Daft Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 Voices from Solitary: A Sentence Worse Than Death The following essay is by William Blake, who has been held in solitary confinement for nearly 26 years. Currently he is in administrative segregation at Elmira Correctional Facility, a maximum security facility located in south central New York State. In 1987, Blake, then 23 and in county court on a drug charge, murdered one deputy and wounded another in a failed escape attempt. Sentenced to 77 years to life, Blake has no chance of ever leaving prison alive, and almost no chance of ever leaving solitary—a fate he considers “a sentence worse than death.” This powerful essay earned Blake an Honorable Mention in the Yale Law Journal’s Prison Law Writing Contest, chosen from more than 1,500 entries. He describes here in painstaking detail his excruciating experiences over the last quarter-century. “I’ve read of the studies done regarding the effects of long-term isolation in solitary confinement on inmates, seen how researchers say it can ruin a man’s mind, and I’ve watched with my own eyes the slow descent of sane men into madness—sometimes not so slow,” Blake writes. “What I’ve never seen the experts write about, though, is what year after year of abject isolation can do to that immaterial part in our middle where hopes survive or die and the spirit resides.” That is what Blake himself seeks to convey in his essay. —Lisa Dawson Interesting article that I thought I'd share. http://solitarywatch.com/2013/03/11/voices-from-solitary-a-sentence-worse-than-death/
Iun Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 Interesting article that I thought I'd share. http://solitarywatch.com/2013/03/11/voices-from-solitary-a-sentence-worse-than-death/ A sentence worse than death: "You are not allowed any chocolate or wine gums ever again." That's the worst sentence I can think of.
Guy Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 (edited) This was an excellent read. Although the guy forfeit his right to living within society, solitary really does seem unbearable. These men should be offered a voluntary work programme for a couple hours a day to at least get them doing something and producing some kind of output to repay society for their crime. Maybe one of those bead necklace home business deals. Edited March 17, 2013 by Guy
Ville Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 Man...I watched a few episodes of America's Toughests Prisons just some days ago, and they had this exact same thing there. Solitary confinement for the gangleaders and most violent prisoners, with only a small concrete "yard", and people throwing feces at the guards etc. Apparently there's a lawsuit going on in there as well, this was published just yesterday: Pelican Bay inmates' suit OKd to proceed Published 4:51 pm, Saturday, March 16, 2013 A federal judge says inmates held in isolation for more than a decade at California's Pelican Bay State Prison can proceed with a lawsuit accusing the state of subjecting them to mental torture and violating their rights by denying them any real chance for release from solitary confinement. -- "They are putting people in the SHU for 20 years based on the artwork that they draw (of symbols allegedly associated with gangs), the birthday cards they send ... or just (for) saying hello to a validated gang member," Lobel said. He said the only way out, for most inmates, is to "debrief" by admitting their gang ties and agreeing to become an informer, an action that is both degrading and dangerous. Deputy Attorney General Adriano Hrvatin disagreed, citing the prison system's new pilot project of releasing inmates from high-security units if officials conclude they will not take part in gang behavior. The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says 86 inmates, including 35 at Pelican Bay, have been approved for removal from an SHU under the project. "Inmates can earn their way out," Hrvatin told Wilken. The judge observed that the project indicated "a lot of people were in SHU who shouldn't have been." She declined Hrvatin's request to put the case on hold until the pilot project ends in October 2014, but said that if the program becomes permanent, it might scuttle the prisoners' challenge to the "debriefing" procedure. The suit seeks a 10-year limit on Security Housing Unit confinement, a regular review process and improved conditions. It does not seek damages. http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Pelican-Bay-inmates-suit-OKd-to-proceed-4360467.php#ixzz2Nnq0XWgR
Fierce_LiNk Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 That article was terrifying. He's spent my entire lifetime in a box. Not entirely sure if the punishment fits the crime in this case.
nightwolf Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 That article was terrifying. He's spent my entire lifetime in a box. Not entirely sure if the punishment fits the crime in this case. Agreed. I certainly share his sentiment: What nobody knew or suspected back then, not even I, on that very day I would begin suffering a punishment that I am convinced beyond all doubt is far worse than any death sentence could possibly have been 25 years in solitary confinement is too much, the guy shot two people - one died and one I believe didn't, to be left to himself for 25 years...well you might have been better off putting a gun in there with him and seen how long he'd last. Sigh, its one of those 'he did a terrible thing and deserves to be punished' but how are we any better for leaving a guy like that in a box for 25 years...Bah. /confused
Guy Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 10 years in that kind of hell would seem like an eternity. 25 years sounds absolutely unbearable. What this guy did was certainly terrible, but the punishment is equally, if not even more terrible.
Jonnas Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 I don't doubt that some people deserve this kind of punishment, but it is a disproportionate retribution for what this guy did. These men should be offered a voluntary work programme for a couple hours a day to at least get them doing something and producing some kind of output to repay society for their crime. Maybe one of those bead necklace home business deals. That would be for the best. It would actually encourage turning certain inmates into productive members of society for when they got out, and give more humane conditions for those in solitary confinement.
