Newspaper Page Text
How one program works:
Family visits:
part of reform
(Editor’s Note: Gene Her
rington has been an in
mate of the California
Correctional Institute at
Tehachapi, Calif., for 3 l / 2
years. He is the former
editor of the prison’s
newspaper and, like most
prisoners, is a firm advo
cate of penal reform. His
belief is that the Teha
chapi institution is lead
ing the way of such re
form and as an example,
he cites a program allow
ing inmates legitimate
sex and family relation
ships. )
By GENE HERRINGTON
Written for
Newspaper Enterprise Assn.
TEHACHAPI, Calif.—
(NEA) — It started, of all
places, at the state peniten
tiary in Mississippi. For
many years, married prison
ers there have had the right
to receive conjugal visits
from their wives. That is, to
have private sex. It was a
controversial, often con
demned program from the
start and it did not quickly
spread to other state lock
ups.
However, in 1969 the Cali
fornia Correctional Institu
tion at Tehachapi (CCI)
quietly began a similar ex
periment. And it has proved
so successful that all of the
state’s prisons, including a
women’s, have been instruc
ted to follow suit.
The conjugal visits are still
controversial, still often con
demned. But officials believe
the dynamic benefits of
Family Visitation Programs
(FVP) are part of the an
swer to an old problem: How
to help, not just keep, men in
jail.
Let me explain the FVP
program at Tehachapi.
There are two cottages
used at CCI for the program.
They are situated outside the
boundary fence, and each
contains a kitchen, bath
room, living room with fire
place and three bedrooms.
They are equipped with all
household furnishings.
Approximately 500 family
visits have taken place in
the last three years. Only
prisoners rated “minimum
custody” are eligible to ap
ply for the visits. And so far
about 60 per cent of the men
here have received the 46-
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hour visiting privileges. Last
November one of the resi
dents at CCI married here at
the prison chapel. The next
day he started his 46-hour
honeymoon with his bride in
one of the FVP cottages.
Now, as for the purpose of
these family visits. The ma
jor concern with prisons is
the rehabilitation of prison
ers and the family visits are
a tool in the process. Evi
dence indicates that where
normal, if restricted, family
activity is permitted, a pris
oner’s problems within the
institution are reduced while
the chances for his success
ful readjustment to civilian
life (and 95 per cent of all
felons are returned to so
ciety in America) are im
proved.
At CCI, fathers who par
ticipate in the family visita
tions tell stories of the joy of
being with their children that
bring tears to the eyes. It is
unlikely that anything or
anyone could rattle a man so
happy—at least for some
time after his visit. On the
other side of the coin are the
comments of the wives, who
claim their children are bet
ter behaved after regular
visits with dad.
It would be incomplete not
to mention another reason
why inmates hold the FVP in
high esteem. Sex. How do
you separate it from this
program? It is difficult to
measure its impact on the
future of both partners. With
out it, the chances grow
enormously that the man
will develop a homosexual
outlet inside the prison and
the wife will be unfaithful
outside.
With these benefits in
mind, there are those offi
cials in California who would
improve and expand the
FVP. The state assembly
has approved a bill to extend
the privilege to unmarried
inmates, allowing up to three
overnight visits a year on
prison grounds. And CCI
Superintendent G. P. Lloyd
has made the statement that
if the law permitted it he
would set up a co-ed correc
tional institution. He believes
especially selected residents
could live in harmony and
progress. He wou’d allow
them to attend school
together, eat together, and
co-mingle in just about any
other activity which the
normal, free society engages
in—with the exception, nat
urally of dormitory living.
It is doubtful, certainly,
whether the Family Visita
tion Program, even if ex
panded, is the answer to all
the problems confronting a
prison inmate. But it certain
ly does help to bridge the
gap between the man and his
family, and can be the great
est morale builder for in
mates since the days when
correctional work changed
its attitude from punishment
to reformation.
(NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISE ASSN.)
| Griffin And Spalding County !
•! STORK CLUB j
The Following Births Have Been I
__ » ■ -u
Reported At The Griffin-Spalding |
County Hospital |
T Shannon Lynn Quick May2T Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Quick
♦ Evette Tanner Junel Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Tanner
BL John Wesley Brannon June 3 Mr. and Mrs. Candler W. Brannon A
Cindy Lea Cato June 3 Mr. and Mrs. James F. Cato
(L Billy Jack Spain, Jr. June 3 Mr. and Mrs. Billy Jack Spain, Sr.
