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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 5, 1979)
P * ” e 6 Portland Observar Thursday. July B. 1979 ___ . W hat Behind the Waii s the fbi got O N YOU" by Larry Baker 935021 O.&.P. Correspondent Personal, organization, or public info files from any federal agency: acquisition and analysis. Bacon b Eggs on Sunday Morning??? The activities on Sunday morning during the wee hours at O.S.P. are always just a little more lively than any other morning o f the week The sound o f huttoms being pushed, the flushing o f toilets and filling o f water basins grows louder by 5:30 a.m. You can't help but he disturbed from shallow sleep, or at least turn ing over in search o f a soft spot on the thin matress and steel slab you know so well. Normally you find yourself jum p ing out o f the bunk and joining the rhythm o f the 'button pushers' in order to beat that 6:00 a.m. bell for the cracking o f the cell doors Auto m atically you throw your bunk together; no matter how much you brush your teeth and wash your face, neither seems to get clean, enough. Suddenly you fin d yourself walking single file behind some one down an endless tier and becoming sure-footed as you make it down five flights o f iron stairs and across a brightly lit control-room floor; at least these were my actions last Sun day morning. Naturally, this is the morning all prisoners know the menu reads "Bacon and Eggs” . So you hurry your pace through two large swinging doors, out into the brisk morning air, which separates the messhall from the ceilblocks. As the aroma o f fried bacon fills your nostrils you suddenly remember that it has been thirteen long hours since you have last had any ¡ood in your stomach. 1 can remember waiting in the long line to get a stainless srad tray, spoon and fo rk , how I tried to make small-talk with the inmates in front and back o f me in order to forget about those hunger-pains. It wasn't until 1 had retrieved my eating utensils and moved along the steamtable that 1 noticed the toast was not toasted, as I reached for a piece it was cold, so 1 decided to pass it by. Next came the so-called hot cereal—cracked wheat—only some one forgot to show the cook how to uncrack the wheat, it was all gummed together. Oh, well! The best is yet to come. The boiled prunes were not too bad, so 1 had the inmate-server spoon me up a scoop. After obser ving how d irty his hands were I almost told him to put them back. Then came the potatoes (dehydrated instant, naturally), only this time someone forgot to add water. At last came the two fried eggs. Oh. they were fried a lrig h t! But when they were placed on my tray, 1 couldn't help but notice the grease they were fried in had hardened, meaning they were cold. Wow! Let’ s not discuss the bacon, because it was not fried, more like steamed. A ll o f a sudden 1 noticed the in mate standing in front o f me point ing out to the co rre ctio n a l o f fice r— who ju st happened to be new—the same complaint that 1 was about to make. The poor guy just stood there looking confused and not knowing what to do, so 1 thought it might be best just to beckon the steward myself. A fte r doing this, the steward —who is a state employee— looked at our trays and merely stated, " I t came o f f the main break fast line, didn’t it? " Wow. what a mindblower, the other inmate and myself stood there feeling helpless as did the new officer. The next motive o f operation was to find someone who might be a higher o ffic ia l than the steward. Quickly I looked about the 400-man messhall and spotted the 'O fficer of the Day,’ but honestly I was looking fo r the Superintendent, who can usually be found roam ing the messhall some mornings. I told the other inmate " L e t’s take our com plaint to theO .D ..” After lodging our complaint, the O.D. (who just happened to be an old southern gentleman) agreed with us and staled that he wouldn’ t eat the breakfast on our trays either and that he would go have a talk with the steward about it himself. I wandered over to a table, got myself a cup o f hot coffee and waited fo r some results, but nothing happened. Doing Justice by Dave Crawford *39830 the legislature as the Matrix is in tended to lim it the human element. It When the Matrix is mentioned in provides clear guidelines for board side the prison community, there are decision, and demands an explana those who praise it as 'the' answer to tion from the board should it elect parole problem s. There are also to sentence a man to more or less those who energetically wish all the time than recommended. The curses known to man on this very guidelines are sensitive to the serious word. But, somewhere between the ness o f the crime and to the past pros and cons there are a few who criminal history o f the inmate. After accept the good points as well as the the appropriate sentence length is bad, and spend many hours thinking selected, factors o f aggravation o f the wavs it can be made better. and/or m itigation are considered. Such a person is Ira Blalock, former These tend to make the crime more chairman and current member of the or less serious, respectively. Oregon State Board o