Guard Trick Could Have Backfired

I’m at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF), an institution in the Wisconsin Prison System (WPS), participating in the Earned Release Program (ERP). Shortly after count last night, the Koss headphones I bought off the catalogs, a plastic piece by the right ear just fell off making the ear piece unable to stay connected (Jack L. Marcus catalog #2168).  I got them while at JCI several months ago and they take a considerable pounding since I never listen to TV or radio without them.  I spent the rest of the night after shaving my head wearing those headphones being careful not to touch them once I got them on my head lest I cause the headphone to fall.  It’s unfortunate it happened right before Christmas break where TV viewing will be a major pastime.  With Christmas right around the corner (today is December 23rd) guard and staff vacations have started which means we have staff unfamiliar to us.  I asked them for an order form and catalog so I could order the headphones but were refused.  While waiting for lunch, my cellies, Malik Pearl, Andre Charles, and Brian Whalen had a long but productive conversation.  Andre went on and on about how those in his ERP group upset him with how they act.  He finally came at me and wanted to know what I thought.  I took a deep breath and told him the problem was him.  His expectations of how these people act is what has created this problem.  In addition, I told him his anger management isn’t the problem but he has a rage issue, and that he needed medication for mood stabilization and impulse control.  Finally, I told him I worry someday he will kill someone before he was even aware of what he’s done.  Everyone in the room was stunned by what I said but Andre said I was dead on accurate and thanked me.  But he asked why Whalen never had issues with him.  It’s because Whalen does everything he can to appease him while Malik and I would not.  Whalen even agreed with this opinion.  For once I thought I handled this situation well.  We had count after lunch and Andre came out without his ID or yellow smock.  Normally, they let this go but these new guards did not.  After count cleared, one of the guards showed up and told him to pack up as he was doing to the hole for these violations.  He was patted down, and Andre was clearly getting angry.  After going through his things, the guard announced he was “fu—– with him as he had them by not following the rules”.    Relieved he didn’t go to the hole he returned to his usual loud self.  But this guard had played a very dangerous game.  What if Ander had flipped out over losing his ERP over his trick?  Getting kicked out of ERP can mean additional years an inmate may have to sit in prison.  I believe Andre to be fairly dangerous and this guard was by himself and didn’t know Malik or I.  Fortunately, it ended ok …this time.  At 1 pm, Ms. Grey joined us and gave us new books.  On was “Houses of Healing: A Prisoner’s Guide to Inner Power and Freedom, 5th Edition”, 2008, by Robin Casarjian and another workbook, “Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment.  Strategies for Self Improvement and Change” by Kenneth W. Wanberg and Harvey B. Milkman, 2006, Sage Publications.   We will begin assignments in this next week while she is gone on vacation.  Ms. Grey also gave us a whole bunch of worksheets.  The load is getting heavier no doubt.  But I am confident I’ll keep up.

Technorati Tags: Guard,Trick,Could,Milwaukee,Secure,Detention,MSDF,institution,Wisconsin,Prison,System,Release,Program,Koss,headphones,piece,Jack,Marcus,catalog,radio,Christmas,pastime,December,Malik,Pearl,Andre,Charles,Brian,Whalen,conversation,breath,expectations,addition,management,medication,mood,impulse,room,opinion,situation,rules,self,Ander,inmate,Grey,Prisoner,Guide,Inner,Power,Freedom,Edition,Robin,Casarjian,workbook,Criminal,Conduct,Substance,Abuse,Treatment,Improvement,Change,Kenneth,Wanberg,Harvey,Milkman,Sage,assignments,vacation,vacations,violations,Strategies,Publications,didn

LiveJournal Tags: Guard,Trick,Could,Milwaukee,Secure,Detention,MSDF,institution,Wisconsin,Prison,System,Release,Program,Koss,headphones,piece,Jack,Marcus,catalog,radio,Christmas,pastime,December,Malik,Pearl,Andre,Charles,Brian,Whalen,conversation,breath,expectations,addition,management,medication,mood,impulse,room,opinion,situation,rules,self,Ander,inmate,Grey,Prisoner,Guide,Inner,Power,Freedom,Edition,Robin,Casarjian,workbook,Criminal,Conduct,Substance,Abuse,Treatment,Improvement,Change,Kenneth,Wanberg,Harvey,Milkman,Sage,assignments,vacation,vacations,violations,Strategies,Publications,didn

WordPress Tags: Guard, Trick, Could, Milwaukee, Secure, Detention, MSDF, institution, Wisconsin, Prison, System, Release, Program, Koss, headphones, piece, Jack, Marcus, catalog, radio, Christmas, pastime, December, Malik, Pearl, Andre, Charles, Brian, Whalen, conversation, breath, expectations, addition, management, medication, mood, impulse, room, opinion, situation, rules, self, Ander, inmate, Grey, Prisoner, Guide, Inner, Power, Freedom, Edition, Robin, Casarjian, workbook, Criminal, Conduct, Substance, Abuse, Treatment, Improvement, Change, Kenneth, Wanberg, Harvey, Milkman, Sage, assignments, vacation, vacations, violations, Strategies, Publications, didn