Midnight Special. 3:3 March 1973* sim<m: PRISONERS NEWS PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD (N _Y_CHAPTER) OP£C/Ai- March 1973 Vol.3 No.3 VENCEREMOS Puerto Rican Brothers Organize Se Organizan Hermanos Boricuas ^We of the concerned Puerto Rican inmates, write to you, to expose hideous crimes committed against our brothers. It is out of these conditions of oppression that the embryo of our organization came to be. From the gravity of the situation and the continuous witnessing of the degradation and dehumanization of our brothers both mentally and physically, we organized to stop these numerous injustices being perpetrated by the ad- • ministration, we also adapted the name of "The Con cerned Puerto Rican Committee." The executive body is made up of conscious brothers who have faced the administration. It was from this reality that consciousness was developed to resist the subtle and the outright racist attacks against us. For many of us, it was the influence of our conditions that sparked the flame of consciousness. "Una vez mas, nosotros, parte de los presos puer- torriquettos cortcientes, nos vemos obligados a utilizar la pluma para denunciar los bOrbaros crimenes que se cometen contra nuestros hermanos. Es del seno de estas condiciones de opresion que surgio el nucleo de nuestra organization. Por la gravedad de la situacion y por presenciar continuamente la degradation y deshumanizacion de nuestros hermanos fiscia y men- talmente, nos hemos organizado para poner coto a estar injusticias perpetuadas por la administration y hemos adoptado el nombre de The Concerned Puerto Rican Committee'.. ^ "El cuerpo ejecutivo est/ compuesto por companeros que han sufrido las medidas represivas misma influencia de las condiciones en que nos encontramos las que motivaron la formation de esta organizacion. (Continued on Page 2> New York Unites Puerto Rican.Brothers Organize (Continued from Page 1) On September 9th, 1972, the committee petitioned the Governor of the State of New York, Commissioner Oswald and Superintendent J. L. Casscles of Great Meadows for seventeen badly needed reforms for the Spanish-speaking inmates to be implemented. Our cry fell on deaf ears. Nevertheless, we continued our efforts by petitioning the governor, commissioner and superintendent to recognize our culture by declaring November 19th, as "Puerto Rican Discovery Day" which is a national holiday in Puerto Rico to be celebrated in all the Correctional Facilities. Consequently, on November 8th, Martinez received a letter from Deputy Commissioner Edward Edwin stating: "That the 19th of November will be recognized as "Puerto Rican Discovery Day" in all state penal Institutions. We received another letter from "I.N. Hurd, Secretary to the Governor endorsing the Com missioner's order's. Although we had worked zealously with the governor, commissioner and legislators, we were denied the op portunity to coordinate within our own facility. Even with the obstacle of lack of cooperation, we managed to have performers coming up, but misfortune on the road with transportation vehicle delay them. On November 129th, 1972 an institutional holiday, the administration showed no reflexability allowing our guests admission to the facility. However, even before the performers were ready to come up, Mr. Casscles communicated to the outside coordinator that from the original list of forty persons, only fifteen would be permitted admission. We suffered bitter reality of the cansellation of our show. In light of all our attemps to work with the ad ministration, we have been repeatedly rejected. There was no other alternative, but to file a "Class Action" litigation in Federal Court naming the defendants Gov. Rockerfeller, Commissioner Oswald, and Supt. Casscles. The class action was filed enjoinly by the concerned Puerto Rican Committee, and the Young Lords Party. All the plaintiff's signed the civil rights action knowingly that we could be subjective to a retailition campaingn. "We are awaiting it." After filing litigation, we then commenced to re schedule the program. But this time we found little resistance. Our efforts were fruitful because on December 17th, we were allowed to celebrate the day. Our sincere thanks you goes to the following dignitaries. Congressman Herman Badillo, Senator Robert Garcia, Assemblyman Arthur 0. Eve, Herman Schwarts, Esq. Barbara Handschu, Esq. and the Committee to Defend Pancho Cruz, Ms. Genoveva Clemente for their labor that contributed to our succesfull show. It was a beautiful program for two and half hours, we managed to bring Puerto Rico into this oppressive enviroment, and it was a tremendous success. Thje first Puerto Rican program evergiven within the confines of these dungeons of waste. (Continued from Page 1) "El 9 de setiembre se 1972, nuestro comite reclamo del Gobernador.del Estado de Nueva York, del Comisionado Oswald y del superinte.ndente de Green Meadows, J.L. Casscles para 17 demandas de suma urgencia para la comunidad penal