Ujamaa. Ujamaa. Greetings, my friends. This is Dontie S. Mitchell, better known as Mfalme Sikivu, reporting to you from Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, New York. In this fourth segment, I’m going to continue our discussion about my fight for the reform and rehabilitation of young prisoners.
Let me tell you about Splash. Splash was a 19 year old kid I met here at Great Meadow a little over a year ago. As I do with many young prisoners, I took Splash under the wing because I saw something in him. I gave him some literature about UFD [Ujamaa Fraternal Dynasty] and on manhood. Since he was housed on the company below me, I was able to talk to him and maintain a positive influence over him. Splash became a little brother to me. Then one day, Splash was wrongfully placed on key block and issued a misbehavior report for not showing up to programs. But it wasn’t his fault. A guard lost Splash’s ID, and his company officer wouldn’t let him out his cell. But the hearing officer, all of whom are biased, didn’t care and give Splash 30 days key block. Splash was then wrongfully moved to long term key block, which is a restricted housing unit.
The reason Splash’s story is so revealing is because it exposes the incompetence and outright reactionary practices of prison staff. Splash was removed from my positive sphere of influence, and unjustly moved to a restricted housing unit around older, more negative prisoners. So, guess what happened? Splash got recruited into a gang. I was able to get him out without him getting cut or stabbed, but not without some consequence. When young prisoners under my wing are kept around me, I keep them out of gangs, off of drugs, and out of trouble. But does DOC care to recognize this? No, they don’t. In fact, in my proposal requesting approval of UFD, I ask that young UFD members be housed together with the older UFD members mentoring them. This was to insulate them from negative and corrupting influences, like the influences that led Splash to be manipulated into joining the gang, and it was also to reinforce their pro-social behavior.
DOC said this raised “a level of concern,” but DOC didn’t show no concern that housing a 19 year old wrongfully in a restricted housing unit around gang members isn’t wise. You be the judge. Who’s doing a better job: me or DOC? The reason I can’t do more is because DOC is standing in my way. Tune in next time as I continue this discussion. Follow me on Facebook at Free Dontie Mitchell. Share your comments. Also, I still need a volunteer or two to help with me, to help me with the work that I’m doing. If you’re interested, please write me. Thank you for listening.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
