I am a retired Michigan Department of Corrections warden and often am critical about Michigan's corrections operations. However, I also realize that observations made of correction operations often need context to fully understand.

I’m responding to the opinion piece dated May 13 by Doug Tjapkes. I will respond item by item to what he said to provide context. 

Read More: Doug Tjapkes: Recalibrate the way we see prison reform

An audit noted facility operation failures. They are to be expected when there are staff shortages and officers must rush through prisoner counts, even to the point of falsifying count sheets, to be able to do the extra work caused by staff vacancies. I don’t know what Mr. Tjapkes means by metal detector "lapses." Is he writing about staff failure to use the technology, or is this about mechanical failures? Can Mr. Tjapkes post a link to the audit report?

If officers brutalize prisoners, they must be punished. There is no excuse for brutal staff behavior. Can Mr. Tjapkes post a link to a description of this incident so we might understand the circumstances behind such staff brutality and determine how far up the chain-of-command responsibility goes? Is it possible that officers being forced by staff shortages to work double shifts day after day might not be able to be tolerant, understanding and reasonable when faced by prisoner bad behavior? Punish the offending officers, but address any underlying causes.

The MDOC has itinerant hearings officers, with each hearing officer making a circuit of many prisons on different days to hold hearings. Staff funding has been cut drastically since Gov. John Engler’s regime. This has reduced the number of hearing officers, so it’s to be expected that there will be shorter time to properly consider cases and long delays in processing cases. Bring back additional hearings officers. This is not rocket science. 

When Engler got rid of the defined benefit retirement plan for corrections officers, and installed a defined contribution retirement plan, he destroyed the major incentive that encouraged people to become officers. Remedial legislation has been passed by both branches of the Michigan State Legislature, but instead of being sent to the governor for her signature, it is impounded by the Republican House. This is a violation of the Michigan Constitution. This legislation amends Engler’s disaster and would be a major motivating factor in recruiting new officers. Anything less will not work.

Citations and links would be helpful when making claims about prisoner population numbers and sentence length. Without these references, a proper response is impossible.

Mr. Tjapkes says, “Some of the nicest people I know live in prison. Some of my best friends are locked in these cages.” It is difficult to establish friendships when power differentials are so great, even between religious volunteers and prisoners. Prisoners develop an ability to act as mirrors, reflecting to volunteers what the volunteer wants to see about himself/herself. I find this particularly true regarding religious volunteers. I urge anybody claiming a friendship with a prisoner to wait to make such a statement until the prisoner has completed parole. What I’m saying is meant to be cautionary.

I support second-look legislation, but realize that the Trump Administration maintains a false narrative that crime is out of control in the U.S. State House Speaker Hall (who is the one holding up corrections officer retirement reform), is a Trump minion not inclined to do anything that would contradict Trump’s efforts to maintain the image of chaos in our criminal justice system.

Pray as much and hard as you wish — it’s good for the soul. But prayer alone will not get the job done of addressing profound criminal justice issues.

P.S.: The photo in Tjapkes' opinion piece is of an old Michigan prison that has been closed a long time. As such, it is very misleading and certainly beneath journalistic standards.  

— Joseph Abramajtys is a retired Michigan prison warden. He resides in Jenison.

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