f Parole. Only then, at least in theory, does "The concept o f rehabilitation has the human element enter in. Matters failed to bear fru it,” said Blalock at not covered under the standards of a recent meeting with the Class o f aggravation, mitigation, personal re Legal Processes at O.S.P. "W e focus habilitation and personal impressions now on punishment. And we believe are all then used to exercise what that the concept o f "Just Desen” is a powers remain to the board in ad fairer, more consistent, and certainly justing the time to be served. more human approach to parole.” After his well prepared defense of The board members then developed the Matrix System, Blalock went on the foundations for what they feel is to explain the workings o f the Parole a realistic alternative to the rehabili Board, and to outline how best to tation model for determing time to prepare for a parole hearing, and be served. That alternative is the how to present a case in an inmates basis o f the Matrix System. best advantage. "W e ’ ve come a long way from the " A t the present, you are respon old system,” he said. “ It was un sible fo r preparing your parole defined, unpredictable, and subject hearing. You must present your own to the personal feelings o f board case, and are expected to present it in members.” As the class progressed. its most favorable light,” Blalock Blalock presented the Matrix System told the inmates. ” 1 believe that the as workable, reasonably consistent, board has a responsibility to help and ra tio n a l. The rules and you prepare for a parole hearing ” guidelines are concrete controls on He explained that most inmates are personal feelings which may in nervous and present themselves and fluence a parole date their case poorly. Many miss obvious “ I don’t pretend that the board is points in their favor, or fa il to completely objective,” Blalock add challenge aggravating factors ed. “ 1 like to think o f myself as a charged against them. sensitive person, capable o f putting "T hirty-five per cent of aggravat myself in another persons shoes. ing factors put forward by the parole There are times when that is just analysts are untrue,” stated the form plain impossible.” er chairman, Blalock. “ Investigation The system set up and adopted by o f these factors should be the boards Civil Rights Bureau explains law I f employers understand wage and hour civil rights laws, fewer viola tions should occur, according to Oregon Labor Commissioner Mary Wendy Roberts. To help employers understand and comply with state and federal regulations, the Oregon Bureau o f L a b o r’ s Technical Assistance Unit is conducting a semi nar July 17th-18th at the Cosmopo litan Airtel, 6221 N.E. 82nd, from 9:00a.m. to4;B0p m. Seminar speakers are Pat Landers and Jacqui Koch ot the Bureau o f Labor’s Technical Assistance Unit, and Mary Lou Lavbourne o f the U.S. Department of Labor and an We Specialize In Life b Health expert in federal wage-hour laws and regulations. Topics to be covered in the two- day senmiar include: federal m ini mum wage and overtim e regula tions, state laws which regulate the payment o f wages; employee benefits policies; employing minors; hiring and firing practices; discrimination and civil rights laws; reinstating in jured workers; and recordkeeping requirements. Registration is $17 including lunch both days and is lim ited to 100 places. For more information call the Bureau of Labor s Technical Assis tance Unit at 229-5087 W ESTERN LIFE IN S U R A N C E CO. Insurance • Investment Products • Group, Medical & Dentical Under Ten, All Tax Sheltered Plans, Pension, Etc. Wholly Owned by ¿St. Paul Companies ATTORNEY JACK L. SCHW ARTZ 233-0838 10am 8pm i-- OREGON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL has enthusiastic teachers. students 297-4836 and effective Pre-school through Grade 12 High School Resident Program Small classes Experienced Faculty 6300 S.W . Nicol Road Portland. Oregon 97223 (5C3) 246 7771 a non-discnmtnatory school E X O D U S £ (/ttca/ts ne/S a r u f ^V . -I / * <■* * r Ï » V J n ' / ’i i V r e t/e t S' : . ». 15+f NE klLUNGSWQPTH, * ■ — , PORTLAND, OREGON 9721 1 284 7997 1978 79 OVERVIEW ANNUAL TREATMENT REPORT ON ALCOHOLISM EDUCATION & TREATMENT SERVICES IN N.E. P O R TLA N D -A LB IN A CO M M UNITY Actual Clients Treated : Alcoholism Formal Treatment - Total number of clients served 406 Alcoholism Counseling & Treatm ent-A dult Males Alcoholism Counseling & Treatm ent-A dult Females Group Therapy and Traatmant Meetings 304 104 Total AA — one meeting per week 52 Exodus Phase A —one meeting per week 52 Exodus Phase B — one meeting per week Total Therapy and Treatment Meetings TS b " Average Attendance Yaarly Per Meeting/Weak Attendance 14 728 31 1612 17 Contractad Services. Exodus contracted with Multnomah County to serve 146 clients Exodus actually served 406 clients Exodus total traa tm an t plan, plus therapy is as follow s: Outpatient Counseling, Planned Day Treatment Programs and Recreation and a fifteen (15) bed 24 hour supervised Residential Facility which provides three dietary hot meals per day on a seven (7) day per week schedule. Employment: Exodus employs 20 full-time employees, plus