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| Hollywood and music on the inside |
| By Sarah Etter, News Reporter |
| Published: 09/01/2006 |
Whenever I'm writing an article for Corrections.com, my favorite part has to be a lively interview. From deputies to inmates, speaking to someone who is passionate about their career and has lots of information to share is a huge part of what makes a successful story. This summer, two of my favorite articles came from two of my favorite interviews. I hope you enjoy revisiting them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Sarah Etter, Reporter From celebrity to convict, managing famous felons Published: 06/26/2006  After speaking with Lieutenant Casey Bald, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, I had new insight into dealing with famous offenders from O.J. Simpson to Robert Blake. I learned more about the inner workings of managing these high-profile inmates, and that being star struck isn't an option in corrections, where security takes top priority. For Bald, keeping staff under control and ensuring the proper classification of a celebrity inmate is the only way to ensure safety. SE Flashing camera bulbs, candid snapshots in magazines, and constant rounds of autograph signings are all in a day's work for a celebrity. Surrounded by fans and paparazzi, fame is usually associated with luxury, wealth and popularity. But what happens when they hit the skids and end up in the slammer? Football star O.J. Simpson, actor Robert Blake, boxer Mike Tyson, and Michelle Rodriquez, star of the hit television show Lost, are just a few of the big names who have entered the big slammer on charges ranging from suspected murder to drunken driving. As tabloids go crazy over a star's legal slip-ups, COs have to bear the burden of housing a high profile or celebrity inmate. “There is a magnetism. People want to see celebrities, especially behind bars. They are no different from anyone else, but people are obsessed with them,” says Lieutenant Casey Bald of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Officials at the LASD have plenty of experience dealing with this. O.J. Simpson was housed at the L.A. Men's Central Jail during his trial, and COs had to ensure the safety of everyone involved. “When O.J. Simpson first came here, we had to lockdown the whole facility any time he was moved,” he recalls. “We wanted to avoid the potential problem of inmates wanting his autograph or assaulting him to make a name for themselves. Many of our staff members wanted his autograph too, so that created additional problems.” As inmates and staff tried to make contact with the football star, officials had to proactively avoid conflict and maintain security. Simpson was initially housed in a maximum-security wing of the Central Jail, with all the cells on his row emptied. Soon enough, however, officials realized they were running out of room for other prisoners and moved Simpson to a single room in the medical wing of the jail. “Even after we moved him to the medical wing, everyone still wanted to look at him. So we painted a red line around his room. We said nobody was allowed to cross the line unless they had permission,” says Bald. “It sounds nuts, but I cannot tell you what a wonderful psychological advantage that has. Physically, nothing is stopping them from entering, but psychologically, they have to stop and think.” Bald adds that officials created a visitation list for everyone who came to see Simpson. “Documentation of movements is very important. Nobody wants their name on a report saying that they went somewhere they weren't supposed to be. Nobody wants a paper trail and that keeps many people out,” he says. According to Bald, most celebrities won't pose a threat to other inmates, but are placed in protective custody to avoid being assaulted by others. High profile offenders, like serial killers and those known to be extremely violent, do present other challenges. “When we're talking about high profile offenders, we're talking about more than just celebrity status. We're including status in the community and notoriety of their crime. All of those receive high profile status,” says Warden Robert Green of Maryland's Montgomery County Department of Corrections, which housed Mike Tyson among others. Classification is typically based on celebrity status, protective custody, those who are assaultive towards other inmates, and those who have been violent towards staff. In Colorado, high profile offenders are typically placed in the same way. “Classification drives placement for us,” says Daryl Vigil, classification supervisor for the Office of Offender Services at the Colorado Department of Corrections. “You sometimes have to deal with inmates who provide testimony against other criminals and become at risk themselves.” In these cases, Colorado officials take extra measures to ensure they are using the best practices possible. “We keep a close eye on what happens in other states,” says Vigil. “Our legal division is always looking at what's happening across the country. If it looks like the courts are challenging practice and policy in a corrections organization, we want to try and be pro-active. We don't want to make the same mistakes. Inmates and advocacy groups will always challenge correctional systems, so it's very important for organizations to constantly re-evaluate policy and procedure.” Once an inmate is classified and placed, no matter how high profile, they are monitored closely. Each meal, movement and meeting is mapped out in excruciating detail to ensure the safety of the offender, the public and other inmates. In Los Angeles, officials take additional measures when dealing with high profile offenders such as Richard Ramirez, also known as the Night Stalker. “When you're dealing with an assaultive inmate like a serial killer, you have to be sure you dictate the resources you will need,” says Bald. “Extremely violent inmates get four deputies every time they come out of a cell. Those deputies are outfitted with protective gear and armed, and all of this is video taped for security purposes. You don't want to overextend your resources, but you have to ensure safety and avoid political fallout. Video taping is an important element of that.” From a policy and procedural standpoint, many officials know that it's almost impossible to plan for every celebrity or high profile offender that may enter a facility. There are also discrepancies in how offenders are cared for during pre-trial and pre-sentencing periods of incarceration. “The big discrepancy here is the difference between urban and suburban areas,” says Green. “You have facilities in small towns that never think they will deal with a high profile case. But what are you going to do if it happens? What are you going to do when a CNN news van pulls up outside of your facility and camps out for weeks? You have to be prepared.” According to Green, the best way to handle these offenders is