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DOC, FAMILIES, AND INTENSIVE CARE
To: "Kay Lee" <Kaylee1@charter.net
Sunday, February 10, 2002 10:51 AM
Subject: FDOC: intensive care
My son was hit by another inmate and was knocked out when he hit the floor. He was taken to the hospital and put in intensive care for a concussion. The guard told him on his return that he thought my son would die when they took him away. I was never notified of this at all until my son called me when he came back to the prison.
My God, he could have died and they would never have told me so I could even see him again. I am 1000 miles away from Florida! I have never been able to go visit him and was shocked to think he could die a lingering death and I would not know.
I understand that it must not be easy to work in a prison, but I do think some kind of humanity should reign in most cases.
From: "Kay Lee" <kaylee1@charter.net
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 10:51
AM
Subject: FDOC: intensive
care
The system is inhumane and filled with injustices. In the last 10 years of mass incarceration (due to the drug war) the prisons have gotten worse and worse. Now people are beginning to see what we are talking about. You can't lock up two million citizens without another few million being affected.
I wonder how you feel about letting me put this on the site (I can do it without using your email address or name if you like). I'm really trying to paint a clear and accurate picture of life in Florida's prisons and the pain the policies cause to perfectly innocent loved ones.
Your letter covers another aspect that needs to be looked at: How the DOC treats the families.
Kay Lee
To:
kaylee1@charter.net
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 10:51
AM
Re: FDOC: intensive
care
Kay- This happened when he was waiting to go to prison in Volusia County. I would prefer you do not use my name, for the usual reasons. Probably Volusia would realize anyway, but too late for reprecussion for them. ( I think!)
Actually my son has few complaints about the prison system but then he is going to be 40 this year, so he is not a child.
He was incarcerated for a drug related crime which transpired because he became addicted to cocaine. I wish someone could tell me what is actually happening with the so called "War on Drugs", doesn't seem like much!
I am raising my 14 yr old grandson because of this mess. Not a task I particularly wanted, but we are family and we stick together. I love my son and my grandson. I just feel that he could have had a better parent than a 60 yr old grandmother. Prison has been hell for us all. I feel my grandson is being punished, my husband and I are being punished all because my son's case was not fully investigated.
Easier to incarcerate them than to find the
truth.
Thanks for caring,
From: "Kay Lee" < kaylee1@charter.net
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2002 6:32
PM
Subject: Fw: FDOC: intensive
care
The truth doesn't seem to be an issue anymore for people in positions of authority. And I've never been able to explain the ruthless handling of the families, who have committed no crime, only loved people the rest of society shuns. That seems to be all the necessary reason the DOC needs to treat the families so cruelly.
As for the drug war, it was declared nearly 35 years ago as a tool in the prohibition of drugs which has lasted longer than 60 years with no victory in sight. More lives are destroyed by the prohibition laws than have ever been destroyed by the substances the drug war pretends to be trying to curb.
Prohibition has been tried all over the world for many different substances. It has never worked, not once! Alcohol prohibition only lasted 10 years before they learned. How long before we remember?
They used to chop off people's heads for using coffee in Russia. The black market in coffee drove prices way up and consumption rose 3 times over. Predictable, since prohibitive policies always have the same outcome.
So, if we learn history to make sure we don't make the same mistakes again, why in the world would a country that wanted to be strong use a policy that always weakens a nation?
We've got a handful of drug warriors, pharmaceutical companies, and Anheiser Busch pushing this war and lots of companies are profiting from it, including the new monster, the prison industrial complex.
But not the millions of people who are adversely affected by the laws. Asset Forfeiture (legal thievery), mandatory minimums, loss of constitutional freedoms and the right of self-ownership have taken their toll on millions. The overcrowded, uncaring courts, corrupt cops, crooked lawyers and public pretenders, judges with no power, and unprofessional jailors are all a product of an overworked system bowing to the drug war.
The people never profit from prohibition, it never reduces the use of the prohibited substance, and it costs a fortune in financial and human resources and civil liberties to maintain. It's really time for a change on this one!
Kay Lee
MTWT In Florida
Pacific Institute of Criminal Justice
2683 Rockcliff Road S.E.
Atlanta, Georgia 30316
404-212-0690
kaylee1@charter.net
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