U Roderick Thomas Goolsby j une 3 Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Gene Goolsby A
Lewis Todd Goolsby June 3 Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Gene Goolsby I
A W Allison Kay Knight June 5 Mr. and Mrs. Donald Knight ▼
A I Jeannie Lorraine Maples June 6 Mr. and Mrs. Anthony M. Maples A
'V -*7 Alan Louis Gardner June 7 Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Gardner I
Jerry Don Thomas June 8 Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas V
A Richard Scott Bailey j une 8 Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Bailey A
Shamonda Okesia Goodman June 8 Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Goodman ■
▼ Michel Shelby Skelton June 9 Mr. and Mrs. Gary Mathew Skelton f
A Pamela Marie Rider June 9 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Everette Rider A
■ rpTTT? T) QTTOP Shelia Leann Kelley June 9 Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Ray Kelley A
y Jjx-zJ. J.AI _Ll_j Christopher Lance Taylor June 10 Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Wiley Taylor, Jr.
(Samuel David Smith, Jr. June 11 Mr. and Mrs. Samuel David Smith, Sr.
South Hill Street - Griffin, Georgia Julie Michelle Allen June 11 Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Wayne Allen ■
Headquarters for Carter’s Infant’s Wear Tracy Lynn Sheffield June 11 Mr. and Mrs. Gene Eligah Sheffield I
(Michael Scott Herring June 12 Mr. and Mrs. Charles William Herring
Clayton Daniel Fortner June 13 Mr. and Mrs. Donald Ferrell Fortner A
Patricia Alelaide Messer June 14 Mr. and Mrs. Henry Preston Messer
a Aimee Denise Davis June 15 Mr. and Mrs. James Edmond Davis
■ Reuel Alton McFarland June 15 Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Reuel McFarland A
Brenda Jean Gentry June 16 Mr. and Mrs. William Louis Gentry
4 Aveory Lontrell Allen June 16 Mr. and Mrs. Fred Allen ▼
A T> TTT’U’T'IVr Ursala Alexandra Pittman June 16 Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Lewis Pittman A
J? All Donna Lynn English June 16 Mr. and Mrs. Larry Randell English
TT a TA W7 A"D T? Angela Grace Burns June 18 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Franklin Burns ▼
A XXzVAiL-/ W Zl.ll.l_J Ressa Michaelle Sellars June 18 Mr. and Mrs Joseph Michael Sellars A
Robert Bruce Mann June 18 Mr. and Mrs. Dale Allan Mann
MAYTAG WASHERS Susan Renee Bunn June 18 Mr. and Mrs. James W. Bunn J
A Hope Willis June 20 Mr. and Mrs. Jessie B. Willis A
Kelly Lynn McKenzie June 21 Mr. and Mrs. William Raymond McKenzie ■
▼ Byran Douglas Brooks June 21 Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Keith Brooks W
A —HMH Charles Edward Akine June 22 Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Akine A
Priscilla Ann Padgett June 22 Mr. and Mrs. Steve Renzer Padgett A
„ . „ „ John David Phillips June 22 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Earl Phillips
(Baby Beds, Play Pens, Everything in the wav of » - ▼
y Lon Dawn Smith June 22 Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Newton Smith
Baby Furniture Kimbreyla Arlene Whisby June 22 Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Whisby A
Tasha Anita Hann June 23 Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Hann
A Andrea Karen Jones June 23 Mr. and Mrs. Howard Leamon Jones a
■ O Jennifer Carol Waller June 23 Mr. and Mrs. James Carl Waller, Jr. A
y lwlvilw#Lv Rodney Wesley Evans June 23 Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Wayne Evans
A FIIDNITIIDC PA kA DA KI V Charles Bryan Garner June 24 Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Charles Gamer
■ rUlllillUllU vUIVI I nil T Timothy James Cunningham June 24 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Taylor Cunningham A
■ Rose Lee Lummas June 26 Mr. and Mrs. Robert James Lummas H
a Kellie Renee Walker June 27 Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Walker »
A 206 - 208 SOUTH HILL ST. Shelly Ann Hardy June 28 Mr. and Mrs. Kerry V. Hardy A
■ Gemia Dwana Potts June 28 Mr. and Mrs. David Timothy Potts
Earnest Wesley Morgan 111 June2B Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Wesley Morgan, Jr. »
A Guy Ray Brown June 28 Mr. and Mrs. V. Kay Brown A
■ James Eugene Chambers June 29 Mr. and Mrs. James William Chambers
| fiWU o i
’ BOPW C* J
THE CHURCH THAT CARES ABOUT YOU I
[ J
Griffin Daily News
7
Sat. and Sun., July 10-11,1971