1/9/2012 1:52:26 PM
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Dad
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family member / significant other
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My son is in Edmonton Max.
He was railroaded and transferred from Sask Pen with no due process. Accused of being complicit in a stabbing and the institution presented no evidence of same. He was moved immediately and without notice.
He carries a "point score" of being at the lowest end of a medium security risk - but yet this has been overridden and he has been placed in the Edmonton Max.
Without looking at the world through rose colored glasses - he had a good chance at rehabilitation - completed GED - drug programs and was working - did his time and kept his nose clean.
I ask you - now what?
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Re: ex-IP's comment about being beaten up for eating breakfast
August 10th is a day set aside to remember all the men and women who have died unnatural deaths inside Canadian prisons.
It is called Prisoners Justice Day. Prisoners in Canada do not eat on that day, with the exception of those who have to eat for medical reasons.
I spend two years of a three year sentence in Kent Institution. I did not see a single prisoner eating or drinking a thing during the whole 24 hrs of August 10th.
Didn't anyone tell you before hand about prisoners justice day?
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9/25/2011 11:54:30 PM
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Guard who did nothen
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corrections officer
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Yeah I worked as a guard for three years in a Alberta womens' correctional institution. Let me tell you, I don't understand how you can allow male guards to watch female inmates without inapropriate conduct happening. I had a few colleagues who would single out and hire gangs to attack attractive woman and threaten with violence. The guards would walk in and save the day and in return the victim would get threatened again by us.
Guard sex with female convicts happens. Those poor ladies would do anything for protection. The most dregrading thing about the situation was the acts they had to perform. I witnessed dozens of fistings and trains that would last all night. The smell made me vomit and the screams and cries for help drowned out by laughter and whistles.
Most of the time the victim would tell their families, but little proof or investigations would be held. I kept my mouth shut for three years until I resigned in 2008. A year later I went forward to the authorities but no witnesses or victims came forward. I hate the prison system there. It is no justice. For those young ladies, I wish I could have tried harder to be a human being, and not an animal like the rest of those rapists.
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I spent 7 months at FCC Coleman Correctional Facility Camp for Women in Coleman, Florida. During my 7 months there I was sent over to the Maximum Security for Men to work in the Laundry facility while the men were on locked down.
While over there a pipe with some nasty smell was coming through it and I got sick and had to go the hospital (took them 2 weeks to be allowed to go to hospital). Well I have been out of Coleman for 3 years and have cranial and peripheral polyneuropathy permanent damage. My right side of face does not work anymore, my right arm and leg is serverly weak, my right eye vision is 20/320 now. I have severe relapses where I am hospitalized because I can not use my right side. Coleman has denied any wrong doing and even went as far as to say women were never sent over to Maximum Security for Men. So happen I had evidence that we did.
Still waiting to hear something. Have been denied medical records. You are right about one thing, there are very corrupt people working at these prisons starting with some of the wardens. Was informed that Coleman violated my rights by going over there.
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Native Gal you story is so touching and I can completely understand what you went through. People on the outside who like to think that the law is being upheld and they are safe because the criminals are behind bars are in for a surprise. Some of the worse criminals are wearing uniforms or running our prisons. They are doing nothing more than making the inmates more hardened criminals than they were before they went in. You talk about respect and shaking hands...basic social skills. But more than half of the guards and the people running the prisons don't have those skills themselves so seeing you doing that is seen as something other than it really it really is. The prison system is full of ignorant people lacking in skills and wearing uniforms. They are the ones helping to keep the public unsafe. I am so sorry to hear your story and experience. It is a sad thing that is going on in our correctional system -- we are fast becoming like the people we love to laugh at the United States.
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I can relate to everything on this board. I used to be a correctional officer. I tried very hard to be the "human factor". I joked, played cards, talked with and played basketball with the inmates. Even after being advised not to, I shook the hands of the men in jail. I am Native,and believe in respect for all human kind. I was trained for the goon squad, but preferred to be use my words instead of my weapons. First, my husband went to jail, in the jail I was working in. He is still there. At first it was quiet. Only the higher ups knew and took precautions. I saw him once behind the wall and he was being escorted to medical by a male staff. He is a member of the native syndicate. Second, I witnessed a young man being beat by guards, then left naked and spread eagle shackled to the metal legs of a cell cot. I know him from the street. His wife is a social worker and an acquaintance of mine. I said out loud for everyone to hear "I saw what happened here and I will be your witness if you choose to prosecute." I became the outcast of the jail. The guards would have nothing to do with me. Then it leaked that my husband was there. They called me every name in the book and began the rumour that I am a gang member. There are some great staff behind the wall, but in honesty, those staff are few and far between. It is still an "old boys club." Once those old boys retire, the atmosphere, the attitudes, and the care and custody of inmates will change as well. I left my job. Jail is a horrible place. And one last thing... if the guards spent half the amount of time on the units as they do bullshitting behind a desk, the number of inside offences would decrease by at least 75%.
