The Injustice System
A
Non-Profit Corporation
114
W. Adams,
Phone/Fax
(313) 964-8857
E-mail: theinjusticesystem@yahoo.com
Web
site: http://theinjusticesystem.org
Governor Jennifer Granholm
Re: Our Prison system.
Dear Governor Granholm:
Please find enclosed a few pages on my organization, a letter to you from Kimberly Powell regarding her son Nick Fitzpatrick, an update on his case, a letter from him to his mother and a letter to him from a fellow prisoner.
The Fitzpatrick case is not an isolated case. There are many cases of abuse of prisoners by other prisoners and guards who have no regard for the safety of prisoners. In fact most cases could be prevented if the guards did not look the other way and if they did not put prisoners in a position where they will be abused by other prisoners.
We need a complete investigation of all prisons and a financial audit.
Drugs are easily available in our prisons because the guards look the other way and in many cases smuggle them in to the prison. Guards abuse prisoners and set them up for abuse by other prisoners.
Medical care is poor at best. The medical staff does not care about helping prisoners. The doctors are there because they are not good enough to have there own practices.
Violent and non violent prisoners are put together in the general population. Prisoners are written tickets for no reason except the guards do not like them and their security status is raised because of the tickets. This means that prisoners are in maximum security that should not be there.
Prisons are also used as mental institutions. The mental hospitals release patient who are
not ready for release. The doctors
release them because with their meds they are OK. The problem is that they do not take their
meds when they are released. Take a look
at down town
It seems like parole boards let out the wrong prisoners. Many end up back in prison. Many do not get parole that deserve it. In many cases it is because of the tickets the guards give them because they are mad at the prisoners.
The prisoners’ lives are in the hands of the guards. The guards are usually cruel and
inhumane. They do what they can to make
the prisoners life miserable. When I saw
what was being done in
Nick Fitzpatrick is not the exception to the rule. It is the rule.
Prison is big business and the prisoners are money for the guards and other prison officials.
Most prisoners will be released some day. One reason rehabilitation is not fully used is money. Please think about the fact that not to rehabilitate is much more expensive. The revolving door can be stopped if the prisons did their jobs. If a prisoner is rehabilitated he is less likely to return to crime and to prison.
Many people say they deserve what they get. When I talk about the thousands of innocent people in prison they say that they are probably guilty of something else and belong there anyway.
Many prisoners are good people who made a mistake. Granted many are real bad people who should never get out. These people should be separated but they are not. Many should not have gone to prison in the first place.
Another thing to consider would be sentencing. I read a book written by an ex-con. He suggested that all prison terms should be one year to life. No maximum sentences. If a prisoner is a danger to society he should not be released. If a person is no longer a danger to society he should be released.
Are prisons a form of punishment or a method of keeping those who are a danger to society out of society? I think they should rehabilitate and keep those who are a danger to society out of society. The two should be separated from each other.
Right now prisons are a training ground for crime. The prisoners have time to improve their craft. They have to be given training in a new craft which is not a crime.
What can be done?
- Investigate and prosecute cases of corruption and abuse.
- Separate the violent and nonviolent prisoners.
- Make sure all personnel are qualified for their jobs.
- Give psych exams to all workers who have contact with the prisoners.
- Use random drug testing of workers and prisoners.
- Use drug sniffing dogs for all visitors, incoming goods and prison areas.
- Establish or improve rehabilitation programs
- Establish or improve education programs.
- Revamp the parole system so that those who deserve it get it and those who don’t deserve it don’t get it.
- Revamp sentencing standards, no more excessive sentences, no more mandatory life without parole, reasonable minimums and in the case of violent offenders no maximums
- Audit all prisons financial records.
- Investigate all prisons for abuse of prisoners and drug trafficking by guards and other staff. (It is as easy to get drugs in prison as it is on the streets.)
Governor Granholm, I hope that you read my letter and I hope
that you take my suggestions and use them to improve the system. Our country has a prison system that is a disgrace
and worse than most of the civilized countries in the world. If you take a look at The Injustice System
web site you may realize that what I say is true and you may want to do
something about it. You are in a
position to bring
I realize that many disagree with me but I feel that is because they do not know how bad it is. They do not care because they feel they will never be in the system. The sad thing is that someday they may be. You do not have to be guilty to go to prison. If you are a minority and/or poor, you may go to prison whether you committed a crime or not.
Thank you, for your consideration and I hope and pray that you do the right thing.
Yours truly,
Lee W. Gaylord
Founder
The following links
are the enclosures to the letter
The
Injustice System's home page
Nicholas (Nick) Fitzpatrick’s main page
Another Prisoner’s Letter to
Nick