Over the decades I’ve served in prison, I’ve read hundreds of books on leadership. Those books have helped me prepare for the many challenges I expect to face upon release. They have also helped me endure the struggles of living apart from my family and community. One type of leadership perplexes me, however. I do not understand the motivations of those who lead our nation’s prison system.
Every book on leadership that I’ve read trumpets the importance of valuing people. Leading people means to understand people, to help all individuals reach their highest potential. A strong leader can induce, or shape behavior by offering mechanisms through which each individual can reach distinction through contribution. Those who set prison policies, however, disregard this wisdom that leaders in every other segment of our society follow. I don’t understand why.
Through my written interactions with thousands of university students, I frequently read that prisons should punish. High recidivism rates together with high prison operating costs suggest to me that prisons punish American citizens more than anyone else. After more than 21 years, I certainly don’t feel as if I’m being punished. This is the only life I know. I wonder, though, why those who lead our nation’s prisons don’t take this system in a different direction. Why are they so indifferent to the cycle of failure that prisons perpetuate.
In 2008, Congress passed The Second Chance Act. That legislation showed how much prisons cost, how many people return to society from prison each year, and how many return to confinement. It found that the most effective means of lowering recidivism was support for prisoners to nurture strong family and community ties. The legislation found that such support was missing, and it urged prison administrators to create programs to strengthen family ties during the incarceration term. Despite one year’s passing since the act became law, prison leaders have totally ignored the recommendation.
There must be a reason why prison leaders block prisoners from access to telephone and visits with family. I cannot understand it. Policies that require prisoners to choose between calling their wives and their mothers seem inconsistent with platitudes about preparing offenders for re-entry. By not allowing prisoners to communicate or visit frequently with immediate family and community mentors, it feels as if prison leaders are preparing offenders for recidivism.
I feel sad today because I am behind on my monthly allocation of phone minutes. With access to only 300 minutes of phone time per month, the only person I call is my wife. Even in speaking with Carole alone, I must limit myself to 10 minutes of phone time per day. I am behind schedule. That meant I could only talk to her for three minutes yesterday, and I must restrain myself from talking for longer than three minutes today. She is my link to the world, my inspiration for doing well. How does it prepare me for release by restricting my access to talk or visit with my wife? I am in minimum security, yet I cannot even earn more time with my family. I don’t understand the leadership that sets such seemingly myopic policies.
Today I woke at 2:00. I wrote only three blog articles. Sadness about not being able to talk with family depressed me. I lay back down at 5:30 in the morning. At 8:00 I went outside to exercise. I ran only three miles, then lost interest. I only ran to keep my string going. I have 843 miles logged in the past 93 days. I sat for a haircut. In the afternoon I finished proofing the manuscript. I wrote letters to lawyers who work with me regarding a dispute concerning my sentence commutation. And I wrote my love to Carole. I was in bed by 5:30 and asleep by 6:00.
Sunday, 15 March 2009
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