MIDDLESEX COUNTY PRISON COORDINATING COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER

MCPCC met on Sept. 10, 2002 in Newtonville. Present were Chairman Mary Ann Donaldson, Beverly WiIkins, Elizabeth Woodbridge, Tom Crowther, Judith Lustig, Dorothy Weitzman, Fran Seasholes and Marjorie Moerschner. Our guest speaker was Dr. Michael Sperber.

We are sorry to report that Judy Garafolo, a clinical social worker at Billerica, who spoke to us in June, is no longer there. Her grant from the Division of Mental Health was not renewed, a sign of the economic times. The other clinical social worker at Billerica, also under a grant, is also gone. Among other things, they provided assessments of troubled prisoners and made mental health referrals for men leaving the prison. Dr. Sperber will now be expected to do much of their work.

Dorothy noted that the state eliminated county mental health services to prisons from the budget in the hopes that the counties or their sheriffs would be able to fill the gap, which hasn't happened. One sheriff has even suggested that he be sued on the grounds that mental health standards are not being met, in order to attract the attention of the Commonwealth.

Dr. Sperber says he is expected to spend only 15 minutes with a patient. This barely gives him time to say hello. He has to see patients either in the dental office, or, in the mod 2 unit, in a room with paper-thin walls.

The prison is not really set up to handle suicidal prisoners. In spite of T.V. monitors and supervision, a man bent on killing himself can usually find a way, however bizarre, to do so. In the past the number of prisoners Dr. Sperber could send to Bridgewater for safety reasons was quite restricted, but fortunately that policy has recently been relaxed and Dr. Sperber can now send any man who is a suicide risk there.

On this eve of the anniversary of 9-11, Dr. Sperber shared with us the story of a young man he had treated at Billerica, which he feels gives insight into the mind of a terrorist . There is nothing in the psychiatric literature about this as yet. Terrorism, which currently imperils human survival, comes in any forms, and is far more common than we like to think. This particular terrorist was a cyberstalker who lived in the midwest. As a teenager he had been paralyzed from the neck down in an automobile accident. The driver was his best friend. This friend, out of guilt, refused to have anything to do with the injured boy, who felt profoundly disrespected, mortified and powerless. He could use a computer, and eventually he located a chat room run by school kids in a small town in Massachusetts who shared his interest in rock music. He visited the chat room frequently, using a chat name, but in time his new friends asked him to identify himself; when he refused, they told him he was no longer welcome. Again, feelings of mortification and powerlessness overcame him. His solution was to send messages and graphic photos threatening the kids and their school with Columbine-like murder and mayhem. The whole community was terrorized. The cyberstalker was finally located, brought to trial and sentenced to Billerica, to the infirmary since he was unable to take care of himself. This is where Dr. Sperber met him. With treatment, the young man was eventually able to gain an understanding of himself and of the terror he had caused, and he is now back home.

Terrorism is violence or the threat of violence. The cycle of violence can be broken by respect, love and empathetic compassion.

Dr. Sperber's case study of the cyberstalker will be published in the October issue of Current Psychology. We are honored to have heard it first.

As always, we very much appreciate Dr Sperber's visit and his sharing with us some of his wisdom, knowledge and compassionate understanding of humankind.

Beverly as coordinator reported that the four children of Billerica prisoners who went to summer camp under the sponsorship of some of MCPCC'S supporting churches had a fine time there.

A five year plan is being formulated for the Billerica library, and John Regan, the librarian, would like us to review it.

Elizabeth has purchased 10 paperback English-Spanish dictionaries for the Billerica library, and expects to get more. This fills a real need!

Tom presented us with a revised amendment to our articles of incorporation. This recognizes that we are actually an association of churches.

Tom's church, The First Church of Christ, Congregational, in Bedford, will conduct worship services at Billerica once a month.

We're happy to report that the Congregational Church of Littleton has offered to provide some unused Christmas cards and envelopes or the men at Billerica to send out. We hope others of you will do the same, The cards should be in by Dec. 1. Call Beverly, 781-784-6385 or Marjorie, 617-527-5613 for information.

NEXT MEETING: OCTOBER 7, 2002 at 7 PM

CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC 218 WALNUT ST., NEWTONVILLE