Meanwhile, the warden who was in charge of the prison at the time of the killing, the same man who changed the policy on videoing has been promoted. He's now the man in charge of all the Florida prisons.
How could anyone excuse much less condone such behavior? The few prison guards who would talk to us have a siege mentality. They see themselves outnumbered, surrounded by dangerous, violent criminals, so they back each other up, no matter what.
I asked one serving officer what happened if colleagues beat up an inmate. "We cover up. Because we're the good guys." (sic)
No one should doubt that the vast majority of U.S. prison officers are decent individuals doing their best in difficult circumstances. But when horrific abuse by the few goes unreported and investigated, it solidifies into a general climate of acceptance among the many.
At the same time the overall hardening of attitudes in modern-day America has meant the notion of rehabilitation has been almost lost. The focus is entirely on punishment; even loss of liberty is not seen as punishment enough. Bring on the restraint devices and the chemical sprays.
Since we finished filming for the programme in January, I've stayed in contact with various prisoners' rights groups and the families of many of the victims. Every single day come more e-mails full of fresh horror stories. In the past weeks, two more prisoners have died, in Alabama and Ohio. One man was pepper sprayed, the other tasered.
Then, three weeks ago, reports emerged of 20 hours of video material from Guantanamo Bay showing prisoners being stripped, beaten and pepper sprayed. One of those affected is Omar Deghayes, one of the seven British residents still being held there.
His lawyer says Deghayes is now permanently blind in one eye. American military investigators have reviewed the tapes and apparently found "no evidence of systematic abuse."
But then, as one of the prison reformers we met on our journey across the U.S. told me: "We've become immune to the abuse. The brutality has become customary."
So far, the U.S. government is refusing to release these Guantanamo tapes. If they are ever made public "or leaked " I suspect the images will be very familiar.
Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, or even Texas. The prisoners and all guards may vary, but the abuse is still too familiar. And much of it is taking place in America's own backyard.
Deborah Davies is a reporter for Channel 4 Dispatches. Her investigation, Torture: America's Brutal Prisons, was shown on Wednesday, March 2, at 11.05pm.
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http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8451.htm
Ms. Rice, you tell me; If we torture our own, why should anyone believe you when you state the US doesn't condone torture when the facts say otherwise? I remember when I was a little kid, and my Mom would tell me to do as she said, not as she did. I always thought it was pretty hypocritical, as the most effective leaders lead by example, not with mere words. Now, here I am, 50 years later, and the United States has adopted that same attitude; "do as I say - not as I do!" It's as hypocritical today as it was some 40 or 50 years ago. We've been torturing our own since I was a little boy, and we still do it today. My question is when, if ever," we will lead by example" rather than with rhetoric?
Author's Note: The names contained in Chapter II of "The Creation of a Criminal" have not been changed "to protect the innocent," because in this instance, there are none. What happened to me was not unique; it can be substantiated by hundreds of other unfortunate souls that went through experiences similar to mine, or worse, in the same institution. I'm sure other youth correctional institutions in California adhered to the same "policy" of punishment throughout the system. Many were abused/tortured by the same people that harmed me. Throughout the entire book, real names will be used, some to laud for their compassion, honesty and integrity, and others to reveal to all the true depth of their depravity - and the self-perpetuating monster we have created that is representative of our current criminal justice system.
The above is only a small glimpse into the torture and brutality that is representative of America's Prison/Correctional system(s) - and unfortunately, represents only one instance of many instances of torture that I experienced first as a juvenile, and then as an adult. The torture I received an as adult was far worse than what is written above - and even today, it is rampant throughout our prisons. Torture and brutality is commonplace throughout our own country. How, in good conscious, can we stop the torture of those who seek to attack America when we "look the other way" when it occurs, on a daily basis, in our own country? Why is there such an uproar about torturing "enemy combatants" when we refuse to clean-up our own backyard?
The culture of torture is ingrained in our own society, and in my opinion, until we address the torture that occurs in our own country - we have little or no chance of stopping it against those whom we believe are "attacking" the United States. To stop one form of torture that has made headlines in regard "Gitmo" and the numerous secret prisons we operate overseas - it is imperative that we understand "why" this has been happening, and to comprehend our "culture of torture", we must first look at ourselves and solve the brutality and self-perpetuating system that is erroneously labeled as "Justice" in our own United States. Anything else is pure, unadulterated hypocrisy; the torture and abuse is continuing and in fact,from published accounts, is increasing by leaps and bounds in what was one called the home of the brave and free. Once you're convicted of a crime, no matter how slight or insignificant it may be, U.S. citizens are routinely handled in much the same way we treat "enemy combatants."
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