Some of the angriest places in the world, and certainly in America, are inside prisons.
I was introduced to my friend Dr. Christian Conte through a congressman who asked me to meet with someone who had an answer for the problems in corrections. That type of framing obviously enhanced my already significant skepticism.
I remember that meeting like it was yesterday—I walked into a hotel restaurant early in the morning in Pittsburgh, and there’s this bald, bearded dude in a shirt and tie who couldn’t have looked more uncomfortable. He was clearly hiding a plethora of tats, reinforcing my skepticism.
Five minutes later, not only did I buy in, I also realized that this bald, tatted, Harley-riding dude was not only a kindred spirit in my quest to humanize conditions in prisons but a brother in every sense of the word.
However, I am charged with ensuring responsible spending of the taxpayers’ dollars, so when he explained what he wanted to do, I did what anyone would do—I said, “Sure, doc, we’ll try your Yield Theory; however, prove it works. I then gave him the most restrictive housing unit in my system. The Special Management Unit (SMU) program is designed for incarcerated individuals who have accumulated so much disciplinary time for acts of violence within the walls that it is unlikely that they will ever be released to join the rest of the population.
What happened next is nothing short of the most transformative thing I’ve seen in thirty years working inside of jails or prisons. Violence, complaints, and conflict decreased—communication and respect increased.
What’s the secret sauce? Well, you have to read the book . . .
But it looks a lot like meeting people where they are in their life journey, validating where they are at without endorsing inappropriate behavior, separating your emotions from the situation, and acknowledging the commonalities.
Our officers are responsible for keeping the care, custody, and control of individuals locked up. Too often, mutual understanding isn’t part of that harsh environment. Dr. Conte broke down the walls of communication so officers and inmates can see each other’s humanity and created a space for respectful communication—and it worked!
John Wetzel
Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections