go on.

Now, let’s look at Michael Morton’s case. What happened to this case after it was won? The Texas legislature passed a law called the “Michael Morton Act”. Yes, except anyone who was wrongfully convicted before this act, cannot use this act to free themselves from prison. So what happened to the D.A. that withheld this evidence? Nothing of consequence, in fact, he was a sitting judge when this case came to light.

Enough about our broken legal system. Let’s focus our energy on TDCJ retaliation and harassment tactics. Let’s review ED-02.01 code of ethical conduct. This is the contract that “every” person that works for the Texas prison system has to sign before they are employed. I suggest you review this policy. This policy is so violative that TDCJ has removed it from its approved directives list (for the prisoners). In this executive directive (ED-Policy), everyone agrees to maintain the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and impartiality. Uphold all Federal, State, and Local Laws, and adhere to the TDCJ’s policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. Be firm, fair, and consistent in the performance of their duties. Without Retribution, Retaliation, Harassment, or Abuse Toward Others. Provide and support the provision of Humane Custody, Supervision, and Care of Prisoners. Where is this place at? Please sign me up! Now let’s rewind back to reality. Very few officers abide by this policy. Truthfully, not even the ranking officers or wardens either. That’s why there’s a TDCJ PD-22, general rules of conduct and disciplinary action guidelines for employees.

As I have written several places in my book about the Grievance system being nothing more than a formality that prisons in Texas have to put up with. Because, they were forced to by a federal judge. Needless to say, even when a prisoner writes a grievance and has witnesses, your step one response will read: your step one grievance has been reviewed. There was no evidence of staff misconduct, etc, etc, etc. Remember everyone here in TDCJ are incarcerated for violating the Texas code of criminal procedure / penal code for being liars. “NOT” – what we are here for and that is breaking the law. What’s the difference between an officer and an inmate? The officer has not been caught yet.

Now let’s take a look at ED-03.03 Safe Prison Program listed as occurring on 8/12/13. This policy/procedure is codified under the Texas Government Code. Here are the sections we should concern ourselves with. Section 493.001 Department Mission: The mission of the department is to provide public safety, promote positive change in inmates behavior, reintegrate inmates into society, and assist victims of crime. OK, before we move on with anything, let’s review this section. Your mission is to promote positive change in prisoners behavior and reintegrate prisoners into society. If by positive change you mean writing fake cases, tearing up or stealing prisoners personal property. Sexually assaulting prisoners, putting prisoners in segregation and calling it “General Population Overflow”. Shipping prisoners who use the grievance system or legal system to expose abuses at their prison. House prisoners out of spite with violent/mentally ill prisoners, house mentally ill prisoners in segregation/isolation. Place prisoners with sexual deviant prisoners (rapist who prey on other prisoners). Place prisoners on continuous transit (which is to move us from unit to unit). Just because they use the grievance procedure or the court system. WOW! All this time I did not know I was being rehabilitated. Call me stupid!

How about section 493.006(B) Executive Director: The Executive Director is responsible for the administration and enforcement of all laws relating to the Department including rules implemented by the department. But, may delegate those responsibilities as permitted by board rule or general law. Basically, this section states that the Executive Director receives a free paycheck. If I’m the E.D. and I delegate power to a moron. I cannot be held accountable for the moron’s action. Sweet.

What about section 494.001 Institutional Division Mission: The mission of the Institutional Division is to provide safe and appropriate confinement, supervision, rehabilitation, and reintegration of adult felons, and to effectively manage or administer correctional facilities on constitutional standards. To this section I’ll say, “Houston we have a problem”. There is “NO” rehabilitation or reintegration. How can someone who was locked-up, when pagers were around, understand today’s technology? They can’t. You expect someone who has 20, 25, 30 years or more to actually understand today’s society and technology? What planet are you living on? If by safe and appropriate confinement you mean physical ailments; roaches, rats, spiders, high starch diets, sticking the entire prison on lockdown for a month or longer. Why you feed everyone one bologna sandwich and one peanut butter sandwich, and call it a balanced diet? Physical and Mental Brutality, literally cooking us to death in our cells that are over a hundred degrees. Ten prisoners were cooked to death in a 26-day span in 2011 alone. Forcing guards to enforce a “Quota System” of writing fake disciplinary cases. Setting prisoners up with shanks, drugs and other forms of illegal contraband. Beating prisoners, and let’s not forget, raping and killing prisoners. If anyone ever treated their animals as the state of Texas treats their prisoners, someone would step up and speak out for the animal’s rights! Whatever constitutional standards the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is using, must be in their Communistic Manifesto. As far as statutory standards, they must use the rules for Monopoly; they certainly have the real estate part down. Oh, and enough slaves to take care of it.

Now for section 501.001, Discrimination Against Inmates Prohibited: The Institutional Division and the Director of the Institutional Division may not discriminate against an inmate on the basis of their, sex, race, color, or national origin. Notice how this rule conveniently leaves out anyone who is using the grievance system or the court system to show the abuses that are happening in here every single day. Think of it in these terms. Jaywalking is a crime, but who really enforces it? TDCJ violates PD-22 and ED-02.01, but who really enforces it? “NO ONE!” And because nobody enforces these policies the prisoners are abused in every way possible. It’s the biggest reason they take advantage of all the people serving time in Texas. Guards, ranking officers, know they can abuse us. They know if they get caught doing something wrong, it’s no big deal, because the Puppetmasters, “will not do anything”. A little slap on the hand, maybe, if it’s bad enough they will get demoted. Like the ranking officers and warden at the Ramsey Unit did. And, within a year they’ll have their same position back. Then they will be right back to lying, stealing, and abusing the prisoners just like they always have.