latina. Fuimos ignorados. ''Aun asi, continuamos luchando para que se reconociera nuestra cultura, para que se celebrara el 19 de noviembre dia del descubrimiento de Puerto Rico, en^ todas las prisiones. El 8 de Noviembre Martinez recibio una carta del sub-comsionado Edward Edwin que decia "el 19 de Noviembre sera'celebrado en todas las prisiones de estado." Recibimos otra carta de I.N. Hurd, secretario del gobernador, endosando la desicion del comisionado. " A pesar de que habiamos llegado a estos acuerdos las qutoridades penales no nos permitieron que cor- dinaramos la organizacion del acto en la carcel en que nos encontramos. Aun con los obstaculos y la fata de coperacion que confrontamos logramos conseguir un grupo de artistas para ese dia. Desafortunadamente, percances en el camino los retrasaron. Ese dia, 19 de Noviembre, dia de fiesta en la institucion, las sutoridades se mostraron inflexibles y no permitieron que nuestros invitados entraran. De una lista inicial de 40 tan solo 15 ponian ser admitidos. Con gran amargura, tuvimos que cancelar la actividad. *Todos nuestras iniciativas suteriores habian sido en vano. Nos vimos obligados a ridacar un recurso legal (class action) contra el gobernador, el comisionado Oswald y el supt. Casscles. Los Young Lords Party y el Concerned Puerto Rican Committee radicamos el recurso en conjunto. Entendiamos que poniamos ser victimas de las represalias de las autoridades. Estamos esperando las aun! " Luego de tomar esta accion legal senalamos otra fecha para el programa. Esta vez no tuvimos problema. El 17 de diciembre celebramos la actividad. Nuestras mas ex- presivas gracias a: congresista Herman Badillo, senador Robert Garcia, asambleista Arthur 0. Eve, Herman Sch wartz, abogado Barbara Handschu y al Comite de Defensa de Pancho Cruz, Ms. Genoveva Clemente por el Page 2 New York Unites Se Organizan Hermanos Boricuas The main objective of the class action is to expose the realities of being a Puerto Rican inmate within this op pressive environment, which totally ignouors our necessities. The rhetorcs of progression being articulated by the administrators is for the general public and not for us. Our ethnic group does not even receive an iota of attention. There's exactly nothing in the way of programs, services or qualified personal to deal with our problems. As far as educational programs are concerned, they are non existence. What the State is attempting to do is emasculate the Puerto Rican male by outright ignoring his cry for human treatment. Again, we must unify our voices for all Latinos to enjoin in the struggle through the court. It is evident if one of these correctional facilities lacks programs for our people, then all of them lack for us. There is no diference from Comstock to Clinton or Green Heaven. Let's utilize the only weapon available to us, which is the pen. Unidad of all Latino to change these repressive environment, to make them productive for us, let's our voices be heard in our communities. The struggle must be waged in the courts to expose these hideous crimes. Since what we are asking for is the right to be a human being and not animals. "THE PRISON ISSUE, IT'S NOT A CRIMINAL ONE BUT A HUMAN ISSUE." SOMOS HOMBRES 0 ANIMALESI! UNIDAD EN NUESTRA LUCHA DE HUMANIDADI! In unity Et struggle. THE CONCERNED PUERTO RICAN COMMITTEE trabajo que hizo de esta actividad un exito. Fue un programa de 2 hras y media que trajo a Puerto Rica a este ambiente tan opresivo. El primer programa puertoriqueno que se trae a este infierno. "Nuestro objetivo principal al radicar la accion legal fue denunciar la opresitfn y el marginamiento a que es sometido el preso boricua. La retorica del progreso con que la administracion trata de engaTiar al publico carece de significado para nosotros. No hay progrmas, servicios o personal cualificado que pueda bregar con nuestras problemas. No existen programas educativas." Lo que el estado intenta hacer es castrar al latino negando su dignidad, sus reclamos por un trato humano. Una vez mas tenemos que unirmos. Todas estas prisiones carecen del minimo necesario. No hay diferencias entre Green Haven, Clinton, o Comstock. Utilizamos el unico instrumento de lucha que tenemos a nuestro alcance, la pluma. Unidad entre Latinos para asi cambiar este sistema represivo, dejemosnos oir en _ nuestras corjiunidades. Tenemos que luchar y denunciar les crimenes de esta sistema. Luchamos por el derecho a que se nos trate como humanos, no como animales. "EL ISSUE DE LAS PRISIONES, NO ES UN ISSUE CRIMINAL, ES HUMANO." "SOMOS HOMBRES 0 ANIMALESI! UNIDAD EN NUESTRA LUCHA DE HUMANIDADI! en unidad y lucha BOX 51 COMSTOCK, N.V. 12821 Page 3 New York Unites Clinton: United Front Of Prisoners All Power and Progress to Oppressed People!!! Once again under the disguise of Justice, the system is planning to destroy those of us who refuse to submit to the barbaric, dehumanizing conditions, that we are forced to live under in genocide-slave camps throughout decaying Amerikkka. The United Front of