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Another Day, Another Prison Overcrowding Crisis (posted 18 January 2002)
This letter was published in the Opelika-Auburn News in January 2002.
Editors, Opelika-Auburn News:
Another day, another prison overcrowding crisis.
Sen. Zeb Little has introduced a law to ensure that convicts of heinous offenses including murder and sexual torture, stay in prison for 85% of their assigned sentences (AP, Prison population swells).
But there are worries. Why? Alabama’s prison system is jammed to the gills, and facing an April 1 deadline to make space for the state inmates illegally jammed into county lockups.
Despite all this, Alabama is using your tax dollars to imprison over 4,200 drug offenders, nearly 1 out of every 6 Alabama prisoners. Thanks to mandatory minimum sentencing laws, nearly 60% of those drug offenders will be in prison for ten years or more. No wonder we can’t find space for 2,000 inmates!
Siegelman and the bipartisan parrots in the legislature want to deal with Alabama’s prison crisis by throwing more of our tax dollars down the Drug War drain with an $8,000,000 prison plan expanding prisons and creating extensive new programs.
But why should we keep throwing more people into an expanding prison system, when that’s what landed us in this crisis in the first place? Why should we have to worry where to find the space for violent criminals to spend their sentences? Why should we pay millions of dollars to maintain Alabama’s insane War on Drugs while we can’t find space for murders, child rapists, and sexual torturers?
Gubernatorial candidate John Sophocleus and the Libertarian Party are fighting for solutions to prison overcrowding that the old goats on Goat Hill won’t touch: stop throwing away our tax dollars, release Alabama’s 4,200 prisoners of the Drug War, and repeal the insane drug laws that created this crisis. Then we’ll have space to keep real criminals behind bars for their whole sentence.
Gemma replied:
Hello there, i’m a third year student currently studying criminology in England, very interested in your work. I was just wondering how you thought the over crowding crisis in the u.s compared to that of Britain?
Kanisha Davis replied:
Tell me about the overcrowded jails and what they are planing to do about it?
Anonymous replied:
i agree 100 percent its not right.
lisa replied:
I think the prisoners need to get earlier parole dates.
Monica replied:
The Alabama overcrowding hasn’t gotten any better. The numbers were over 28,000 at the end of January 2003.
pat haywood replied:
my son is incarcerated in bullock correctional facility for 12 years. his alledged crime is statutory rape and sodomy 2. the minor involved was a 14 yr. old that had a history of sexual abuse in her family(that was not investigated by the way) my son has bi-polar disorder and will be in prison until 06. this was the first time he had ever been in trouble.does the speeding ticket at 19 count. he worked, he supported his little family until this 14 yr. old got mad at my daughter in law. now my son will be on disability the rest of his life, if he survives the hell hole, and his little family is on welfare. where is the justice in this.
TAMMY TRUSS replied:
My husband is in alabama prison system we have a 2 year old son he was 9months old when his daddy went away he had an accident in june of 2000 and the police of pell city ala. arrested him at 10:00a.m and charged him with a DUI he got out and went to court and they found him not guilty on his DUI offense he was on probation from 1993 for a drug charge this is 7 years later he goes to his probation officer M.R. ROY FORMAN and he puts hand cuffs on him.Its been almost two years i believe he has done his time even though he wast drunk and I feel pell City ALA> is full of crooked laws. so yes i do beleive in early parole until you have a loved one taken from you for a reason as my loved one has. and not to metion i had a brother to get killed in 93 in PELL CITY ALA. guess what they charged the wrong guy wiyh his murder and only give the innocent guy they charged 1 YEAR I married my husband SEPT.29 2003 in prison please pray he can get a early release date if not our son will be 5 years old when his daddy comes home for something he honestly didnt do hes really paying for his crime in 1993 and this man has changed we started dating in 1998 and he has always been positive to me and every one that knows him personally he is trully a good man husband and father only if the state would let him be.thanks for listening to my story…T.TRUSS
Herman Bennett replied:
I am currently doing a term paper on prison overcrowding and am very interested in what you have to say. In Brazil, Kenya, Venezuela, and Panama mot only have the prisons been crowded the prisoners are neglected and prisoner-on-prisoner violence goes overlooked.
michele replied:
I think our judges our sentencing people for too long and for crimes that could be dealt with within their own community. There are more people in prison in the state of albama for drugs and alchol than any other crime, I think we need to back off on this war against drugs. I’ve seen people go to jail that don’t deserve to be there and the prisons just screwed them up more, because the prisons care nothing about helping any of them with their problems all they do is do their 8 and hit the gate as the guards would put it, so what good is that doing.
