Prisons neglecting human rights

Education and rehabilitation are far more effective than incarceration in dealing with criminals, said lecturer and poet Luis "Bato" Talamantez in a presentation on Thursday afternoon.

Talamantez, who spent 20 years in prison for armed robbery, spoke to about 60 members of the CSUS community on the "criminal injustice system," and the need for alternatives to locking people behind bars.

"There are no champions in the world of imprisonment, only those who never get back up," said Talamantez.

Talamantez doesn't condone criminal activity, nor does he make excuses for those who commit crimes against innocent people.

"Prisoners make victims of us all," he said. Talamantez does oppose guard brutality and medical neglect of prisoners, and he speaks out against the sanction of such abuse. He encourages people to question authority.

Talamantez referred to prisons as "dungeons" with no mercy or justice.

"They are horror stories," he said. "Prisoners are seen as the enemy, and prisons reek with racism."

Talamantez said that incidents of sexual abuse and physical and psychological violence against women in Chowchilla, one of California's largest women's prisons, are increasing.

"It is a place of concrete walls and little hope," he said. "Total power leads to abuse of power."

While California leads the nation with 33 prisons and the largest prison population, Talamantez said that we must promote education, jobs, youth intervention, counseling services, and other rehabilitation programs rather than build more penitentiaries.

"The majority of prisoners deserve another chance. Nobody needs to be left behind," he said.

Talamantez stated that many prisoners will eventually be released, so we must rehabilitate as many of them as possible in the hope that they may one day contribute to society.

Talamantez belongs to a community-based, nonprofit organization called California Prison Focus, which helps prisoners turn their lives around.

Participants in his rehab programs must be aware of their propensity for violence and make a commitment to control their behavior. Talamantez said that ignorance plays a major role in violence, so education is vital.

He said these men and women must make amends to victims' families, help restore their lives, and attempt to earn forgiveness.

"We're all in the process of healing ourselves," Talamantez said.