STOP PRISON ABUSE | MESSAGE FROM A U.S. PRISONER'S FAMILY
"We routinely treat prisoners in the United States like animals. We brutalize and degrade them, both men and women....Very few Americans have raised their voices in opposition to our shameful prison policies. And I'm convinced that's primarily because the inmates are viewed as less than human."
— Bob Herbert / "America's Abu Ghraibs", The New York Times, May 2004
For more than a year we held a weekly vigil in downtown Albany, New York as a way to make people aware of prisoner abuse inside U.S. prisons and in order to demonstrate the need to speak and act against it.
We did not stand vigil to debate who should or should not be in prison, or to measure the depravity of the crimes committed by those who are in prison. We feel strongly that no person should receive inhumane and brutal treatment no matter what his or her crime, and that when prison officials abuse prisoners in their charge they commit a crime-a crime that is condoned by both the silence of their colleagues and the apathy of the American public.
As we stood vigil we were periodically reminded of the dangerous support prisoner abuse has, and of the hateful resentment held toward prisoners. Some boasted of a vengeful hate, directed not at the crime, but solely at the criminal. This sentiment is both prevalent and popular. It mirrors the crime it abhors, as well as the abuse it fosters and applauds. It demonstrates prisoner abuse cannot be tolerated in a civilized society, and we counter it with the surety and strength of love.
As we stood vigil we were reminded of the support our message has. This support was shown in the fleeting "thumbs up" gestures, smiles, and words of encouragement. But few stood with us.
Our nation's language seldom contains the word "prison" or "prisoner"; it contains "correctional facility" and "inmate". Our speech rarely speaks of rehabilitation- it is focused entirely on punishment. The loss of liberty is not seen as punishment enough-it must be a brutal, damaging, debilitating punishment.
We wonder if most Americans consciously choose not to learn and not to see the systematic abuse and neglect that is carried out in their name?
We ask everyone to endorse our petition to Congress, which seeks an investigation and end to the abuse and neglect of Federal prisoners. We believe such an investigation is crucial and that its results will affect prisons at the State level. We also seek help from the legal community to challenge the prison grievance system in both Federal and State prisons which fails to protect the incarcerated against abuse and neglect.
Politicians appear to be terrified of being "soft on crime", so they do not even examine the prison system. Those of us who are not running for public office should not be frozen by fear. The voice of blind vengeance is not afraid to speak, but the voice of love and reason is reticent and afraid. Prisoner abuse is not contained behind walls and barbed wire-it affects all of us. And it is a reflection of who we are-unless and until we stand against it.
Rosalind Burbank Joseph
PO Box 3841
Albany, NY 12203