Work Sucks

[Jimd]

The title says it all. The past week has been ultra-crappy. Very, very high stress.

Without going into a long, drawn-out story, I'm at total war with management again. They launched the first salvo and I sure followed it up by flinging a boat-load of crap right back into their faces. It's all over an incredibly petty matter, with complete discrimination on their part.

Once I resolve the initial onslaught, I believe I will be pursuing a discrimination claim against them. I've pretty much had it with their nonsense, this is the final straw.

On top of that, things are heating up with a corruption matter that involves some higher-ups inside the prison and also in the local community. Very bad people are involved. To the extent that all of my personal weapons are fully loaded and ready to rock in an instant. I have several hundred rounds in my magazines, enough to keep a few platoons at bay for...well, a long damn time.

Good Lord, I cannot wait until I'm of retirement age.

[clovisc]

i wish you the best, jim... and i wish you safety. you have my respect for refusing to put up with corruption and discrimination.

i've seen corruption issues/reports go both ways... either way, the end result isn't pretty. but good, honest people need to stand up for what is right, and point out what is wrong.

i hope everything turns out okay, and that you stay safe.

[Toad310]

The title says it all. The past week has been ultra-crappy. Very, very high stress.

Without going into a long, drawn-out story, I'm at total war with management again. They launched the first salvo and I sure followed it up by flinging a boat-load of crap right back into their faces. It's all over an incredibly petty matter, with complete discrimination on their part.

Once I resolve the initial onslaught, I believe I will be pursuing a discrimination claim against them. I've pretty much had it with their nonsense, this is the final straw.

On top of that, things are heating up with a corruption matter that involves some higher-ups inside the prison and also in the local community. Very bad people are involved. To the extent that all of my personal weapons are fully loaded and ready to rock in an instant. I have several hundred rounds in my magazines, enough to keep a few platoons at bay for...well, a long damn time.

Good Lord, I cannot wait until I'm of retirement age.

What a nightmare! Do you work at the Federal Prison in Allentown? I think I remember reading that Mick Strider was sent there. (I am not Bashing!)

I have never had a problem as bad as what you have, but the hassle of being an employee was enough for me to start my own business...going on 18 years now.

Sorry to hear of all this, hope all is well otherwise. Be safe!

Toad

[The Mastiff]

I've been there with management Jim. Looking back I wonder if I did the right thing spending all those years having to watch my back and worry more about crooked administrators more than inmates.

In the end I waited them out but I often feel as if I should have moved on like everyone else did. The effort and energy could have been put to a more positive use.

I was a whole lot more stubborn and hard headed in my younger days though.

The thing was by the time a new administration was put in place with orders to clean it up I already had a reputation as a troublemaker so the new administration helped me very little. There was less stress, but that's about it.

It seems like prisons are prisons wherever they are.

[Jimd]

No, I don't work in a federal prison; mine is state. It's one of the largest in the country, with the large problems that come with such a place.

Management wrote me up for taking a tray of raviolli out of the dining hall (they state that it's against the rules). I told them I was going to take it back to my office so I could eat while I worked.

The captain who initiated the nonsense is one of the most corrupt people I've ever worked with, but I won't go into detail because this thing is getting ugly. Add to that the fact that the guy doesn't know how to talk to anyone (he could piss off the Pope).

When I saw another captain leave the dining hall a few days later with a bag of food, I wrote her up. Tit for tat (no pun intended). They want to mess with me and initiate it, then they're going to get it back. Only there are many more of them for me to write up than there are of me for them to write up. I can wreak quite a bit of havoc for management. But you're right; it does stress me out.

Re. the corruption that's going on, I've recently learned a few things that raised my eyebrows a bit. It's big and it's ugly. It will be very embarrassing for the state if anything comes to fruition.

What pisses me off is that I really was trying to stay "under their radar"; I haven't made any waves for a long time and I was happy being like that. But no...they couldn't let me alone. They had to come and dick with me again.

I now realize that, even if I do my best to stay invisible, that is not going to work. They'll keep coming at me no matter what I do, so I might as well give them a reason to be pissed. And do that I will. They hate me partially because I don't roll over and take it when they stick it to me. And partially because I've known most of them when they were much lower-ranked and I remember all the crooked crap they've done. And they know that.

To quote Sylvester Stallone as John Ramo, "They drew first blood. Not me."

[The Mastiff]

The captain who initiated the nonsense is one of the most corrupt people I've ever worked with, but I won't go into detail because this thing is getting ugly. Add to that the fact that the guy doesn't know how to talk to anyone (he could piss off the Pope).

Jim, this type of behavior is typical in the guys that are dishonest, or corrupt. They try to act hardass and do a lot of boasting about their "trophys" ie: staff written up or fired.

