Correctional Officer Hung Noose on Prisoners Cell Door at SCI- Houtzdale - Pennsylvania
This report is written by a person incarcerated at Houtzdale
Two weeks ago, I reported an incident of racism by a Correctional Officer in which the officer made a hangman’s noose and hung it from another inmate’s door. One of the witnesses filed a DC-804 (grievance) about the incident and here’s the status update to this point:
Today is Thursday, November 15th, 2007. SCI-Houtzdale is emerging from a 50-hour lockdown initiated by a senseless gang brawl between the Latin Kings and Bloods. All the while, the festering spectre of racism hangs over Houtzdale like a pall. As inmate’s attack each other, ostensibly fighting over pride and disjointed idealism those charged with the reform and safety of society’s errants are conspiring to bury a hate crime.
At 3:15 this afternoon, the Unit Manager, Ms. Jennifer Rossman, called prisoner Benji Hill over to the officer’s station on AA unit to render her disposition to grievance #206170. The inmate reported that Ms. Rossman spoke informally about the incident. She admitted that C.O Clevenstine’s actions were wrong and that her long-time association with this C.O. indicated that he had no racial animosities or prejudices. The whole thing was a “joke”, albeit one in poor taste, she said. Ms. Rossman repeatedly made allowances for the C.O.’s behavior by referring to the matter as a “joke”.
What follows is verbatim accounting of Ms. Rossman’s official response regarding the incident:
“The following is a summary of my finding regarding your grievance:
In your grievance you state that you witnessed officer Clevenstine take a black electrical cord, tie it into a “hangman’s noose”, and tie it onto the door of 4 cell for a moment before taking it down. You claim that Officer Clevenstine “looked at you as if making a point and laughed”. You further state that you were stunned by his senseless act of hatred and that you viewed this as ethnic intimidation and a hate crime.
I interviewed Officer Clevenstine regarding this incident. He admits that he did tie the cord onto the door of 4 cell then immediately removed it. Officer Clevenstine reports that he did this in a joking manner and that it was never his intention to have it represent any type of racial or ethnic gesture.
Officer Clevenstine was counseled regarding this incident. He is fully aware that his actions were inappropriate, regardless of his intentions, and that he needs to be more aware of how his actions can be interpreted by others. He is adamant about the fact that he did not mean to disrespect anyone and he understands that his actions were unacceptable.
Based on my discussion with Officer Clevenstine, I am confident that there will be no further incidents of this nature. This grievance is considered resolved.
CC: to the superintendent, both Deputy Superintendents, and the inmate’s filed.
Signed by Jennifer Rossman, UM; dated: 11-14-07 ”
There are several incredible things about Ms. Rossman’s response, but we’ll focus on the broad points involving the act and how it was perceived.
National headlines from Jena, Louisiana and various locales across the country have shown that the “hangman’s noose” has had a renaissance of sorts among frustrated and angry whites. In isolated communities like Houtzdale and others near prisons, the attitudes of residents on issues of racial tolerance are decidedly hostile, if they exist at all. The PA Department of Corrections trains all its officers and support staff on race matters. Unfortunately, there seems to be a “disconnect” with many staff at any point of their training or daily interaction with inmates where they must consider an inmate’s humanity. And so, racial sensitivity training in an environment where 99.9% of the staff is white and 70% of the staff is minorities falls on deaf ears.
It seems incomprehensible that a college-educated woman could be so glib about her employee’s “joking” use of an implement of racial intimidation and murder whose very form hearkens back to the hellish end of Reconstruction. It can make no difference at all that she knew this officer for years and could effectively “vouch” for his intent. That C.O. Clevenstine could so brazenly admitted committing a hate crime is testament to his knowledge that he was secure in his workplace and that a half hearted excuse and mea culpa would be all he would be called on to offer.
It is beyond dispute that this C.O. hung a noose, however, he shall remain exempt from the selfsame legal process which so easily sent us here.
“Resolving” the grievance in this manner is a slap in the face. It is the “Thin Blue Line” protecting one of its own from the very ideals it purports to represent. It is white privilege combined with white apathy and the clearest possible example I’ve seen about how such power should not be given to individuals without checks against abuse.
And so, Houtzdale returns to normal operations today safe in the knowledge that its employees remain above the law and above reproach. There are no lessons to be learned here, only a lone inmate who took a stand and was drowned out by deafening silence.
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To contact the Department of Corrections:
Jeffrey Beard, Secretary of Corrections in PA P.O. Box 598 Camphill, PA 17001
phone- 717-975-4918
George Patrick, Warden - State Correctional Institution – Houtzdale P.O. Box 1000 Houtzdale, PA 16698 (814) 378-1000