Solitary confinement by another name

Busby, Jeremy

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Solitary Confinement By Another Name By Jeremy Busby "Yo! Six—Nine, do you have your property,” an elderly prisoner name Shine asked innocently about an hour after he was locked into his cell. "Hell, naw,” Six-Nine responded sadly. "These ho’s aint gave me shit,” ”Nothing?” Shine asked in disbelief. ”Not a go—damn thang, ”Six—Nine replied, ”No toothpaste, no deodorant, no drinking cup, toilet paper, no nothing!” "How are these people getting away with this shit?” Shine ‘asked no one in—particu|ar. ”Man this is TDCJ, the Texas Department of Corruptions,” A Latino prisoner name Trouble interjected, ”they get away with whatever they want to.” Shine was accused of threatening an officer, as was Trouble. Six—Nine had simply refused to shave. These infractions warranted the Texas prison officials to remove them from general population and confined in a cell that's designated as "Pre—Hearing Detention (PHD).” [Writer's Note: According to TDCJ Classification Plan, an offender (prisoner) is placed in PHD when charged with, or suspected of a disciplinary infraction and” (A) is a current escape risk; (B) if their presence in general population would create a threat to the physical safety of other offenders or staff or: (C) it is necessary to separate the offender from general population in order to maintain the integrity of the investigation. ”How long you been back here Six-Nine?” Shine asked dumbfoundly. ”Eighteen days, ”Six—Nine responded. ”Eighteen days, ”Shine echoed. "Yeah, I don't know what the hell these people got going on, ”Six-Nine stated. "You ahven’t wrote the warden or anybody to ask what's the deal?” Shine asked. ”Now how in the hell am I suppose to do dat fool, ” Six—Nine asked affectionately, ”I’ve already told you I don't have any property, no pen, paper, nothing.” ”That’s fucked-up, "Shine replied sympathetically. pg. 1 That is fucked-up, "Trouble agreed. The PHD cells were very tiny and contained only a steel bunk and stainless steel toilet/sink combo. It was fortified by three large concrete walls and a round steel bar gate. While they could hear one another, the cells were constructed so they could not see each other. The only true human—to-human contact they would have was with the guards. ”Damn Trouble, ”Shine protested, ”we got to do something about this shit. I can't go without deodorant. "I agree, ”Troub|e replied, ’’I haven't brushed my teeth in ten days. It's like they got a muthafucka in solitary confinement.” ”This is solitary confinement, "Six—Nine chimed in. ”Before TDCJ was pressured into getting rid of solitary confinement, these were the cells they used.” ”No shit?” Shine exclaimed! "No shit!” Six-Nine echoed. ”Just like they are doing in 2019, under P.H.D., they were doing during the solitary confinement era. They lock you in these various cells without any property.” "So if TDCJ was pressured into eradicating solitary confinement, how in the hell are they still using these cells?” Trouble asked genuinely. ”Because they changed the name ofthem, "Six-Nine replied. "Instead of calling these cells ‘Solitary Confinement’, they now call them Pre-Hearing Detention.” ”But it's all the same. The only difference is doing the solitary confinement days you could only be back here for 15 days after you'd been found guilty of a disciplinary infraction.” "Now you can be held back here for God knows how long, without even being found guilty of a disciplinary infraction.” Six-Nine was a prisoner that kept up with all of the administrative changes and the deception they utilized to maintain the status quo. ”Wel| call me crazy, ”Trouble shouted out. ”You mean to tell me we are in solitary confinement?” ”Hell yeah fool, have you not been listening?’’ Shine shouted back. ”These folks got us in Solitary Confinement by Another Name." ”This is wrong,” Trouble admitted. pg 2 ”As wrong as two left shoes, ”shine added, ”|t’s cruel and unusual punishment.” ”That’s why people still be killing themselves back here,” Six—Nine continued. ”This cell is designed to trigger psychosis. Without any property or human contact people prefer death over this.” ’’Tell me about it, ”Troub|e stated matter-of—fact|y. ’’If I have to go another day without brushing my teeth, I might lose it.” ”So what purpose does this serve?” Asked Shine. ”Punishment fool,” Six—Nine replied. ”They want to break you, push you to the verge of death.” “This some real shit,” Trouble said. ”You got-damn right it's some real shit,” Six—Nine said affirmatively, ”And, it's gone remain real until somebody stops TDCJ from doing this shit.” ”Until then, it's Solitary Confinement by Another Name.” pg. 3

Author: Busby, Jeremy

Author Location: Texas

Date: May 23, 2019

Genre: Essay

Extent: 3 pages

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