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Dortell Williams is an inmate at the Los Angeles County California State Prison in Lancaster, California. Dortell has been published in a number of community newspapers, including the San Francisco Bay View, The Final Call and The Los Angeles Sentinel. He mentors at-risk kids through San Francisco's The Beat Within and is an inside correspondent for Families to Amend Three Strikes. You can email Dortell at: dortellwilliams@yahoo.com. For more information about the Honor Yard Program, visit: www.prisonhonorprogram.org
One Strike and You're Dead
Commentary by Dortell Williams, recorded 4/26/07
Scroll down for a written transcript
1) 2:42 MP3 Radio Essay
Update:
Senate Bill 299 sailed unscathed through the Senate Public Safety Committee, the Senate Public Safety Commission, Senate Appropriations and the full Senate. The bill is scheduled to go before the Assembly Public Safety Committee, August 31st, where it is expected to hit turbulence. Old fashioned, traditional letters are requested of the public for legislative supporters of the bill to offset expected opposition.
One Strike, And You’re Dead
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Copyright 2007/ Dortell Williams
For years California has been suffering from this overcrowding crisis in our prisons. And for years it has steadily grown worse; now it’s at a bubbling head.
To most citizens in free society, the notion of overcrowding is a distant one. The apathetic conjure up some vague and impersonal images of some sub–human species packed in some uncomfortable place they probably deserve. True images of addicted grandmothers, non–violent delinquent youths and petty thieves seldom come to mind.
Yet these are some of those crammed into spaces too small to be considered humane. These are some of those stuffed into places not designed as housing. People sleeping in hallways and classrooms--on the floors. People, human beings, sleeping out in the elements on basketball courts.
It’s that bad. And it gets worse.
While most arguments, and even fights over space don’t escalate to murder, it happens. Just the other day two prisoners here at the state prison in Los Angeles got into a deadly scuffle. The fight was over a bunk. As a direct result of overcrowding, one was killed and the other was charged with murder. The deceased was in for burglary. The suspect was serving time for a domestic charge. Both eagerly looked forward to their release dates.
Recently, the Little Hoover Commission, a non–partisan watchdog, released a scathing 84–page report on the state’s prison crisis. Included in the report was the following criticism: the correction’s meltdown is due to “governors and lawmakers fearful of appearing soft on crime.” In other words, it was all avoidable.
During an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the commissioner of the oversight panel, Dan Hancock said: “Each has tried to outdo the other on who could be toughest on crime, but nobody was thinking clearly about….the ramifications.”
Last year, a number of other prisoners were murdered under similar circumstances. And that’s excluding the other 32 other overcrowded facilities.
In a separate interview with the Los Angeles Times, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said prisons had not been a priority because they are not a “sexy” topic that affects the lives of voters.
While I’d disagree that a $9 billion a year money–pit with policies that invite wrongful death and other lawsuits, and that threaten public safety with an increasingly high parole failure rate doesn’t affect the lives of voters, I would agree that the subject of prisons is probably not very appealing to the average voter.
I’d also be willing to bet that in such cases taxpayers expect their elected leaders to take the lead when it comes to sound policy and public safety.
Isn’t that why we put then at the helm in the first place?
Sources:
Veronica Roacha, “Cellmate Suspected in Inmate’s Death,” Antelope Valley Press, March 29th, 2007: A1.
Jennifer Warren, “State Prison’s In ‘Tailspin’ Panel Says,” Los Angeles Times, January 26th, 2007.
Dortell Williams is an inmate at the Los Angeles County California State Prison in Lancaster, California. Dortell has been published in a number of community newspapers, including the San Francisco Bay View, The Final Call and The Los Angeles Sentinel. He mentors at-risk kids through San Francisco's The Beat Within and is an inside correspondent for Families to Amend Three Strikes. You can email Dortell at: dortellwilliams@yahoo.com. For more information about the Honor Yard Program, visit: www.prisonhonorprogram.org
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