WELL IT'S POLITICS AS USUAL IN ARIZONA. LAST MONTH THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS STARTED USING ITS PRISONERS ON CHAIN GANGS. THEY CLAIM THIS
IS NECESSARY AS A TOOL TO PUNISH A PORTION OF THE INMATE POPULATION
THAT WILL NOT CONFORM TO THE RULES. IT IS CLEAR THAT GOVERNOR SYMINGTON
AND THE OTHER POLITICIANS FEEL THAT THE SIGHT OF PRISONERS TOILING AT
WEED REMOVAL AND THE BREAKING OF LARGE CONCRETE SLABS INTO SMALLER
CONCRETE SLABS EMBODIES ALL OF THE GET TOUGH REFORMS THAT HAVE BEEN
ADVOCATED FOR THE LAST DECADE OR MORE. AND IT DOESN'T HURT IN THE AREA
OF VOTE GETTING.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS REMEDIES CRIME, RATHER THERE IS
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT HUMILIATING PRISONERS DOES LITTLE TO
PREVENT RECIDIVISM. MOST PEOPLE ARE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT FEAR
OF THE LAW CREATES RESPECT FOR THE LAW. THE LAST TIME CHAIN GANGS CAME
TO AN END IT WASN'T BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CRUEL AND UNUSUAL
PUNISHMENT, THAT QUESTION WAS NEVER DECIDED BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT,
BUT THEY ENDED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KEEP PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING  CRIMES.
POLITICIANS CLAIM AGAIN THAT THIS WILL REDUCE CRIME BUT WHERE IS PROOF?
WHERE ARE THE STUDIES. IF SOCIETY DOESN'T LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF THE
PAST, THEN THEY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT THEM.

MOST PEOPLE AGREE THAT PUNISHMENT IS A GOOD THING. BUT TOO MUCH
PUNISHMENT CAN BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE HARM  CREATED
BY PRISONS ISN'T LIMITED JUST TO OFFENDERS, IT ALSO AFFECT SPOUSES,
PARTNERS, CHILDREN AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS  - USUALLY THE INFLICTION OF
HARM UPON INNOCENT CITIZENS.

IF WE OVER IMPRISON AND FOR TOO LONG, AS WELL AS DEGRADE AND HUMILIATE,
WE LOSE THE VALUE WE WANT FROM OUR TAX DOLLARS. DOLLARS AND LIVES ARE
WASTED. THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG SO FAR TO THE RIGHT THAT WE ARE DOING
MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

WITH ALL THE POLITICAL TALK OF REINVENTING GOVERNMENT, WHY ARE WE
COMMITTED TO THE SAME POLICIES? ONE REASON IS THAT OUR GOVERNORS AND
LAWMAKERS ARE STUCK  IN THE SAME PARADIGM THAT’S BEEN IN VOGUE FOR THE
PAST 20 YEARS. THAT THEME DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE MAIN ISSUES OF THE
CRIME DEBATE: DRUGS, RACE, EDUCATION, MENTAL ILLNESS, AND THE WEAKENING
OF THE FAMILY UNIT.

PREVENTION PROGRAMS ARE NEEDED, IF FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND ON PRISONS
WE SPENT TWO DOLLARS ON PREVENTING CRIME, SOME GOOD MIGHT COME. INSTEAD
OF TAX BREAKS FOR THE WEALTHY WE SHOULD CREATE TAX SAVINGS FOR PEOPLE
AND BUSINESSES WHO IMPLEMENT CRIME PREVENTION MEASURES.

IT IS A FACT THAT ARIZONA HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF TEENAGE PREGNANCIES IN
THE NATION. WHY DOESN'T A BRAVE POLITICIAN GO OUT ON A LIMB AND TRY TO
FIND A WAY OF DELAYING THESE PREGNANCIES OF UNMARRIED TEENAGE GIRLS IN
ORDER TO LOWER THE CRIME RATES IN THE NEXT CENTURY. THE REASON IS
PERHAPS THE SAME AS WHY THEY AREN'T INTERESTED IN ANY PREVENTIVE
MEASURES BECAUSE IT TAKES YEARS TO SHOW PROOF THAT THESE MEASURES ARE
EFFECTIVE AND MOST POLITICIANS NEED INSTANT GRATIFICATION. AN IN-YOUR-
FACE APPROACH, A SOUND BITE TO GET VOTES.

LAST WEEK A DEATH ROW INMATE WAS GRANTED A LAST MINUTE STAY BY THE
ARIZONA SUPREME COURT. WITHIN HOURS OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT OUR GOVERNOR
CALLED A PRESS CONFERENCE AND GOT UP ON HIS SOAP BOX AND DECRIED THE
STAY CITING WITH THE GRIEVING VICTIM’S FAMILY THAT CLOSURE MUST COME. HE
ACCUSED THE SUPREME COURT OF PLAYING POLITICS AND CALLED FOR AN
INVESTIGATION. AT THE SAME TIME HE DECIDED THAT DEATH ROW INMATES WOULD
BE PUT TO HEAVY LABOR ON THE CHAIN GANG AND WILL LOSE THEIR PRIVILEGES.
HE VOWED A STUDY INTO THE JUDICIAL ACTIVISM OF THE COURT AND HOW THIS
TYPE OF ACTION WAS MAKING THE U.S. A LAND WHERE VICIOUS KILLERS BECAME
MEDIA STARS AND ESCAPE THEIR PUNISHMENT WITH THE VICTIMS SUFFERING FOR
YEARS. SO TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PUNISHMENT AND SUFFERING FOR DEATH ROW
INMATES, HE IS NOW CONSULTING WITH SAM LEWIS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS TO FORMULATE A PROGRAM TO PUT THE 121 DEATH ROW INMATES TO
HARD LABOR OF DIGGING HOLES AND BREAKING LARGE CONCRETE SLABS INTO
SMALLER CONCRETE SLABS. THESE WORK GANGS WOULD WORK INSIDE THE PRISON
WALLS INSTEAD OF ALONGSIDE THE HIGHWAYS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OBSTACLES TO THIS AS I SEE IT. FIRST OF ALL, WE
WERE SENTENCED TO DEATH, NOT HARD LABOR. NOWHERE IN THE STATUTE DOES IT
SAY WE ARE TO BE SENTENCED TO ANY OTHER PUNISHMENT BESIDES DEATH. THE
LAW WOULD HAVE TO BE REWRITTEN AND THEN IT WOULD APPLY TO THOSE
SENTENCED AFTER IT WAS REWRITTEN. THE SECOND OBSTACLE IS THAT MANY DEATH
ROW PRISONERS HERE WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SHOVEL OR
SLEDGE HAMMER IN THEIR HANDS TO ENABLE RETRIBUTION OF CERTAIN PRISON
GUARDS AND SOME PARTICULAR INMATES.

WHAT ARE PRISONERS LEARNING? VERY LITTLE, THANKS TO THE CURRENT
POLITICAL CLIMATE IN THIS COUNTRY. RECENTLY THE CONGRESS VOTED TO STOP
ALL PELL GRANTS FUNDS FOR INMATES. TERMINATION OF AID TO INMATES FOR
HIGHER EDUCATION IS JUST THE LATEST EXPRESSION OF OUR SOCIETY’S
AMBIVALENCE ABOUT WHAT PRISONS ARE FOR. WE LOCK PEOPLE UP SO THEY WILL
COME OUT CHANGED FOR THE BETTER, READY TO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. THESE CONFLICTING GOALS HAVE BEEN AT WAR THROUGHOUT THE
HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN PENITENTIARY.

IN THE 18TH CENTURY PRISONERS WERE KEPT IN ISOLATION - SEPARATE CELLS,
COMPLETE SOLITUDE. IN THE 19TH CENTURY THIS CHANGED. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE
CHEAP LABOR FOR PRISON CONSTRUCTION, INMATES WERE PUT ON WORK DETAILS IN
QUARRIES TO PROVIDE STONE FOR NEW PRISONS. FURTHER ALONG IT BECAME
POPULAR TO HARNESS THE LABOR OF INMATES WITHOUT THE BOTHER AND EXPENSE
OF PAYING A LIVING WAGE. THIS PROVED SO POPULAR AMONG BUSINESSMEN THAT
ORGANIZATIONS OF FREE WORLD MECHANICS AND OTHERS PETITIONED LEGISLATURES
TO STOP THIS UNFAIR PRACTICE THAT WAS HURTING THEIR PROFIT MARGINS. BUT
LEGISLATURES DIDN’T WANT TO SEE REVENUE-PRODUCING PRISONS TURNED INTO
TAX BURDENS. STRONG ORGANIZED LABOR FINALLY WON OUT AND PRISONS AND THE
CONTRACT LABOR PROGRAM ENDED EXCEPT TO PRODUCE ITEMS FOR USE BY THE
STATE.

IT WAS EDUCATION THAT THEN FILLED THE LONG EMPTY HOURS OF THE PRISON
DAY. IT WAS LEARNED THAT GIVING AN INDIVIDUAL AN EDUCATION - A TOOL TO
USE WHEN RELEASED - WOULD HELP REDUCE RECIDIVISM. PELL GRANTS WERE A
MAJOR CONTRIBUTION IN THIS REGARD. MANY PRISON ADMINISTRATORS SUPPORT
HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THEY HELP MAINTAIN SECURITY BY
KEEPING THE INMATES BUSY, WHILE COSTING THE PRISON SYSTEM - IF NOT THE
TAX PAYER - NOTHING. PEOPLE IN PRISON SPEND YEARS FORGING HOPE - THEY GO
TO THE LAW LIBRARY FOR YEARS. THE COLLEGE PROGRAM WAS ONE OF THE BIG
SYMBOLS OF HOPE THAT SOMEDAY YOU COULD GET OUT OF THIS CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM. AND HOPE KEEPS PEOPLE ALIVE.

IT ISN’T THAT THESE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DON’T WORK, IT IS THAT THEY DO.
PEOPLE RESENT THE THOUGHT THAT PRISONERS MAY BECOME BETTER OFF THAN THEY
ARE. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE REPRESENT THE NEW DEMONIC PRESENCE IN SOCIETY.
IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE THIS, JUST STUDY ALL THE POINTS I HAVE MENTIONED
THAT HAVE BROUGHT US TO OUR CURRENT SITUATION. IT MUST BE THAT WE ALL
WANT TO GO BACK TO THE DARK AGES BECAUSE I DON’T SEE MUCH SUPPORT TO
OPPOSE THESE MOVES. I WONDER HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT THE PRISON
LITIGATION REFORM ACT (P.L.R.A.) PASSED BY CONGRESS. THIS BILL WOULD
VOID ALL FEDERAL COURT CONSENT DECREES REDRESSING INHUMANE CONDITIONS IN
PRISON.

IT MUST BE CLEAR THAT RETRIBUTION IS CURRENTLY SOCIETY’S GOAL, WHATEVER
THE COST. DOWN THE ROAD YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THE TRUE COSTS IN DOLLARS
AND LIVES IS REVEALED, WHAT BEGS TO BE ANSWERED IS - 'ARE WE TEACHING
PRISONERS A LESSON?'

         .................................................

Richard Rossi