The Truth is More Insidious and Treacherous.”
For years the superintendent here at Great Meadow has presided over and condoned some of the worst prison violence in New York state. The Correctional Association of New York ranks Great Meadow the third highest New York state prison in violence and ranked it number one in guards using violence against prisoners.
Why this guy hasn’t yet been fired is beyond me. Currently there’s a mounting crisis here over the limited number of phones in the prison yard that prisoners have access to so that they may call their loved ones. Oftentimes communication with the outside world or with one’s mom, wife, or child is the only thing keeping a man in prison from completely losing his cool. Look, the lack of phones in the yard is creating a serious risk of a riot. What is so upsetting is that the prison administration here, especially the superintendent, know what is going on. There has already been a number of incidents resulting from disagreements over the phone.
In fact, for almost two years now, the superintendent has been saying he is looking into adding more phones in the yard. But he never gets around to doing it. Why? I think the truth is more insidious and treacherous than anyone really knows. Who stands to benefit from all the violence here? The superintendent does, I think. Or else, why does he let all the violence occur when there are cheap and sensible solutions? Turning to the phones, adding 30 new phones would eliminate all conflict over them and the phone company would gladly install them for free. So what’s the problem? It’s time for Great Meadow to undergo a shift in culture.
I ask for all my supporters and all progressive minded people who hear this to join with me in calling for such a cultural shift. The violence here at Great Meadow is doing great harm and costing taxpayers money. There are cheap and sensible solutions such as adding more phones, approving a prison chapter of UFD, and finding better administrators.
This is Dontie S. Mitchell, better known as Mfalme Sikivu, reporting to you from Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, New York. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @FreeDontieMitchell. Also, send me an email or a video-gram through Jpay with your questions and comments. I’d love to hear from you and struggle with you. Thank you for listening, and God bless. How’s that?
(Sound of a cell door closing.) These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.