Christmas 2011 reflections

Having, in the stroke of a pen, completely obliterated our much anticipated plans to visit Corey on Christmas Day, Rod and I arrived at the prison the following day. We stood in line at 9 am (visitation opens at 8 am) in hopes of avoiding being asked to leave as the room would (inevitably) fill to over-capacity. On busy "holidays" we try to make sure we are at least the 10th car in the lot. And the charging of points on Christmas Day itself would have made that day virtually "visitor free", but would overload the following day, the "free day." Ultimately, after having waited in line to be processed, behind just 2 other visitors, it was closer to 10 am before we sat with our son. The one Officer scheduled to work, processing visitors, on this busy day is known for his "why hurry, it all pays the same" attitude, and clearly, having had to work the holiday weekend did nothing to better his mood! Despite the late start to our visit by 1 pm we were still required to leave to make room for new-comers.

I spoke with other women friends who were visiting, all of whom had planned all month to spend Christmas day with their loved on. All expressed regret, disappointment, and anger, at Taft prison's, left-to-the-last-minute, decision to require points on Christmas Day, something not required in all the years we have been visiting at this facility. Its CHRISTMAS for heavens sake! Another sad commentary on the reality of confinement in america's prisons, and the collateral punishments inflicted on all.

I had written a letter to the Warden expressing my great disappointment when we'd learned the news, not in hopes of a reprieve, I'm not that naive, but mostly to spotlight the mean-spirited short notice agenda which didn't allow the inmates to plan for a guaranteed Christmas Day visit with their loved ones. I did get a call back , not from the Warden, but from another Officer we've had interactions with in the past years (not all good) who left a message that his response would "not be what I wanted" (no surprises there), but to call him back if I wanted an "explanation". By then it was late afternoon, Christmas eve, he was not available when I called back, but it was all moot anyways, and I really wasn't in the mood to hear him spout hypocritical prison propoganda, I mean, "policy".

Taft Prison's actions regarding Christmas visitiation completely flies in the face of BOP (Bureau of Prisons) policy - Visitation Policy " §540.40. The Bureau of Prisons encourages visiting by family, friends, and community groups to maintain the morale of the inmate and to develop closer relationships between the inmate and family members or others in the community." Oh really? Then why the roadblocks to simple visits on the most special holiday of the year? Of course, being a "private-for-profit" prison, owned and run by the large corporation MTC (Management Training Corporation) these private prisons make their own rules and profit is always the primary focus. Policy propoganda like this, as well as Taft's BIONIC message that we see framed and posted on prison walls (which translates to "Believe it or Not, We Care")- really?! - adds to the cynical attitudes of those of us personally familiar with the reality of prison life in America.

But my rant, if you will, above is small in scope to the journey in its entirety, I simply wished to illustrate one single day, albeit the most spiritual of all days, in america's prisons.


Sometimes the littlest things in life are the hardest to take. You can sit on a mountain more comfortably than on a tack. ~Author Unknown