Typically when they go down they go hard and try to take everybody else with them, like the true punks they are. Another sure tell is when inmates go out oif their way to show disrespect to a staff member. More than the usual that strict officers get. Inmates may profit from corrupt staff, but they have no respect whatsoever for them, and will show it every chance they get. Strict, by the book staff will get irritated grumbles, but not the true disdain corrupt staff attract.

As with all these types it's only a matter of time before they go down. Their fall will do nothing for the ones whose careers they've ruined though.

The machine itself just keeps going crunching up lives of both the good and bad.

[Jimd]

Mastiff, I agree completely with 100% of what you said in your above post. Spot on, as usual. We've both seen a number of these types come and go.

This captain has been in the DOC slightly longer than I have; about 20 or so years. He's been a piece of feces the entire time and has very few friends in the department. He must have something on somebody, hence the fact that he's risen to the rank of captain. He used to be extremely chummy with the inmates who were mob members in a nearby major city, and I actually believe he was on the mob's payroll to make their members' stay in prison more comfy, although that's just my gut feeling and I cannot prove it.

And you're right; most of them do go down. I've recently been fed some info that might very well take him and some others down. Needless to say, this will make some folks rather melancholy.

But I look at it like this; the dude's trying to get rid of me anyway, long before I ever got this info. So if he's after my ass either way, I might as well be doing something productive during this time. If I can put the right people onto him, he'll feel the pressure.

The problem: I can trust no one in our internal security department; I have to go outside my agency, which I have. Right now, I'm basically at the stage of gathering more intel. I gotta say, it's comforting talking to someone who knows what I'm going through. I can't tell my wife about all the details, or it will scare the hell out of her.

[JLS]

Wow Jim, my prayers go out to you. In the same way I believe there's a special level in hell for most of those guys, I hope there's a special something in heaven for guys like you.

On a side note, there was a guy I talked to today that was thinking about getting a job at the county jail. He just graduated from college at age 30+ with a degree in broadcasting. He's certainly not a man in the rough and tumble kind of way and has been pretty sheltered his whole life. I told him that he really needed to think about that long and hard before even applying. I don't figure he has a clue of the kind of people that go to the county lock-up and even less real state or federal pens.

[Jimd]

In many ways, the county lockups are very dangerous, because they often don't know what type of inmate they're dealing with.

An inmate in the state system has been through his trial and is classified. NOt always so in the county; many are being held prior to their trial.

Good advice you gave that guy, JLS. Never in a million years would I recommend corrections as a career to anyone.

[The Mastiff]

Jim, unfortunately the Internal affairs isn't there to help you, or do what's right. It serves the DOC. First and foremost the Dept. Of Corrections/Division of prisons wants to keep the embarrassing things out of the public eye.

I/A, and any other part of the system will not help you if it means doing anything that will allow the public to see what is really going on behind closed doors. John Q. Public has a bad impression of the prison system as it is, on a good day. To air dirty laundry in public serves no ones interests from the unit's administration up to the governor.

On the other hand by this time these guys have already decided you are a threat to them, so you have to go. First will come the character assignation. Then the complaints about job performance. Any mistake on your part will be capitalized on by documenting it ie: a write up.

99 out of a hundred people will get the hint and move on somewhere else. Others dig in, and fight back. This is where you would decide if it's worth it or not to fight. For most, it isn't.

We had no unions, and no real rights to speak of. We would be told there is an investigation going on, and would be ordered to not speak to anybody about anything, and disobeying this would mean disciplinary action with probable dismissal.

The only way for us to redress this would be 1) knowing someone powerful yourself. This is the most effective, if you in fact know someone. 2) use what you have on them. Typically the threat of doing so is more effective than actually doing it. When you do drop a bomb, everyone circles the wagons, and the guy might get protected by someone who doesn't want a scandal in their area of responsibility. Recall the appointees overseeing the system are political animals with no job security. These guys are your enemy now too seeing as you might cost them their nice comfy, well paid job.

On the other hand they all fear the press, often out of proportion to their actual threat. A call from a journalist sniffing around about someone will often cause the administrators to investigate the person for real as they don't want to be caught with their pants down looking foolish. A good journalist can and will protect their sources as long as they are not being jerked around. Captains and unit managers get thrown out of the lifeboat and fed to the sharks when found to be at fault even when they are honest types. No one will risk their own position to protect a crook.

The bottom line is once you are in a bad position, you have more credibility as a current employee trying to clean up a mess than you do as an ex employee who might be motivated by revenge.

Chances are if you think they are coming for your job, they probably are. Stay safe, and don't make any mistakes. You can't afford any freebies.

On the other hand, if you can avoid a mess, do it. Not many can come away unaffected by these things.

[Jimd]

Mastiff, I think we may have worked at the same place, lol.
Your assessment is right on, as usual.

