Some of the people in the judicial system suffer from anosognosia – they have no idea of just how short-sighted they are. Let us take Edwin Potter’s judge – the Honorable Reanna Wood – as an example. Instead of working with him because he has some ideas that work in reducing crime by the way, she tries to destroy him by taking his job opportunities away on numerous occasions. Technically he is not on Probation or Parole. When reading a document into the Court record, she only reads the parts that make Edwin look bad. She read a copy of his book and had nothing to say. His attorney asked him, “What was the point?” To top it off, she took his grown children away from him because he sent them Hallmark cards once per month.
What is he supposed to do? Say, “Thank you?” Tell her she is doing a fine job? Ridiculous! How does doing all that help to make a better society? These are among the reasons that society has the problems that it does. He is not a child. It is her time to step down and let some new blood in there who is trained and experienced in these new ideas that, again, work.
Does he think that he can get away with saying all of that?
This is America. Yes.
As an example of what can and should be done, Mayor Bill DeBlasio and the NYC Board of Corrections today, March 9, 2021, announced an end to solitary confinement in New York City jails. Solitary confinement is meant as a response to violence in the prison, but it drives people crazy and turns them into monsters. The text of the email regarding this from JoAnne Page, President, and CEO of the Fortune Society whose tag line is “Building People, Not Prisons” is given here.
Dear David,
Today, Mayor DeBlasio and the NYC Board of Corrections announced an end to solitary confinement in New York City jails. We are proud that our Executive Vice President and Vice-Chair of the NYC Board of Corrections, Stanley Richards, was a leader in bringing an end to this inhumane practice.
Stanley spoke at Mayor DeBlasio's press conference earlier today where they announced the plan for ending solitary confinement in City jails. Hear Stanley talk about the importance of this moment as an African American, formerly justice-involved man who understands the need for this reform:
The proposed disciplinary framework will eliminate the use of solitary confinement and other forms of restrictive housing and replace it with a more fair and transparent system rooted in the humanity and safety of officers, staff, and detained people. The full text of the proposal is available here.
We are so grateful to the City, Mayor DeBlasio, and the NYC Board of Corrections for making this a priority. And of course, a tremendous thank you to Stanley for his tireless commitment to improving the lives of the justice-involved.
This work is far from over, but we are heartened by the dedication of our legislators and leaders and confident that criminal-justice reform will continue. It is with support from people like you that we can ensure it happens.
Thank you,
JoAnne Page
President & CEO
The Fortune Society
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David Geiger is a retired, licensed, and awarded electrical engineer who spent 7 years in psychiatric hospitals and over 40 years since 1979 in the courts as a result of his schizophrenia.