Behind the Walls; 7

Us. When we think of prisons we usually think of inmates. It's logical. They comprise the largest group within the walls but a prison is more than the men who live there. What happens in a prison is also influenced by the people who work there particularly the frontline staff who have daily contact with the inmates. The correctional officers you may know them as guards. They're trying to change all that at the Iowa State Penitentiary. They're working to remove the distinction between treatment and custody and the changing labels and also responsibilities in a controlled and limited environment. A man's concept of self and the world around him is influenced by the nature of his relationships with others in maintaining security. The correctional officer has more opportunities for interpersonal encounters with the inmates than any other staff members. Quite simply

then the correctional officer is in the best position to help prisoners deal with emotional problems in daily living. In theory it's a good idea but it will take time and a willingness to risk change. Tonight last pack reporter for the Burlington Hawkeye will be talking with a panel of correctional officers about some of the changes going on behind the walls. Of the three hundred and twenty five employees at the eye was taken attention here in Fort Madison approximately 195 work as correctional officers. These are the man who day in and day out have the closest contact with the approximately 600 inmates here at the prison. And with me to talk about their views on the state penitentiary we have these officers Officer William Cole has been here on the staff 16 years. Captain Burrell Parrott spent twenty six years here at the fort. Captain Norman Hinman with 19 years of service.

Officer Don Hughes with two months. Officer Reuben Baker three years of service attended Ron Penrod with 10 years here at the fort. Jim Klein five years of service. Then Harry Jack with nine years other groups of India inmates inside the penitentiary are there cliques or power structures among the inmates themselves that you have to contend with. I would say yes. There is I'd say there was. Nothing. That he could craft that I think areas people like. I don't. Happen to the. Same type of observations on that. I think.

You. Might just have somebody else do their time. I think it is right. Pretty much the same types of inmates you have compared with a few years back. I think. They're. Well but I think we have more younger population here. Now we're getting people in here with three college degrees. And master's degrees. This is a

great thing does happen. In the market. Speaking of the do it your own. Do your own time saying I think it is more pronounced among the older inmates in this younger group. We get around here now. I'm more inclined to reference group work for the changes necessary. I think the more involved you have some thoughts or comments on how much of an inmate or inmate should have been running they are asking to complain about they are complaining about the whole system. This is a normal kind of thing because if you want to get out to the inmates deserve a voice and having a say

so in running the institution. Do they have a voice already you think too much of a choice comments on that anybody should have a voice on it. As long as they don't get too radical. Here's a little bit on the radical right. As a whole I think the shooter's voice. Thanks to all that. Down here. But. I think the change taking place is not radical or anything like that I think. What type of training or training is needed for an officer to be hired. What type of training do you get after you are hired.

The requirements for getting hired. Behavior modification is one of the terms that's been kicked around here. Behavior modification and staff are involved right now in one thousand twenty.

What do you think about the program. I look at it very realistically. It's not going to work with everybody. There are certain individuals. For a time. But on other individuals. May be very beneficial. Maybe this is sounding. Rather pessimistic. Man. You're doing a pretty darn good job. I have to. Actually deal with day to day problem benefit behavior modification. It's. Referred to for.

The training necessary to understand their problem. You're saying he was an officer you feel like you probably lack some training. Correct. I have very little training. To take on. The program to begin with. It can work. Maybe I'm referring to. My biggest fears. Perhaps. I don't feel this is a man's answer. To Run. Hidden

or the other in making because. Society had responsibilities anyway. And why should he be allowed to run in here. I also. Realize it anymore. Concern with legalities. If we don't lock this man up. It does happen. Sponsible there also. Another area where I think we probably should ask for more comment on two issues. Inmates. For filing lawsuits against wardens and against prison officials state officials and the boy. This is scary a little bit. You're right.

But anyway they can harass. They're not doing right. The officers should be getting. Let's talk about mistreatment and for a moment. Does it exist down here. Criminals at the state penitentiary being coddled are they being brutalized or are they getting beat up. Well I think we're coddling their friends and

I've never ever seen to carry out a search. Here. Here here. Here.

Sometimes work programs. More rounds and more programs outline more their time by the rules. Flexible enough for you to enforce that you can use a little discretion a little of your judgment or are you required to follow the rules to the letter. Are definitely flexible. Or not required for the latter. First judgement is. Usually what. You know about coddling.

Responsibility. Put on a.

Responsibility. To get up on. The program. Thus far. You never get a. Good. Grasp.

Of this. More actual responsibility. How can you do this. Ok for example. We have. Minimal there. But it is. A source for the red hamburger. Whatever. A man goes around the morning which is fine. I can't see why any man would have to run back this one individual for five different times. Two hundred minutes. To just get one individual mandate to get a. Report and take time away from. Let him sacrifice a day's pay. And first it's going to be a

hassle. Within a week or so. What will this do in terms of his job. He's not there that day who does his work. There are enough inmates working in these industries. And a kitchen in every other facility that we have around here. One man is not going to be missed. Yeah we've got ownership over supply of inmates and so when we do it three or four guys go out on expiration of the morning. We don't have three or four men coming in to replace it. Any other examples of the other ideas how could you change it to give the man more responsibility. Well. One place has. To. Be the kitchen. I feel. The people in the kitchen. Or the. Entire population and the staff. These inmates deserve more money than what they're getting. Because it is perhaps the most

important job. It also cut down on the staff. They have their other. Half again as many people working in the jobs perhaps a little bit more desirable. Give the man some kind of insanity that he'd want to go to work. If he's making. Thirty dollars a month. That's about it. Look like you might have a comment on this responsibility. Program for a. Job. Here.