Denny replied:
If any of you have not lost a love one to a DUI , then you have no ideal , the pain , angry , disbeleaf,& i prey you would never know- Yes some in Alabama have had 18, 19 , & even 20 DUI’S before being locked up & then for only a short time, each one that is caught just the first time with a DUI , that is one chance another innoccent family will feel that pain. it only takes that one time , & yes the young man that MURDERED our only child our son did not sit out to do it. but he made a choice of driveing while impaired on drugs. our son had no choice in knowing who was comeing down the road that morning —he paid the price of his life at a young age of 32!! , and the young man is too —sentenced to 25 years , but will only serve 1/3 of that, we his family are sentenced to the rest of our life, We can visit our son at his grave site ,while the young mans family tells us how good he is doing after they have visited him . , it is not the same because our son that loved Alabama football so much is not with us. it took us 3 months to even get an arrest, guess where & what the young man was doing & had on him ,DRIVEING & DRUGS on him even after MURDERING our son only 3 months before, guess what the D.A. in Colbert Co. did about that charge droped that charge !! I had been speaking in schools of drinking & drugs in Lauderdale Co. 7 or 8 schools with a Program with the state of Alabama , but when i was to speak in Colbert Co. I wasn’t allowed to speack in fear of me blasting the Sheiff & D.A. in that Co. for droping the charges . what is more important getting the message out to the teenagers of the dangers , or fear of me letting the people know how our eleted officail are fighting the war on drugs, droping charges even after Murdering someones family member.
Heather replied:
Why would the state of Alabama need to let the drug offenders go? You know, more than likely, one of them are going to meet your child, neice, nephew, someone you love and try to sell them illegal substances. I agree with the expansion of the jails. Why let one criminal go with a slap on the wrist and make room for a worse one. All people breaking the law should be in prison. But yes, I agree, the jails are too small, and yes if the only choice we have is to let some go to make room for the murderers and rapists, then its our only choice. But don’t complain about your tax dollars going to something productive, you know it would be more expensive if you have to put someone you love in Rehab for the illegal substances that you allowed to be introduced to them.
Urza216 replied:
Heather, no offense but you don’t know what the hell you are talking about. The vast majority of imprisoned drug offenders aren’t dealers. They’re just regular everyday drug users. So in other words the reverse is actually much more likely. As you put it “your child, niece, nephew or someone you love” could quite possibly be next victim to this insane war on drugs. I am a 17 year old boy, and currently as we speak a friend of mine is being brutalized in prison just for smoking a blunt. Imagine an average 16 year old kid in prison with a bunch of thugs. If you really care about “the kids” then you should be STRONGLY OPPOSED to this insane war on drugs.
However, to tell you the truth a lot of the content of your post made me smile. Because it is quite clear that you have absolutely no idea just how many teenagers smoke pot. Yes, I hate to break it to you but it is quite possible your Straight A Honors student has puffed at least one magic dragon in his/her lifetime. You really think all these teenagers deserve to be in a prison!! That’s horrible! Do you have any idea what prisons are like? Obviously you don’t.
Heather L replied:
Well I have been web searching and came across these articles and I am amazed.I have a companion currently in Kilby awaiting transfer. We are from NY and he had gotten in trouble a few years ago while passing through the state with some bad company. He was a juvenile at the time. He was put in drug court and not knowing anyone he came home. He was young scared and homesick. After a couple years in NY we realized he had a warrant issued in Alabama for him. He had been pulled over on his way home from work on a routine traffic stop. The wonderful judge up here saw the warrant and released him anyway and told him to make sure he did the right thing.We had sent all kinds of letters to show who he has become and even a judge called an Alabama judge on his behalf. So we bought him a bus ticket to Alabama in September 2003 he walked in Tuscaloosa and turned himself in. He has been floated around the system down there for a few months now and still has no idea where he is going.He was held in county jail for atleast 62 days. He is a diabetic at 23 that has to shoot insulin 3 times a day.He never got any medical attention the first 30 days he was there. Why would the State of Alabama want to hold a prisoner that has severe medical conditions and has proved he has learned from his past when there is far worse criminals. He went to Alabama willingly and gave up a really good job, two kids, a future as a volunteer firemen, and left us all here to fend for ourselves.He is very young and did not murder or rape anyone,please tell me why your state operates like they do.I am a supporting our kids the best i can while he is gone but was wondering if maybe that was a way to draw families to Alabama to get public assistance or something. If I can live better there I will be right down.