P.O.W.'s, here in Clinton genocide slave-camp referred to hereafter as the U.F.O.P. —has solidified into a reality. As we are determined to put an end to the "Barbaric Genocide" that is taking place throughout Amerikkka's Prisons; in support of our brothers in "Attica" who are presently being sabotaged with "trumped-UP charges" in the form of indictments perpetrated against 37 persons, who are scape-goats, and who are to be sacrificed on the alter. This whole prison has been united, and strongly urges all prisons and communities, throughout the country to support our P.O.W.'s in Attica, by contributing at least one dollar to the Attica Defense Fund —in behalf of our rightous brothers and comrades in their struggle with the mounting court expenses. In order for you to better acquaint yourself with what the U.F.O.P. IS about, you will find enclosed our con stitution. Dare to Struggle! ' DARE TO WIN! CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED FRONT OF P.O.W.'S (U.F.O.P.) AT CLINTON GENOCIDE-SLAVE CAMP Motto: Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win! All Power to Oppressed People! Name: The name of the movement shall be the United Front of P.O.W.'s —Prisoners of War —(U.F.O.P.) Aims and Objects: ' This movement is being organized for the betterment of all prisoners, regardless of what your personal beliefs might be. If we unite as a whole we stand a better chance of eventually accomplishing the following aims and objects. 1.) To seek an end to the illegal and unlawful im prisonment of all prisoners, regardless of race, color or creed. 2.) To serve as the dynamic conscious political vanguard for the abolition of all prison systems and to be superseded by communes in conjunction to the com munities at large. 3.) To secure and maintain a bond of unity and solidarity of the prisoners and members of the com munities. 4.) To work with and in the interest of all races and social segments of every genocide-slave camp (prison or so-called correctional facility) throughout Dying Babylon (Amerikkka) in joint action in accord with the Con stitution and Standing Orders of U.F.O.P. 5.) To work for an immediate improvement of the camp in which the prisoners shall have the right to live and govern themselves along with the assistance and support of concerned progressive community members. 6.) To expose nationally and internationally the profound economic and political causes of vice, crime, poverty, illiteracy, anxiety, violence, among other things as attributed to capitalist exploitation and racial repression here in Babylon. 7.) To educate, organize, agitate and mobile P.O.W/s and the broad masses of people at large into ACTION against Babylon imperialism and her running beasts under the sun, in order to carve out a better society, a new society that can and will relate to the needs, wants and aspirations of all oppressed and exploited people. 8.) To promote and support the Organization of Solidarity with the Peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America (O.S.P.A.A.L.), and action for Peace. Membership: Every prisoner, regardless of race, color or creed — except informants, rats, or enemies of the People —is automatically a member if and when he accepts the aims and objects of the U.F.O.P. Leadership: The leadership of U.F.O.P. exists in the hands of all members without any big "I's" and little "you's" (superiority and inferiority complexs). Equality between members in policy making, decisions, or suggestions is a prerequisite to collective leadership and a proposition that must be fulfilled by anyone who acknowledges the majority—rule—out. This equality depends largely on the inner-conscious of the members involved. Modification: This document is susceptible to change in part or whole if and when necessary, for the betterment and advancement of the P.O.W.'s, especially by the majority's decision. Amerikkka is a Prison. All Prisoners Unite! Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win Freedom by Whatever Action Necessary! Clinton, N.Y. Founded on January 1, 1973 Page 4) New York Unites Wallkill: Slave Farm This letter is being written to you in behalf of the general inmate population at the Wallkill Correctional Facility who are totally displeased with the warden's arbitrary refusal to implement certain programs which were designed by the state legislature and the Correc tional Department in Albany. I am speaking specifically about the "work and the college release programs". Mr. Butler, the warden of this Bastille, refuses to implement the aforementioned programs on the basis, and I quote, "I do not wish to turn my prison into, a boarding house," but in essence he is saying that the work and college-release programs would conflict with his modern slave camp. (Wallkill Labor Camp). This institution prides itself as a front runner in penal reform. It has long been noted for its elite rehabilitative programs, but in reality this is a wide-spread fallacy. This institution is designed primarily to provide