How else are Prison’s supposed to work?
News that a Prison Guard has been sacked because she brought an inmate in some bacon because it was his last night in prison and allowed prisoners to watch some DVDs she brought in from home sounds like the dumbest way to the handle the situation. Of course Guards are going to do things like that to keep the peace, they are the ones working inside with these Prisoners – when you have 60 Prisoners and two staff, how the hell else are you going to actually keep order in there? You can’t run a Prison without the consent of the Prisoners – unless that is you want to spend hundreds of millions more in paying to have one Guard for every prisoner. Again our thirst for vengeance that gets drummed up by the Sensible Sentencing Mob has given us a first world prisoner population second only to the United States – yet we don’t want to live with the reality that population size creates, and the reality is that over crowded prisons, with low staffing rates HAVE to barter for good behaviour. The current prison system doesn’t work, it doesn’t rehabilitate, it exacerbates inmates and it costs us a bundle – when can we start trying new ideas or are you all still wanting to string ‘em up some more?
Prison guard sacked for bringing bacon for inmate
A Christchurch Mens' Prison officer, fired for giving bacon to an inmate and watching her own videos during her shift, says guards regularly bartered with inmates to keep the peace.
The 31-year-old woman, sacked after admitting misconduct in July, told The Press there was widespread abuse of the prison system.
She told the newspaper she brought in a packet of bacon for an inmate who was cooking a meal to celebrate his last night in lock-up .
Guards were only allowed to watch videos approved by the prison, which were supplied by a local video store. She had brought her own from home to watch during a nightshift.
The woman, who did not want to be named for fear of retribution, said what she did was at the low end of the scale.
"They told me, 'this is what happens when you are on the floor. When there's two of us and 60 of them, do whatever to keep them happy'," she said.
"People who had been in the job for years were bringing in food - pork bones, bringing in videos, letting them have personal phone calls."
The prison officers' union and the Corrections Department rejected the claims.
posted by Bomber @ 9:35 am
25 comments
25 Comments:
And they wonder why they can't recruit Prsion Officers these days?
Maybe all those nice Prison inmates can come and live at your place Bomber?
'Of course Guards are going to do things like that to keep the peace, they are the ones working inside with these Prisoners – when you have 60 Prisoners and two staff, how the hell else are you going to actually keep order in there?'
Two words: 'Lock Down'.
mike laws and gwb, we should put you in change of the inmates of pari max, and let see how long you two live.
Don't worry I got your back, I est; hmm about one and a half minutes.
Bomber,perhaps you can share some of these "new ideas" with us.
I would be especially interested in how you would rehabilitate the 2 things recently arrested for attacking the Dutch tourists in Northland.
My experience supports most of what this officer says.
There are some officers who are scared and are in the wrong job, they lack training leadership and probably never had what it takes to be an officer.
Once you do something for a crim to 'keep the peace' you are sunk - they have gottcha.
However doing things for crims from a situation of kindness, humanity or consideration without any fear and for nothing in return is, in my view, no problem.
It was common place (and probably still is) to give crims perks - for example the staff in the workshops at Auckland prison used to put on a Christmas BBQ for the crims who worked in there, they also had little leaving do's when someone was being released.
I witnessed a Unit Manager giving some crims a load of soft dinks Coke etc. for helping move some furniture around.
I regularly saw staff bring in left overs, take-aways curries etc. for the crims in their unit.
Videos were a bit different as I think there was a contract with a local video store, but again I have seen videos brought in by staff to show crims.
As this woman says her 'offense' is absolutely at the lowest end of the scale - however being a woman always puts staff at the top end of the 'hit list'. I suspect her real ‘offence’ was not shagging the right people.
As a woman officer you can not do any of the common things done by the blokeys – you have to be by the book or they will get you in the end – unless you are shagging an inspector of prisons, a manager, or you are related to someone in the in-crowd.
I have seen much worse – real corruption and breaches of laws, rules and regulations but generally the ‘union’ and management protects the guilty.
I heard one ‘union’ chief bragging how they kept someone’s job when they came to work drunk – male staff coming to work drunk was commonplace, management thought it was funny and turned a blind eye.