The only different dynamics that are going on where I work is the fact that we have a union (I'm actually a steward), and we're civil service. As a result, it makes it next to impossible to be fired. About the only way to be fired from my position is:
1. Physically abuse an inmate on video or with witnesses.
2. Be caught with drugs or a cell phone.
3. A physical altercation with a fellow employee (and many of them don't lose their jobs).
4. Don't show up for work for a long time after you've exhausted your leave time.

Other than the above, it's very tough to lose one's job, and as long as I stay in the parameters, I'm pretty much golden.

But you're right; what they do is whittle away, writing you up here and there. They write you up for everything they can think of. Fortunately, I only have a few two jerk-offs on my tail at the moment; the rest of the management chain is keeping to themselves.

I've observed management throwing each other out of the lifeboat on so many occasions, and it's simply amazing what those people do do each other.

Management has no union representation; they fall strictly under civil service, and as such are very vulnerable.

Another thing going for me is the fact that the captain I speak of has recently endured two suspensions for his infractions, and he's not necessarily seen in a good light or liked by anyone. Still, he's a thorn in my side.

[v8r]

Wow Jim it sounds like most of the criminals are where they need to be.maybe you should just lock them all in together. What is sad is that a good number of the law enforcement people I have been around seem a little on the crooked side.Not all of them mind you, but I get that vibe quite often.I hope I'm wrong,but I don't really count on them.I have come to realize that everyone will have to answer for what they have done, it's just a matter of time.Anyways be safe and always watch your back.

[Jimd]

Well, life inside the Seventh Circle of Hell is as insane as ever. Tons of stuff has occurred since the last time I posted on this thread, but I'll just highlight the most recent.

We had a stabbing yesterday; it seems it occurred over a domestic dispute. One inmate was medevacked out by chopper with multiple stab wounds and a sliced throat, along with other wounds.

Multiple other fights, as well, but then that's par for the course in such a wonderfully exclusive, gated community.

And I'm still being treated like a piece of feces, LOL! So far they haven't announced any disciplinary action against me for the time/attendence issues; I think that's because they've violated so many of their own policies that they might be reconsidering going ahead with it.

Meanwhile, back at the Bat Cave (AKA my cell/office), I'm trying to line up a transfer out of that place.

[Jimd]

Today the imbeciles came at me again. Now they've actually scheduled a Pre-Disciplinary Conference (PDC) regarding the heinous crime of taking the food from the dining hall. Of course, they hit me with a half-dozen Code of Ethics violations, including being "insolent" toward the shift commander. After reading all the wild accusations (I actually had to laugh at most of them), I read the report that they'd attached; there were a number of contradictions, and I just shook my head.

Their case looks like a bucket of spilled f****. Add to that the fact that the huge deal they're making out of a tray of raviolli and some peanut butter crackers is just absolutely ludicrous on its face value.

Between now and my hearing, I'll gather information to make these people look even more retarded (if that's possible). I'll wait outside the chow hall and document the many, many people bringing food out without being impeded. It'll go toward my case for discrimination.

The inmate that was attacked the other day is on a ventilator; his face is too smashed for him to breathe from his nose or mouth. It seems the attacker (one of his lovers) smashed portions of his face with a weight plate. Multiple broken bones, stab wounds, etc..

But we have to focus on the really, really imperative things, like food being taken from the staff dining hall....

[The Mastiff]

Jim, It seems like they are trying the old power bluff on you. I'm sure you've seen it work on other employees.

Insolence eh?

That's funny. They tried to get me for threatening my boss, a captain once. My reputation actually hurt me in that one as many people believed I would do it.

I would never give a free one away like that though. I always new where the line was.

Once I went through the nonsense and did a statement in writing, and made it apparent I knew the regulations and would appeal, they forgot about it.

Stupid kids stuff. In the mean time the big boss was having an affair with his secretary, the assistant supt. was on charges for sexual harassment, and another captain was busy getting DUI's ( officers got fired for those, but this one got a promotion to warden of another unit, after 4 DUI's).

It helps to have connections in politics in a state system.

I made it through with an unblemished record, officially anyways.

[vampyrewolf]

The trick to getting away with "threatening" is simply insinuating the result. I've only been spoken to twice in my 3.5yrs at this job, once officially. I offer to grab my correction stick or give folks an express ride down the stairs all the time. Or I'll make comments that thier clothing and perfume (in a scent free environment, no less) remind me of a certain job suited to walking at night.

First time was when I was harassing a friend after his actions at a house party, in good fun for about a week before I quit. He was still smiling when I made my comments. The chick complained 6 months later about the comments being passed around about her. Got hauled into the fishbowl, told em I'd apologize for MY comments but anything said in the last 6 months was not my fault. Last I heard of that one... and that was the official one.