all the state's facilities with fruits, vegetables, milk, and meats at a tremendous profit. It maintains its existence by exploiting inmate labor. During the summer months the inmates are systematically driven like animals-without intermittence- to pick fruits and vegetables under the heat of the blazing sun, for which they are paid dehumanizing wages of twenty five (25 cents) per day. The possibility of a pay raise is virtually non-existent. But even with a pay in crease it still would not compensate for the abject humiliation and loss of dignity that one suffers. Nor would it put any food in the bellies of our children, since the increase of pay would not be more than five cents (5 cents) per six (6) months. However if the work release program is realized, it would definitely rectify this wrong, not to mention the rehabilitative avenues that it would guarantee. Most maximum-security institutions have proven the work- release program to be an overwhelming success. Employers in the neighboring towns are willing to hire inmates if the tyrannical Mr. Butler would concede. In his dictatorial position he opposes the Prisoners' Labor Union; work-release, College-Release, and any other programs that would be beneficial to the rehabilitation of prisoners. We Brothers Need Help In Our Struggle! Peace, Love and Power The inmates of Wallkill, N.Y. Auburn: Protective Custody !!!!!! All 64 Brothers indicted for the Attica rebellion have now been arraigned. Judge Carmen Ball entered a plea of not guilty for them. The indictees' lawyers have entered two motions. One requests a change of venue away from rural Wyoming County and the other asks for the disqualification of Judge Ball due to the prejudicial at titude that he has demonstrated during Grand Jury proceedings. The courtroom was filled during the arraignments with demonstrators from Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse organizations. Those who would not get in the courtroom demonstrated outside. "8 of the 24 Brothers who were in the Erie Co. Jail have now been bailed out. The other Brothers are still being held either at Erie or in segregation at Auburn. The following are statements, a letter and poetry by them: "ADMINISTRATIVE" "PROTECTIVE CUSTODY" We the Attica brothers are now being hell under the guise of "Administrative Protective custody"!!!!!! Rockefeller Et Oswald claim we are being protected!! Well what are we to be protected from???? From whom are we to be protected from?????? Can it be that we're being protected from the correctional officer's???? If this be the case, as they claim it to be, why???? Why I ask you....are we in their charge!!!!!!! We are constantly being harassed by them!!! We are constantly being brutalized by them!! We are kept locked in a cell 24 hours a day by them!! We are fed in a cell over a open comode by them!! Some of us do not even have a tables in the cell assaigned to us so we must eat off the floor like animals!! We are not allowed to keep our commissary or personal food which we have received from home in the cells we've been assaigned to!! Our commissary Et personal food is rationed (4 times a day) to us daily by them'!. We are allowed one haircut a month, two showers a week, Et two shaves!!. We are taken to a exercise yard about 12' x 30' for a day!! In this exercise yard we are told we are not to exercise more then one man at a time!! We are suppose to receive one law book a night upon request!! But we are lucky if we receive one law book a week!!!!! So it is almost impossible to work on our cases!! When we request information we are told to write a interview slip to someone who does'nt reply!!!!! No one seems to know what or who runs this place or how so it is almost total chaos daily!! We are skin searched every time we are taken off the floor to see a attorney, family etc....if you go on a visit, (attorney or family) you are not fed!!!! We are segregated from each other (six men to a tank) by tanks!!!! And we are not allowed to pass anything to one another!!!! Now I ask you is this protective custody!!!! "WELL WE DID'NT ASK FOR IT" ATTICA BROTHERS AT AUBURN CONCENTRATION CAMP New York Unites Attica Conscious of that September of 71 111 1 1 There was a gray Misty Morn; That sorrowful September Day; First the choking Gas and Burning eyes; Next a hail of rifle fire, Then a cry of mcarnful screams, as Death fulled the air; Forty three Brothers died for US, Let us Remain conscious of that - September of '71 Robert Lee Miles ATTICA Brother Have You Not Heard???? America, America, Have you not heard???? The cry of the oppressed people, will be heard, They cry, they cried in Attica, And they cried in the Tombs, Wake up America: For the oppressed people will bring the Doom By Brother Bernard X. Shipman. ATTICA Brother THE MASSACRE DUNBAR : "INCITED IT" ROCKY : "ORDERED IT" OSWALD : "INITIATED IT" MANCUSI : "AGREED TO IT" THE TROOPERS : "COMMITTED IT" OFFICERS : "HELP COMITT & LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT" D R . W I L