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I am grateful for this opportunity to expose some of the terrible conditions which exist in the Gwinnett County Detention Center. All of what I am about to say has been documented and included in a multimillion dollar lawsuit against Gwinnett County which is in Lawrenceville Ga.
I am a firm believer in accountability. However, I believe that when a person is incarcerated for the crimes he or she has committed they are, in effect,
facing the consequences for their crimes. Unfortunately this is not the case in Gwinnett County Jail.
I was recently released from Gwinnett County. I couldnt believe the crimes people were being held on. One inmate (Adius S) has been incarcerated for 4 years for unknowingly receiving stolen cell phones at his cell phone store. A private investigator informed us that the reason he is being held in custody is because of a 5 million dollar lawsuit he currently has against the Jail for violating his and other Muslims Consitutional right to freely practice his religion. As I read through the exibits (which were attested to by prison offecials) I was reminded of what life had to have been like in Gwantonmo Bay. Muslims are not allowed to pray, not allowed to attend Friday prayer services, thrown into the hole for simply being Muslim and in at least on instance rat dropping were intionaly placed Mr. S food. The superintendant of the jail had no disputes whatsoever to the accussations and Mr. S is expected to win this lawsuit as well as the wrongful termination which will follow his release.
I am imploring the community not to take my word for it. Look into the case and you will see that What im saying is true.
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I've been a Correctional Officer for quite some time now, and I've read several postings made by former residents of institutions and their negative remarks toward prison staff.
I'm a strong believer that to get respect, one must first show respect. I am by no means a "Hug a Thug", but I let all inmates that I come in contact with that they are PEOPLE first, human beings like myself, and then they're an inmate.
I have rules to follow and the inmates have rules to follow; if everybody does what they're suppose to do, there is peace in the house. I feel that the State or Federal overnment is already punishing the inmate by making them do time, it's not my job to make their sentence any more miserable than it already is.
I'm also a strong believer that there is a differance between an inmate and a convict: a convict has accepted the fact that they are there for their own wrong doings and it's no one elses fault that they're there. They follow the rules, have respect for those who show respect and live their lives.
An inmate is one who hasn't accepted the fact that they're in prison due to their own series of poor judgements and hasty decisions. An inmate is angry with the world and angry that they recieved 10-20 years because they refused to get a job and work hard but rather chose to rob a convienient store with a gun. They have a "It's everybody else's fault that I'm in prison" mentality, they show no respect, have a complete disregard for authority and continue to Buck the system. Little do they know, the system most always wins.
I often tell inmates in order to keep heat of of themselves, they need to keep a low profile, stay neatly dressed, follow the rules and do what you're suppose to do when you're suppose to do it. By doing that, they are not drewing attention to themselves, thereby eliviating confrontations with staff.
Yes, our job is care custody and control, but act like a man and I'll treat you like a man, act like a child and 'll treat you as a child. But I andmany like me do not go out of our ways to poke a hornets nest by making an inmate's day misreable, that only proves to the inmates that assholes can wear uniforms too and it also increases the risk of going home on a strecher as opposed to walking out and the end of shift.
I never go below the human factor..
CooL HanD
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I was a correctional officer in Manitoba for 3 years and resigned because I saw the opposite of what the other CO wrote above. No one cared about the rehabilitation of the inmates. No one was there to work with them. I saw racism on a regular basis, and was even called a "con lover" whenever I treated inmates like human beings.
I am happy that you can say you treat people with the respect you would want, but of your co-workers, how many can you say actually did that? Have you never seen abuse of power? I saw the abuse of power all the time! I saw strip searches that were conducted in the most inhumane manner even. I also find it amazing the other shit that goes on between the guards, never mind the inmates! I have seen back stabbing, showing no support for one another, alcohol abuse, and adultery! Being a guard is a tough job. And I strongly believe that there are way too many officers working in jails who shouldn't be there.
Inmates are obviously there for a reason, and this can't be downplayed, but the treatment they receive and for those who truly want to change, there isn't an opportunity to do so. We have been taught it is the us against them mentality and it's sad.
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When I went in there, I join a gang call Manitoba Warriors, But I got my ass kicked by the slobs and bloods, but I'm out now, I was in there for 4-13 years for murder.
