Saturday, August 5, 2006

SATURDAY UPDATE

HI EVERYONE!

JIMMY CAN'T COME HOME THIS WEEKEND.  HIS BUNKIE WAS CAUGHT TAKING DRUGS, SO THE WHOLE ROOM, OF 12 HALF-WAY BACK MEN, ARE BEING PUNISHED FOR 1 WEEK.  THAT MEANS THE 12 MEN CANNOT GO HOME ON THEIR PASSES.

WELL, YES, IT DOES SEEM UNFAIR, DOESM'T IT?

IF SOME OF YOU REMMEBER, SOMEWHERE BACK IN THE 1970'S , I BELIEVE, YOU ALWAYS HEARD THE EXPRESSION 'PRISON REFORM."  NOW-A -DAYS, YOU REALLY NEVER HEAR THAT TERM OR EXPRESSION ANYMORE.  I GUESS NO ONE REALLY CARES ANYMORE...................IF YOU OUT THERE CARED, YOU WOULD BE WRITING LETTERS TO YOUR GOVERNMENT MEN, WHO MAKE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS. 

FOR ANY OF YOU ARE INTERESTED, MAY I REMIND YOU, IT IS YOUR TAX-DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING INTO A "PRISON SYSTEM" THAT IS,  IN MANY WAYS, MAY I USE THE TERM, "CORRUPT."

SO LAST THURSDAY, WHEN JIMMY CAME HOME, HE BROKE THE NEWS TO ME VERY CALMLY THAT HE COULD NOT COME HOME FOR 1 WEEK, BECAUSE HIS ROOM WAS 'BEING PUNISHED.".....................WELL, I AM NOT A HAPPY PERSON, WHEN IT COMES TO "INJUSTICE."

SURE ENOUGH, I OPENED THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER A FEW MINUTES LATER, AND THERE WAS A BIG ARTICLE THAT THE PRISONS ARE USING 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS OF THE TAX-PAYERS MONEY IN NEW JERSEY, FOR A WRONG-DOING WITHIN THE PRISONS OF NEW JERSEY.

.....................SO, THERE YOU ARE!

...........YES, YOU, AND ME, TOO..............THE TAX-PAYERS MONEY IS BEING USED UNLAWFULLY WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEM.....................THE ISSUE IS CONCERNING EDUCATION OF THE MEN.

...........BUT I SUPPOSE MOST PEOPLE ARE JUST TOO BUSY, OR JUST DON'T CARE, WHERE THEIR TAX MONEY IS GOING......................NOT EVEN 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS OF IT...................AND YOU, ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, EXPECT TO BE PROSPEROUS IN LIFE, WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY, OR TAX DOLLARS?

ANOTHER POINT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP, IS THE FACT THAT MY HUSBAND IS THE ONLY MAN, AMONGST THE 12 MEN IN HIS ROOM, WHO GOES OUT TO WORK EACH DAY.  YES, 5 DAYS A WEEK, JIMMY TRAVELS FOR A TOTAL OF AT LEAST 3 HOURS EACH DAY TO GET TO HIS JOB. HE TAKES 2 TRAINS, AND A BUS TO GO ONE WAY, AND THEN DOES IT AGAIN TO RETURN TO HOPE HALL IN THE EVENING.  HE HAS AN 8 HOUR WORK-DAY.  HE SPENDS $22.00 PER DAY TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH................YES, I SAID PER DAY!...........................AND HE DOES THIS BECAUSE HE LOVES WORKING, AND HAS ALWAYS HAD A HIGH WORK ETHIC WITHIN HIM.  THE OTHER 11 GUYS IN HIS ROOM, SIT AROUND ALL DAY, EVERYDAY, LIKE LUMPS ON LOGS, WATCHING TV, OR JUST STARING INTO SPACE.

NOW, WHEN I SAY "PRISON REFORM,"  DON'T YOU THINK THE SYSTEM COULD BE CHANGED IN THAT THEY WOULD CATEGORIZE PEOPLE WITHIN HALF-WAY HOUSES, AND MAYBE PRISONS......................FOR INSTANCE, PUT ALL THE EDUCATED PEOPLE TOGETHER..............THOSE THAT ARE COLLEGE EDUCATED, AND PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE....................JIMMY HAS MET A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS IN PRISON...........LAWYERS, DOCTORS, BUISNESSMEN.......................WHY KEEP THESE PEOPLE ALONG WITH THE SCUM OF THE EARTH?   I DON'T GET IT..................A LOT OF THESE MEN ARE GETTING DRUGS FROM THEIR WIVES THAT SMUGGLE THEM IN.................A LOT ARE RIDDLED WITH DISEASE...................ALMOST ALL NEVER WORKED, AND CAN'T EVEN FILL OUT A JOB APPLICATION.  MOST DON'T WANT TO CHANGE...THEY ARE MOSTLY DRUG ADDICTS, AND ALCOHOLICS, ETC..........................WHY LUMP THEM ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE.......AND WHY PUNISH THEM ALL TOGETHER, WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN THE SAME CATEGORY, IN LIFE...........................I JUST DON'T GET IT.....

UNLESS THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF ACTUALLY WHAT IS GOING ON WITHIN OUR PRISONS, THE "SYSTEM,  IN OUR COUNTRY WILL NEVER CHANGE.......

IT IS UP TO YOU, AMERICA, TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING TO FIX THIS CORRUPT SYSTEM....................

WRITE TO YOUR CONGRESSMEN.....

BUT I KNOW YOU DON'T CARE, AND I HONESTLY HOPE THAT ONE DAY, YOUR LOVED ONE IS NEVER CAUGHT AND LOCKED UP, IN A PRISON...........................THEN, AND ONLY THEM, WILL YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT........................FRAN

 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those educated men are alongside the "scum of the earth" because they all committed crimes. But...I don't think it's fair that he can't go into work or come to see you. And I find it hard to get upset about money wasted on prison corruption when millions a day are being wasted on a war where our men are dying daily.  And, as you pointed out to me the last time I commented...I am not as wealthy as you...or as educated...this is just my two cents.

Tracie

Anonymous said...

I think the "scum of the earth" comment is a bit harsh.  They are ALL in prison, and they ALL broke the law.  Doesn't that make them ALL in the same boat???  I don't understand how one prisoner is any better than the next, just because they are educated.  I'm NOT saying *I* think they are scum of the earth, those were your words.  It seems just because Jimmy can't come home, you are angry, and now all the uneducated people in prison are "Scum."  It's the same in the military.  If one person gets in trouble they are all punished.  Perhaps you can rethink your words, I'm sure you are going to anger many people.  
You should read about the Maricopa County prison, in Arizona.  Sheriff Joe doesn't "Waste Tax dollars."
~~Kath~~

Anonymous said...

Bottom line, it would cost too much money to separate the educated from the uneducated.  The higher ups wouldn't do that...they see the prisoners as just that....prisoners.  It doesn't matter what they do in real life.  They are in prison now. That is that.  
It does seem unfair that 12 other men can't go home on pass because of one's mistake. But, they are running a prison.  And they will be treated as such.  I would think that would be part of the incentive to follow the rules so as NOT to upset your roommates.  I can see the point.
Sorry you don't get to see Jimmy as soon as you like.  Try and have a good weekend.
Pamela

Anonymous said...


I think the reason they do that aka punish them all for the mistakes of another is to teach that in the real world the mistakes that they make often effect others and it also encourages them to behave for I am sure the guy that did that is getting either beat up or a not so nice talking to by the other guys there.  I am sorry that it effects you though, it really is a double edge sword situation for your husband does deserve to get punished but you too are getting punished and you don't deserve that.  I agree with you that the prisons need reform full-heartedly but unfortunately that is at the low end of the list of things to do since so many other horrible things are going on in the world right now, and society doesn't think much of the people in there and don't want to give them a "second chance"....I don't necessarily agree fully with that, but that is the way things are in society as of now.  I don't think separating the educated from the uneducated is a good idea for a few reasons...first I don't think anyone deserves special treatment in prison and I think if anything the educated people could motivate the others to improve their educational status.  This is turning into  a long-winded comment...the only piece of advise I would give you is to be careful that you don't put your husband on too high of a horse just because of his education and don't think that all uneducated people aren't  another kind of smart aka"life-smart"....some of the smartest people I have ever known never even graduated from high school.  I value education highly for myself and am planning on getting a PhD, but that isn't for all people and that doesn't mean people that don't get a high education don't have something great to offer this world.  So yes...I hope you don't take offense...I always try to make sure to word any criticism I say with tact and honesty.
http://blog.myspace.com/poptartcoco

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry Jimmy can't come to see you this week. It doesn't seem fair to punish everyone. wow 22.00 a day is a lot but happy he's going to work everyday.

Anonymous said...

I have known some highly educated men who were drug addicts--even some doctors and lawyers. A criminal is a criminal and should all be treated the same way. Maybe other could go to work too if they could afford 22 dollars a day. Just what did Jimmy plan to do with all that dope that he was caught with? What would he be doing today if he hadn't been caught?

Anonymous said...

I understand what it is like to live without the hubby's, after all the deployment list came out last week. My hubby will be home a grand total of 45 days for the entire year of 2007. Which means we will live through a couple emails a week and maybe a 20 min call every couple of months. Snail mail is impossible since it takes 2 weeks for him to get it and 2 weeks for me to get a response. Too bad the Navy doesnt have vistation days or furloughs home...that would be a plus..lol. At least we get a paycheck for him being away, we might have not been able to afford a ham last year for the hoildays but we have a roof over our head. Got to always look for the good when it feels so bad. Take care of you, Robin
PS I had to put this in 2 comments sorry

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with you on the fact that segration within the prison walls is something I wish the system would take a closer look at. We are allowing these small time criminals to get all to close to harder ones in return sending back into communities a hard core criminal. Some seem that they are being well educated in prison, only not in the way society needs. As far as Jimmy getting punished for the acts of one, I can understand how you feel. I feel that way everytime my hubby goes through it (Military). In reality, I tend to agree with it though. It is a way to show everyone something is not going to be excepted. OK so Jimmy already knows that all to well and would probally never dream of doing what his follow prisoner did, but would it make him a target if he was allowed to not be punished with the rest. We as wives get hurt and angry when we know our hubby's are being done certain ways, but that is only natural. If everyone is being punished for the one, than when given a chance will that one do it again....the chance are less the next time around. I understand their way of thinking and agree with it. Trust me, its hard for me to eat those words everytime we lose pay or my hubby is taken from our home to live on his Ship for 45 days for the actions of someone else.