Hi, this is Mr. Jenkins from Corcoran State Prison. Today my topic is CDCR “Judging Prisoners,” and what I mean on that is a topic that in the prison system, we have what they call a program that you rehabilitate yourself. But you know when people come to prison, they have a chance to get their GED, they have a chance to get they college degree, they have a chance to get back into society; to be the man that they say they are, or to be the woman they say they are, or to be the person.
But in the CDCR, in the prison system, it’s not there- it’s not fair. It’s a biased system. And when I say that is, if a certain crime that you are in here for, they limit you to programs that you can get yourself together. They limit you to programs to get your GED, they limit you to programs to get your college degree, they limit you to jobs that can help you when you get out.
Some classes that they have and they say, we have presented as our example, a “dog program.” A dog program is for you to learn how to be a dog trainer and train dogs and you know, get yourself, well, you know how to be responsible. Well, in this program, they have a limit, they set you qualifications and one of the qualifications is based on what you are in here for, on certain crimes. Eliminate a person that did his paying debt to society, to if he want to be into that field, to learn that he can’t. Not because he’s not willing to, it’s because of the nature of his crime.
And the taxpayer doesn’t know that, because based on that they thinking that when you come to prison, you able to build yourself up on programs and, you know, do whatever you need to do to not go back out there, in society and run amok. But in CDCR is that it’s a different program. So, we had a incident, based on that- on the dog program that some guy that did not have a certain crime that he went into a certain crime that they said keep you from qualifying. And he has abused abuse, you know, abuse when it comes out. So we’re gonna say, and this is what we talked about. So if this young man didn’t have a, quote unquote, “crime,” but they said that keep you from being in the dog program. And you put them in now, and he did something, you know, and they’ve abused the dog. So it tells me that you’re not interested in protecting, you’re not in your best interest, it’s not to protect the dogs or anybody, your protecting is money. Long as you can make money off of an inmate, a prisoner, you are fine with that, they are fine with that. I think that they need to be- the taxpayers need to look at more, more options and ask questions and call, you know, call the state capitol and talk to the one that runs CDCR and ask them, “Where is our tax money going? Why is this bias in the prison system, when you’re telling us it’s not?”
Don’t get me wrong, they’ve been doing that for years. It’s time for that to stop. Everybody have a right. When they come into the premises, it’s to get they self together no matter what they did in front, it’s not about what you in here for, it’s about, “How can I change my life? How can I be a better person when I come out of here? How can I be thinking better?” And the CDCR doesn’t think that way. So my thing is this, what do we need to do? If you have any, any injustice? What do you feel that need to be done in the prison system so people can learn how to come out, be productive and be successful? Because that’s what we want in America, that’s what they want: For us to come out and be successful, and know what we did when we when we came in here, what brought us in here, and what would make us never go come back. That’s the goal that we supposed to be on with everybody, the taxpayer and everybody because that’s what they say, is called second chances.
Do CDCR believe in second chances? On a scale? Yes. We’ll say scale one to ten, maybe five, we’ll say half and half. Because a lot of people that they say quote unquote, “different cases.” We don’t care if you give me visitation or not. And that’s what they showing. Because it’s about money. And it shouldn’t be about money, it should be a person coming in, get what he need, be successful. Be accountable for what he did and understand that he don’t have to go back out there and do silly stuff to get caught up in something that he didn’t his knowledge of, is you know, it takes don’t take a rocket scientist to know when you’re wrong, but sometimes it takes a person to understand why he’s wrong. So, my take is this if you if you have any, any, any feedback on that would love to hear that and be able to write me.
My name is Mr. Jenkins, my CDCR number is BM4522, BR, excuse me, 4B-R3-C-58; P.O. Box 3481, Corcoran, California, 93212. I made a mistake, and said “B3” but it’s, yeah- B3. Excuse me, it’s “3R” instead of “3B.” So my take is this: Be good to yourself, be good to others, and always respect yourself and others and they will respect you. Don’t forget you are somebody and you are special in your eyes and your family’s eyes.
So with that, I’ll leave you and say have a good day and thank you very much for listening to Mr. Jenkins. Bye, bye.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
