C/O ON MANAGEMENT and EDUCATION
Kay, Prisons in America really do need to be reformed. Remember, it is not only inmates that suffer at the hands of what is going on inside the fence, but staff must comply with the demands that management puts on them to stay in "good graces."
Reporting an infraction against any unlawful activities is a complete no-no in the department. It is political suicide for staff to tell the truth and file the necessary paperwork to help stop the abuse of inmates and other illegal activities.
Management has done an excellent job in brain washing staff into believing that what they are doing is "good." I see it every day. I work in this environment! The diversity of people who are employed by DC is so wide spread that management had to come up with psychological ways to stop staff from filing reports or telling on dirty officers. The department WANTS staff to continue to be brutal and the enemy of anyone who does not think or act like they do. I'm an example. Change is good, but it comes with a high price.
Focusing on inmates is good, but it is the overseers of the inmates that are causing so much friction within this department. With a multi BILLION dollar budget, we are doing a really poor job of what we are trained and expected to do. When I read policy, it is clear and in black and white that abuse of any type will not be tolerated. Yet, the same people who write these policies give orders to abuse both staff and inmates. It's nothing more than a piece of paper that is placed in a book and on the net for staff to utilize, but in training, etc. staff is never told the truth or told about these policies.
Example.... When an inmate is trying to escape, we are trained in school to "shoot to stop." However, on the firing range, we are told to shot at Center Mass, which is a deadly area. The logic does not make sense but it is just the way it is.
I feel that the first step in prison reform would be to raise the standards of Correctional Officers and to follow through with random drug testing, training that is by policy, immediate investigations by outside agencies of accusations of abuse.
Remember, Florida DC has the biggest budget, yet we do nothing to educate staff or inmates. This is the problem. Once we can see where the root of the problem is coming from, THEN we can move forward with the change that needs to take place.
Just think about this..... A 19 year old with a HS diploma or a GED has the opportunity to make a starting salary of $28,000.00 with state benefits included. Not bad for a non educated person.
However, in some counties in Florida a Certified Teacher who has a bachelors degree will start out making anywhere from $25,00.00 to $28,000.00 depending on the county. These people are college educated and have spend more than four years seeking a college education to be able to give our children the knowledge to be taught reading, writing and arithmetic. They don't get high risk retirement, they don't get the perks from the state, and they have to work 30+ years to retire. You tell me what the problem with this picture is?
We are putting more and more money into our prison system. Why... Because we need social reform and balance in what we allow.
Another example. The Superintendent or a Principal of a school has no option for a state house, car or the retirement benefits that a Warden, Colonel, Major, Captain, Lieutenant, Sergeant, or even a common CO does.
Finally, DC has lowered the standards for training, and certain jobs that once were only to be held by college degreed personnel.
Example... A Warden now can not have a formal education and work his/her way from a CO or Classification Officer all the way to the top.
Being a warden means managing people, budgets, State and Federal Laws, Leadership skills and most importantly the safety of the entire public. A college degree should be required because psychology, sociology, the liberal arts, history, math, English and business skills are a must in order to maintain a standard that a Warden should possess.
I doubt, very seriously, that our public realizes that a Warden may only have a HS diploma or a GED! In my opinion that is scary. Not to mention the starting salary of a Warden is around $85.000.00 Year. Principals of intercity High Schools don't get that much. And as I mentioned before, a state house, car and high risk retirement.
Is being a correctional officer so stressful that the salary of a basic CO all the way to a Warden is more important than the stress of educating our children?
I hold a college degree from FSU in Criminal Justice. I am way over-qualified to be a CO, but for the money, I can't see doing something else that does not pay as good as being an officer. This is sad and should be addressed.
One last point. Since I do hold a college degree, I am paid $120.00 more dollars a month. If an officer is on the Cert team (goon squad) he/she is paid an extra $80.00 a month. This is serious money and for what?
If the department sees the need to pay officers, like myself, an extra $120.00 a month for holding a degree, then they must see the advantage of having qualified/educated people employed in this agency, yet with all my education, I take orders from people who hold no formal education. Just a thought.
An officer in the know.