CARI replied:
I THINK WE ALL NEED TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE HERE, THE WAR ON DRUGS ,IS REALLY JUST A WAR ON NON VIOLENT PETTY USERS,WHOM ARENT HURTING ANYONE,I THINK THE WAR ON DRUGS HAS CORUPTED,THE POLICE SO BAD,AND THE WHOLE JUSTICE SYSTYME.IVE SEEN IT FIRST HAND.OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS ARE A JOKE.PEOPLE NEED TO WAKE UP! QUIT LETTING THE COPS SEARCH YOU.STUDY UP ON THE LAW,START TAKING THINGS TO TRIAL.THAT WILL CUT DOWN ON THE RATS.BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE WOULDENT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW WHAT WHORTLESS PIECES OF SHIT THEY REALLY ARE,SCREW THE PLEA BARGIN,MOST TIMES IF YOU SAY YOUR GOING TO TAKE IT TO TRIAL,THE COURTS END UP DROPPING THE CHARGE ANYWAY,ITS HAPPENED TO ME ON TWO CASES,STAND UP FOR YOUR LOVED ONES IN JAILS AND PRISONS I KNOW I DONT WANT THEM TO SPEND MY TAX DOLLORS DENYING MY FRIENDS OR LOVED ONES MEDICAL ATTENTION,OR TREATING THEM AS IF THEY WERE DOGS,BELITTELING THEM.DENYING THEM DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW,NOT GIVING THEM THERE GOOD TIME ECT ECT ECT .IF WE DONT ALL START TAKING A STAND,CALLING THEM ON THE TREATMENT OF OUR FAMILIES,WHO BUY THE WAY CANT DO FOR THEMSELVES WHILE THERE IN THERE.THAN WHAT ARE WE?JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE GOES TO PRISION FOR WHAT MOST PEOPLE DO ANY WAY, THEY JUST HAVENT GOT CAUGHT,DOSEN”T MEAN WE FORGET THEN,DON”T LET THEM BE UNJUSTLEY TREATED.I THOUGHT KNOW ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO PRISION UNLESS THEY HURT SOMEONE? CHECK THE NUMBERS OUT PEOPLE .THATS MOST OF THE PRISON POPULATION.SCREW THE WAR ON DRUGS ALL IVE SEEN IT DO IS COAST BILLIONS TO THE TAX PAYER.LOOK AT FOSTER CARE.OF THE CHILDREN OF THESES PRISONERS.AND ON AND ON AND ON.I THINK THEY KNEW THEY MESSED UP AND THEN CAME DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,FOR THE COURTS TO TRY TO RECUPE THE MONEY LOST ON NOT PUTTING DRUG OFENDERS IN REHAB.THEY HAD TO GET IT BACK SOME HOW AND THEN,HERE COMES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,ALONG WITH ALL IT CLASSES.IF EVERY ONE TOOK MOST DOMESTICS TO TRIAL THE ONES ANY WAY WHERE YOUR STILL WITH THE OFFENDER.AND IT WASENT WHAT THE COPS SAID IT WAS,THE STATE WILL LOOK PRETTY STUPID IF THERE WITNESS IS TESTIFYING FOR THE DEFENSE.AND CHANCES ARE THEY”LL DROP IT BEFORE IT GETS TO TRIAL.LETS NOT WORRY ABOUT THE SIMPLE USERS,WHAT ABOUT THE REAL CRIMINALS.
Larry W. replied:
This article is very timely. In 2002,I was the victim of an assult that caused more than 40 fractures to my face. The reporting officer refused to take any action. He threatened me, even striking me with his club. When I was released by the hospital (after drastic surgury) I made every attempt to have my attacker arrested. I knew his name from all the wittness reports of that night. The jefferson county sherrif’s office in downtown birmingham told a bandaged and bloodly victim to “buy a gun”. We don’t have resources to track down crimes of that nature. Here’s the relavant part, During this same period someone very close to me was arrested for possession of less than 2 grams of marijuana. The young man ended up serving 8 months in Ventress and other Alabama correctional Facillities. Alabamians need to decide what type “criminals” we want taking up our limited prision space. Details of this ordeal made it clear to me that the people in law enforcement are only interested in “crimes” that carry heavy fines. Money seemed to be the primary concern. My experience with Alabama law enforcement forces me to conclude that the war on drugs is nothing more than a weapon in a class war.
Ginger Brown replied:
My husband was sent to Kilby prison today (JULY 21,2004)on drug charges. This is his first felony charge or first arrest. There was conflict with the judge,like a grudge so the trail was very unfair and justice was not giving to him. On his same court date a man with 3 prior felony charges standing in front of the judgfe with another one got 3 years probation when my husband was sentence to 25 years for drug charges same as the other man. Coffee County judical system in Elba, Alabama is ajoke. Your justice comes from not who you are but from how much money or who you know that matters. Something has to be done . Lives are being lost from unfairly leaders in our system. IT SUCKS!!!!
mancow replied:
Any person who kills another person with a vehicle while high or drunk is guilty of vehicular manslaughter or homicide and needs to be in prison. What you lack to understand is most people in prison for drugs are there for possession of the substance not driving while they are high. Mandatory minimums only make their sentences longer for what all profesionals say is a medical condition and should be treated as a condition not a criminal act. Also there addiction is not addressed in prison and it only persists when they are eventually released to the streets, most without a pot to piss in, so there only way to survive is to sell drugs because they can’t get a job because of the stigma and labels attached to drugs. And while all this goes on another child molester at high risk to re-offend is let out because of prison overcrowding.
Michelle Mims replied:
I am the mother of three small children, ages 10, 7, and 6. My ex husband admitted in open court to child incest child molestation to his 14 year old niece and because the statue of limitations is over with they did nothing. and because he is charged with another niece he did not admit to the incest of the 11 year old he went to court told lies on me and got temporary custody of my minor children without me being there and the judge knows, the DA knows and DHR knows all about his admitting of the other and said it was a mistake. I have proof of my ex telling me I am not a bad mother, but no one will listen. He has temporary custody, excuse me his wife does and he has not yet been charged with the other as of yet. What are they waiting on? My friends boyfriend did not hurt anyone but himself with his DISEASE. Why is it that he has been in prision for hurting himself for 18 months because he was charged with a DUI felony, and yes he could have!! hurt someone but guess what??? He did not. But my ex husband did, he took two little girls innocence away from them and could as everyone knows another child, and I pray every day he does not every mess with my little girl. I had custody of my children for 2 years after my divorce. He admitted I was not a bad mother. I have tapes to prove it and no one whats to hear those, but yet they live with my ex husbands new wife? How insane is this for an admitted incest child molestor to go free when my friends boyfriend spends time in jail for hurting himself? I agree with the others there are alot of drug treatment centers across America. I believe that we should keep it in the community like the time I went for Domestic Violence classes with my ex husband he did 53 weeks because he was angrier than I was. I had only 10 classes. There are plenty of people who conduct those classes from experience, because they were once in them themselves. Just like the ones who conduct the AA meetings and Alanon meetings its from experience. There are alot of recoverying Alcoholics and Drug Addicts that would be more than happy to have those people in a meeting that would be mandatory every night or everyday and still have a chance to support their family. And lets face it. If they dont want help we can not help them. BUT WE CAN TEACH THEM THE RIGHT WAY LIKE THEY DO IN PRISON WITH THOSE CLASSES THEY HAVE THERE BUT SPEND LESS MONEY. My heart goes out to the ones whos loved one is in prison for hurting themself and it goes out even more for the victims of the real crimals who go away with a slap on the hand while we get a slap in the face.
