Feel good story: Quick-thinking Folsom inmates rescue prison staffer

[cally]

https://goldcountrymedia.com/news/202145/quick-thinking-folsom-inmates-rescue-prison-staffer/

It seemed like a typical morning for California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) Prison Industries supervisor Jeff Snoozy, until suddenly he felt ill and soon found himself lying on the floor being aided by two incarcerated participants.

Snoozy, who oversees the California Prison Industry Authority Braille Program at Folsom State Prison said he thought that he was having a heart attack. After barely managing to get into his office, Snoozy said, he dropped to his knees trying to call the emergency line but could not reach the phone and was the only one in his closed office.

…

Robbie Williams, a Braille Program participant with medical experience, rushed to Snoozy’s side. Prior to being incarcerated, Williams was a nursing assistant and in-house paramedic for more than 30 years. He acted quickly, checking Snoozy’s pulse, pupils and supporting his head with rolled-up sheets. He also used wet rags to keep him cool.

[ailsagirl]

1. There are a few stories in the same vein on YouTube, which I have always enjoyed watching.

Thanks for posting.

[iluvtennis]

2. Love this story - thanks for posting this. n/t

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Why is this a feel-good story?

[meadowlander]

4. Just a friendly reminder that we're all more than the worst thing we ever did.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. If that's the case, why do we incarcerate people?

[meadowlander]

6. People do terrible things, they should pay their time.

But the one terrible thing they did on the worst day of their life isn't the sum total of their identity. Everybody is a mix of good and bad and that's worth remembering.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. Why should they pay time?

[alphafemale]

9. Maybe they can move in with you

Don't insult them by hiding your valuables from the junkie or the knives from the person who slit their mother's throat while she slept..

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. Does a junkie need incarceration or treatment?

[alphafemale]

20. If part of that is stealing that should be incarceration.

Addiction is an illness.

Theft is something that society should not have to tolerate in a community.

[jmowreader]

10. This is from a first sergeant I once knew

We were in an NCO meeting (all the sergeants in the unit) and we were discussing ways to punish the wrongdoers in our midst…of which we didn’t have very many. Our first sergeant said he never recommended a commander fine or demote a soldier, just give him extra duty and barracks restriction. This came from his first evildoer as a first sergeant, and this is what the guy told him: Top, I can earn more money and I can earn my rank back, but I can never get back time. At that point he realized taking time away from someone is the worst thing you can do to him.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

16. So punishment for crimes should be the worst thing we can possibly do to people?

[jmowreader]

21. Well...it'll get your attention quick.

There’s also a public safety aspect to the thing. If we catch a guy who’s been out there raping every woman he can catch, you don’t want to just tell him “pay us $2500 and don’t rape any more” because (1) he probably doesn’t have $2500 and (2) he’ll start raping again after we turn him loose. The only way we’re going to keep him from raping for a few years is to give him a job in a prison laundry somewhere.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

18. A couple of weeks restricted to barracks (article 15) is no big deal. It vanishes from your records

... when you move to your next assignment. Same with a temporary loss of pay. A demotion stays on the record. It's a big deal if you're in for a career.

My time was not mine. It all belonged to the Army.

[jmowreader]

22. The DA 2627 stays in your record as long as you're in the service

The commander can direct it be placed in one of two files: your Performance File or your Restricted File. Your Performance File is your 201 file. Anyone who has the need to examine your personnel record can go into it. You need a justifiable reason to look at a Restricted File.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

23. Thanks. I only knew about the 201. As people transferred out, we (personnel)

would remove any article 15 references. I didn't know there was a "double-secret permanent" file.

[Hekate]

11. I invite you to have that nice trusted man I wrote about move next door to you & your family

You’ll like him. He’s a great Scoutmaster, Order of the Arrow. Wife and kids. Just understand that no female child age 2 years old to 12 years old is safe, and that he is very quiet and adept.

Enjoy! Sleep well!

PS: What are you getting out of twisting our tails?

[WhiskeyGrinder]

17. .

PS: What are you getting out of twisting our tails?

I object to propaganda about the prison industrial complex, and am always interested in what people think about incarceration. The concept of a story about a prison being a "feel-good" story is fascinating to me.

[cally]

19. Simple...Seeing the folks inside as individuals..both the employees

and the inmates. I was fascinated by how they described the employee.

I think you are trying to pick a fight over perhaps my quick statement. I wanted to share the story because all I tend to see about inmates are terrifying portrayals instead of seeing the training, response and compassion of these folks who responded.

[D23MIURG23]

25. A system can be problematic and necessary at the same time.

Last edited Fri Oct 8, 2021, 11:01 PM - Edit history (1)

There can and should be reform around police practices and laws (e.g. drug laws) which overreach, and contribute to systemic racism, criminalization of the mentally ill, and over-incarceration. I can agree that more of what is considered criminal should be cause for treatment and/or restorative practices rather than incarceration.

But some crimes need to be taken seriously; they involve someone being tortured, violated, killed, financially ruined or similar.

Its important not to be naive about that, and assume that the people who have exhibited hardcore antisocial behavior (gravely damaging some of their neighbors in the process) can just be reasoned with and set straight with a stern warning.* The most fundamental level of the social contract centers around violence - citizens waive most of their prerogatives around violence in exchange for protection from the state. Incarceration has problems, but it's still one of the milder ways the state can protect people from those likely to do them harm.

___________________________

* I also think that you can reason yourself away from endorsing retributive theories of justice, but that people do have an inborn sense of fairness that needs to be addressed. It might be true that James Holmes (the Aurora CO shooter) was unsuccessfully coping with mental health issues. It's probably also true that most societies wouldn't stand for a justice system that decided to respond to multiple murders by prescribing a stay in a mental hospital until he is adequately stabilized (which could be less than a year). That scenario would seem unfair on a gut level - people lost loved ones, and had their lives were arbitrarily ended. The person who is responsible should not be repaid with a kindness even if (assuming for the sake of argument) that could completely fix the problem.

[Hekate]

8. I used to ponder that when young, regarding the nice, trusted man who molested me for a year...

At least, on the rare occasions I could allow the experience to surface. At some point I read Dante, whose philosophical system indicated a single reprehensible act could consign one’s soul to Hell. Why? How?

After 30 years I finally had my answer: because it was their signature behavior, on some deep level. The nice, trusted family man was a serial child molester. I was in no sense the only one.

Maybe you are being facetious or all ironic. If so, you miss the mark. There are people who should be removed from society for the safety of others. Even if they are not all one thing. The fact that they can show a flash of compassion or wit or something means they are still human and maybe capable of redemption — but they still need to serve time.

End of sermon.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. .

Maybe you are being facetious or all ironic.

Not at all. I'm so sorry he did that to you.

[D23MIURG23]

24. It illustrates that people can be humane to others in unlikely circumstances.

It would be easy for an inmate to resent the staffer and decline to help. Evidently the inmate didn't see an enemy, though, he saw another human in need.

Thats just my take, though. YMMV.

[Demovictory9]

12. K&r

[greenjar_01]

13. ROFL

You missed this one!