. S. Friday, September 13, 1973
After 25 years in
prison, lifer Seymour
Levin is working hard
for his ,second
chance. He is resident
librarian and associate
member of the New
Breeds Jaycee's.
Rockview
concrete
where hundreds
of men are angry
at one another
About the
author
Hungarian-born Stephen Gerhart, 42, is
a full-time student at the University,
Majoring in Spanish and journalism. He
has acquired 84 credits with a cumulative
average of 3.9.
Gerhart is attending the University
through the New-View Program of the
_State' Correctional Institution at
Rockview. He has spent three years of a
seven to sixteen-year sentence at
Rockview for burglary. Before entering
tht New-View program, he also obtained
his general education high school-diploma
at Rockview. •
steel
and the system
By Stephen Gerhart
photos by Randy J. Woodbury
In the office of Superintendent
Stephen Gerhart Mazurkievicz, I learned Rockview's
and
city
"Welcome to the Country Club," the
guard said to me when I arrived at the
State Correctional Institution at
Rockview. If you have to be in prison, this
is not a bad place to be."
Life at Rcickview appears to be carefree,
at least on the surface. If an inmate has no
outside problems, he can lead an almost
happy life—with no_ worries except his
release date.
However, happiness is superficial at the After a while, the inmate will learn
Rock. Whenever five or six hundred about his fellow inmates through the
troubled, angry men are forced to live grapevine. He may be shocked to learn
together, tempers are difficult to control; that the nice-looking young fellow in the
laughter will turn sour; a wrong word or next cell is serving a life sentence for a
even a look will provoke an argument or crime that brought about someone's death.
fight. Then, as the neighbor shows a few signs of
The inmate who loses his temper and humanity, the inmate wondert, "What
gets "busied" for fighting usually_ went wrong with him?" After thinking
contemplates in a solitary cell until his about his own wrong, the inmate stops
temper cools off. wondering.
When a man arrives at Rockview, he Mealtimes are nice, quiet periods in
might as well forget his name. He becomes people's lives everywhere but at
an inmate, and within five minutes he is Rockview.
given a number. From then until his last Quiet tension builds as:the men line up
minute at Rockview he will be referred to for chow in their respective blocks. They
as C-8297 or M-0075. do so in two lines: the blacks in one, the
The inmate should play it cool during his
first dayS at the institution. He will get
nothing but la scornful sneer if he tries to
introduce ;himself to his neighbors.
Instead, sooner or later, an inmate will
come to higl, not to introduce himself but
to ask, "Hey man, got a cigarette?" This is
not an invitation for friendship; . it is
exactly what the statement says—the
other guy
,wants a free cigarette. If the
inmate refuses, even though he does not
Smoke, he might make an enemy.
Some guys become popular in prison
society for idifferent reasons—some for
being the top bully, always picking
on someone to the delight of his group,
others for being the most outspoken
On photographing Rockview
Route 26, I from PleacAnt Gap to State official euphemism for inmates:
College begins as a typical, residential "residents."
road. But the houses suddenly stop and the "I photographed Rockview as an
pavement cuts down and to the right, outsider. By no means, did I learn
creating a corridor through a grove of tall anything of the re.. life inside. I
pines. Then You see it. (You can't miss it.) I did talk with i ome ;residents. Most
The enormous, almost grotesque, were quite friendly with friendly
concrete edifice of the State Correctional comments:
Institute at Rockview. "My old lady-goes to Penn State. I used
to before I got busted."
"You must be the photographer," said I was inside Rockvievir for only three
the guard at the front door. "Mr. Ault will hours. Stephen Gerhart, the author of the
be down in a minute." Russell Ault,
following text, was a ROckview resident
assistant to the superintendent, gave me for t h ree years.
the Rockview tour.
Randy WoOdbury
against the system.
Another will become popular because he
distributes sexual favors. Even these
popular guys are known only as "Slim,"
"Red" or "that blond faggot in B Block,"
The novice usually sticks out like a sore
thumb because he talks about his arrest
and even the details of his'crime. He brags
about the crimes for which he was not
caught.
whites in another. Knowing this is a
voluntary arrangement does not diminish
the tension.
As they march to the centrally located
dining room, they must listen to some old
Sousa marches or the marine hymn. Men
in both lines.curse the music.
Sometimes there is a long wait in line,
with nothing to do but shuffle one's feet
and eye the people in theMher line. In the
dining hall, blacks go to one end, whites to
the other. Once seated at a table pointed
out by a guard, the inmate cannot relax.
The guards are watching and some
inmates are behaving like five-year-olds.
The men are relievgd when given
permission to leave.