Episode 7: Short Time is the Scariest Time

In Episode 7 Myra gives an honest account of prison programming and treatment, exposing the dishonesty of the way these programs are run. As her husband nears release, she reveals their anxieties about "short time" and the risks associated with impending freedom. Myra attends a family council meeting, and discusses the stark contrasts between reformist and abolitionist approaches, all while sharing insights from support group member Bill and shedding light on looming legislative changes. 

CREDITS

Intro voices In order of appearance: 

Lex Ward

Kassandra Voss

Joellen Terranova

Davonna Dehay

Episode: 

Myra: La Tisha Conto 

Family Council Member: Nathan Keyes 

Tads: Jessica Andres

In the Dark Season 1: https://features.apmreports.org/in-the-dark/season-one/

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:18 Myra’s husband is getting substance use disorder treatment, so she takes the opportunity to talk about prison programming.
• 6:52 Myra discusses the stress of Short Time.
• 9:03 Myra takes a call and gives an update on her brother.
• 10:10 Myra shares an update from the Family Council meeting, and explains the differences between abolitionists and reformists.
• 14:45 Myra breaks down the different types of prison spouses.
• 16:24 Myra shares an update from Bill about upcoming bills.
• 17:37 Outro. Myra teases next week when she’ll talk about Copaganda.

Transcript

Intro

Myra: 100 days until my husband comes home. 

Myra: 18 years down, and listener I am pleased as a punch in the gut to report that after all that time my husband has been cleared to participate in chemical dependency treatment. Was he in active addiction when he went in? Absolutely. Is he in active addiction now? No. So why now you should be asking. Well, you know I am about to give you a can of onions infested with worms. Let’s open that can and pull back some layers. This will go quickly.

Myra: It seems to me people think prison is about sitting around – and in close custody, it very much is. But most of the people who are incarcerated aren’t in close custody, and have to be doing something at all times. If they aren’t working, they’re participating in a number of programs the prison offers. I say offer like it’s about the incarcerated individual but in general, programs in prison are about money (more of it for the prison) and about discipline and control of the incarcerated individual. It’s called programing (picture me doing a little razzle dazzle with my hands) Programming - if you don’t do it, you get in trouble. Of course, a lot of incarcerated people work – I mean how else would the prison function if not for exploited labor. And if we want to be perfectly honest, how else would the US function if not for exploited labor. The US is basically the same old system that dates back to its unsettling roots - planter class, enslaved class, poor white class doing the bidding of the planter class because… antiblackness and white supremacy.

Voice interrupting Myra: I’m going to interrupt myself here and very quickly say that this whole episode could be about this – but I am not smart enough to do it justice. I recommend you visiting Mariame Kaba’s site USprisonculture.com, or interruptingcriminalization.org, and make your way through all the essential reading. I also recommend reading Black Reconstruction by WEB DuBois – it’s all there. And reading absolutely everything by DuBois. The US is racist country right down to its roots. Remember – not just a few bad apples. Rotten apples, rotten orchards, in toxic soil. Racist, white supremacist soil right from its beginnings.

Myra: Back to this specific story … exploited labor… if you aren’t exploited by working for cents an hour, then you have to go to school, or participate in whatever kind of programming DOC needs you in. Notice how I didn’t say needed by the incarcerated individual. Because it isn’t about the individual it's about the prison, and money, and making the prison look good. If the prison looks good, they get more money, more promotions, and most importantly more money. On the incarcerated side – programming earns you custody points – and refusing loses you points. Everybody is trying to get to camp. Camp is the least restrictive, and Super Max is the most. My husband started in max and has done most of his time in Max or close custody. Restricted movement, few opportunities for socializing. All types of things determine what kind of time you do when you start your time - your infractions, your crime, your escape history – but as you do time, and program you can start to move down in custody level. From highest – most restrictive to less or least restrictive.

Myra: Everybody who is convicted receives a J&S – judgement and sentencing. Guilty/not guilty – judgement, and then sentencing such and such months… and other conditions. In my husbands case his J&S says must complete substance abuse treatment. Great, right? Everybody loves to say, no it’s good to take addicts to prison because they get treatment. This is right up there with the bullshit about taking people to jail to get mental health services.