If however you are seen as a threat to the boys club and they fear you don’t know when to lie they will get you. The fact this woman was sacked leads me to believe she was probably one of the better staff and they boys in the ‘union’ and ‘management’ (and their little girl supporters) hate that.
As for the union lying about what goes on they are only doing what the department expects – what really goes on is common knowledge and has been for years but if you challenge the systemic corruption or speak out you are finished.
As for the gutless Bombers of this world – they make me sick – the carry on from the safety of there desks but do nothing for anyone who actually does something – how much support will this woman, or any persecuted staff member, get – zero.
Talks cheap, would he or his kind, lose everything for the NZ capital crime of taking on a government department.
So easy for people like him to throw abuse at those who are doing work he considers beneath him.
Having real guts results in losing your job, all your savings, your home, your family, your health, your future .......... its just not worth it, they have there fun watching you fall into the pit and they forget you and move on to the next victim.
I actually do know some of the guards who work there msth8d, unlike you, who probably know more of the guys who don't get to leave the prison at 17:00.
In fact bomber the Czech Republic has now over taken New Zealand to be second in the prison population per 100,000. Not surprisingly good ol USA is still number 1.
As for the gutless Bombers of this world
see Anon, you had me right up until then - I was agreewith with everything you had to say, and in fact I back what you have to say in the blog I've posted, yet you still manage to attack me - when we are in fact agreeing.
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Mike – 24/7 LOCK DOWN prisons end up with the prisoners going mad - California has had to start shutting down their 24/7 Lock Down super max prisons after it turned out that the released prisoners, all of whom were locked down in solitary confinement for the entirety of their sentences - went mad once released. Yes we can create massive super max 24/7 lock down prisons, but they only create criminally insane people – which wouldn’t really help the situation now would it?
Bomber - still waiting for these "new ideas"
Huh?
read the last sentence of the thread
I don't like talkers I prefer doers - you seem like a smug coward to me.
When you actually do something (I don't mean a nice safe committee meeting or going out with an axe) I mean go to the front line and work with those you purport to love.
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Wow that is a lot of bitterness there Anon, a chip on both shoulders perhaps? I love how it is only work and deeds you approve of that seem to count, that must be very reassuring for you.
Stinky - I am not suggesting we open the prisons and allow everyone to run free - of course you have to have prisons, but the environemnt within those prisons must be changed if they are to perform any rehabilitation role - as for people who have committed terrible crimes such as the ones you point out how can any of them be released ever if they haven't reformed?
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wow - what a bundle of little hate you are - look you can take your comment down yourself once you've cooled down or I'll remove it. Threatening me doesn't make you right - this is a place where ideas are debated, well some of the time - but threatening people is just a bit too cringy, so take it down or I will
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Oh and the other thing is that it's all wrong for Gods sake - I don't shit on the working class - I came from working class - it's not just that you threaten, it's that you've got most of it arse end backwards - I'd be happier to let it stand if you at least made some valid points.
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Oh and Projection, you were projecting a little too much of your own hang ups - like I said if you want to talk about the issue at hand you are more than welcome to throw your considerable intellect into the ring, but if it's just abuse - we are all a little too busy okay.
well G mikey lawless I guess your IQ is the same size of a fruit cake, I mean shit, seeing it's No secret, I associate to the Hells Angels. I guess you right, but I still think you a meathead, with your "the country should be like me" attitude.
its very AB
Bam Bam is a coward of the worst kind.
Hide behind the desk - I think the warning/advice to stay in you middle class wordly was very fair.
Not that you need a warning the front line is for those who are genuine, have something to offer and a few guts.
Lecturing cowards should stick with there own and give genuine people a break we don't need or want them.
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Well at least you are kinda keeping to the debate I suppose Anon, looks like you've learnt your lesson about better manners, chin up and let's hear some of your ideas rather than the 'lecturing cowards' routine huh? And I'm glad you've dropped the threats from your posts, that's a lot more mature.
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Sigh - look Anon - I've had to remove that last post again because of the threats and abusive comments - are you not able to post any actual ideas here? Do you have a violence problem? Look, go have a breather - relax a little, think about what you want to say, and THEN post - I'm sure you have a point to make that doesn't include personal threats of violence and abuse right?
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