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Empathy: Very well said. When my son was in Penetang and I called there to speak with him the guards would page him and say "Mommies on the phone". Not only is this embarassing for the inmate it could possible cause a fight. I know this is a trivial situation compared to other things that go on in jails.
I agree with you regarding inmates with a mental illness, it is not only dangerous for this inmate but also for all the other inmates and guards. However, when I think of the man that cut off a young man's head on the Grey Hound bus recently my opinion does sway a little. He was not sent to jail which is a good thing. He will be kept in a psychiatric facility until he is stable, then put back on the street. This could be after any length of time and once on the street he may stop taking his medication and kill someone else. This concerns me. The government needs to open up mental institutions again for a place like this man. He should be put away for life, but not in a jail.
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its not easy to live in prison. every other night somebodys getting raped. they treid me but i wasnt going. i joined the 17th st. duces and that was the worst thing that ive done in my whole entire life. ive see people get raped til death and that was bogus.
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I have been employed as a corrections officer for the past 17 years. I am appalled at what I just read regarding the gaurds abusing the inmates in ERC. There is no excuse for abuse of power. I have never sworn at, nor have I ever called any inmates names. I would never even think of assaulting an inmate. I was hired to do a job which includes care and custody. I as an employee of the prison system was assaulted and off work for a very long time. I returned to work and I still maintained a positive attitude and I treated all inmates with respect. I do have empathy for people, and in my opinion no one is above the law. At any given time anyone of us could be in the wrong place at the wrong time and end up in prison.
When I am at work I like to treat the inmates the same way I would like to be treated if positions were reversed. NO ONE should ever be allowed to abuse their position of authority to assault another human being. These people need to be held accountable for their actions and be criminally charged. Prison officials should not turn a blind eye to all the abuse that goes on in prisons ie: offenders being verbally, physically and emotionally assaulted by prison gaurds.
I am also very concerned for inmates with a mental illness, who are just lost in the system as by far they receive the most abuse from staff due to their inability to function in a prison setting. I was assaulted by an inmate with a mental illness who did not understand the prison system. I promised myself if I ever got to the point where I was so negative in my position as a corrections officer that I did not believe in the rehabilitation of people then I would resign. I am still employed after all these years. All human beings, regardless of who they are, where they come from, what they have done should be treated with respect and dignity. No individual has the right to judge others. Prison gaurds should always perform their duties in a professional manner, if they are not capable of being professional and positive role models they should find employment elsewhere.
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Altogether I spent about ten years of my life in jail. I've been in every provincial jail in
Alberta and went to Edmonton Maximum at the end of 1999 for 25 months.
The worst jail I've been in is Edmonton Remand - where I spent most my
time unfortunately. Those guards are just as bad as the police officers in the city of
Edmonton. I am in no gang because I see where that would most likely end up and I
am not worried about getting beat up because I ate on "prisoner justice day" - that is
saved for the down-right goofy. Prisoner Justice day is in August, where every one is
expected to fast in memory of all the inmates that died to try and make life better for
everybody that f***ed up. It's supposed to reabilitate themselves in a world where
every person in it turns on them and if you're lucky enough to have someone in your
corner on the street you can live decent and have a few of the privileges allotted you,
like money. Then you can afford the luxuries of deodorant, and other hygiene
products as well as limited assortment of foods, and, if you're doing time, hobbies,
like glass beads.
In 1994 the jails changed things, like the served food, the
food you could buy in canteens (foods & hygiene), and for all provincial jails,
dietitian-certified meals, which were the bare nutritional necessities of survival.
According to the provincial government, this diet would be enough to survive. They
had their little weight chart so if you went to see the nurse to complain of hunger
pangs they would show it to you and on the chart it showed your height and what
the healthy weight range for that height would be and as long as you were in that
range you where deemed healthy, but if you lost enough weight to be lighter then
your height category, a supplement would be added with your regular meal. Now
imagine-if you will-going to jail three categories higher in weight then the equated
one. Surprisingly enough this is about the time gangs started to be a problem in
Alberta jails. Can you believe what most the fights where over?
The
Edmonton Remand at one time had the whole jail out from morning to night. Now
most units are on something called the "tier program" where inmates get just over 5
hours out of there jail cell. The CO-III (correctional officer 3) holds a split tier - which
basically cuts everyone's time out of their cell in half. With the CO-III constantly over
the heads of inmates if they act out, there are too many assaults (which basically
means more than one and sometimes one if it is a bad one). In 1998 the Crazy
Dragons hired a lawyer to try and change the conditions in the Edmonton Remand.
