Annual Prisoners' Issue: Life and Rights of Prisoners

(October 2003)

Urszula Masny-Latos, issue editor, writes:

Following our long-standing tradition, in October we turn to incarcerated members of our society and Guild members who closely work with prisoners and make Mass Dissent a place where they can present their views, thoughts, and feelings about the criminal justice system as well as about life in prison. In the first article, David Husband (South Walpole) presents systematic obstacles Massachusetts prisoners’ encounter when they seek medical care and services. Peter Costanza and Phillip Kassel from Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services discuss the recent murder of John Geoghan and how the incident illustrates inadequate protective custody in Massachusetts prisons. John Currie (Norfolk) presents an argument in support of a bill introduced by Rep. Kahn which calls for establishment of an Advisory Board to the Department of Correction. Basic education (or lack of it) in prison is the subject of Arnie King’s (Norfolk) piece. In the following article, Timothy Muise (Shirley) argues against renewed efforts to bring the death penalty to Massachusetts. Then, Phillip Kassel updates us on the aftermath of the Supreme Judicial Court’s decision that prisoners cannot be held in "solitary confinement cells without the provision of procedural protections." We end with a piece by Kevin Hicks (Shirley) which is an excerpt from his soon to be published memoirs. We also include three poems by Arlis Evans (Norfolk), Edward Brown (Bridgewater) and Arnold King (Norfolk).
Once again, we received an overwhelming number of articles from prisoners and had to make a very difficult decision which articles should be included. We would like to thank all those who sent in their written work and apologize to those whose pieces didn’t make the issue.
We hope you find this special issue of Mass Dissent moving and informative.

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