Copyright © 1976, Fay Knopp & on Regier Copyright © 2005, Critical Resistance Originally published by Prison Research Ecueation Actior Project, Syracuse Re-published by Critical Resistance, Cakland, New Orleans, New York Cty 2075 Design by Merk Morris, 2005 Design by Skana Agid ‘Manufactured and Printed inthe United States by 1984 Printing ‘wirw.984printingcom “Library of Congress Cataloging-tn-Publication Data Instead of prisons: handbook for abolitionists / (writers, Fay Honey Knopp .. etal; researchers, Barbara Boward...tal.; editor, Mark Moris] LOCN: 2005924193, 4. Prisons—United States, 2. Imprisonment--United States. 43. Community-based corrections—Uni:ed States. I. Knopp, Fay Honey. IL Eoward, Barbara. IC. Morris, Marl. IV. Prison Research/Education/ ‘Actinn Project (New York State Conneil of Chnrehes) V. Critical Resistance (Organization) HVo471 156 2005 THE POWER OF WORDS tn erder shape a new waion ofa bear suture, ‘very rovial cbarge movement dacovers the need to create Xe own language wd definitions Dan fage is related t power. The world is differently EXperisnceds vinelied and decorbed by the pow Ghul and the poweress. Thus, the vocabulary SSined hy thoes wha Asign and eanteol the prison ie dituonest.” Dishovest because itis bated on feries of fase asimptions, In erating a new sys fam, we need to consciously abandon the jargon that cumotlages the reality of caging and davelop ‘ones Iangeage swe build bur movement Prieoners perceive te ute of “systers” language sa denying them the ratty of ther experience. Just the very fct that they ell us "inmates teats like calling 2 Basck ¢ “nigger” or o Jew « “hike.” It say thot you are flawsd; there's some ‘hing urongrorth you. You're en nmaie™ ara this fe heapitay this ie going t9 mak> you wall Well, ul fort u hospi und Pm not flawed. Pm at on (mate. I'm not sich, And there's nothing here ‘Boing done to mate meony herfor TA plcone, interviewed hy Mike Wallace fon "60 Minutes,” CBS/TV, August 24 ors In thie indbaok, wn hesin to define ard use honest language, But, & with many new idess, ur tongues and brain often remain captives of tae old {Sjstem long after our tears are committed 2 the tow, To disengage ourelves, We record some of the ‘words we ehoose to us i hls Book "Abslitionist~Person who believes that prisons nave felled, Pessoa who advocates the abutilin vt [posons ae a long term goal. Person who seeks to ta Kae “eg county” "Aboitionist relorms—A reform which dows not sieengtion or legilmate the prevailing prison System “Athition madel~A social charge model which (gadunly reitraln/redvees the funetion of prisons intocity. ‘Gige-ficters to places of invcluntry confine iment in prone or jeis, Duhonest larguage eae ‘hem “room” or "reidencis.” “Caring cemmunity Where power and equality ot all social primary goods-ilbery, opportunity, Income and weal.h ane the bases of stf-respoct— {te laliutignally structured and Asteibuted to all Inembets of the commenily and where the epist of ‘eoneliation prea 10 Collctive crminalty--Refleds _lnstitution: saseull on whole sock groups or on the publ Examples include race, starvation, war and co Pera pllstion ‘SGomections”Use of quotes draws tention t the eontendictions in this dhonest term, dvotin Frogans, rocecures of process wich punts ‘ther than correct. ‘Crininal (inlstice systems—Denotes lack Justice in a sores of procedure: begining wit ‘Erect and ending wilh réeao trom prison perole, which are not part of a single coberer Seton. Decircerstion-Modes of geting pecple cut © ‘rnon. Also refered tows “depoptiation.” Excircerdion~Propams or ocedures the ‘esponse to lawbreaking. ‘Gurds—Eafers to people who are pid to kee ‘ther people caged in jals and prisons. Dishoves Tenguage calls them “correctional ofa.” "The moct—An informal aitng of a diput which takes place before neighbor and kin of th {aputants if noncoecive and lows te put fasts to dacuss thelr problems in an atmospher fe tou the questions of pat fac and pull