Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 29, 1977)
Portland Observer Thursday, September 29, 1977 Page 3 From behind the wall Class explores crine, crìniaais by David Wickoff «38639 P R IV A T E V IS IT S Private visits for inmates and why they should be allowed. Even in zoos animals have a mate, is this to say we in prison are less than animals? It's a strange feeling knowing the public will go up in arms and yell it'a unnatural to keep an animal without a mete; what about prisoners! The second reason is if a man has a wife and family to return to upon release, his chances of returning to prison are slim. If his wife and family leave him while he's locked up h* will leave in a worse state than when he came to prison. We will all get out someday; if the dehumanizing of inmates does not end society will pay in the end. If prison was not, for the majority, a temporary thing, then the question of whether the inmate shouid be allowed certain basic social and psychological needs would be mute. But since we all will return to the world someday, one should question the reasons why private visits are not allowed. We need personal visits. We need to keep families together, we need the same basic animalistic needs as an animal in a zoo, who is allowed a mate. We should be allowed too. We are human and the system as it is now is dehumanizing. The emasculation of people must end. The passing of Legislation on conjugal visits will be a progressive style for the correction system. It will also help an inmate keep his sense of dignity and self-worth, and to remain above all humans. h n r j Balter «35021 Saleas O.S.P. Carrespeadeat W H O A R E YOU One said to the other: "who are you?" 1 am said he The Alpha and the Omega I am... The sun at its rise and The sun at its set The stars in the sky The morn and evening tide I am life and death I am the very air you breath. by Henry Madden «38987 Who are you, said one? SEX IN PRISON Society embraces the idea that sexual deprivation isn't cruel and unusual pu nishment; and that it is a legitimate part of prison life. It is my opinion that heterosexual deprivation is the main cause of anxiety, aggression, frustration, disrupted family relationships and indulgence in homosex ual activities by incarcerated individuals. Who under normal conditions would not indulge in homosexual activities. In order not to convey the wrong impression to our readers I will clarify my meaning concerning heterosexuals indulging in homosexual activities. I t is no secret that there are numerous homo sexuals in every prison throughout this country and that there are many indivi duals who will not indulge in homosexual practices no m atter how much time they are serving. And on the other hand there are individuals who, after periods of time, feel they must provide themselves a substitute. Our administrative body would prefer that the public not hear of homosexual activity in prisons because there is no legitimate answer they can give if asked, “Why is homosexuality a problem in prisons?!?" It is true that no matter what the legislature does in terms of passing laws prohibiting acts of homosexuality, that • I 1 am A blade of grass A drop of rain As the gods cry As men try to understand The birds that fly above I am love Who are you. said one? I am the thought you forgot And the one just born, I am loneliness Sadness Madness Up and down, I am stupidity Intelligence The one who try And the one that gives up Before its even begun Who are you said one? I am justice And injustice, 1 " ‘ ° , ' I am The criminal who stole And the policeman who arrested him, I am the rich man and the poor man. I am - problem will never be solved, especially in a sexually deprived prison environ ment. It's easy for members of the legislature to sit back in their comfort able chairs and deny the conjugal visit bill - they don't have to suffer the agony of being sexually deprived. Two years to them is a short time, but to a prison* ’ doing twenty years it's a life time. How can the problem of homosexual activities be alleviated or decreased when the very thing that provides any hope of its doing so is being prolonged for another two years?!? We hear so much about rehabilitation being the main goal of prisons and institutions, yet at the same time our administration officials are fighting against the one thing which may aid in a person's rehabilita tion. What few people don't know is; all homosexuals are not homosexuals be cause that is their preference towards sexual gratification. Among those who choose that life style are the turn-outs. These range from physically weak adult males to the young scared and weak boys. For those readers who don’t understand the term "turn-out," it means a person who comes to prison and is afraid or either too weak to protect himself from being sexually assaulted. Some men are more afraid of being hurt then they are of the actual sexual assault, so they submit and try to live with the abuse. Homosexuality will continue to be a problem in prison as long as certain needs of prisoners are neglected. A fter an individual has provided for the basic physiological needs - food, shelter and clothing - that are present in all human beings, there exists a higher order of needs. And unless these too are satisfied we cannot expect a prisoner to function as a normal human being. It's enough punishment when one is deprived of his liberty and is subjected to both physical and mental abuse by prison officials who try and destroy a man totally, by denying him a limited sexual functionll It would appear to some people that the deprivation of sexual gratifica tion is the only thing prisoners are concerned about, but it isn’t. Yet I believe it does play a very important part in up-lifting prisoners morale and motiva tion toward rehabilitation. A prisoners attitude toward rehabilita tion programs will obviously affect the kind of performance he does in learning a trade. High morale results from an environment in which prisoners may obtain satisfaction from their trade or job and are motivated to excel in their assigned duties. I don't believe there isn't anyone in prison or out who can function properly where there exists within them a sense of deprivation of a certain need; frustra tions, anxieties and constant mental pressures. A physically and mentally healthy man or woman is primarily motivated by their need to develop and actualize their fullest potentialities and capacities. Homosexuality and sexual assault will remain an increasing problem, which I believe will hinder implementation of other programs. U ntil prisoners are given an alternative for these abuses. Knowledge Understanding by L.A. Madrid «36745 In most societies and environments homosexuality is kept private and hid den. But in other environments homo sexuality is a past time and in some instances an evictable reality! A t the Oregon State Penitentiary ho mosexuality is an extreme reality. On occasions the prison administration has publicly stated that the homosexuals are kept isolated from the general popula tion. Of course this isn't true. Homo sexuality rages on. Inside the prison it isn't prevented and in a liberal sense, why should it be prevented? When one is sent to prison he is really punished in two ways. 1. Loss of freedom; 2. Isolation from the opposite sex. With the exception of visitation rights the inmates sexual drives are stunned. That is to say an inmate has a normal sexual drive, just like anyone else, but in prison there is only one way to satisfy ones sexual drive - that's through masturbation or homosexuality. Approximately a week ago most of the population witnessed a "double mar riage” (homosexual). Where upon an hour later the act of fellatio was perform ed by the male bride, in full view of the general population. This occurs in prison everyday, not so open most of the time, but neverj/ieless, it is an everyday occurance. In some prisons across the country, attempts to stop this environment have been somewhat successful. The biggest step is “conjugal visits." This is a visit, where the spouse or common-law wife can spend some time together in a private room “visiting". This has been successful and could be a reality in most prisons. The reasons this program can be successful are numerous. A) The visit can enhance the relationship between the inmate and spouse; B) Make for a healthy relationship when the inmate is released; C) It will relieve physical and mental strain and tension of the inmate; D) Would curb homosexuality; E) These visits could bring rehabilitation to a reality. Conjugal visits are not going to solve everything, but maybe they will bring a little hope and encouragement to the inmate, who is isolated from the rest of society. The prison has a home visit program, for this purpose. But it isn't working! The problem with this program is the inmate has to have a year or less to be released before he is eligible for a home visit. You have to think of the inmates that are going to be here three, four, five years or longer, they're not eligible for years. With conjugal visits a small complex can be built inside the prison. Therefore enabling everyone a conjugal visit, at designated times no matter hpw long the inmate is here. • Something for you to think about - would any of you like to be subjected to homosexuality in any part of your lives? Needle executions-the 'civilized’ way to kill And Wisdom, that I am all yet none! Who are you said one? I AM. by JnBns Snowden by Scott Christianson Texas has 59 convicted murders at the Ellis Unit near Huntsville, ranking it SEPT. 26 [PNS1 - With America's first legal execution by lethal injection sche duled to occur in Texas in October, knowledgeable opponents of the death penalty fear that growing acceptance of the new “civilized" killing method could plunge the country back into capital punishment on its largest scale in de cades. Bills replacing electrocution with drugs were introduced last spring in several states. Governor David Boren of Okla homa signed the first such measure into law on May 10, and a similar law was enacted the next day in neighboring Texas. Another so-called “needle bill” was introduced, but not acted upon, in Florida a few weeks later. behind Florida (87), Ohio (71) and Georgia (60) in death-row populations. Its convict- built electric chair has killed 361 men since it was first plugged in 53 years ago. But the last execution was carried out nearly 18 years ago. Texas state Representative Ben Grant and state Senator Bill Braecklin sponsor ed the latest death measure. Grant calls the electric chair a “medieval torture chamber” that “creates a sensational atmosphere that makes heroes out of criminals.” He ascribes his interest in lethal injection to some testimony he once heard on the liquidation of unwanted pets. James Estelle, the Texas director of corrections - and the official responsible for executions actually being performed - calls the change “a more civilized way of carrying out our responsibilities.” And prison chaplain