On Sunday, May 8th, 2016, the Chicago Sun-Times featured an opinion piece written by Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. The article is entitled “Two Men with 80 Arrests Tell the Story.” It featured two men who both had extensive criminal histories which culminated in a combined total of 80 arrests. Apparently these men encountered one another on the streets of Chicago which led to an altercation between the two leaving one dead. Superintendent Johnson used this tragic occurrence to call out the Criminal Justice System (CJS) demanding in the article that “the Criminal Justice Department do a better job in holding violent individuals accountable and keep them off our streets.”
First, let me say this article, along with several others written by or about Supt. Johnson, is a refreshing change from the normal flow of information coming from the offices of former Police Superintendents. I think Supt. Johnson comes across as a man attempting to defend the community, not just the police department. Of course time will tell the complete story, but for now he deserves respect for his thoughtful public engagement. This approach is what the city needs at this time, engagement from all parties.
So it is with respect, Supt. Johnson, that I say your admonishment of the CJS is a good step, but it doesn’t delve deep enough into the CJS’s handling of prisoners. Simply holding prisoners longer wouldn’t change anything, in fact, it has the reverse effect and would actually make things worse. It’s what happens to prisoners while incarcerated that deserves more scrutiny. For example, the vast majority of Illinois prisoners are incarcerated in what are categorized as medium security (level 2) prisons. These prisoners are locked in their cells 21 hours a day. Living in a cell that many hours a day, day after day for years dehumanizes, desocializes, and dements the human heart, mind and spirit. This ultimately creates life long psychological problems.
Another example is that educational program in the IDOC are run so that they disincentives achievement. In addition, the education budget for IDOC is between 16 to 17 million dollars a year which is a tiny fraction of the 1.3 billion dollars total spending. There are so few teachers and waiting lists are very long and those prisoners who get into the classrooms stall testing out of programs, because if they complete or pass a class, then it is right back to the cell facing a 21 hour day with no movement. School programs award good time to some offenders ( first time offenders with drug cases) but good time is awarded for attendance, not achievement. It is more fair and effective for good time to be awarded to prisoners who show progress and accomplish the completion of programs. What makes this so troubling is that the prison officials all over America have conducted many studies that prove that better educated prisoners recidivate at much lower levels than under-educated ones.
Supt. Johnson, these are just two examples of problems that have a direct impact on the violence on the streets of Chicago and your call for more civil engagement in the communities most impacted by high crime rates is a good step, however, I am asking you to consider a bolder step by asking for more civic engagement in Illinois prisons. Send change agents from Chicago into the prisons and be open by allowing the prisoners themselves to become agents for change. Many of us want a chance to do good work while serving our time. By providing us with things like new technology, prisoners can link to organizations, individual, educators, coaches, and others to help us develop a better society in here so we can better adapt to society out there.
Your article highlights just how ineffective the CJS currently is and I sincerely hope you continue to stay engaged and consider what an intricate part prisoners can play in creating a better Chicago. This piece provides some Insight from the Inside from the Prisoner’s Exchange.
Friday
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