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      Kris Marker
      Keymaster

      Daniel Harris writes about the reality of a 24-hour lockdown in Texas prisons, highlighting how mass punishment unfairly impacts innocent prisoners for the actions of a few.

      Due to some prisoners having drug-related problems last night, I woke up to a 24-hour lockdown. I have no knowledge of what happened. I was in my cell asleep. Yet I and 83 others are being punished for the actions of a few, when most of us were in bed fast asleep.

      The Purpose and Misuse of Lockdown

      The 24-hour lockdown is supposed to be used when an investigation is required to find out what happened. If the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) used this time to drug-test the whole pod I live on and get statements about the situation, I’d be okay with it. But they can’t do that anymore. It costs too much to send that many cups of urine to the lab to find out who was smoking with whoever it was that got us locked down. Plus, they don’t have room to lock them all up. There’s a backlog of pending cases at all times. The vast majority of them get swept under the rug. Why should Warden Lucas admit how out of control this prison is and his inability to fix the problem?

      The real reason for the 24-hour lockdown is this: They want prisoners to enforce the rules on other prisoners. Long ago, Texas was run by building tenders that enforced rules by beating up prisoners for breaking them. That was before Ruiz filed his lawsuit and a federal judge issued what became known as Ruiz stipulations. One of those plainly stated that no prisoner shall have authority over another. Texas knows it works. It also costs men their lives.

      Don’t miss Lockdown Hustle: Trading Prison Contraband in Sing Sing

      Violence and Survival in Boyd Unit

      Just recently, prisoners were being beaten by other prisoners right here on Boyd Unit if they had drug episodes in the dayroom. Every group had to deal with their own people. I took over the gay community to protect them. If given the chance, too many men who hate us would hurt us. I became Queen of the Punks. They all thought It was to be in charge and hurt them. I slapped a few into line and never shed blood. I may have to rule again or abdicate my throne to a friend who lives here now and let her do it. I’m too damn old and tired for this craziness.

      Is it too much to ask officers to do their jobs and enforce the rules to punish the guilty? Seems to be. Even the PD-22 (book of rules for officer conduct) says mass punishment isn’t to be done. Yet they’re doing it with Warden Lucas’ knowledge and blessing. Why not just check cameras and see who was smoking? Or check them regularly for smokers and ship them all to drug-free units. Sorry, Texas doesn’t have drug-free units.

      Corruption Behind the Drug Problem

      Ms. Dunn was set up by OIG just last week and being held without bond, last I heard. They’re trying to make it seem she was the only dirty officer. I liked Ms. Dunn, and I’m sorry she’s become a scapegoat for the drug problem here on Boyd Unit. Let me assure you, she’s only the tip of a very dirty iceberg. Prisoners damn sure don’t pick up their own drugs. The question is simple: Who does? One thing’s for sure. The drug supply here wasn’t even affected by Ms. Dunn’s arrest. Follow the money, and you’re sure to find out. But does TDCJ really want to know? I don’t think they do.

      Interested in reading more? Check out Texas’ New Prison Mail Policy Will Actually Increase Drug Smuggling, Not End It

      The post 24-Hour Lockdown in Texas Prisons: Punishing the Many for the Few first appeared on Prison Writers.

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