Reverend Clyde Johnston says, “I hesitate to use the word pleasant, but it would be just like someone going in, laying down and going to sleep.” Opponents insist that execution in any form is wrong, regardles of how painless it may appear to legislators or witnesses. John B Duncan, executive director of the Texas Civil Liberties Union, contends Lawyers for the American Civil Liber ties Union and the N AA CP Legal De fense and Education Fund say the lethal injection idea may well take hold in many more states this year. The Oklahoma statute provides for execution by a dual injection of drugs - one to render the prisoner unconscious, the other to kill. The Texas law calls for criminals to be stuck with a lethal dose of an "u ltra -s h o rt-a c tin g b a rb itu a ra te " when still conscious. P ortland V A R IE T IE S y o u like 212-1361 K N IT B L O C K IN G O U R S P E C IA LTY 3 9 6 6 N. W Oom s Ave. N. Alexander, Proprietor S IZ E S v o u w a n t FIRST TIME EVER ON PUBLIC TELEVISION A dialogue between Black leaders and W hite supremecy groups. KOAP-TV Ch. 10 presents BLACK PERSPECTIVE ON THE NEWS • Host Reginald Bryant talks with the Imperial Wizard o* the Kn Klux Kian and the leader of the American Nasi Party. ° Also joining Bryant’s dis ra sei an are H a rro d Black Historian Lawrence Roddick and Charles King of the Atlanta Urban Crisis Center. Friday Septem ber 3 0 ,1 9 7 7 lee Vacuum re p a ir* all malt«* I.osing weight WEIGHT never tasted WATCHERS so good. The Authority. Sale* • ® > u T a tiri* rlnns On I i ibig iwalqkr N aw A used E M A N U E L H O SPITAL 2801 N. Gantenbein Emanuel East, Room B-2 (Nursing Home) Thurs. 7:00 p.m. M A R A N A T H A CHURCH 1222 N.E. Skidmore Sat. 9:30 a.m. Eureka Electric C o .* * 1804 N.E. Unie* • a I i w T a rn | Since TOM 287-9420 • / 11:00 P.M. The Weight W atchers " Program now gives you lots to be happy about! Foods you couldn’t have before like franks on rolls, cheeseburgers on buns, com on the cob, all within limits. And a food plan so flexible, it helps you keep your weight under control. Join a Weight W atchers meeting today, and smile all the way home. For further information call Collect Portland (503) 297 1021 Weekdays - 8:30-5:30 The Friendliest <vw w »e noted firms. The complaint with litigation extended for nine years (1967 1976) in the long litigated case Gates vs. Georgia-Pacific. The case appears in a variety of national legal volumes such as Modern Federal Practices Digest, The Federal Reporter, The Federal Supplement, and Emplny- asent Practices Derisions, etc.. Mrs. Gates of Portland recently ob served the Volume 13 error and brought it to the publishing firm's attention. Oregon Educational A Public Broadcasting Servies B R A N D S 'y o u know* Ne Charge Pick -epADeBvery Strange mislabeling of an Illinois publi cater, Commerce Clearing House, inci dentally distorts years of official affida vits and judicial decisions in a landmark racial discrimination case in Oregon. Follow-up action for correction is now in process. The conflicting topical reference of Volume 13 Em;4eyment Practices Deci sions is inconsistent with actual facts of the case and earlier professional legal references by the same firm and other W eight W itchers. FO R O N I DAY SÄVIC1 Legal journal print* error | Scott Christianson is a former prison guard who now writes for numerous publications on criminal justice.] lENOW 'S N O R T H A N.E. P O R T L A N D A senes of three information sessions cial programs for “career criminals" and called "Convicts in Your Community" has the frustrations of the law enforcement been scheduled by Portland Community aspect of the criminal justice system. College at Cleveland High School for On October 11th the topic will be three Tuesday evenings in October. “Justice, Judges and Options” followed At the October 4th meeting the subject by a session October 25th called “Send will be centered on the police and Them Up the River." prosecution. Chief Assistant District The classes are all scheduled for Attorney for Multnomah County Mike kroom 284 of the school located at 3401 Shrunk and representatives from the <>.E. 28th from 7:30-10:00 p.m. There will Portland Police Bureau will discuss their be no charge. Reservations for atten respective and cooperative roles. dance may be arranged through the PCC Included in that first session will be Southeast Center. information about the offender entering the system, arrest, plea bargaining, spe- the Texas legislature's appetite for the issue “may well represent more of a guilty conscience about having to support capital punishment for political survival in Texas than any underlying motive.” Duncan also criticises the state's medi cal establishment for maintaining a “lily- livered silence” on the matter, even though it purports to be a medical procedure and medical personnel and techniques doubtless will be employed in the execution. Public opinion, which in recent years has gradually swung back in favor of capital punishment, could be pushed even higher by the assumption that drug exe cutions are somehow more humane - agd more healthful for society - than the firing squad, the rope, the gas chamber or the chair. SHOP CLEANING WORKS , because as long as sexual deprivation exists in any prison environment; a desire to be rehabilitated is none exis tent. • • watchers • • The Authority <M»O ht watch * « * « T I N M I 'O M t NIC aho O a m i n * * i * t * n * * rn ao a u a m s O» w*»Os»r w a tch * « * S . S S A IM ' n v BW«.«HT w a ren «n t ,nr«nswT,OHAi mrr
