September 13, 2024

It's Friday the 13th and I am stuck in a building filled with the unluckiest men in Wisconsin. The nightly harassment by the guards keeps guys, who had lived peaceably for almost a year, hostile and routinely threatening each other. Some inmates adopt schemes to stay awake at night and sleep during the day. It seems to be a pleasant joke for the guards since fewer inmates bother with recreation or meals if they are pressured to stay awake at night, all night. Two guys who were brought here on the same bus ride and who have played basketball together get in a fight in the rec yard. It was just three or four punches. What was more troublesome to me was that while the two were yelling at each other before the fight, one of the guards was taunting them by saying "punch him!" I feel like the guards taunting almost forced them to fight for sake of their pride. I see it as predatory harassment on a group of people that have statistically exhibited poor coping skills. So far the "safety" policy has only helped increase violence.