LIAMS & STRNBERG^ HELP KILL & MAIM JUST FORTHEHELL £ IT" THE GRAND JURY IS ABOUT TO COVER FOR IT" SAMAKI nevoiuuonary (jreetings. Comrade Brothers and Sisters, This is to inform you that I have been transfer from Green Haven Prison to Auburn Special Housing Unit. I have been given a indictment from the Attica riot. I would like for your publication to inform the people that we are been mistreat by the Dept. of Correctional Facility We the Brothers from Attica are being denial of our personal property the necessary things that are needed to keep our Personal Hygiene (things such as toilet articles) so we ask for the people for support in our support in our fight We the Brothers from Attica are being held as political prisoners we are charged with crimes that will carry sentence up to life imprisonment The state of New York are try to make The Attica Brothers Guinea Pigs so we ask for the people to give us support we ask for the in mates especcialy New York State for support because Attica means fight back. So help the Brothers get victory remember we are fighting for our freedom all over the nation and there couldn't never be anything else worth fighting for. "All Power to the People" P S. This is a message to the people Those brave ones who struggle against death are the ones who bring new life into the world, even though they die to do so, Even though hearts are broken when they die you are either a Victim or a Rebel. A man who won't ' die for something is not fit to live. Auburn tiros. vjllixny ^Syracuse'sun) Page f black liberation army Dare to Struggle! To: The Black Colony Re: Black Liberation Army Let it be well known among all Black people, that the Black Liberation Army are your voices, eyes, arms and legs. They have a Right to defend you since you won't defend yourself and kind...dig it! In order for you as a people to take your time to realize that one day very soon you are going to have to deal with this hog-system that now only allows you poor half-lives; the B.L.A. is necessary, thank whoever you believe in that they are there. Understand my brothers and sisters that war is the highest from of struggle for resolving contradictions, when contradictions develop to a certain stage between the haves and the havenots; between the Right of our children to grow in a drug free, welfare free society, between our political right to self-governing our own, producing upright people, then we are waging a just revolutionary war for freedom, love and peace for each other and we must do this by any rqeans necessai^. LET'S DEAL WITH JUST AND UNJUST: Question: Is it just that a people forced in slavery should not bare the fruits of their labor? Ques.: Is it just that today after working twenty years you still owe a person you haven't seen money? Ques.: Is it just that a person from another country can come and live wherever they wish, with the money you gave as taxes, yet you must bend and bow to get on welfare? Ques.: Is it just that a pig sees our Black daughters having girlish arguments, roll out of their car and shot down a 16 year old? Then why in hell isn't it just for you to have your Black Liberation Army???? My people fully understand that any political power you wish must come under the dictates of Historical Law—out of the barrel of a gun. This is written in the hope that you take action and protect the only true people's fighters. Those five brothers and one sister are uptight, not from fear of the pigs, but from the House niggers that will aid and abet the pigs to wipe them out. Then, who will the pigs have to answer to for all the unjust deeds they heap upon you 25 hrs a day? Think about it, Think about it!!! The B.L.A. is only telling the system that if you don't re-open our day-care centers, build better housing, employ more of our people in top-level jobs that allow them to live a decent life-style you are going to know we don't dig it, for as a people we are coming down on your ass hard. If you don't believe the pig is a pig then don't pay your rent, your taxes, your bills and see who's the first to kick in your door, snatch your t.v. radio, car and whatever. I beg of you to hide your six comrades. Lie and steal to make sure they stay free to do their job. For unless you have £ voice that will be listened to you will have less than you have now and that's nothing. "....An oppressed class which does not strive to learn to use arms, to acquire arms, only deserves to be treated like slaves. We cannot forget, unless we become bourgeois pacifists, or opportunists, that we are living a class society that there is no way out of this society, and there can be none, except by means of the class struggle. In every class society, whether it be based on slavery, serfdom or as at present, on wage labor, the oppressing class is armed" V.I. Lenin —Selected Works... Black people take the long (?) view that we as a people can and must win our freedom, it's for you to decide what government runs our free society. All Power to the People and Power