A lot of this is make work. Good. Response. What's in it for him if he doesn't do it. There's. Absolutely nothing. A. Good report on his record. I guess you're saying this time. Jim what do you think about responsibility. Should inmates be given more of this. If they could if they could be given it gradually enough that they could learn to handle a. Lot of the inmates are in here sampling because they have never been able to handle the responsibility of any kind. And. You've got to first. Have a sense of responsibility and I'm able to handle responsibility.

Before you can just say Well here it is here right. You can't just dump everything on him and say Here it is. He's been living in a regimental life. Some people around here for 10 15 years something like that you can say here it is handling. To say that with our new yard schedule. What are the hours suffer. 45. Now Terry has got an hour to get in on responsibility just from the outside with a degree in fair when we went through orientation was saying that the industries they want sat here like maybe just make shoes or right.

Make shoes or the band for some reason I'm not sure why I say this but there's guys are doing nothing they can stretch those programs up again. I just can't concerned why they stopped those programs they didn't have the proper proper proper. They don't have the proper training to run a textile mill around a tailor shop here to make a tailor tailor to says he's got to be trained. What about responsibility. Are you saying the same thing that the inmate should be given more of it so they can learn it. Sammy is not all that like someone set down their response they

abused it once you know they had their rights and privileges and they've used it. That's responsibility and that's why I landed here so some guys can't and responsibilities probably kept him and what do you think about it. I'm like one man before me I couldn't handle that responsibility on them to handle near your responsibility and when I think the majority of men respond very well. When they want to schedule to maintain operational proper scheduling and routine has to be established routine. You wouldn't have a smooth operator operating now a man outside working in a factory. Gotta get up and get to work on time. He doesn't get up and get to work he's

going to have a job. We don't train an inmate in here to get out of our alarm when he gets outside he's never going to get to work and he'll never. Know what he has done with the inmate or the minutes that you feel is impossible to control. I don't see any weapons on anybody as an example. You carry sidearms you carry firearms in the yard you carry any kind of weapons. No weapons whatsoever like. A blackjack can be carried if felt necessary. So how do you handle a man who might physically attacked another man or an officer do with. This. The man's in a cell. There's not too much you can hurt in there. Saying maybe something like this. So. I'm not going to hurt anybody. If necessary. We do have the use of tear gas to bring in. Now there's a lot of complaints about using tear gas. They say.

It's inhuman It's brutal. I still feel. That it's much better to use tear gas on a man. And make momentarily uncountable time. Than it is to send four or five officers and there are. Clubs or. Be a man or something of this nature. And I say the gas is effective in this nature. How would you react if somebody out in the yard one or two men physically violent you just simply have to move in and break them up as best you can. They just move in. Any time for an officer to go in and. Break somebody up. And. This may sound odd but a lot of times. Myself I've had other cooperation in helping. The inmates usually will help. Everybody should remember that so many of us forget

everybody. Back. A bit larger. What do you yourselves feel what is the primary purpose of this place. Is it just simply to keep many in here. Or do you want to see them kept there for a time and getting back out on the streets and make them productive citizens again. The courts of Sandomir as you say a menace to society and our main goal is to try and seize. But then you go do it. And then you have to move in your rehabilitation and try

to help and rehabilitate but actually are our first to try and keep them and then to help them inspect our first duty as a correctional officer is to protect the public. We protect the public by maintaining security in this test. That's our first line. That's that's our job. That's what we're hard. Pressed to this is this second day for. People where they are an assassins in the capital in Tennessee. Our job is primarily to maintain the integrity of this. Run is it agree with your thinking on some of the things you've said. And that you know that security is. As a primary function. I don't feel that way. Eventually I think you'll see your post here. Maybe. As low as a hundred people. If they ever. Have any base.

Corrections to go. Through For Steve on the reacher. Let's talk about the community there. What message. Good time here what message would you like to give the people on the outside. About your job about the prison last night. I think. The. Company should come first. Big mistake but I don't think any man should be sent here. For a whim the guy I don't think you should drive a car when he's that way. We haven't got a program here there's going to. Technician the man here for a year only MDR and he's out. In about 8 months and helping many keeping him here in those 8 months. Probably meeting where he won't care now he's got to be in the prison morning he won't give a damn. Never on what he does. Man writes a bad check. They should do their. Fellow writes a check for $20 and get seven

years out of. Like you. Can't see that. I think a community can play a major role. We have little rehabilitation. But the inmate is going to have to be willing to be rehabilitated in the first place.