Myra: So now that my husband’s short time they’ve decided he needs the most intensive in house chemical dependency treatment they have. But then as he was about to start that they said never mind that – we actually need him to start this other new program – I.E. we received some grant money and need to fill some spots. He started, and then and I am not even kidding after two weeks of a 3 month program they graduated him because the instructor is doing a different program (IE a different grant) and needs to wrap it up. So there it is listeners… substance abuse Treatment in prisons. I mean I guess you could say it’s treatment because TECHNICALLY they are treating my husband… like he’s nothing. Not sure it’s therapeutic however because it feels like they are treating him like a number. But whatever he’s short time, and nobody cares really because he’s going to be out soon. But why… oh why… I can hear you asking me- did they wait for so long to ‘treat’ him. Well, remember that DOSA program I mentioned a few episodes ago? DOSA people take priority over everybody. Even pregnant women. So, you know if you have a good lawyer and they get you into DOSA you are prioritized for treatment over a woman who is about to have a fucking baby. Programming! So yeah a lot of people end up waiting until they’re almost out to receive any kind of treatment

Sound: knock on window

Myra Screams

Sound: rolling down window.

Myra: You scared the shit out of me Tads

Tads: You keep saying short time and I’m not sure the listeners know what short time is. I think they get hard time, long time, but have you mentioned short time before today?

Myra: You’re right, I mean you’re wrong for scaring me like that, but you’re right. I’ll tell them. Also, tell Patty Skorts is in the hole with call restriction.

Sound: Rolling up window

Myra: Well listener, since I just got the bejeezus scared out of me let me tell you a scary story. Short Time. The scariest of all the times. Short time simply means he’s getting out soon. While you might imagine this is the happiest time of his down time, in reality it’s the scariest. This is the moment where he feels threats coming from everywhere. Cops could fuck with him, people can fuck with him. I mean people can always fuck with you. A couple years ago one of my letters was mistakenly delivered to my husband's enemy’s cell, and of course none of the cops know anything about it. But now my husband’s enemy knows where his wife lives. Not ideal. But don’t worry about me because I made friends with his wife and so we’re all good, because um, you know I know where she and her son live. That sounds threatening but its really not. It’s just insurance. Like, if we all have nukes nobody can use them. The point is, it could have been bad. And I guess it could technically still be bad, but I think it’s all worked out. We never 100% know though. And that is exactly why short time is terrifying. My husband has been down a long time. He did Super Max, Medium, and Min. Lot of people have come and gone in his time. He’s got enemies. Got a lot of enemies. But actual enemies, not the imagined enemies Drake likes to sing about. Anyway… that’s short time, it’s just feeling nervous that past issues may present themselves and jeopardize your release. Ps. A lot of you ask me for tv recommendations and I have to say Degrassi Next Generation with Drake starring as Jimmy is next level programming. You’re welcome.

Sound: Phone buzzing.

Myra: Speaking of bullshit treatment services – uh this is my brothers mental health court case worker checking in on him. I have to take this.

Myra: Hello. Hi Mrs. (redacted). Yes. We received the notice. No. He hasn’t been able to find a therapist that takes his insurance. You said you would send me over a list of names last- Right. Yes that’s the correct email. He's still having delusions, but we were able to get him into his apartment. I personally met with every single one of his neighbors. They all have my phone number If anything happens. Yep. Okay, we’ll see you then.

Myra: So that listeners is treatment in action. A 30 second phone call asking about all the things I am doing to help him. Did she offer anything? No. It’s a joke. So, like I’ve said before pamphlets aren’t services, and programs aren’t treatment.

Myra: Listeners I am back and fresh out of a family council meeting that redacted begged me to attend so that somebody could push back against some of the bullshit coming from other loved ones. A thing you need to understand about me is this: Will I fight for all incarcerated people to be freed? Yes. Do some of them irk me in ways I can’t fully explain? Also yes. This segment is called the land before hard time… Abolitionists don’t like to play with reformists. Are we on the journey together? Unfortunately. Do we work together sometimes. Absolutely. Do reformists think that the system can be fixed. They do. Can it? It can not.

Myra: Let’s recap today’s meeting agenda with notes. and see if you can spot the problems, and potential issues between reformists and abolitionists.

Computer Voice: Agenda Item 1. Chips in the vending machine. Agreed some variation would be nice.

Computer Voice: Agenda Item 2. Offender health plan. Visiting health plan administrator assured families offender health plan was better than Obamacare.

Computer Voice: Agenda Item 3. Visit of prison was a success with offender family exclaiming that quote it’s not at all what their loved one describes.

Myra: These agenda item notes were agreed upon and filed for record. For public record. Everything is great in family councilandia.

Myra: So I have some edits. 

