When inmates rule prison

For the second time in less than two months, the NMI concentrated its resources attending to a highly explosive situation where a lead inmate took over the fate of 19 other inmates with two revolvers in hand and enough bullets to keep both police officers and fellow prisoners at bay.

Between 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., spectators outside the Department of Public Safety heard rounds of gun shots coming out of the detention area. Perhaps, each time the lead inmate hears an offer he dislikes, he vents his frustration by pulling the trigger sending both police officers and bystanders heading for cover.

Families of prisoners came early to mediate a highly explosive situation, but were denied access in view of the possible liability that DPS would shoulder if imprisoned siblings decided to fire at anything that approaches the detention area. It is a responsible thing to do given the volatile situation that could blow-up from a peaceful negotiation to exchange of bullets where both prisoners, officers and innocent bystanders may be hurt or killed.

At the bottom of the stand-off is a deep wound that had responsible citizens reflecting upon the “what might have been” had inmates listened to filial counseling and discipline before reaching adolescence. Is it too late for filial intervention by brothers, sisters, mom and dad who came wondering if this is the last day of that wonderful person they used to know since birth?

Has DPS taken the extra mile to dig deep into the root cause of inmates who have decided to violate the laws set by this community? Lest we forget, it only takes a single person committing a crime to trigger concern by upright citizens whether we’ve missed allowing this individual to stay the course of becoming a productive and contributing member of society or did we leave him to decay in helplessness. Lest we forget too, each prisoner must be housed, fed and clothed for the duration of his sentence to which taxpayers throughout this community must pay for such expense.

Our experience the day before yesterday ought to re-awaken the obvious: strengthen the family unit for it is in this original setting where appropriate character formation or molding begins. As difficult the challenges of powerful influence such as violent programs on television, there’s an obvious need to revive time honored traditional family values which has been the forte of indigenous families here some 20 years ago. Let us revive it, now! It’s for the good of our children over the long term.