contracts with various consultants as needed to provide round-the-clock coverage and security for the clientele of Exodus. Staff Training and Education: Exodus provides on going inhouse training for its entire staff, plus weekly professional application reviews. Three, six week classes were completed on the Exodus Treatment Modality. Number of staff students graduating were 22 Outside Seminars and Training: ¡GATE] * _ -MfS 2 rfOT'nvrxn" <rxJ juesfH WueS’ f l wne ■ G ood lor ■ _ <HOUND| m /$ uith | thru ! A U G .I8TH I POSTTIMGI AT 7 3 0 P M ! | I I I . SS _ Ni Number of staff attending were 7 N ew Programs: ai EX^<1.U’ c° ntrac,ed !n APril 1879, with the Department of Labor to implement a Youth Program on Ai'.rj lohsrr Awareness for Multnomah and Washington Counties (as a summer project) Number of youths in attendance update are 28 Acknowledgements: The executive body of Exodus wishes to thank the staff for providing such high quality of treatment and therapyeven through the bitter cold of winter; also, to thank the Albina Community and its citizens tor recoo mzmg the need for these tong overdue services and providing support in the delivery of treatment Finally, to thank other cooperating agencies such as; The Multi Service Center under the direction of M r Ben Talley end Dr Eugene Taylor, the Judicial System and rts Judges, Work Release Tm ten'and^tfw L Management Physician & Surgeons Hospital Care Unit, Health Help, Outside In Project STOP TASC Community Mental Health Agency. Holliday Park Hospital Woodlawn Park Hospital Emanuel Hospital Ka'“ f HuSP'ta' Hoopor Mernon81 Center. Dr WalteHRaynowTand h » S ' l staff, and Muhnomah County s Mental Health Staff. Special thanks to Bishop Daniels and Father Griffith The Fiscal Year 1978 79 was challenging and measurably successful. T PrXIfcXXlB .nfl HatMv si a So>i,B I.' n l ’ Mf u '-’t r ' 1} n « Call Today 1750 S.W. Skyline Blvd.. Suit« 220 responsibility. Challenging them is your responsibility.” The subject o f Parole Board rule changes and applications was intro duced carefully. A fte r answering several ’ whys’ and ’ hows’ and ‘ how- can-vous,” Blalock decided to clear the air. “ You guys are missing an important opportunity,” he stated. “ Your suggestions and ideas, your questions and your proposals need to be presented in the form o f a proposed rule or change. The Board must consider them; and if they are rejected, explained w h y .” Ex plaining further, he added, "There have probably been more changes in Parole Board rules in response to inmate comments or suggestions than trom any other one source. Your ideas carry weight. Use them!” Ira Blalock is an unusual man A man who takes his job seriously. He told the class that he doesn't much care for what his job entails, but ls happy with the improvements he helped to bring about. He has had the guts to stand up and say what he thinks. Even when other very signficant people disagreed. He’s the kind of man who may be cursed and respected all at the same time. Time ran o u t, leaving many questions unanswered. For instance. . where now does rehabilitation fit in? Is there no reward for an inmates removing the base causes o f his crim inal behavior, or cu ltivating alternative lifestyle? Why does the Matrix not reinforce character im provement w ith m arginal incen tives? These and other penetrating questions remain fo r the future. They have answers, and solutions, if the outcomes are not equitable. Ira Blalock promised to return to answer further questions and explain the policies o f the Oregon State Board o f Parole more fully. "Y ou may not agree,” he commented, “ but the policies o f the board are based on equity.” The room grew silent fo r a th o u g h tfu l heartbeat. “ O f course, it’s very d ifficult to say what equity really is.” One o f the ’golden rules’ in any prison is to never create a scene in the mess nail. Not unless you’ re willing to suffer the consequences—which could result in a few knocks on the head and then immediately being slammed in isolation fo r security purposes. So, like the coward I have grown to be I just sat there with my fellow inmates trying to fill up on any amount o f sympathy I could get. Bui nothing from nothing still leaves nothing. As I walked back to my ceil I was lost, 1 was angry, and 1 was hungry. Climbing those same five flights up, walking down that same long tier to my cell, 1 sat down helplessly on my bunk. This Sunday morning has never been like any other Sunday morning 1 have ever witnessed in ail the 25 years I have done time at O.S.P. It was different. Times are changing and punishment is coming in a more unknown form than 1 have every witnessed before. W ell! A t least that’s the way 1 began to figure it as I clim bed back under that same blanket to seek that same soft spot on the same thin mattress and steel slab. Maybe I can coach myself back to sleep and make believe that this was all a bad dream. But then again, how long can I keep fooling myself every time something like this hap pens to me in prison. Maybe next Sunday I won’t be as eager to get up for bacon and eggs, if I remember this one. | multnomah | Rosalie J. Boothe >othe E x e c u tiv e D ir e c to r
