Suppose you hear from one of your penpals about some terrible injustice that happens behind the walls.

Can you call a newspaper, T.V. station etc. to go visit, and report the atrocity?

It depends on which state or province you live in.

The Radio-Television News Directors Association tries hard to fight for their right to enter prisons. They are presently tackling the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, because they've introduced new regulations that bans cameras and tape recorders from their state's prisons.

<www.rtnda.org/news/2002/061302.shtml>

For a more general view of their efforts, go to

<www.rtnda.org/foi/ocd.shtml>

or

<www.rtnda.org/foi/atp.shtml>

Write these people a letter if you have time, THANKING THEM for their efforts.

You never know. The person you contact in friendly gratitude today may someday help you with your specific loved one! (A similar organization in Canada, once helped me in a crisis, because I'd previously written them a thank you letter for no particular reason.)

Menolly

P.S: Cultivate a circle of book writers and reporters in the same way. You may need their help someday!

We were trying really hard to get MONTEL interested in the Pulunsky nightmare. SO far no response just and e-mail thank you for you idea thing.

I know from history that when the dirty laundry gets hung out its the reporters and journalist that bust open all the closed doors. COnspiracy just don't stay covered up long with determined investigators that won't stop with lies and coverups-

From what Billy tells me about what goes on, I wish that someone would investigate certain things. It would bring light upon the injustice that's being done in a lot of prisons.

I THINK LIKE 20/20 OR 60 MIN WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IT MORE THAN A TALK SHOW..

Thanks, Menolly! Good info! I read a book recently that said serious prison reform tends to come about when the public is able to have contact with prisoners. According to the book, one of the reasons chain-gangs fell out of popularity is that the public observed their treatment on a regular basis and had compassion on them for the way they were forced to live. It said that, historically, any time the public has been able to observe real prisoners and real prison life, reform has occurred. No wonder MA wants to keep the reporters out!


Other possible sources ...

Ted Koppel (NBC Nightline) has done several programs on NC prisons. He might be a good contact.

Also, the U.S. Attorney General's office has been involved in prisoner abuse problems in the past. When Janet Reno was AG, she closed at least one private prison (a Corrections Corporation of America prison in Ohio) for many reasons, including inmate abuse. I'm assuming that there would have to be more than a few instances of abuse in order to get the USAG's office involved, but it would be worth a try.

The ACLU is another source.

If you have some provable instances of abuse/mistreatment, try contacting some politicians. I have had very good results in dealing with my Congressmen. Even though they do not have authority over state prisons, per se, their willingness to become involved sends a strong message to prison officials. When a Congressman says they'd like to know if a matter is being investigated, it usually gets some attention.

Bookgirl good point. The public supported the Vietnam war until the photo-journalist joined the troops and sent back the war in too real pictures. It wasn't until the people had to see the real war at dinner time that Americans decided we didn't like war and put pressure on the government, and, supported to end it.

I agree the same will turn opinons about the American penal system and death penalty when daily esposure to the truth is revealed on the nightly news and talk shows.

I AGREE WITH YOU TORREY AND BG

Torrey and Denise;

When you talk of ANY kind of abuse, the greatest thing that lets it continue, is silence.

That's why I cultivate friendships with people whose job it is to make noise! Reporters, civil liberties organizations, some moral politicians, etc. And I knit those friendships in PEACEFUL times (with thank you's and encouragements, and donations etc.). That way, in a crisis, I can just pick up a phone, and noise starts happening very quickly.

Menolly

Shortie and Bookgirl;

All good suggestions. The more watchers and listeners we contact, the more talk starts happening.

Book, you are so right. The average Joe Q. Public has NO IDEA what his taxes pay for! Every taxpayer is an unwitting accomplice, and that includes me and thee.

As for history and public involvement, why do you think executions are no longer held in the public square. It's because people were appalled, and often collectively started screaming "Mercy" for the prisoner's torture.

That's why there held in secret now. The "system" finds it convenient to do it in secret, behind closed doors.

Do you think they're ashamed?

Menolly

Bookgirl and Torrey;

ONE LITTLE VIDEO here in Canada, that made it onto the news one night, FINALLY resulted in the entire closure of Canada's infamous P4W (Prison For Women), in the summer of 2000.

I'll write you a separate post, telling the story.

Never underestimate the media, in these battles.

Menolly

MENOLLY-I READ THAT POST-VALIDATES EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID IN THIS THREAD!!

Menolly & Torrey, you're probably already well-aware of this, but I learned it in the middle of a crisis situation. The general media will not cover riot situations in prisons as breaking news anymore. Coverage breeds more riots, so they say. If I'm not mistaken, there was a riot in California a few years ago, and riots broke out all over the country when live coverage hit TV. (I could be wrong about the state where the riots originated, but I think this incident is why live coverage is no longer allowed.) I can understand why prison officials keep the media at bay in a riot situation; the security threat is obvious. Conversely...

My local TV news presents stories that talk about how good the inmates have it in prison. To hear the local media tell it, the inmates dine on steak and strawberries, have better recreational facilities than the YMCA, and live a life of gentleman's leisure. The media has hurt us a lot in trying to change the public's perception, and that's another reason why the media NEEDS to go inside prisons. The stories they do locally are never shot inside a prison, and the information is based on hearsay, not facts. Once the media is duly educated, public awareness will follow.

Thank you all for a very interesting thread, especially to Menolly for getting us started!

Never underestimate the media, in these battles.


that is so true, the media can sometimes pull more strings then a group of people on their own

My Dear Bookgirl;

This is why I suggested that we cultivate CIVIL FRIENDLY media contacts, during PEACEFUL times.

Once you can gather a series of injustices, write them out in sequence, and in a logical fashion etc. then take that to a reporter, whom you ALREADY KNOW and are kind to, sometimes they will at least investigate.

They may not actually go into the prison, but they have (at least in my case) gone to John Howard Society staff and asked "Is this true?"

But you are right, They won't usually go in during a riot. Heck, I wouldn't go in then! I'd be too darned scared! Some of those dust-ups are pretty bad!

But a couple years ago ('97, I think) there was a riot at Kingston Pen, that the warden, Monty Burke, was trying to downplay as a "minor incident".

The Toronto Sun (newspaper) somehow got such info as exactly how many tear-gas canisters were used etc. They published a scathing article saying in essence "Hey, Monty; if this is minor, what would you call a riot?"

As for the "Club Fed" media, all the more reason to gather the facts and send it to them also, wouldn't you say? That's why I focus on medical mistreatment cases. It is very hard to argue any human doesn't deserve a doctor. That's far different from steak and strawberries.

Menolly