[o} oD Boas Wp Wo ns NTA WN NN AAT ANNEAL Page 14 missioner of corrections with “subjecting all prisoners to cruel and unusual punishment and violating their civil rights.”’ We spoke with Mr. Mayberry recently in an effort to get his views on conditions at Dallas prison. Little Violence “This jail has the least violence of any jail in the state,” he said in reference to the guards’ petition. ‘There is a certain amount of frustration in any prison—after all, they don’t send boy scouts here. If the guards think there is tension here they had better not go to Graterford or Huntington because compared to those places Dallas is a playground.” “This jail used to be a minimum security prison, but a directive from (Bureau of Corrections Commissioner) Sielaff did away with classifica- tions such as maximum, minimum, and middle security prisoners. This petition means that guards cannot deal with the prisoners sent here by the courts.” “It would be good for the residents of this area to know that 90 percent of the tension here is caused by the custodial force,” Mr. Mayberry con- tinued. “The guards are for the most part stupid, lazy, and incompetent. They resent anything that makes them work. They hate the prisoners and constantly harass them with petty rules and orders that they make up on the spur of the moment. If you are a prisoner the only way you can get along with the guards is by being either a boot-licking hand- shaker or by being known as a person who will use violence. If they know you are capable of using violence, they will leave you alone as much as possible. ‘All the work in the prison is done by the prisoners not by the guards. The prisoners do the maintenence work, such as cooking the food, laundry, hospital work, plumbing, electrician work, etc. All the guards do is watch the prisoners. Their job could just as easily be performed by close- circuit tv cameras, and with a lot less expense to the tax- payer.” Prison Safety We asked Mr. Mayberry to elaborate on charges that the safety of prisoners and guards was endangered by placing maximum security prisoners in general population. ‘For the first time men in this prison are being treated like men should be treated,” he began. ‘You've got to understand that I don’t like any prison officials, in- cluding Leonard Mack, but before Mack became super- intendent there were many assaults on guards. Since he took over there haven't been any. “When the guards complain about maximum security prisoners being dumped in a minimum security prison, what they are really complaining about is their fear of the entire prisoner population at Dallas. For the first time prisoners, not only at Dallas, but all over the state, are organizing and becoming unified. They are overcoming the selfishness, greed, racism, and all the other negative things that have kept them divided in the past. The prisoners now realize that if they are to win their legal and human rights, reform the prison conditions, and bring about needed changes, that they must be unified in a common cause. The guards see this and it strikes fear in their hearts. For years guards and prison of- Trucksville PTA Holds Sale Friday Trucksville Elementary PTA will hold a rummage and bake sale at the school on Oak Street May 12 from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., and May 13 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Proceeds of the sale will be used for new playground equipment for the school yard. Chairman for the rummage sale is Mrs. Nicholas Konek; co- chairman is Mrs. Sherman Sutton. Persons having rum- mage can take it to Mrs. Konek at Hellers Grove or drop it off at the school today (Thursday) after 2:30 p.m. Mrs. Leonard Falcone is chairman of the bake sale; co- chairman is Mrs. Frank Manusky.. Anyone interested in baking for the sale should contact Mrs. Falcone at Brown Manor, oo I a, ficials have kept prisoners divided and weak, by playing them off against each other and by fostering racial discontent.” We asked Mr. Mayberry to answer charges that maximum security prisonsers intimidate general population inmates. “That’s untrue,” he snapped. “If prisoners were afraid of us they could submit notes to Leonard Mack saying so and we could be put in solitary. But as far as I know no one has. Ninety-five percent of the pri- son population voluntarily signed our petition for a law clinic, and we get 8 to 10 in- mates a day asking us for legal help.” Mayberry’s Record Richard Mayberry’s prison record includes several at- tempted escapes. One of his hands sports a permanent scar, a souvenir of a homemade shot- gun which blew up in his hand during an attempt to shoot his way out of Western Peniten- tiary. We asked him about the possibility of escape from Dallas. “The prison,” he said, ‘‘is com- pletely surrounded by a 15-foot high barbed wire fence. Spaced at.intervals along this fence are gun towers manned 24 hours a day by guards armed with rifles and shotguns. These guntowers are equipped with powerful searchlights that are kept on from dusk to dawn. The entire perimeter of the fence, and the interior grounds within the fence, are brightly illuminated at all times. It would be vir- tually impossible for a prisoner to escape from inside the prison without being seen and shot before he got near the fence. In the entire history of Dallas, prison, no prisoner has ever escaped from inside the prison.” Kenneth Owens, a black in- mate, has been a prisoner since 1966. Like Richard Mayberry he has been in prisons throughout the state, including Western, Rockview, Graterford, Hunt- ington, and Dallas. In contrast to Mr. Mayberry’s openly de- fiant attitude toward the prison system, Mr. Owens comes across in a cool, somewhat detached manner, tempering his statements with warm smiles. It is clear that he finds a certain personal freedom in understanding his environment, although his beliefs are no less strong than Mr. Mayberry’s. He begins by talking about the petition. Political Game ‘“The prisoners here are caught in the middle of a