Potiieal~Retem to power and powsr rehtion ships, mpecally power that ie connactad t th ate’ A Spatial choo” can relr toa course © ‘ction (or inaction) adopled when alterativ umes of action are salable. ‘risoner—A pemon bed in custody, captivity © a Condon of brciberesisine Bibone: lan {tage calls them “Inmates” er "residents." Trisons-Places of confinement. Dunones: Ian guage calls them ‘"corectional fulites” 0: “re ‘ReconellitionSome instruments of reconciis ‘ther nonviolent behevior whick are utd te ‘ecnre nth the wrongdoe! and the wronged & ‘Seareaticn | by ieolating prisoners ‘rom te rst of the impr sopuistion. Also ealed “solitary coxtine Dishones: language cally them “adjust rent” unite, ‘Unviolent erimes—Cames tn which shere is ac pays injury, often referred to at “roaviclent™ Rts To ue the term norsilonce” iwvolves no Irerely an cbeence of overt violin but peti (torts toward reconeiintion ‘Vielme-All who suffer ither by collativ sacial end economie oF individual acts of vioence NINE PERSPECTIVES FOR PRISON ABOLITIONISTS erspective 1: Inprisenment is morally repre: hhenible and iedeferstble und wust bs abolished, In fn enlightenee fr society, prison sannct endixe {re will previ. abolitien fe longrange gol an {dea "The erasteaton of any oppressive system Is not an eaxy task. But it is realizable, iko the baution of savery or my liberation, 20 1008 a8 there isthe will to engage in the strug, Terspective 2: The message of abclition requires, “nenest” Iangeage and mew definitions. Language fs mlstec to power. We do Hot parma thove in pover tc contol cur veesbulary. Using “system Ritpuage" to ell gesoners “Manat” Gy pu: mont “tratment,” denies pisoners the malty of syetem. Our own anguage and definitions om- power usto define the prison raistcally. Perspettive 8: Abolitionlsta believe reconela- tion, not punisiment is proper reeponse to xini hal sete. "The present cinal (in}justice systems {ocve on tomeane to plnith, caring litle out she criminal’s need or the victim's loss. The abolitionist Fesponse veeks to ratore both te ermins] and ‘he ict to full humanity, to lime of intepity and Aligrity in the community, Abolitionists advocste the lest amouat of coerein and intervention ina Individuals fe and the maximum smount of eae landservces tall people the society. Parspecive 4: Abolitionlsts vor with prisoners but always remsin “nonmembers” of tp estab lished prion system. Aboitionists lean how to wall the aero Hne between tating to prisoners {ide the eystsm and remainieg independent and “ouside” that sysuam. We tedst We compelling psychological pressures to be “accepted by peoale {or shines tha ate bef to aed died by [pnaners In rating to thore in power, we dtl. fntiate between the personhood of system man- seer (which we respect) and ther rol in prpets sing an oppresive sytem Perspective § Aboltonsts are “lias of pet sonar rather than taditinal “Melpare” We bore forged a rew dfinition of what i tly bela to the caged, Keeping in mand foth the qrsnnee Perspect and the equirements of abolition, New Inalghe into ol, eulreladen stows ofthe “help ing ‘elationahip strengthen our roles ae allies of pritonos. Perspective 6: Abolitinsts rlize that the em- to wson system change. Mos people tave the potest io determine the own Reds in ire af Survival, sources and progam. We support se eterminaion of pasones and. prowams. which place mom power tthe hands of thw recy atfected bythe prison exparence Perspective 7: Abelitionits view power x aall- ‘ble to cook of we for callonging aed abolishing the prison system. We belive tat citizens are the source of inslution power. By gang support tower witsholdng suppor. fron~specfie poles and practice, patterns of power can be altered. Paspocive & Abclitionists bslieve that crimes mainly a conseyuence of the structure of society. We devote ounelver to a community change approach, We would draciealy Hmit the role at the eriminal (injustice systems. We advocate pub lie solutions to