to our Black Liberation Army... The Tombs INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY DAY FOR AFRICAN PRISONERS OF WAR Date - March 30th, 1973 Place - Jackson, Miss. National Headquarters: 1281/2N. Gallatin St. Jackson, Miss. 601-355-7495 "Purpose - the rapidly accelerating pace of American repression against African Freedom Fighters on this continent and abroad is taking an ungodly toll on the International Black Mass. Irreparable damage has been inflicted on the homes, the families, and the friends, as well as the persons of those presently engaged in the Black Liberation Struggle. Episodes of political per secution, such as in the cases of George Jackson, the Attica Massacre, President Imari Obadelp and New African Prisoners of War in Jackson, Miss., and Miami, Florida, Private Billy Dean Smith, and thousands un named involved the premeditated desecration of Black liberty and Black life on the part of callour adversaries. The International Solidarity Day for African Prisoners of War has been called by the Republic of New Africa and the National Black Political Council for Jackson, Mississippi. The Pan African Congress, U.S.A. the Cairo United Front, C.O.R.E., Congress of African People, and several other National as well as local political organizations are expected to directly endorse and co- sponsor this Solidarity Day. On this Solidarity Day thousands of Blacks will con verge on the site of the infamous attack by FBI and Jackson Police on the RNA-11 in a mass show of Solidarity for all African persons past and present, taken prisoner as a result of the U.S.A.'s war against humanity....Being international in scope, this day of Solidarity will dramatize the plight of Africans seized and/or killed in the arena of struggle on the African continent, in Asia and Latin America. Representatives of International Embassies as well as prominent national figures such as Julian Bond, John Conyers, Congressman Ron Dellums, Imamu Baraka, Mayor Richard Hatcher, Congressman Charles Diggs, and several others are being asked to participate. New York State Interim Committee c/o National Committee for the Defense of Political Prisoners P.O. Box 1148 New York, New York 10027 tel: 864-8951 Att; Bernice Jones Page 7 POETS MUST FIGHT Trenton "THE PO.ETS MUST FIGHT" I hear the poets thunder telling a life story of suffering blood... and death babies going hungry mothers whoring... fathers turned pimp brothers and sisters killing one and another for nothing... I hear the thunder of the poets telling us to arm... ourselves in the gutter they're cries of revenge kill and be a man fall on deaf ears fall's on a sleepy nation nation within a nation without a heart yet killed each second of there're lifes in a undeclared war the poets sing... in they're citadel while the bloods... fight in the streets drive-in by the poets words divind black poets who raise the battle cry come out and fight the poets must lead... the way lord of words come to action or are your fang and claws only for paper and the peoples ears... you have written a bible now black poets come out and fight. The Lamentation Of A Woman Black/White woman mental/physical death constantly lurks you into darkness I is alone your head is wrapted in fear sounds of voices/bells keys open your bo/dy lamentation reach your ears of I am woman born slave blow your mind dying daily in the streets in/ prison black/white woman living in the shadow of/man has begun her ressurection from the tombs of fear/threats/brutality and family life to become a free woman. 1-2-73 SOLEDAD HAD A PROPHET I heard you scream in your frustration in your loneliness in your captivity in a concentration camp your exhausted voice still echoes across the void to produce anger and make men think and act poet prophet black revolutionary they can never deprive you of life. Arthur Prince //50865 Trenton, N.J. 08625 BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION..JHE FINAL SOLUTION? The following article by Tom Wicker appeared in the N. Y. Times of Jan. /, 1973. Following it are two com mentaries on the article written by inmates at Leaven worth. We have had to edit the commentaries due to length. PRESSING AHEAD IN PRISON REFORM By TOM WICKER Durham, N.C. —Dr. Martin Groder is a young psychiatrist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Con trary to much contemporary thought, he believes in the possibility of rehabilitating prisoners because, he says,."I've done it." That was at the federal prisdn in Marion, III., where Groder (33 and a graduate of both Columbia Medical School and the Langley Porter Neuropsychiatric In stitute at the University of California) claims to have had some success with programs "in which the prisoners get interested and invest themselves." He says he relies primarily on "transactional analysis" — about which many people read in Eric Berne's "Games People Play." His ideas also are heavily influenced by two years' work with the Synanon Institute in California, which has been successful