WHEN YOUR BOUNDARIES CHANGE

Prior to my transfer from one prison facility to the next, I intermittently supervised an inmate school clerk. I say, “Intermittently” because not only did I perform the school principal’s enrollment and student orientation duties, I taught GED classes as well. The only way to do both effectively was to cut corners, and by that, I mean overlooking a few Michigan Department of Correction's operating procedures and policies.

Never one to follow all the rules (which is probably why the convicts can identify with me) I had Inmate Clark, a former rapists/murderer, typing prisoner details on an old stand-alone Macintosh computer. I can still hear the muffled screams of that dot-matrix printer spitting out triplicate copied forms from a corner office. Each form, otherwise known as a prisoner detail, once signed and delivered by me, gave an inmate access to our school building at specific times of the day.

“JR,” the school officer asked, “since when is it okay to leave an inmate unsupervised?”

“Since there’s not enough staff to do the work,” I answered.

After explaining how I would assume full responsibility if anything were to happen, business continued as usual. There were a few occasions where I checked that Macintosh computer and deleted numerous files devoted to a so-called pornographic novel. When confronted about it, Inmate Clark assured me that he would seek an alternative method for his creative writing endeavors.

I knew better. On my last day at the facility, I told Inmate Clark that his days of generating prisoner details were over. “Go back to your regular filing duties and stay out of that corner office. Do you understand? Because I’ll deny everything.”

Evidently, he did not get my message. After two weeks of settling into my new job, an investigative questionnaire caught up with me.

Did you ever assign Inmate Clark his own office?

No.

Did you ever let Inmate Clark use a school office computer without direct supervision?

No.

Is there anything more you would like to add to clarify this matter?

NO.