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Author: Levert Brookshire Title: Celldweller Theoritician As a cellblock society theoretician who's spent 25 long years now going through the annals of Amerika's Criminal Justice System, both Federal and State, California and Arizona's. My hard-earned, rigorous training in self protective survival-techniques, military sciences of sorts, brought several other useful study courses in socio-economics, political and self-analysis as well. Including understanding human behavior, leadership, and self-reliance. All of which helped for governing gang social structures & ways to address inevitable conflicts, evaluating, improving performance, developing potential, using incentives, navigating difficulties, even building alliances and problem-solving. etc. etc. In today's fast-paced, high tech, 'modernized' social environment, on the other side of these cellblock walls and tall fences, where instantaneously information and communication is being transmitted back and forth and 'social-media' rules over everything. This demands for any CellDweller who has been confined to these cellblocks for as long as I've been or any felon expecting to be released in the near future. To have their mind and behavior already disciplined and in the right place even before their scheduled time of release. It's gonna be fundamentally necessary in order for one to have any remote fighting chance at effectively reintegrating back into civil society again. One must have both a well organized 'thinking' ability and be highly adept to knowing the distinction between basic needs and wants with an expectation of responsible conduct while in civil society. Sadly I find that the vast majority of CellDwellers who populate these cellblocks, particularly the ones who in fact are approaching their scheduled release dates. Many of them demonstrate a basic lack of motivation and understanding of these important fundamentals, opting to neglect their own potential and ignoring their own personal talents. Instead, using their time here to reinforce the same mistaken, backwards, erroneous criminal thinking and behaviors which led them to these cellblocks in the first place. It is only a small percentage of us who ever gain a full commitment to self-reform. Nurturing our minds, and talents. Reassuring ourselves to stay motivated, and productive. Not very many of us confined to these cellblock social structures will come to actually master the necessary fundamentals of self-governance and self-reform 'techniques', which empower us, to get the very best, out of ourselves. Learning how to convert our past calamities and plunders into future assets and triumphs. Finally having to realize at some point during our time of confinement. Natural, instinctive behavior we develop and shape to use while inside these cellblock social structures as our own, self-protective, survival-mechanisms are inappropriate and self-sabotaging to ourselves in civil society. At what point, during your cellblock journey do we begin deprogramming ourselves from the instinctive behavior natural to cellblock society's environment. Reprogramming ourselves for re-adaptation, instinctively to modes of behavior which are natural to today's modernized and high-tech, fast-paced, civilized society? What stage in our sentences do we begin making efforts to produce the kinds of thinking and behavioral patterns, that will gradually lead us into productive, effective, contributing members of civil society, assets to our families and involved parents with our kids, behaving as appropriate, responsible, adults should be. Such deprogramming and then reprogramming for reintegration transition cannot happen suddenly, swiftly or overnight. But rather over a gradual period of time. As natural behavior for everyone of us, is always based on subjective responses, for each and every one of us, who populate Amerikas CellBlock social structures. We are not all the same. We don't have equal learning abilities, equal self-discipline, or equal motivation either. Making the challenge for all who advocate and push for Criminal Justice Reform and their proponents - come down to this. Trying to influence and motivate a Celldweller who's locked in a cell, to change their behavior and thinking, rather trying to change their values and priorities which most likely would only lead to, negative reactions, insecurities, defensiveness and even rebellion, as mistaken perceptions of intent fly rampant. After living in these CellBlock social structures myself, so many years now. Living with 'alot' of people, crammed together into crowded warehouses. Subcultures, counter-cultures and 'racially' divided intolerance cultures are the ruling authority inside here. Where people are fragmented into small, often-times warring groups, 'racially' divided, 'geographically' divided and even divided along 'Red' and 'Blue' distinct tribal lines, 'five' and 'six' point stars. Hostile social structures which over time our natural instinctive behavior while confined here becomes highly 'political', with an emphasis put on social structure 'status', and 'hierarchical' rank. We gradually become lesser and lesser 'civilized' and even less empathetic towards mainstream societal authority, rules and social norms. Generally at odds with all forms of law enforcement and authority figures in mainstream society. Regarding criminal justice reform specifically prison reform. Resources allocated for this kind of massive, insurmountable undertaking efficiently, effectively and productively, in a way which will yield the most of said investment of capital, time and resources, while controlling bureaucratic waste, managing accountability, and oversight. A neutral, independently funded auditing system/agency will have to be created in order to responsibly report all progress, failures, mistakes, adjustments, readjustments and general practices. To be able to identify and track new problems and gain new information. Useful and important information needed to keep such a massive and complex undertaking moving along, with credibility and wide support. In order for success to be achieved we must know and acknowledge the fact, not all CellDwellers are going to be deserving of such efforts and resources, for prison reform. Unfortunately not all of us here are interested in doing the work necessary to reform oneself, not all are motivated to become fully 'reformed' criminals, who are prepared to live as 'civilized' citizens upon their release. In fact, there are many who have taken an oath, a pledge of predatorial anarchy, criminal rebellion and promote sociopathic ideology, and thinking. Not everyone can be reformed. Rather than waste limited, scarce and precious time, highly appreciated resources, where they won't produce any desirable results. A comprehensive, 'incentive' based vetting system will be an imperative apparatus to any criminal justice reform project, one which can protect the worthiness and integrity behind such efforts. Credibility of the initiates enrolled into the 'reform' efforts will surely have a powerful influence on the attitudes and critics of the movement, which will in turn improve the chances of success. We can give celldwellers/prisoner's (reform) initiates, the greatest incentives-based, vetting system possible by imparting a stake of 'ownership', and a 'role' to play in the prison reform effort and movement. Recognizing their stories and their difficult journeys, repurposed to benefit somebody else in a similar struggle. Organizing a program that has an open style, which avoids 'status' and 'titles' that are divisive and counter-productive and resemble CellBlock social structures, all of which should be shunned for individual achievements and completion of assigned work, individual performance and unique talents, with easy to measure, economical way to get the most disciplined, motivated and dedicated initiates possible, worthy enough to benefit from such efforts and investment of resources. Those who have proven they have the ability to learn from mistakes and failures, possess constructive behavior, all attributes which encourage cooperation, self-restraint, and empathy. Readily recognizable traits of human beings who possess appropriate behavioral skills capable of adapting to 'reformative' efforts, being offered to them. Knowing why we all behave as we do is the key to reform? Seeking to understand celldweller's needs in order to motivate them towards 'reform' will meet the goals of criminal justice 'reform', effectively. A general 'vetting' system must include an approach based on one on one collaborations with each initiate. Influence behavior, rather than trying to change personalities. Encourage and award efforts to change destructive behaviors. Impart knowledge that explains the 'distinct' differences between own natural instinctive behaviors versus our appropriate behaviors establishing environmental conditions and circumstances, using a pragmatic approach. Recognizing the value of individual, personal achievements, not status. Involving initiates in 'specific' assignments and tasks, with very clear aims. Striving to create an environment in which 'status' and 'hierarchy' have as little importance as possible and the 'envy', contempt and 'jealousy' will slowly disintegrate from the prison culture. Replaced by increased awareness and becoming involved with our own personal changes, managing our own 'compulsions' and 'impulsive' behaviors. Learning problem solving techniques, adaptation to civil society and the meaning of re-socialization. Keep in mind, Celldwellers that enjoy the reform process will likely deliver the best results upon their release, rethinking their approach to society, owning the whole 'self-reform' philosophy. Training themselves in the specifics of 'reintegration'. Developing their own potential and unique talents. Opening up broader opportunities for themselves, shunning 'criminal' alternatives for good. Like any other skill, 'thinking' skills can also be taught and even improved upon. Training and retraining Celldwellers mental abilities will matter a great deal in any real, genuine, sincere effort to reform prisons. Otherwise, it's just another (cause celebré), like (global warming). Everybody knows its a serious problem to be debated over, but nobody can fix it or get to an 'action' stage. The Celldweller Theoritician
