Comments:

1. maryhelen on 07/07/2008:

   After reading this article, I can see that they need to revisit their policies and procedures. Corrections Officers needs to conduct a shakedown at least once a month for all housing areas. Shakedowns should be at least daily. Thorough pat-down searches must be done when exiting and entering their housing areas. Every check point, all inmates must be checked thoroughly. Lockdown is justified for the incident that is out of control. Officers needs to be alert at all times and physically fit because of the capabilities that some of these inmates have. They have all day to plan their wrongful acts. All visitors must be checked. No one can be trusted. You cannot trust any of the inmates because they would play mind games to try to get their way. The response team was good to respond and of course a quick plan to secure these inmates. Once the inmates get out of control, you must be fast to command for a lockdown and secure them immediately. If you wait long to command for a lockdown, then it gets harder. Once the inmates see a bunch of officers arriving, then more than likely they would comply. To reduce the Overcrowding Situation, Leaders needs to come up with laws to only allow for violent crimes or crimes against people, such as murder, rape, child abuse, fire arms, aggravated assault to be put behind bars. Those who committed crimes against property, theft, misdemeanors, should only do a short term in jail, restitution, and community service. Parole Officers and Probation Officers should step in once these inmates are released from prison. Have these parolees or probationers checking in once a week or once a month. Have strict rules. As for Drug offenders and DUI, These offenders should go through a clinical rehabilitation program for substance and alcohol abuse. As for Drug/Arms Dealers, these are dangerous people. They need to be put behind bars. In other words, law makers needs to come up with an alternative sentencing plan to ease the overcrowding in jail. Also, these inmates who are released from jail should be guided as to how they can seek employment, survival, housing assistance? and so on, in order for them to stay out of jail. However, the one thing they need to do is that once they completed serving their time in jail, they should keep a record of it, but not hold it against them when seeking employment. Even a clearance from a psychologist that they are ready to become a part of society. Maybe, they need to come up with a law that gives them a chance to clear their record and only keep the sex offenders on the registry. Sgt. M.S. Lizama, Guam DOC.