Changes We Don't Ask For

It has been a while since I last had a chat with you all.

For all you who don't know, I lost my job as Mentor at the Reception Center in Lorain where I mentored inmates before they were assigned their prison. I also was sent to the Richland  prison in Mansfield. This was a job I was really good at. I used to not think so until I got to the prison I'm now in. I did influence a lot more guys than I felt. A lot of the guys remembered me and my arrival here has been great. In the last week I have run into and been embraced by a lot of the guys that came here after my class. Everyone of them remembered Mr.T., so I did touch a lot of these guys with my story. 

For those who are wondering, no I didn't lose my job for doing something wrong. One of the staff there felt the need to show me who is in charge and that what she says goes. As a mentor one of the perks was that your level would be dropped when your tour was done. My tour was actually over last year, but they started a new thing when it came time that you would have to do two years before you are reviewed. To drop levels just means that you go to somewhere less secure with a better, more trusting situation. So they asked for another year. I agreed with the promise that when my review came due I would be recommended for a lower level.

I went up in November and my case manager recommended that my level be dropped from level two to level one. Then we changed case managers and a new girl came in. After three months had passed, I asked if she would check and see what was going on with my review as I hadn't heard anything. When she pulled up my file we found out that after the other case manager sent it to staff, no one turned it in to Columbus Central office. So they had to re-do it. When this woman did my review she decided she would not recommend that my level be dropped. She was leaving me a level two. I asked why when I had put my two years in? Her answer,and I quote,"We are not recommending you for level one because it would look bad for the prison to allow you with just four years off death row to go to our less secure prison. You have to do some more time in level 2." I asked if I could have the appeal forms because anyone has the right to appeal any decision made on your behalf. It was like I insulted her for challenging her decision. Her exact words were, "Oh you don't get it, huh?" Three days later a transfer to Richland had been approved. 

My attorney contacted the Columbus Central Office to find out why I was being transferred and was told it was because I told the prison I no longer wanted to be a Mentor and they couldn't leave me at Lorain. Was this wrong? Of course because I never asked to be transferred. But I now have a grand idea of how egos work. And I know not to brush anyone the wrong way again. This woman felt the need to make me pay for challenging her decision.

An inmate has no real rights. It's do what they say, right or wrong. Period. They can affect things to go so wrong. I never said I didn't want to be a mentor anymore, but technically requesting to have my level dropped was saying I no longer wanted to be level two. But you know it's funny how things work. She thought she was punishing me, but I can thank her for this because I have more opportunities here to be an informal mentor, to teach classes, and participate in all the programs available.  I'm already on the ground running.This is another prison setting, but I will, as always, make it work for me. Thank you...You did me justice.