Myra: Agenda item 1 – sure let’s get some variations, but let’s not charge people so much money – or any money. Or, even better... Let’s just let everybody go home so they can save money and eat delicious meals that they want without lining the CI’s pockets.

Myra: Agenda Item 2  - No, it’s not just like Obamacare. Because with Obamacare, if I go to the doctor I don’t have to pay what amounts to 20 hours of work for a office visit copay. I don’t have a prison dr, who hates their life, and thinks I’m less than human who tells me I’m not experiencing what I am experiencing. Actually, as a woman, this is a pretty similar experience. But when the prison denies an incarcerated individual an operation or a treatment – as is often done - who do you they go to? Appeals… to more cops. Who say no. I don’t have to appeal to cops to get Basic treatment . A friend of mine is helping a family get a lawyer because the DOC left their loved one’s cancer untreated. He’s dead now. This is not a one off story. This is a pattern. So no family council, their health care plan is certainly not just like Obamacare. 

Myra: Agenda Item 3 – Yeah, your planned and carefully orchestrated public relations tour of the prison is exactly like what happens to your loved one in here when nobody is watching. Sure, Susan, sure. 

Myra: You know that saying the enemy of my enemy is my friend. It’s dumb. The enemy of my enemy is also my enemy with benefits. People who have a loved one incarcerated usually fall into a few categories – abolitionists, reformists, and vending machine chip advocates. Abolitionists can work with reformists when the reforms aren’t expanding the prisons industrial complex (PIC). We can also smile at the vending machine chip advocates, but when they propose some bullshit we let them know. Reformists are friends, people we work with sometimes, and sometimes enemies. Vending machine chip advocates – the –

Giggly Voice: I toured the prison and it’s nothing like what my husband says it is, he’s been exaggerating.

Myra: These are enemies. They are cops in plain clothes, the MWI’s expanding the PIC one dumb fucking glowing review of the prison system at a time. They aren’t worth the time of engaging. But reformists, we can play nice with – if it makes sense. Critical Resisitance does a great job of breaking down reformists vs abolition approaches to the prison. I suggest you take a look.

Sound: Text notification.

Myra: Give it to me Siri.

Siri: You have one text message from Tads. Tads writes. Okay, not scaring you this time but I don’t think they know what a MWI is.

Myra: SIGH. I spend so much time with you listeners I am forgetting that you don’t all know this stuff. I must give you a kudos, because the comments and questions are getting quite specific and smart. So, forgive me, sometimes I gloss over the basics. There are different words we use for people with incarcerated loved ones. MWI is met while incarcerated. These are the people who get together through writing, or a friend knows somebody and introduces them. Then you’ve got your MBIs met before Incarceration. That’s my husband and I. There are many more but those are the basics. Shows like Love After Lockup make all of us seem crazy, but honestly, it’s like online dating. Statistically speaking many of you are on OKCupid or hinge currently chatting up some dude whose got a minimum 5 reported and/or unreported sexual assaults and you are excited to know him.

Myra: Couples bond over mutual interests. So, while some enjoy dates at their local museum, others enjoy long romantic walks in the street demanding the dismantling of the Prison industrial Complex. Some couples rekindle an old flame, just like people do on Facebook everyday. Some couples are lonely, just like people who find each other over the internet – you see, prison’s name for that is just MWI. Most of the couples you see on shows about prison wives are MWI. Pen pals that turn into love. But like I said, not everybody. many couples, don’t meet that way. 

Myra: Okay I need to wrap up but I promised I would share some Bill wisdom from group. Like I said before I don’t share to much about the Family – group is group and I mostly don’t say anything about them. But I have Bill wisdom for you today. Bill – group member, formerly incarcerated, father figure to many of us in group – is the one who reports on bills coming down the legislation pipeline. Word on the street is they want a DV registry similar to the sex crime registry. Now I am not going to get into all of it here but instead if you want to know why a sex crime registry has been awful in so many ways that the family who originally advocated for it wants it dismantled, please check out the podcast In The Dark Season 1. We'll link it.

Myra: As for DV registry the only thing I can say about this is that cop unions will lobby hard against it because so many cops would have to register. See, a perfect example of sometimes your enemy is your enemy with benefits. Look at us abolitionists working on the same side of the aisle with cops.

Myra: Okay, now I am going to visit my short timer. I’ve loved the long time you spent with me today. Next time we’ll talk about Copaganda, what it is, what it aims to do, and how you can resist it. You’re welcome, and I’ve been great.