HOW IT ALL BEGAN

By: Henry Collins

For those of you who are not familiar with the history of the Association, I would like to take a few moments to share with you briefly some of the events that led to the formation of the Association of Black Correctional Workers.

In my opinion, the incident that triggered the process occurred on September 6, 1969, when the most unimaginable, dehumanizing, obscene pornography and scandalous racist literature depicting a black male and a white female was distributed to young men in Roosevelt. The blacks across the state of California, in all areas of corrections immediately became alarmed as to the kind of mentality and atmosphere that would allow, permit, or give comfort to that kind of blatant racism in an institution responsible for making young men better citizens.

The following month, on October 8, 1969, we had, what I like to refer to as a “March for Dignity,” a march to express our feelings around what we believe to be morally and legally right. It was a march to dramatize our concern about the prevailing racism existing in our institutions and community programs. I would like to quote from the Oakland Tribune which described the march as follows, “a delegation of 72 predominantly Negro CYA employees from throughout the State of California left their jobs early this week and stormed into the agency executive office to issue a series of 5 demands.” The Sacramento Bee described the same incident in this manner, “72 CYA employees held a tension filled but peaceful 45 minute talk with the chief of the division at which time 5 demands were presented. The delegation demanded immediate action be taken concerning the Nelles incident, including a plea that criminal charges should be instituted by our agency; recognition of the delegation as an advisory group to the agency as a facilitator to point out specific areas of concern; establish a departmental policy saying community based operations have a general social responsibility which goes beyond direct ward and parent involvement; November 10, 1969 is to be the deadline for implementation of the above points; staff personnel involved in the delegation appearance are not to be required to use vacation time or make up lost time on the job.” I believe that this was the first occasion where correctional workers came together from Los Angeles, Sacramento, Stockton, San Francisco, Oakland, and other parts of California to let the agency know that we were tired of the indignities and racism that we, as blacks, had to experience and witness on a day to day basis in the institutions and community.

The third significant, if not historical, incident occurred on November 21, 1969, when 32 California Youth Authority employees, along with approximately 300 community people picketed the all white parole center which serves approximately 600 black youths in the Los Angeles area. It will be difficult to explain and even understand the psychological and emotional factors surrounding the planning and organization of this demonstration. Most of the employees involved in this demonstration were from Los Angeles.

Some of the backlash—or in better terms—“whitelash” from this demonstration were as follows: A Parole Agent III at Nelles was demoted to a Parole Agent I, for leaving the Nelles grounds after being told in writing not to do so. Another agent received 30 calendar days suspension for having his name and phone number on a community newsletter announcing the demonstration. A second agent received 30 calendar suspension for misuse of sick leave. Two agents received 5 days suspension for leaving SRCC grounds after being told not to. In addition, 7 agents received 5 days suspension for willful disobedience; they were also docked a day’s pay for November 21, 1969. So as you can see, the struggle has been a long and often painful one. This can be attested by some of you who are here today, who were on the casualty list, along with your families, who endured a traumatic experience, and carry the wounds and scars from their struggle for dignity.

So when I think about mobility in the correctional system, I have to think of upward mobility with responsibility. It is imperative that we remind ourselves that in order to move upward as a people, we have to assume the responsibility that goes along with the changing of one’s status. We first have to develop an awareness, concern, and commitment for those we serve as correctional workers in the institutions and in our community. There is a need to assume responsibility for the increasing black population in our institutions which has increased from approximately 27% in 1964 to nearly 39% in 1974. It appears at this rate in a few years half of the population in our institutions will be black.

Secondly, we have to assume responsibility as we move upward, by taking action against racist proposals that recommend or suggest the testing of 6-8 years olds to determine if they have criminal behavior tendencies and if so would be put into treatment camps, needless to say who will be sent to camps?

Thirdly, we have to assume responsibility for taking action against proposed research in the area of violent behavior at UCLA that is requesting $1million dollars for the first year study to research the causes of violent behavior. Without further explanation, we know who will primarily be used in this research effort?

It is my belief, that if we were seriously concerned about violence, we would become concerned about the violence Blacks experience in the area of unemployment, where Blacks represent nearly 11% of the unemployed in many communities.

If we were serious about violence, we would do something about the violence that is being perpetuated by the school system, that graduates a high percentage of black youth that read at the fourth and fifth grade level.

If we were honestly interested in doing something about violence, we would concern ourselves with the thousands of black and Chicano families who are locked into the depths of poverty as a result of their color and language.

Those who have the Economical and Political power to change, or improve the quality of life for the masses and who violate that trust, should be tried for high crimes and misdemeanors.

As black professionals, we have to become responsible, compassionate, and sensitive to those black clients who we provide service to in the institutions and communities. Too, often, after we have left our black or Chicano communities where we once lived and later become parole officers, we remove all vestige of our heritage, culture and roots, quite often referring to his people, as, “those people” and without hesitation quickly describe minority clients as retarded, psychotic, neurotic, and parents as being shiftless and lazy.

It is my belief that the conflicts that many blacks and Chicano correctional workers find themselves in is because at different times we have to protest, either surreptitiously or openly, those same institutions and systems that act as instruments of our own oppression.

Today as we focus on upward mobility in the correctional system, I hope that we always encourage and support those who are not only concerned with upward mobility but also responsibility.