pol- itical power game between the guards and the administration. The guards use the inmates as a wedge. They paint a picture of danger within the prison so they can have more power, more money, and so they won’t lose their jobs. There is more violence at other state institu- tions than there is here. The inmates here are kids com- pared to other places. What the petition means is that the em- ployees are admitting their lack of ability to handle their job, and it is really an attack on the commissioner. What the petition amounts to is viscious politics, and the inmates who see that are hated. The general population is upset with that petition. ‘The community doesn’t care about the inmate’s point of view.” “The guards don’t like Mack’s liberal; diplomatic approach. They think they should dictate policy. Under (former Superintendent) John- ston the guards could get away with more than they can now. There is more individual deter- minism on the part of the in- mates now, and the guards don’t like it because they have to work harder. It was only in February that we were first alowed to exercise in the yard in winter, even though Bureau of Corrections policy guaranteed us winter exercise. The guards wouldn’t allow it because it meant that they had to work outside in the winter. One guard even admitted that to me. They are lazy and apathetic. “The guards here are more racist than at other institu- tions,”” Mr. Owens continued, “because of where they come from geographically. They try to create factions by doing favors for white prisoners, and they try to use these factions to get to Mack. Both the blacks and the whites see this, and there is not as much racism within the inmate population as there is among the guards. There is a lot of communication between black and white in- (continued from PAGE ONE) mates here, and it is beautiful. Most prisoners know that the only people who would benefit from a riot are the guards, be- cause the guards would get more power. It is an institution- alized racism that doesn’t anger me because I can see through it and understand it. Understand- ing is the key, and with keys you can open doors. ‘“The emphasis is no longer on the stick but on the carrot. The guards see programs designed to reintegrate men into the community as a threat to their power, positions, and jobs. Guards are unskilled labor, and more emphasis is being put on social work, psychological treatment, etc. There was a stabbing incident here a while back and a guard told me that because of it the institution would get a bad name. He didn’t care about the human being in- volved. ‘“‘Reform begins with the needs of men,” he continued, “not with the needs of the guards. In years from now the inmate population here will be down to about 300 as prisoners will be put out on programs learning to support their families and to live in their communities. Guards are afraid of this because they won’t be needed anymore.” Prison Reforms We asked both inmates to out- line reforms they would like to see instituted at Dallas. They both agreed substantially on the following eight points: 1) Due process at disciplinary hearings. According to Richard Mayberry, ‘As it stands now a guard writes you up and you get put in solitary. Usually within a day or two you go before the dis- ciplinary staff which asks you what you have to say for your- self. They then send you out and decide on your sentence while you wait outside. You get no written notice of the charges against you, you don’t have the right of cross examination, and you can’t call witnesses in your own defense. This has been out- lawed in Virginia and Califor- nia.”’ There is, according to Ken Owens, ‘‘no active advocate on behalf of the inmate.” 2) Uncensored mail, both in- coming and outgoing. 3) Close down the dungeon. In Richard Mayberry’s words the dungeon is ‘‘subterranean soli- tary confinement which consti- tutes cruel and unusual punish- ment. You spend 24 hours a day underground with no light, no furniture, and only a concrete block to sleep on. Gov. Shapp ordered the dungeon at Western Penitentiary closed, but the dungeon at Dallas is still in use.” 4) Conjugal visits. 5) The right to receive polit- ical papers, books, and maga- zines without official censor- ship. 6) Community involvement in the prison. Ken Owens would like to see people from the com- munity allowed into the prison for rap sessions with any in- mates interested in partaking. 7) The right to communicate with the news media without re- striction. 8) Prisoner self-government within reasonable limits. “We are not interested in factional- ism or fighting among the in- mates,” Mr. Mayberry told us. “We want some degree of self- government because we believe in self-determination and the unity of all prisoners.” Every Monday, FOR KIDS . . . And Adults Who Think They Understand Them Your Public TV Station WVIA-CHANNEL 44 Photo by Pai Cancro The Haddonfield Hills Home Owners Association sponsored a clean-up drive Saturday morning throughout its neigh- borhood. Coordinating the effort was G. A. Faerber, Hamilton Avenue. Mr. Faerber reported that ap- proximately 25 youngsters spearheaded the clean-up drive, working under the direction of Mrs. Fred Jones, Mrs. Charles Hillard, Robert Shepherd, Harold Sherman and Edward Thompson. In addition to picking up the A Greenstreet News Co. Publication CANDIES or Toiletry from our Cosmetic Department HALL'S | PHARMACY ; SHAVERTOWN 675-1191 accumulated debris from winter, Mr. Faerber said, the workers also fertilized cherry trees located in vacant lots through the development. The group will meet again this Saturday at one end of the settlement. TCR Financing Arranged... FRONT No Down Payment Models 6.11 12 Years to Pav m= VETERANS! Approved VA DEER HEAD MOBILE HOMES Sales & Service Inc. Dallas Hwy. (Next to A&P) 675-0298 nl 'e CLUB STEAK « SWISS STEAK ® PRIME RIB STEAK 21 CLUB STEAK © RIB STEAK Ex. eo T-BONE STEAK © ROUND STEAK © POT ROAST © GROUND BEEF © 3 LBS. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers