THEY DO NOT SPEAK FOR US

By Timothy J. Muise

One of the major barriers to the push for criminal justice reform is the fatal lack of input through the voice of the prisoner. Corrections is a self-perpetuating system with guards who view prisoners as less than human doing all within their power to derail rehabilitation efforts. This is the sad, but often unspoken truth, or prison.

More prisoners equal more jobs, but the job security angle is not the most damaging element. The most damaging element is the time-proven dynamic where in order for the jailer to be able to view the jailed as subhuman they have to engage in efforts to put those in their charge down so to lift themselves up. That sword cuts both ways as guards have the highest suicide rate in law enforcement and the hopelessness of the system they create produces a 47% percent recidivism rate.

In attempts to address this systemic failure organizations form, groups assemble, and public outcry efforts manifest in different ways. Even the state takes action. They allow the funding of what some call "prisoner rights groups". Here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts the state government funds an organization called Prisoners' Legal Services. This organization has falsely become known as the "prisoner advocates" of Massachusetts. In our opinion nothing could be further from the truth. They are an arm of the state, afraid to tell the truth we detail here; the truth that until you change the guard culture no proposal, no legislative bill or measure, can make a difference, as the guards will refuse to implement it, and in fact, will do all within their power to torpedo it. In their words, "Inmates get nothing!", which translates to "To hell with the law and public safety!"

We need you to realize these truths. We need you to embrace our perspective or we will be doomed to many more decades of violence on the streets of the Commonwealth. We are socially responsible men who want to use the truth to truly change the system and change lives. Please help us!

Timothy J. Muise

MCI Shirley

PO Box 1218

Shirley, MA

01464-1218