Hi everyone: We had quite a day today, didn't we? I hope you enjoyed it, and found it to be worthwhile. We saw and experienced many things that hopefully will stay with you.
Over the years, when I run into graduates of SJLA, invariably they'll say, "I'll never forget when I saw.........on criminal justice day!"
What are a couple of images from today that have stuck with you already? Why do you think those are the images that are vivid?
What did you see that you'll never forget?
I'd like you to respond to this question by Monday, Jan. 28.
Have a great week!
Rick
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
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15 comments:
during this trip to the jail it really hit me..there are so many sterotypes to inmates that i could not believe. it hurt me so bad to see people being scared of them, they are treated like animals. ya they did some bad things even to the extent of murder, but a few mistakes doesnt make them any less human. i couldnt believe what when i saw what they got feed, or how they were looking out the tiny window like a dog in a car. it also makes it so much harder when you know that someone you love or know was/is or will be in there one day. 1 hour outside every 2 days or more. yes i know that they say stuff that are really rude but being told not to look them in the eye or go as far against the wall you can because an inmate is walking down. its really sad to see this all happending in the jail, you can only imagine what its like in san quitein. as much as the inmates try to cover it up you know they are suffering so bad in the cell, people coming in and watching them like a tourist attraction, they all have some kind of family or loved ones out there that some may never see. some may even have grandchildren or nieces or sons and daughters, and some totally forgetting about them just because they made some mistakes. they may have chosen to take that path, but if they go out and know one helps them go the right way just because they did jail time, its only going to lead them to do it again, or sometimes even worse. i dont mean to bash on the police or the system i just know i will never forget what i saw and i have a whole different view or people spending time, and having everyone be scared of them with one small movement to scrath the head.
alyssa
Wow! Man, it was like watching a scary movie. You know you're going to be freaked, but it still affects you when it happens. To see all those guys staring at you from those rooms, you get scared, but then you think of all the people in there for usual things: robbery, assault, whatever, and you wonder: what if someone close to me was in there?
In a small room, with nothing to do, no clue what's going to happen. Coming out of there was a breath of fresh air, in more ways than one.
And the police... its admirable they are willing to take the job and protect society. Sometimes they are seen as a nuisance or unsympathetic. The trip to the training facility showed that they're handling people with the most caution possible, which may appear offensive. A revelation of how they react to different situations makes sense and shows they want the least damage possible.
First off, it was interesting to see the training the officers go through in the simulation. They always have to be attentive of their surroundings. As for the main jail, all I have to say is, wow. It certainly is a place in SJ that I will not want to go to. Just seeing how they have officers who classify the incoming inmates to see where they will end up in in the jail is something I never knew about. Very interesting day.
This month's trip was seriously...INTENSE. I have so much more respect for police officers seeing all the training and pressure they go through; they have seconds to determine another person's or their own life. During the simulation training, one of the scenarios was in a dark house and this man runs at you with a knife. That image is stuck in my head and i can't get it out. It's freaking me out. Just how fast everything comes at you and how little time you have to make a decision that can affect someone's life drastically. The jail was a scary, yet amazing experience. I will never forget the windows, doors, and the bars that separate the inmates from us. Seeing jail from the inside and getting to see what life must be like for them was very shocking. Very very intersting day.
What I'll never forget is seeing the inmates locked in there rooms looking out through there little windows. That was very sad, knowing that some of those inmates may never have the freedom that they once had before. & also knowing that some of those inmates may have a family of there own, knowing that the man behind bars was once someones father, son, brother, cousin, friend or maybe even someones grandpa. I understand those people made mistakes & that they are criminals. But I feel sorry for people that are in jail for minor charges such as theft. We have killings in our community from time to time & to even think that some people are getting away with it is kind of scary, because knowing that the person in jail is in there for stealing vs. the person that has killed someone is out there somwhere is kind of scary.
I was truly shocked at the end of this particular day. Yes, I had respect for police officers before, but now there are no words to express the amount of respect I have for these individuals who are willing to place their own lives at risk in order to save ours, or to place themselves in between vicious criminals in order to protect us. There are no words to express how much I admire the police and correctional officers, and last but certainly not least, there are no words to express how grateful I am to rest assured that there are people in society who are willing to give their life for someone they do not know, someone like you and I. It is truly remarkable.
I will never forget what the inside of the jail was like. It is certainly a place I do not want to spend my time. I also really appreciate that they let us use the simulator at the SJPD. It was amazing to actually see how quick police officers have to react. My second oldest brother was working to become a police officer last year (he isn't anymore because he is getting married soon (whoohoo), and being a cop would be tough on a new marriage). I think eventually he still may become a police officer, so I really valued the experience of seeing what he may go through sometime in the future. That day really gave me a ton of respect for our police force, especially those who work in the jail. Also, I thought it was really awesome to read the article in the San Jose Mercury News last Thursday about "Operation Meltdown." It is incredible that police officers are willing to risk their lives to keep our city safe. I am very thankful for them.
I know that because of this day there are some things that I will never forget. I will never forget how much repsect that I have obtained for cops. Also, I will never foget how it feels to be in a prison. I can't imagine going somewhere and being told what to do 24 hours a day. Shock over took me when I saw what it was really like to live in prison. I am happy that society is protected from these types of dangerous individuals, but I was amazed at how they actually live. I will never forget to repsect that I have gained for the officers that work in the prisons.
I will never forget the looks and comments the prisoners gave us during our visit at the jail. When we went to the maximum security part of the jail there was one prisoner that was "cleaning" his room window but would not keep his eyes off of us. I also remember when we were in the basement and we were passing on of the holding cells when all of a sudden I heard a man shouting some rude comments in spanish that just made me feel uncomfortable. All I know is that I would never want to go anywhere near that place again!
The trip to the jail truly opened my eyes to the true essence of our criminal justice system. Although there were moments when I truly felt bad for the prisoners when we were visiting them in the Main Jail, yet upon going through the snake pits, I was too terrified to even think of my remorse for the prisoners. I think I have developed a far greater respect for police officers and correctional department officers after this experience. It truly requires an enormous amount of courage and determination to control unruly prisoners. The experience also helped me understand the importance of "thinking on one's feet". I was able to realize this concept's importance when I underwent the police simulators at the San Jose Police Department. I was shocked to discover that such simulations were real life portrayals of how rapidly an event may occur. Overall, this experience has truly opened my eyes to the hard work and effort that our police officers put in, in order to keep the general population safe. Thank you so much to all who do such a fantastic job.
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