George Erickson:
CLASS OF 1988
Canyon High SchoolClass of 1988
Anaheim, CA
Esperanza High SchoolClass of 1988
Anaheim, CA
George's Story
Workplace
After transferring to Esperanza for my senior year, I joined the US Navy post graduation. I served for 9 1/2 yrs included on my 3 deployments over seas was the Gulf War in 1990. I was there on station for 10 months aboard USS Tarawa. Upon completion of my service I began my career as a Correctional Officer for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. I have now been with them for almost 10 years. My federal service counter is at 19 years and counting. Although my time working the prisons may be at the end, due to my work related 4th knee surgery.
I am still out of work and have now had 5 surgeries. I rehab 3x a wk, and am trying to recover my mojo. Due to where and who I work with, my Dr. has ruled out returning to Corrections. It may still be several months before it is official, but it sure sounds like a career change is in order.
It has been several years since I have posted an update to the above story. I recently turned 42. I am now medically retired from Federal Corrections. I met many good Officers and people who work in one of the hardest environments and almost never get mentioned in the media. 200 to 1 is the average ratio of inmates to officers. Any day can be your last and most people just want to ignore the prison systems of County/State/Federal. Working in this environment has jaded me for sure. I am absolutely for the death penalty now. I am also disgusted as a Disabled War Veteran, that people incarcerated get faster care than the people who have put there life on the line for freedom.
I had to work on a torn ACL for 2+ years, and it was very painful everyday. I could never show injury, or fear, or I would have been a target of inmate violence. I eventually had "FIVE" total surgeries and I am lucky. Others in my field never came home to there wives and their families during my 10 years. My injuries were caused by a work related encounter with an inmate that was trying to injure himself in the psych ward of our prison. With only the Lieutenant and myself present, he made the call that we had to enter the cell and control him. We were successful, but my knee was bent sideways and the wrong direction. I hold no animosity towards m...Expand for more
y superior we did our job. Had we not though, the inmate would have sued the Govt. and anyone present for negligence and probably would have won.
They are allowed to do horrible things(violence/ urine / feces/ exposure to Hepatitus and AIDS) to staff members and do regularly. If those that work in that environment make one wrong move they can be personally sued, fired. Or as some Officers I have been proud to know injured or killed. The system is a travesty.
We the taxpayers, give people imprisoned better healthcare than our elderly. They have medical, dental, food, water, and a home. As the inmates grow old we take care of all there physical and mental needs, sometimes for decades. The last dollar amount I saw, showed it costs an average of $15,000 per year per inmate. and they don't pay for medicare/medicaid/prescription medicines or fight for those benefits. They break the law! Towards the end of my career, I actually met men and women who were decent citizens, but could not pay for medical problems or did not want their spouse or children watch them go through suffering. I quote; from an inmate. " I figured I would rob a bank, I would either get away with it, or get caught. Either way I was going to win." This inmate was 67 years old and had cancer and could not afford his care he was caught, and he was o.k. with it. This man had never broken the law in his life.
I am sorry, for the rant, but it has been five years since I had posted and had many things on my mind. Thank you for reading this, and feel free to send anyone you are still connected with, to read this. This is not so much about what the lawbreakers receive. It is what our veterans and elderly do not receive, without fighting through years of bureaucracy. When ballot measures come to your attention that cut benefits to our elders and veterans, pass this message along to as many people as you can. Thank you for any support this results in. We can make changes to the system, but only if we as citizens stay on top of our lawmakers. Demand the facts and hold those who are elected to a higher level. Bless all of our service members, veterans, elderly, and all of you reading this. Thank you.
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