I had a co-worker try to get me in trouble for my knives, so I memorized the employee manual when I was in production. I also kept a list of everyone else with a knife in the company.
A month or so before I left warranty I had someone in production complain about my knives again. There's no mention of knives in the employee manual or ANYWHERE in the HR and security documents. I also started listing off the names and positions of everyone I knew that had a knife on em, told em that if I was expected to leave my knives at home that they had better make it company policy or expect a discrimination case (my family has a good lawyer so I wasn't bluffing).
Again, last I heard of that one.


Looks to me like the higher-ups are trying to assert their rank on you and hoping you'll cower down. You don't cower so they try to beat you down. Only way to counter that is by having a list of what you have on them or a trump card in hand (like a good lawyer).
Don't just point out the discrimination direction, point out the various violations that the folks starting this have made. I'm sure you know of a few. Dates or even date ranges help (ie sept 2008, sgt ralph allowed the prisoner from d-126 an extra phone call, despite the prisoner being late returning from the yard the day before).

While you're not trying to prove you're the alpha, you just have to make sure they know that you have teeth.

[The Mastiff]

In my experience, some guys get overwhelmed when promoted into new positions. It's tough in the prison environment, to be honest.

Some supervisors honestly don't know any other ways of motivating people other than with threats and intimidation.

The problem with that is the type personalitys that make good correctional officers aren't the type you can intimidate. I mean, not even with a gun, or threat of any kind. I personally find any attempts at intimidation by anyone amusing. At best, that is. If they aren't good at it I might feel a sort of pity.

I was lucky enough to have side jobs throughout my career. Working with professional managers who knew what they were doing was a real eye opener to me. I worked one part time job for 15 years, and never was late once during that time, to both jobs. The second job was like a stress reliever to me.

Don't get me wrong, there were some staff, both supervisors and other officers that I respected, and were good at what they did. Some were less trustworthy than the average inmates. It takes all types.

[jimbo@stn24]

God Bless you folks in Corrections and those that did your time there.

You guys add a dimension to looking at life that makes my work environment look like heaven on earth.

Here's hoping you really enjoy your days off Jim.

[RIOT]

Alot of employers are like banks right now, they are all panicing and making bad desicions and most of them are so stupid and filled with greed they end up losing in the end.

Most head honchos dont know what goes on but make all the desicions ?????

[Jimd]

Mastiff and others, I know what you mean. They're trying the old bullying tactic, which isn't working which make them even more enraged.

I was looking over yesterday's write-up paperwork, and one of the charges they hit me with was about refusing to obey the Captain's "request" to turn in a second incident report. Well, we don't operate with "requests"; Captains give ORDERS. So right there, I'm off the hook, as I don't operate with peoples' requests. I did, however, follow his "request", and when looking at the version of the incident that they wrote out themselves and then attached, it even says that I followed said request. They just cancelled out their own charge, lol.

When I go to my hearing, I'm going to "request" that one of the hearing personnel give me $10. When they raise their eyebrows and tell me "no", I'm going to say, "You did not follow my request, so now I'm obligated to submit a report against you. See how it works?"

There's actually more to the story than I've told here. Some serious laws have been broken by those in the power seat (unrelated to what they wrote me up for). Laws that could put people away for a very long time.

I haven't gone into detail on here for obvious reasons, OPSEC and PERSEC are foremost. Today my wife overheard me mention that these people would want me killed if they knew what I know, and she kinda zoned out on that one.

I tried to downplay it. "Oh, honey, don't sweat it, everything's fine." Yeah, she wasn't buying that. I was like, why do you think I carry my Glock everywhere I go these days, even when I take a dump in the bathroom? Yeah, it's not normal to have a half-dozen fully loaded magazines within reach as reloads at all times, either.

How do you gently tell your spouse that these are people who will go to great lengths and will stop at nothing?

My work environment is more insane than many of you know. My carpool buddy and I are widely known as lunatics who are seriously into weaponry. It's not unusual to look into either of our vehicles and see several cardboard targets (left-overs from our many range sessions) with hundreds of holes in each one, sitting up across the back seat like a family out for a picnic. I know it's demented, but it's dry humor and it also sends the message, "Stay away from me, I do not want to play with you."

Add to that the fact that we've made it well-known that we have no problem engaging aggressive hostiles who might decide to come after us. And they know my background and training.

Despite being perceived as serious mental health candidates who are armed to the teeth, they still see fit to screw with me on a daily basis. So that makes me wonder...who's the real mental health candidate? I'd say they are, LOL!

I've defeated them well over a dozen times in various hearings over the years, and yet it's as if they still want to see if they can "tag" me.

I will have so much documentation compiled when I go in there that they will literally get writer's cramp from logging all of it. I don't do anything half-baked, and overkill is the order of the day, even when taking on mundane things like this. It's part of my OCD.