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American Prison Writing Archive Hamilton College 198 College Hill rd Clinton, NY 13323-1218 12/15/19 Trickery For many, many years the Michigan Dept of Corrections (MDOC) has operated its prisons under a cloak of public deciet. It (they) hide behind a protection of "security" and (so called) "good order" of their facilities. Even the Michigan Legislature has had to pass laws to get "true" statistically accurate numbers pertaining to those incarcerated: program waiting lists, critical injuries, parole refusals, etc. But if there is nothing for the MDOC to hide - why is it information is concealed or manipulated? Shouldn't the statistics be public knowledge in a "free" country anyway? And isn't it public funding that's supporting the (so called) Corrections dept? Seems like tax payers would be concerned where their hard earned dollars go and how its used. Unfortunately, all those billions of tax dollars are mostly only housing people - not actually correcting anything (another misnomer of deception!). This attitude of just housing people only gives little deterrent to future criminal activity. And since there is no incentive, in prison, to act "good"; much "bad" goes on. It doesn't help that the lack of enforcement of MDOC rules and policies (in place to prevent infringements on others) gives promotion of the very things (behaviors) that is suppose to be being "corrected"!!! Most prisoners don't care about the rules (they have no incentive to): why should they - what's going to happen to them - they're already in prison. Now if they knew for pg-2 Trickery 12/15/19 sure that their wrongful actions would result in a loss of "good time" their would be an attitude change (before long) for the better. And if programming participation was also connected to "good time" it would help too. But no! Not Michigan, where its "tough on crime"!!! Home of an arrogant, self-righteous, vindictive, greedy government and people. And isn't this, "tough on crime" slogan also deceptive? How is just locking people up for so much time (years and years) being "tough", when its a known fact longer sentencing is no deterrent to criminal activity. And if there is nothing to fear or any wrong being done, why does the MDOC have so much power to decieve, without any overseeing dept (or the Legislature) to answer to? Why does the MDOC's web site give deceptive pics of prisoner food? (The menu itself is also deceptively written!) Why are prisoners paid the same "wage" as they were 30 years ago (or more) - while their costs for goods have gone way up - including phone calls, a health care co-pay, and store prices. $12-$24 dollars a month is normal pay - but if institutional debt is owed only 1/2 is recieved of that a month (which many owe for legal fees, indigency, etc). So when will the legislature wake up or at least those who voted them in? Will you pg 3 Trickery 12/15/19 will you continue to be "blind sheep" letting criminals be "made" into more socially unacceptable persons by the system in place to do just the opposite? Seems like everyones goal should be to have tax contributing citizens to share the tax burden. Don't listen to the MDOC in its deception and misrepresentations. Why does the MDOC continually "pick and choose" which policies and rules it enforces? Why are there such a high number of grievances written by prisoners about MDOC policy violations? (Which the MDOC routinely tries to reject - not resolve) And why does the MDOC routinely practice retaliation against those who write these grievances for policy violations? What does the MDOC think those practices teach (promote)? If you put people in prison for breaking rules, retaliating against others, and treating people unfairly - how can you possibly think somehow ("magically") those people are going to be incentified to make life changes for the better, when you treat them the very way that you want them to stop acting??????! All this deception (Trickery) has gone on for (years and years) long enough! Its time for prison "reform" that actually does "correct" - not promote or reinforce - bad behaviors. Talented people are being wasted, misdirected, and ruined - at a very large pg 4 Trickery 12/15/19 price; being paid by tax payers, prisoners families, and our state in general. You tax payers do have the power to do something here. Get involved with organizations out there trying to get change. MI Cure (www.MI-cure.org), Safe and Just Michigan, etc. Tell your Legislature you want real change not (deception) or pacifying. Stop the trickery!!! Now!