puble proolems-arester neoureas ‘and services forall people. Pempective £: Atolitionists beliere tat i is conly in a easing community that componte and favidual redemption can take place. We ew the ‘dominant cultue ae more in need of “conection” ‘han the price, The eatieg communiiee Fave 7st tobebuilt GOO 1. TIME TO BEGIN ‘Voices of tbottion 1 tine to etoptathing about reforming prvane and to wart working for their complete ebolition. ‘Phot moana beically three thins: "Fit, admitting that prisons can Be reformed, since the very nature of prsoxs requires brutality ‘and contompi forthe people imprisoned. ‘Second, reagnizing that prions ere used mainly to. punk peor and’ working clos! pecple, and Torsing the courte to pve equal justice to all "Third, replacing prisons with avert of alterna ive programe, Wa must protect the public from the {ew realy dangerous people who now goto prion. [But mors important. ne must enable all convicted ‘perone to esrape the poverty which isthe root ‘ause of the crimes the average person fers most: Srimes such ot robbery, burglory, mugging or rep. “prison ‘Research Project, The Price of Punishment. p. 57 Fervent ples to abolish prisons collectively pre- tent powerful testinony to the necesity of bring: ingan end to caging: ‘The sprit of the Lord te upon me because He has anointed me: He has went me fo ennounce good rneus to the poor to proclelm release for prisoners ‘and recovery of sight jor the blind; to let the brcken set: go fre, & procaim the year of the Lord's far. (Ceru, quoted in Luke, 10-30 ‘That Jesus called for the abolition of prison, ‘cones a1 no surpiie. However, during the past ‘century, there have been constant and unexpected ‘als for prisen sbolitior. Here we present a few ‘rom the wide specirum of aboitionst voi, sludge Carter, of Ohio, avowed himself « radical on prison discipline Ha fwored the ebolisiment of a ‘Prisons, end the wse of greater efforts for the ‘prosentin of erime. He believes they would come so that pint ‘yet. Any ryeten of imprisonment o° punish- Inert ace degradation, ond could not reform @ ‘man. He woull abolish ai prison wal, ard release (ll confined within ther “Minutes cf the 1670 Congress of the ‘pmerican Prison Asroeiation/ American Correciionsl Association ‘There ought £0 be no als; wad if & were noe for the fect that the people on the outside are so Brewing ond. hearts in thots dalings with the [People cn the inside, there would be no such Trettutions an aile The any wey inthe world to ebolist crime and eriminalsi fo sbotah the big ‘ner and the Ettle ones together. Meke fair cordl- lone of ie. Give men « chance to lve... No body sould seal if he could get something of his foun some enler wey. Novogy wil commit tur lary when he has 2 house full. The only way to Gurr thene conditions te by equality. There should Beno als They donot accomplish whot they pretond to essomplish. if yor wold wipe them fut there would be no nore srimisals then now. They terorise nobody. They area blot pon any ‘lization, and fll on evidence of the lack of ‘chatty of the people on the outside who make the Salle and fill them withthe victims of thir greed. “Clarence Darrow, An Addvess to the Pri foners in the Cook County Jal, Caicago, iinois-1902 ‘The propose! toward which the book points. le sr nothing lace than that penal Imprkcnment for chime be abolished... The author car hardly ‘ecpe the apprehension tha! the mas of the ‘public wil dizmse this or prepostereus and impos. ible. Ard’ yet nothing ts more certain in ony Mi tnetead of Prisons sopinicn then thst penal imprscnmert for erime must cease, and 'f it b not abolided ty saute, Dil be by force. “didlan’ Hawtbome, The Subteranean broinemeod (New York, Mebeide, Nas 1914) pp. xi-xiv We must destoy the prion, root end tranch That wil not solve ovr preblem, but tt wil be « food beginsing.... Jat us subsite something “Almost any'hing wil ban improvement. Teeanno: te” worse. Tt cannot be more dratal and more lene