ADOC Worker replied:
Hey. I am an ADOC worker. The Department is doing a lot to prevent the overcrowding in the ADOC prison system. My personal opinion, having worked with these inmates, is that some, given a positive disciplinary record and non-violent offense should and are being released early. Some inmates, however, with a negative disciplinary record yet a non-violent offense do not need to be released with an earlier date. Here is why: If an convict does not learn from his mistakes he will commit that crime again or commit a worse offense. For instance: Upon release, a convict with a drug-related conviction that is not rehabilitated may use drugs again, drive and take the life of an innocent victim or influence through peer pressure another innocent party to participate in illegal action. How would you feel if that innocent party or victim was your child or father or mother? The ADOC and the Board of Pardons and Paroles are trying to ellivate the problem of overcrowding while using good judgement in who to release. There is no guarantee that a person is released will not commit another crime, but the department tryies to give an early release to people that shows adequate improvement in their behavior. Therefore, possibly not committing another crime.
Michelle replied:
Well Mr. ADOC worker. You have a lot of what if’s. I have been in AA meetings along with Alanon meetings for the last 3 years and my experience is that. If they dont want help their not gonna get it not matter what. A friend of mine got out of prison about 2 years ago. He was in there for stealing his mothers ring and pawning it for drugs. It was his DISEASE that made him do that. His mother has forgiven him for it and she even got the ring back. He was out on probation not very long before he started using again. Now what I had seen was yea he went to the classes and done what he should have done in order to get out of prison. But as soon as he got a chance, well he broke that probation and wound up back in jail for parole violation. He looked at the judge and said judge I need help if I go back to prison I am not gonna get what I need, I need something else, something to teach me how to stay clean from drugs and alcohol. The judge agreed and sentenced him to a one year recovery center were I believe that He found God and it has helped him more than anything that the government could ever do. God is bigger than all of us. And just because they are in prison for a DISEASE they have does not mean that they will straighten up. They will only do that if they are READY. I, nor you, nor anyone else can help unless they are willing to change.
Anonymous replied:
MY SISTERS HUSBAND JUST FOUND OUT HE IS GOING TO PRISION IN SEPT. HE WAS SENTENCED IN AUG. AND BECAUSE OF SOME TRIL DATE THAT WAS SET AT A LATER DATE WAS ABLE TO COME HOME AND STAY UNTIL SEPT2004. THEN HE WILL BE FONE FOR 18MNTS.THEY HAVE NEVER LIVED AS A FAMILY WHEN HE GOT IN TROUBLE HE WANTED HIS FAMILY. SHE MOVED BACK WITH HIM TO SATSUMA WHERE HE GOT IN THE TROUBLE HE IS GOING TO JAIL AND SHE AND HER KIDS NEED A PLACE TO LIVE BESIDES WITH FAMILY. DO ANY OF YOU KNOW OF ANY HELP THAT IS AVAILBLE FOR THE PARENT WHO WAS NOT INVOLVED BUT IS INVOLVED NOW IN RAISING 2 KIDS WITH NO HOME AND NO JOB. NO MONEY. WE COULD ONLY ASK THAT IF KNOWING SOMEONE IS GOING TO JAIL IN 1 MNTH THAT THEY GO TO WORK AND MAKE WHAT MONEY THEY CAN FOR HIS WIFE AND KIDS AND NOT JUST LAY ON THE COUCH SAYING I HAVE A LOT ON MY MIND. sHE HAS ALOT ON HER MIND ALSO! WHERE DO YOU TURN FOR SUCH NEEDS .
brittany replied:
my boyfriend at the timewas 17 in the 10 grade had an accident november 7 2002 was drinking and driving and a few other drugs in his system he had ran a stop sign and struck a van in the side the man had come out of the van and the van flipped over on him also the van had recalls on ther seat, seat belt,seat bolts, and the stabalizers tha t keeps the van from flipping over. it took two years for the courts to decide anything so therefore we put our life on hold not knowing what was gonna happen. his lawyer had got disbarred 2 weeks before trial gave him an appointed lawyer and gave him about 2 weeks to learn the case also 1 of his lawyer bacame D.A he got denied youthful offender and then a week before trial he got in trouble in colbert county and got his bond revoked so he made the choice to go and turn his self in. not only has the other family suffered but so has his family and him he will have to live knowing that he killed an innocent man because of the stupid choices he made that night he is very sorry to the family and prays for the family everyday. he is now in kilby went 11/29/04 he has a sentence that is older than himself which is 20 yrs. for vehicular manslaughter with no good time. good news is that he is in na classes and aa classes and is trying to straightin his life up so please young and older people do not drink and drive it could happen to anyone good people or bad people and you donnot just hurt yourself you hurt everyone around you and could hurt someone else and there family. i love him so much and miss him we were together since 1999 5 yrs everday and now it went away in a flash. but i do plan to wait and get married still.i believe and feel in my heart that he will get out sooner.
