What Jail Did To Jimmy

Pardon my lead topic within this still celebratory Mashramani/Republic Anniversary week. But the issue of crime (and punishment?) permeates all our more pleasant “seasons.”
PRISON, JAIL, PENITENTIARY, CORRECTIONAL CENTRE, DETENTION CENTRE. The descriptions vary but whether modern prison or old “penal settlement,” for this piece the definition, largely (and loosely) has to do with “a place, usually with legal status, where persons are detained or held in custody pending some court trial, or for serving sentences handed down by a Court of Law.”
The modern concepts of “penitentiary” and “correctional centres” envisage convicted persons being guided to reform as penitent contrite “convicts,” willing to pay their “debts” to society for wrong-doing and actually graduating as better citizens from a reformatory prison.
Let all the above suffice as a layman’s context within which to locate our own penal system, from the “Lot 12” Georgetown Prison to the long-term Mazaruni, to Timehri and other “Remand” Centres. I hear lots of remedial work goes on in some of our prisons but are they measuring up as “CORRECTIONAL PENITENTIARIES”?
I hope he is not typical, but our poor Jimmy won’t agree that his Guyana Prison “helped” him in anyway. At least not to make him a responsible gentleman/citizen.
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YOUNG JIMMY IN JAIL
To cut to the chase, “Jimmy” was found guilty of possession of lots of marijuana in his Albouystown shack.
At twenty-three, he couldn’t afford a lawyer and his Linden-Soesdyke Highway supplier had abandoned him after the bust. In court, spectators laughed when he told the magistrate that “outsiders” usually “plant” things in Albouystown, a depressed but proud community which produced “ no less than THREE VICE-PRESIDENTS FOR GUYANA”, and that the late President Janet Jagan had favoured “Community Service” for marijuana offenders. Unimpressed, the lady magistrate sent Jimmy to Camp Street for two years – a reduced sentence, she explained. Then Jimmy’s education and experience began.
An older schoolmate of his was also incarcerated in the same cell-block for robbery of a robbery victim. This ex-cop schoolmate/cell-mate saw to it that Jimmy escaped any sexual molestation after the first week. Then Jimmy experienced organized Camp Street Prison life.
Three WARDENS controlled two blocks, even when they were off-duty. Certain prisoners accessed better MEALS; they received CIGARETTES, some used CELL PHONES to co-ordinate both legitimate and illegal businesses they left on the outside; others actually received MEDICATION opting not to go to the infirmary for reasons best known to themselves. The basic education for Jimmy during his first month was that “Camp Street” was an over-crowded “world” onto itself within those shabby walls. You were forced to make choices immediately.
Of course, Jimmy’s partner(s) explained to him that “is man who does set up SYSTEM and run it.” Being translated, that meant that from the underpaid, vulnerable wardens to the civilians who worked for the “authorities,” to the fake Pastors—one was dismissed during Jimmy’s sojourn—to a few of the “good” folks at the gym, the CXC classes or the infirmary, the right price could fetch favours. Note that as this is being written the rotten officials of Jimmy’s stay, years ago, are no longer there.
INTERNAL “INTELLIGENCE”
Jimmy marvelled at the information and knowledge the Inside Underworld had. The “seniors” knew and predicted just who would be caught with cocaine at the AIRPORT, compliments of snitching; they told Jimmy about senior Policemen who co-operated with both the corrupt and the Cocaine Bosses “outside.” (Jimmy even secured “recommendations” for his return to the streets. He was told to contact particular ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW.)
Inmates shared views about the Prison Director— they knew his drivers and family members, they certainly could (allegedly) finger operatives of shady enterprises who had political connections— TO ALL OR ANY PARTIES — no matter how peripheral.
Sadly, Jimmy did not avail himself of the few correctional, self-enhancement opportunities Lot 12 offered. He consciously committed to using his alternative education to gain “employment” with a body-guard/security service outside to position himself for a grand reward.
For “Jimmy”—“real” name “Jaipaul Jim Sarran Singh” of Albouystown—appreciated that in a corrupt kleptocracy of a society, where old time morals were long lost, the sky was/is the limit if one is willing to take calculated criminal risk.
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