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Fund Education not Incarceration!by a Prisoner, VSPWCrime prevention's most effective targets are young children. Yet the educational system is inadequate from lack of funding. Crime prevention in schools could mean early awareness of consequences of criminal behavior. Schools could assist children through difficult circumstances, help them make good decisions, teach compassion, etc. If the available funds were allocated properly they could accomplish a lot for the educational system. The Correctional Department is insuring itself super-sufficient funding to build new prisons, thereby enlarging the department/industry. They increase their power and profits by overcrowding facilities and keeping people incarcerated as long as possible: 30 more days in prison for smoking in your room; 90-120 days for fighting (including defending yourself). Counselors will very rarely recommend transfers to less crowded facilities or alternative programs. If you are sent to VSPW, you stay there, regardless of your flawless behavioral record or severe overcrowding. Institutions do not give inmates complete pre-prison credits which their judge gave to them at sentencing. Institutions place mysterious "potential holds" on inmates, which delays parole -perhaps to incarcerate an inmate for a longer time in order to receive more funding. Government officials from Sacramento come to audit and observe institutional operations a few times per year. During these visits and only during these visits, the chow menu is elaborate, containing more items and more expensive items for each meal. Directly after Sacramento leaves the institution, the menu returns to minimal amounts and expense. The same occurs with cleaning supplies. Before Sacramento arrives inmates/workers are prepared by staff to answer questions in particular ways, so as not to reveal true state of operations. If inmates do not comply, they are fired and will be placed back on "third-time" credit earning status. Bribery. Obviously, the institution has much to hide. Where do these funds go? Certainly not to crime prevention and the children's educational system. And surely not where Sacramento is led to believe. Who is hurting? The answer is clear - the children, education and citizens who need relief and protection from crime. What's more, the University of California as well as public school systems are threatened by privatization, also because of lack of funding from misallocation, while the Department of Corrections is tempting other capitalists - privaP? Last updated August 19, 2003 12:46 PM |
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