renee mc. replied:
renee mc. my son that is 20 was in clay county for 4 months,and they seent him to Kilby. I dont understand why. they say he has 5 years, because he fald a drug test in talladega,allabama.why are they doing this.He has a 2year old and a 5 month old sons.Al. lay sucks. please help
Cc replied:
I do not live in alabama but I do live in va the laws there are about the same, to harsh.This is scarey to me these people are not real criminals. Our states sell the alcohol Im mad at mad. Mad needs to do more such as putting interlocks on cars if the real goal is to keep people safe, than it should be just that. Obviosly after drinking a mind altering drug which impairs judgement a person is not going to think right. MAD needs to wake up the goverment is just useing them for money for the goverment.They do not care.The goverment had seatbelts put on cars. Not everybody wanted them.Have them put interlocks on cars mandatory .It would save everyones lives.What sober friend would blow in it for a drunk person? not very many .People please think about it .People wont get a dui and get to harsh punishment.And ALOT less people die on the road.It works for EVERBODY except the Goverment.If people want the roads safe to agree with such harsh sentenceing they should really want to clean up the road and know they are safe and use a interlock. Be mad but not at the drunk drivers.If mad really cares they should DEMAND this and forget this harsh jail sentenceing that only works AFTER the fact.INJUSTICE.
Randi replied:
Guard Abuse of Mental Prisioners is my concern. I have knowledge of continuous guard abuse of mental prisioners. It is disgusting. Prision Guards find it amusing to abuse these prisioners knowing the are not mentally stable and no one will believe them if they complain. These guards must be stopped. Their abuse to prisioners on the “main lines” of the alabama prisions would easily get them killed. Mental prisioners deserve to be treated as humans too, instead of stupid animals housed for the abuse amusement of state paid guards.
sadd replied:
Talladega police are crooked. Its all about the money or who works and turns in more names. I have had trouble too an now faceing 1-10 years for pot and I haven’t been in trouble not even a traffic ticket in 12 years but they do not care, they are possibly going to change my charges to worse than when i was arrested. I have 4 children and liveing with several medical conditions that are severe. I wish someone would see them for what it is, i know someone who had misdomener charges and a year later was rearrested - recharged with felony charges. How can they do this ? I was pulled over for a tag lighr being out, all my insurance ,tag, licisness all were good but they serached me for illegal firearms and found pot. soooo call it what you want it it’s Talladega County for you.
BUGOFF replied:
Oh, it starts out they just enjoy doing the drug….Then it is something that makes them feel better..Then they start selling..thenthey get caught go in and in out of prision..they don’t want help or can’t help them self.
The system is not strong enough to help those and then the person with the drug problem continue to progress and they get some drug laced with something and start raping people including children…People think illegal drugs need to be legal but they dont understand people lace them or they can have long term effects on the use…Just like cancer..etc…it effects nerves and the brain..Grow up..my ex mess with this stuff and Now his family has to pay the price..He will no longer be able to old a job or be around children..etc..
tg replied:
My fiance is in limestone cf for murder of a man that had made numrous threats against him. my fiance had 2 warrants on this man for chasing him down. we have over 25 tapes with 3-4 messages on each of this man threating to kill my fiance. he came after my fiance with a knife and my fiance shot him. at his trial the tapes and the warrents was not allowed into eveidence. he was not given a fair trial and justice system is totally screwed up in this country. i do not believe my fiance should be in jail for protecting his self. he had called etowah county sheriffs department and did not get any help to have something done with this man. he was also locked up in Brice mental facilty and that was not allowed in the trial. this country is for the crimnials not the citizens trying to protect them selves. i do not believe repeat drug offenders should keep getting early parole to keep making our country worse. my fiance had no prior record and was a correctional officer for the state and he was trying to protect his self when the local law enforcement would not.