Toilets

Since I was able to accomplish all my writing yesterday afternoon, I had the entire evening to sit outside. My normal routine is to go to dinner then return to my room where I would write for at least an hour. There wasn’t any need for me to rush back to my room last night after dinner so I lingered outside and talked.

The mail was dispersed earlier in the day and I received one piece of mail from my mother. In her letter she enclosed an article on the prison overcrowding issues which plague California. This issue seems to be getting a great deal of press coverage lately. In the local newspaper there were 2 articles on this topic a few days ago. In one of those articles, the Republicans from the California State legislator have filed a motion in hopes to prevent the three judge panel from doing anything. This entire subject continues to get convoluted. They don’t want any inmates released early from state prison and they are doing everything in their power to maintain status quo. There is a huge problem within the California Department of Corrections yet the Republicans appear to be in denial. Something has to happen and it is only a matter of when. The overcrowding problem has gone on for at least 15 years and the solution to build more beds is not the end all be all solution. Yes, prison expansion is necessary but more programs have to be implemented to prepare felons for the outside world. Also, parole and sentencing guidelines need to be reformed.

California has the highest recidivism rate of any state in the country – nearly 70% return within 3 years. The Republicans believe all felons are violent yet some 50% of the total population of inmates (roughly 85,000) are sent to prison for NON-violent offenses. The “tough on crime” bumper sticker may look good in the papers and maybe good to get a candidate re-elected but the thinking is entirely flawed. I have witnessed many guys from here parole and at least 80% of them have fear in their eyes. This should be a joyous moment but so many of them did not receive any rehabilitative efforts during their incarceration. Unfortunately, this leads to the high recidivism rate. I always thought of California as being a state with compassion, but this is not the case when it comes to prison. The prison system is strictly punitive with little to no rehabilitation. I read somewhere that the prison model in California is a “catch and release” system. This sets up a seemingly never-ending revolving door for the inmates. This will change as soon as the Republicans wake up and stop denying that a real problem exists. I may not be the most objective person when it comes to this issue because I have lived in it for the past 13 months. However, I did deserve prison time for my offenses and I am doing all I can to get better. This has been all my own doing with the help of my dear family and friends. Many of the guys in here don’t have this luxury and I do feel for them. Inevitably, the system will change but as with most events with a political nature, it just takes time. In the meantime, I look forward to March 2nd of next year because I get to re-join my family a much better person.

Upon waking up this morning, the probability of being much like yesterday was very high. Yesterday my crew was laid in since all of the Captains are either on vacation or out with the 4 other crews. (Update – the 2 crews who went to Santa Barbara have been extended one more week which is a total of 3 weeks) This is a very long stretch, but it should make most of the guys happy because they stand to earn over $500.00 for these 3 weeks. The other 2 crews should be back in camp by this weekend. This means my crew is less likely to go out to Santa Barbara. I thought we might go this weekend. Even though I suspected having a lay-in I still did my normal morning exercise routine which consisted of 1000 leg lifts, followed by 30 sets of decline push-ups, squats, and tricep extensions.

Since there wasn’t any work, I went back to my room to read Harry Potter when one of my friends asked if I wanted to help clean the bathrooms. I had no hesitation and said, “Yes.” This was a perfect opportunity to see how they were cleaned as I am very interested in this position. This is the person who I am friendly with and we talk in the evenings. He wants me to get the bathroom porter job because we get along. He goes home the end of next month and if I do get this position he would help me for about three weeks since the person I am replacing leaves in early September. Anyhow, I watched and assisted with three people and the cleaning took no time at all. I assisted with the cleaning of the toilets which surprisingly weren’t that dirty. The fact that 4 crews or roughly 60 guys are out of the camp currently does help to maintain a cleaner bathroom longer but I was still surprised as to the cleanliness level of the toilets. Oddly this cleaning did feel therapeutic. When I lived in the house in Southern Cal for almost 5 years, I don’t remember cleaning the bathrooms once. My dear wife did all the cleaning and now here I am scrubbing toilets. This is a positive turn of events because never again will I take a clean bathroom for granted!

The cleaning of the bathrooms took a little over an hour and when we were done they were indeed clean. I am happy I helped out and if I am laid in tomorrow I will do the same. Apparently this bathroom position is coveted by a few other inmates. There is a god possibility that I may get the job.

The bathrooms were complete and I returned to my room to finish the Harry Potter book. J.K. Rowlings tied up all loose ends very nicely and the story does have a definite conclusion. There really is only one item which remained inconclusive, but I believe the author won’t continue the series. Over the weekend I was talking to one my very dear friends who visited me on Saturday about the series. My friend, who is the most intelligent person I know, made a statement about one of the characters and his statement was right on. At the time when he said this, I had my doubts but now that I have finished the book there isn’t any doubt. In summary “Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows” was the perfect conclusion to the series.