Johnny E. Mahaffey
April 29, 2018

The Artists' Requiem

Well, the plan WAS to have another art show -- but now....

The lock-down in response to the Lee Correctional Massacre on April 15th with 7 DEAD AND 22 more in the hospital -- is still in effect. I had proposed the next art exhibit, with a date yet undetermined, as you can see from the flyer we'd posted (page 2).

The guys do pretty good with their works, some have potential. It's a shame...all of the opportunities wasted...all of the missed opportunities at rehabilitation that the state is just letting, slip away. We need a complete prison and sentencing reform! Education has to be put out in the front; it's the only way. Detention only, and basic simple-minded detention strategies only lead to failure. The Southern business giant called PRISON INC. needs its business license revoked. The law's original intent was -- and IS -- rehabilitation when, and if, at all possible; there has to be some effort at least.

Recently, in one of my art catalogs, I noticed a new spin on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), it was STEAM, Science, Technology, Engineering, ART and Mathematics! I like that. Art is an integral part of a well balanced education.

For 2017, the high school graduation rate for S.C. was 84.6 percent; but here in prison, it's closer to 30 percent! And it shows, bad. And to make it worse, it's the uneducated prisoners that end up working the jobs closest to prison staff -- it's as if, the guards prefer to surround themselves with ignorant prisoners in lieu of smarter ones. The ignorant prisoners usually just do; they don't question. In other words, they make great FOLLOWERS. But what we need, are leaders, not mindless drones, because those low mindless drones (9 times out of 10) are gang members, "on the low". Just wanting to get out and recommit another crime. I see those types of individuals all the time. Getting an education is not on their TO DO list because they put too much weight on "street smarts" -- the very teachings and doctrines that got them into handcuffs to start with, the same ideology that will keep them where they are in life.

How are people expected to succeed?

It's simple; they're not.

I don't know if this art exhibit will happen now, with all that's going on. Right now I just consider myself lucky to be alive. A lot of guys aren't here anymore.

Art is a great nonviolent way to vent.

I can't help but wonder, how many, among the victims of the Lee Correctional Massacre were artists...or writers. Things like that shine a light on our right to free speech. Because I'm able to type up my words on an old typewriter, and mail them out for scanning, I'm able to leave something of myself for my five children, and my grandchildren. If something happens to me...they at least have these words. Which, is better than nothing.

Not many prisoners are thinking like that.

They live day to day, fighting hunger or habits, and when it's all said and done, years (or decades) have passed, and they have nothing to show for it. No diplomas, no certificates, no discernible skills whatsoever, outside of those that they came in with and were allowed to hone via additional criminal ideologies.

Recidivism is the centre cog of the prison machine.

Education reduces recidivistic rates; therefore, education takes a back seat to detention and warehousing. Among all prisoners involved in such things as the Lee Correctional Massacre, what are their average levels of education? I'm willing to bet that they're low. Very low. Fifth to eighth grade, I'd be willing to bet! And of those, how many were enrolled in a GED program? Or, was a program even available?

Those are the questions that need to be asked.

So why isn't anyone considering them?

Turning a key, and trying to hide the problem doesn't make it go away. I've been saying for years and years: education is the key. It's the only education that's EVER going to fix this.

Education is rehabilitation.

Some prison staff see that, and those that do, help us with things like art exhibits, classes, programs, getting certificates made and signed by the appropriate staff that recognise prisoner accomplishments. The possibility of parole should be available for those willing to earn it, not just the low-level offenders that are among the repeat offenders. I see a lot of prisoners get parole, that in my opinion, shouldn't; because I see the day to day criminal activities they still do in here! A lot of prisoners that SHOULD be eligible for parole, many that I see that do NO criminal activities, or exhibit no form of criminal ideology don't even have a chance to go up for parole because of how the law picks and chooses who is or is not eligible, based on their type of crime.

Some prison staff even see this contradiction.

I don't have parole because I have a "murder" charge. And even under newly proposed laws now being considered -- I still will NOT be eligible -- yet prisoners with murder charges that are reduced to a manslaughter charge...they WILL be eligible. Some of these are guys that I know, for a fact, are NOT cut out for society. So, why are they eligible and not me? I'm not a criminal! Never was, never will be. The system is broken. Parole eligibility should be available for guys like me too. Even if it's not until after 20 (or 30) years. Some kind of hope should be there, or at least a chance of it. Then, let a prisoner's record help decide if he (or she) gets parole. Base it on the prisoners efforts at rehabilitation/education.

Bring STEAM into the rehabilitation equation.