They succeeded in proving the violation of the rights. Since then they have a little
more food for your plate and now give you pieces of bread. They also added a
long-term unit to the jail due to the fact that over 20 Crazy Dragons where arrested
and most of them remanded in Edmonton for over 3 years. The long term unit
meansmore time out of your cell. There used to be a treadmill and exercise bike,
but those have since been removed, as well as any alleged gang members. Since
then a lawyer named Tom E. has become a very successful lawyer and I hope one
day becomes prime minister of Canada, or better yet the king. Because he would
probably change the law that lets guards beat you down as long as they yell, "quit
resisting". Okay maybe I don't know the law that good, but this brings me back to
the original reason for writing this. I don't think the guards are helping society. When
the police were involved to investigate any incidents involving the guards, they
laughed and joked around with him and tell him how the inmate was resisting, then
when the police ask for witnesses they rounded up all their co-workers and
consulted none of the inmates as witnesses. The Edmonton Police and the
Edmonton guards are all on the same team. I have seen inmates get black eyes
and get pepper-sprayed, get cuffed too tight, and transferred to rival gang units. They
say pepper spraying is just following procedure. The inmate is powerless because
he knows he will get slapped with charges if he pushes back. Their treatment of
inmates is not doing a service to the community.
I think humans are
incapable of being keepers of men and to do this type of work properly you would
have to use something without emotion, like computers. In my opinion this
treatment of offenders is not working. The government should realize that this
country's most valuable asset is the people in it. If there is one thing I had a alot of
time to do, it is to think, and I have often thought of my situation. Probably wouldn't
get a good answer when I was younger, didn't know what I wanted to do then, but
there was a point in my life where I did. I think what might of helped me along was a
little inspiration. Not having a father figure, I learned the bad way. So where I got my
inspiration were from my friends, and it just so happens I was part of a bad bunch of
kids in a rough hood. Whatever, I made my choices.
Then later in jail I read
a book called Space by James A Mitchner and what it inspired me. This gave me
the idea that every inmate, especially in remand, has a computer put in their cell. I
am assuming with technology what it is, this can be done in a safe manner. So an
assessment is done on the inmate to what see grade level he is at. To encourage
him to do any tests he would be given credits on completion of any tests that he
could use for things like making phone calls, watching television or movies, getting
time in the day room (special privileges would be something like allowing him to pick
who he went to day room with), exercising in the yard, the gym, and even meals. He
would get the most credits from social science course which should be the building
blocks of re-intergration. The judge could even look at what the person did while
remanded and consider it before sentencing. The potential of this is so great that it
would likely change the correctional system as we know it.
Of course the
skeptics would say why give free education to offenders when we could give the
education to more deserving citizens that we could have immigrate here and house,
school, and grant some money to help them on there feet. The government would
save money just in forms. Everything is a form in jail, even down to a question to a
guard right in front of you. That would pay for the computers. And with the
computers you'd need fewer guards.That's more money saved.
That is
most of this story so if this makes it on this site let's have some feed back. If I could
change the world for the better I would. I just want to so thank you to all the guards
in Edmonton Remand. You guys really showed me what hate is. I am out of your
reach now.
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Hey Ex-IP i think guys like you need to get that kind of word out more often. And in more ways than online. As you probably can atest, a lot of IP and other native gangs don't have internet access. If you and other ex gang guys could get the anti-gang message out to our aboriginal youth population in Canada we'd all be better off.
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I used to be in a gang called Indian Posse. I thought the lifestyle was good, except going to jail. Even though all the same gang members were on your range you always had to watch your back, because there were times when people got the shit kicked out of them for something really stupid.
I got a good shit kicking for eating breakfast on a day when nobody is supposed to eat anything, so if anybody thinks of joining a gang don't do it, even if it's for your own protection. You still have to watch your back.
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This place isn't bad compared to the States. I never should have survived the Q, and I have many wounds to attest to that. The Institute is bad, though. If you're not packing, you're stupid. Its all about survival in the jungle.
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I spent 5 years in this shit hole, 18 months in the supermax locked up 23 1/2 hours a fricken day and was shit kicked by the goon squad, put in the fricken cratel hold for 12 hours. I blacked out and was dreaming of killing goons the whole time. I guess a defence mechanism for pain. I was released directly from 23 1/2 hour lock-up. It took me a while at first, but 21 years later I am still out and doing well. It's not easy but it is possible. Family does help but it's up to us not to **** up. I say this in hopes that some con will read this and have some hope. Dig in and get all the help you can, and stay away from the old crowd and hangouts.
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i spent four years there
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