in rehabilitating some drug addicts. "Groder is developing and will be the director of the new Federal Center for Correctional Research^ now being built at a cost of $13.5 million at Camp Butner, an old Army post near here. It is scheduled to open in 1974 with a staff of 211, with 140 psychiatric beds for short-term treatment of severely disturbed federal prisonersand places for 200 other selectecn^risoners in four "research units." "These plans run counter to at least two main lines of thought among modern penologists and organizations interested in corrections. One such line is that prisons themselves are the real correctional problem —that no rehabilitation program can overcome the bad effect of the institution itself on the prisoner. "The National Council on Crime and Delinquency, for example, is critical of the bureau's 60-million dollar construction program, of which the federal center at Butner is a part. The council advocates instead "community correction programs that deal with the offender in his own community." "Prison-run "behavior research" is in bad order, moreover, among those who have studied its workings at such state institution&as Vacaville, in California, and Patuxent, in MarylandrThis is because, under the guise of mental treatment of patients, such institutions have done things to prisoners —electro-shock, psychosurgery, massive drugging and the like—to which no court would sentence them; and because some of the institutions have seized on indeterminate sentencing procedures to keep prisoners under such treatment long past the time they might have served in an ordinary prison. Generally, most prison "rehabilitation" programs have been charged with trying mainly to produce docile prisoners rather than stable citizens.5 Martin Groder is cheerfully aware, therefore, that the new federal center he will head is suspect in some circles —not least among federal prisoners)^who are not anxious to be "guinea pigs" in behavior research. He is nevertheless pressing ahead in the belief that the new center is already an improvement on the original Bureau of Prisons plan to use the Butner site for a bid combined prison and mental hospital —what Groder says would have been a "psychiatric warehouse" for disturbed prisoners. As for the evils of "behavioral research" in other prisons, both Groder, in an interview at his office in Durham, and his superiors in Washington firmly deny that the federal center at Camp Butner will employ such "treatment." Among the 200 prisoners to be assigned to the research units from other federal prisons, there will be none with indeterminate sen tences? for one thing, so the center will have no power to hold them past their scheduled release dates. Groder argues, on a professional basis, that * "repressive methods that push people around" don't work. He has no plans, he pledges, for "rehabilitating" prisoners surgery, drug therapy or "aversive treatment"®-the sort of thing moviegoers saw in "A Clockwork Orange," when a young offender was made to feel severe pain in connection with thoughts of criminal acts. Electroshock, if used at all, Groder says, will be limited to supervised treatment of mental patients, as in a civilian hospital, and will not be part of the research program. Nor will the rehabilitation ex periments offer the kind of "rewards" that consist of putting a prisoner in painful or degrading cir cumstances, then gradually improving his environment as he becomes more docile and responsive to the authorities. But if all that is true, and if the abuses alleged to have occurred at Vacaville, Patuxent and elsewhere are to be avoided at Butner, the question still remains whether Groder and the staff he is beginning to put together can really rehabilitate offenders in programs carried out within a prison .institution —a task many students of the correction system have come to consider impossible. The answer is by.no means certain, but as yvil) be seen in another article, Martin Groder thinks it's well worth a try. 3 1. Any close examination of the facility itself (Butner) or the (actual) proposed operational system for it will disclose the fact that there is no "RESEARCH" intent connected with Butner (or the many Butner type sub facilities planned, such as START at Springfield, Mo.) Butner (and kindred units) are the result of research rather than a part of it. BUTNER IS THE MODERN VERSION OF "THE FINAL SOLUTION". An improved version: It is designed to eliminate the human "problems" but retain the productivity of the human physiques in volved. This makes for much less of a waste disposal problem—no furnaces needed. These problem creatures are profitable and problem free after being programmed. This FINAL SOLUTION is the logical end result of the sustained practice of the failure that is imprisonment. Prisons, the only business which can succeed by its own failures. Anyone naive enough to buy that "Research Center" bit will buy fried ice cream. 