to create a loose plan that can be customized for each offender. “High profile cases or individuals are just like any other inmate, each one is distinct and different. The plan used for each of these individuals will change based on their security level and the nature of their crime,” Green explains. “But you have to plan for everything: What type of housing do they need? What are the transportation needs? In my facility, these things are addressed on a case-by-case basis while we ensure that we've met constitutional and safety requirements and while still providing appropriate services for the individual in custody.” For example, if an offender knows how to slide out of handcuffs or has paramilitary training, a new dimension is added to issues such as transportation. Often, these inmates require extra security measures and armed officers. Additionally, high profile offenders still have a constitutional right to services such as substance abuse programs, counseling and attorney meetings, which makes the security, rehabilitation, and transportation needs of a high profile offender no small task. “You need all of the parties involved at your table from transportation and housing to local and state law enforcement,” Green adds. “To ensure the safety of everyone involved, it's an orchestrated plan that is created to meet the specific circumstance for each individual from sun up to sun down.” SE KLSP and the kicks behind the bricks Published: 05/01/2006  Another awesome interviewee was Andrew Joseph, known to fellow Louisiana inmates as Reverend AJ on the Angola State Penitentiary's KLSP 97.1 FM offender-run radio station. The Reverend AJ, who has spent more than 20 years working at KLSP, also known as "The Kicks Behind the Bricks", was excited about his work, and offered a glimpse of what goes on inside prisons from an inmate's point of view. Reverend AJ's history, from spinning gospel discs to taking requests from inmates, was intriguing. His peaceful yet energetic demeanor made me forget I was talking to an inmate, but reminded me that offenders are just as human as the rest of us. SE Behind the walls of Louisiana's Angola State Penitentiary, a deep, gruff voice resonates through its gray concrete as it pours through dozens of silver speakers in cellblocks across the sprawling facility. “You're listening to KLSP 97.1 FM, the number one incarceration station, the kicks behind the bricks! I'm Reverend AJ and you're listening to the very best of gospel music,” says inmate deejay Andrew Joseph, as he gears up for another full hour of old-school gospel music. Joseph is one of many offender deejays at Angola, the only prison in the country to boast an inmate-run, FCC-licensed radio station. “Working at the radio station is a very prestigious job,” says Joseph, who has worked at KLSP since its 1987 inception. “You feel like you're making a contribution and it fuses you into the community of the prison. It feels like you're doing something worthwhile.” KLSP can only be heard on the prison grounds, where inmates spin records for one hour, with rotations including pop music, country and gospel songs. “I'm a traditional gospel player. I play the old, old gospel music. The younger guys, they come in and do the contemporary,” says Joseph, who was initially hired at KLSP 19 years ago because a warden thought he had a great voice for radio. “When I play music, I try to let the gospel songs tell a story.” According to Louisiana officials, the station is an added morale booster for their population. “We have to keep our inmates productive,” says Cathy Fontenot, Assistant Warden of Programming at Angola. “We have to think outside of the box because they are with us forever. When you allow inmates to use their creativity in a positive, controlled way you're going to have less violence. They feel less frustrated, and they feel like they have a voice.” Although the station offers a creative outlet for offenders, inmates still have to play their records by the rules. Since KLSP is registered as an educational and religious station, deejays are required to stick to the same standards as mainstream radio stations. “Inmates are not allowed to play any sexual material,” says Fontenot. “Each inmate deejay is allowed to be creative in their programming, as long as they remain within the FCC broadcasting requirements.” The radio station does provide a creative outlet for inmates, but officials have used the station for an additional purpose. “During Hurricane Katrina, I was able to go onto KLSP and give these inmates important information every single night. That reduced the instance of rumors throughout the facility and tension. This is just one way for us to show the importance of communication, safety and security,” recalls Fontenot. Angola officials also used the station during a 1997 flood. About 3,000 inmates were evacuated during the flood, which according to Fontenot, went smoothly thanks to frequent radio announcements over KLSP. Despite its limited radio range, KLSP is receiving more and more attention from people outside. Fontenot says that recently, interest has been expressed in turning the story of Angola's 97.1 into a major motion picture; Reporters have toured the station more frequently, and celebrities have gotten involved too. “Larry Howard, who played in The Allman Brothers Band, saw real possibilities with our station,” says Fontenot. “He decided to hold a radio fundraiser to replace our old radio equipment. We love Mr. Howard, but we never imagined what would happen.” During a three-hour radio fundraiser, which spanned a number of mainstream stations up and down the east coast, deejays raised more than $120,000 for their inmate counterparts. When the station began in 1987, offenders and officials depended on equipment donated from a local church. With the additional funds, offenders replaced their old equipment with updated gadgets. “They trained us on how to use the new equipment,” recalls Joseph. “The new system is very different. It's modernized, but we know how to use it. We also have the ability to do remote-broadcasts now.” Remote broadcasting allows inmate deejays to air live shows from different areas throughout the prison. Prison choir sessions are broadcast to those physically unable from attending religious services, and the live radio also airs Louisiana's famous Prison Rodeo. Crates of old vinyl records stuffed around the small studio's modernized equipment tell of the station's history. “It's amazing to see where this station has come from,” says Fontenot. “You can barely read the album covers on our stockpiles of vinyl because they are so worn. We have some really classic albums here and it's just amazing to look at them.” As Joseph, the Reverend AJ, finishes his set, it becomes obvious that he embodies the station's history. After all, it was he who initially brought fellow offenders the “kicks behind the bricks on KLSP since 1987.” SE |
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