Charlie Posted March 18, 2013 Posted March 18, 2013 Sigh, its one of those 'he did a terrible thing and deserves to be punished' but how are we any better for leaving a guy like that in a box for 25 years...Bah. I believe that the whole concept of prison as a form of punishment and rehabilitation is hundreds of years out of date. Locking someone up is one of the earliest forms of punishment and it's quite possible that every country on Earth employs it as a tactic. It doesn't work as a form of rehabilitation in any of these countries. Sure, it gets dangerous people off the street and you can't argue that that is not a good thing. However they get out of prison and the reoffending rates are extremely high. There was recently an article about a prisons in Finland. They have some of the lowest reoffending rates in the world. One scheme they use is by having a 'half way house' on an island. The prisoners can apply to be relocated there when they have 5 years or less left to serve. They are housed in communal housing and one prisoner is elected the 'Father' of the house. They cook, shop and live like free men, apart from they can't leave the island. It really concentrates on helping these men get back into society after their release. They work, they can study, they can play sports. It's a system that actually seems to work.
Kav Posted March 18, 2013 Posted March 18, 2013 He killed a guy, who cares if he thinks his punishment is worse than death. I'm glad he thinks it is!
Dannyboy-the-Dane Posted March 18, 2013 Posted March 18, 2013 I believe that the whole concept of prison as a form of punishment and rehabilitation is hundreds of years out of date. Locking someone up is one of the earliest forms of punishment and it's quite possible that every country on Earth employs it as a tactic. It doesn't work as a form of rehabilitation in any of these countries. Sure, it gets dangerous people off the street and you can't argue that that is not a good thing. However they get out of prison and the reoffending rates are extremely high. There was recently an article about a prisons in Finland. They have some of the lowest reoffending rates in the world. One scheme they use is by having a 'half way house' on an island. The prisoners can apply to be relocated there when they have 5 years or less left to serve. They are housed in communal housing and one prisoner is elected the 'Father' of the house. They cook, shop and live like free men, apart from they can't leave the island. It really concentrates on helping these men get back into society after their release. They work, they can study, they can play sports. It's a system that actually seems to work. This. So much this.
Cube Posted March 18, 2013 Posted March 18, 2013 http://www.n-europe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36952
Oxigen_Waste Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 He killed a guy, who cares if he thinks his punishment is worse than death. I'm glad he thinks it is! Cmon... it's not that black & white.
Kav Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Cmon... it's not that black & white. He's killed a guy in cold blood and tried to kill another. Yes, it is black and white. The guy deserves punishment worse than death. Boo all you like.
Daft Posted March 19, 2013 Author Posted March 19, 2013 He's killed a guy in cold blood and tried to kill another. Yes, it is black and white. The guy deserves punishment worse than death. Boo all you like. How much worse than death should his punishment be exactly?
Kav Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 How much worse than death should his punishment be exactly? Given that he said he feels his punishment is worse than death, then I'd say just about that much worse is ok.
Daft Posted March 19, 2013 Author Posted March 19, 2013 So having reached that point, should he be set free now? Or how many more punishment-worse-than-death years should he still serve?
dazzybee Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 I think it's very easy to be left wing and empthatetic about it; but I don't think it's as easy as saying he killed, we're giving him an evern worse punishment so are we just as bad?!?! No. Obviously not. For me it's all about motivation, he killed in cold blood, what is happening to him isn't one person harming in coldly; it is a punishment; so anyone saying we're just as bad blah blah blah That really destroys any intelligent debate about it. The real question is rehabilitation and what is just and moral. We all have very different opinions on it, in all honesty, I have such a fear of death and thus a treasure of life that anyone who kills in cold blood doesn't deserve any sympathy or empathy and they should be deeply punished for it (and how the fuck does he know it's a fate worse than death? Easy to say!); fact is, in this whole story no one has mentioned the person he killed and their family; they don't get an opportunity for any other fate. It is and people move on from them very quickly and move onto the criminal of the piece and not question what he did, but question what is being done to them. This case does seem excessive, but for me, I'm less bothered about it. What he did is undefendable and I have far bigger and more deserving gripes with the world than the harsh punishment of very bad people. If rehabilitation is a genuine possibiility then it is always a better solution; but every case and person is different it's impossible to have a complete solution.
Guy Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 (edited) This guy shouldn't be set free just because he wrote a half decent essay on how shitty his life is, he gave up his right to a free life after taking the life of another. I still stand by my previous comment that if you're gonna keep these people alive something more constructive should be done with them. They're just a drain on resources. Put the ones that can work to work - I'm sure that's what these guys would be doing if a war started. I'm sure most of these men would jump at the opportunity to do something with their time - this would also help toward rehabilitation and serve as a carrot for being downgraded (well, upgraded in this case) to a slightly more bearable existence. Play the game and get a reward, isn't that how modern prisons work? Failing that, introduce an amended BATTLE ROYALE act. You know we've all thought about this at least a few times when the question of death row and crowded prisons pops up. It'd beat the hell out of Cash in the Attic, Weasel Dentist or whatever else reality television consists of these days. Edited March 19, 2013 by Guy
bob Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 If there really were a tv show called Weasel Dentist, society would break down due to the volume of people watching it. That is how i know that you made it up.
Kav Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 So having reached that point, should he be set free now? Or how many more punishment-worse-than-death years should he still serve? Until he dies. He's taken somebody's life. In turn his should be forfeit.
bob Posted March 19, 2013 Posted March 19, 2013 Yes but the article is about solitary confinement, not life sentences. Ok, so he's in there until he dies, but should he also be put in solitary confinement, which is, as he describes, 'worse than death'. Basically, should he also be tortured, as well as put in prison for life?
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