2. Is the theory here (really) that they will be disturbed before or after the Butner treatment? The Bureau-Groder of course would say "before". Experience, everything we have seen and experienced (including everything Groder has done in his years with the federal prison system) can lead us only to the conclusion that the correct answer is "after". 3. How did this happen? An appropriate word! Selected indeed! We have seen many samples of the selection process (for Butner's Groder controlled predecessor START) and in other materials associated with the great federal prisoner brainwashing project. Those few National Federal Prisoners Rights Project Box 1000 Leavenworth, Kansas 66048 selected for such programs that have assaultive records are selected if (and only if) they cease to be assaultive. By far the heaviest percentage of the people selected for such destruction programs are those who the lighter- weight prison intimidation methods have not been able to "break". Those who might be called the voices of dissent. The radicals! The humanitarians? 4. Add New Jersey, The federal Medical Facility at Springfield, Missouri (throughout its disgusting history) and the new START (Groder designed and controlled) program at Springfield Medical Center, as well as every mental hospital where administratoors have been able to achieve any real "veil of silence", any real seperation from the surrounding community, behind which they could operate with impunity. Operate they will!!! The expression may be old and worn with use, but it carries great truth: POWER CORRUPTS-ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY. 5. Wouldn't this sentence be a whale of a lot closer to accurate if the first word were change from "Generally" to "Invariably"? And if the second word ("most") were eliminated entirely? I for one would then make the statement...and am sure of a lot of company on my stand. Once again: That's what prisons are all about, 9 (Continued on Page 10) The Final Solution? Continued from Page 9 Control! Control! Only Control! Without that factor (the accomplishment of it) no one could make money in the prison business. Without total control, total enslavement, you could not get people that are against war to produce war materials 8 to 12 hours a day, five to seven days a week for 14 cents perhour. You could not get the slaves to produce (in atrocious working conditions) the pickhandles that are used to club in the heads of the makers-slaves themselves, let along get them to accept the insulting 14 cents per hour stipend that is supposed to be justification for their labors. 6. Unfortunately "suspect" is still an appropriate term - both for too many people out there in minimum security and the completely imprisoned. For many of us "among federal prisoners" though the term is not strong enough. We are deeply concerned or even scared stiff over what we know damn well is planned for ourselves, our friends and many of the people on the street and in prison who are now saying ("it doesn't apply to me"...the Good Germans. Something to think about Tom, for you and for many (all) state Prisoners: Why has the LEAA (Justice Department - Bureau of Prisons operated) Law En forcement Assistance Administration been driving so heavily (lobbying so extensively) for passage of state statutes that allow for interstate transfer of prisoner- s interstate also carries the provision for state-federal transfer??? Why really? Think about it? Yes, Tom, we know what the cover stories have been. We also know how extensive an interchange (state-federal) there is now. We are sickeningly aware of the uses these arrangements are put to. Examine those contracts in the light of what you now see Tom. 7. This is one of the bald-face lies...out front! The federal system does use indeterminate sentences, under that name. The use of them is increasing and is being encouraged by the Justice Department. Where this statement (and any like it made by such as Groder or other Bureau personnel) gets really vicious is when you consider the fact that the federal system uses a number of sentencing systems that amount to indeterminate sentencing...they have other titles but the effect is very much the same.,.this, of course is very well known indeed to the likes of the Martin Groders. The Federal Youth Act Sentences - the primary group of them - known as "zip sixes" are 60 day to six year indeterminate sentences. This type of sentence has been under particularly heavy attack of late because it does not even contain any provision for good time, and because the crimes charged where it is frequently meted out carry less than six years maximum on a straight adult sentence-(as a maximum). 8. Groder no longer has "plans" for such things...what he now has is a series of developed and refined systems, all of which are thoroughly and soundly based on "aversive therapy" - "aversive treatment". Programs Groder has operated and is operating now make heavy use of "drug therapy" - as a control cum stultification cum resistance reduction device - and a great deal m