Prison Town, USA the documentary we are watching in class is very depressing and exposes the side of law enforcement most people never see. If it weren’t for this documentary I would have never known the negative affects prisons have on the towns and cities they surround. Until this documentary I never thought about were prisons were located and the repercussions of them being in certain locations. The citizens of Susanville, C.A. thought that the prisons would help improve their failing economy, however it only lead to further economic recession. In Susanville people don’t have many options either they work for the prisons or they try to find a minimum wage job anywhere they can. I was really anger that the prisons were no longer going to purchase their milk from the local dairyman. If I could sign his petition I would. I agree with everything he said. If he loses the prison sales then he loses 25% of his income, which means we will have to lay people off because there won’t be enough money to pay for their salaries. If he has to let people go there will be more people in Susanville who will be unemployed and the town will become more poverty stricken. People will not have enough money to afford to go out to local restaurants and support local businesses because they lost their job at the dairy plant. The entire Susanville economy suffers if the dairyman loses his contract with the prisons. After watching this documentary I would never want to live in a Prison town and I think that if the people of Susanville had known that this would be the out come then they never would have agreed to have the prisons built there. After the close of the Mill Susanville went into economic depression and poverty and, although the prisons promised to bring more money to the town, the prisons only added to that.
The story of Lonnie is one that shows the flaw in the parole system. Because of California’s 3-strike law Lonnie went to prison for 16 months because he was caught stealing food for his hungry children. Him and his wife both served time and their two boys were placed in foster homes until their mother’s release from prison. After Lonnie served his 16 months he had to stay in Susanville while on parole. There were very few jobs available in Susanville to begin with, and Lonnie was only able to find a few odd jobs paying minimum wage. The jobs were few and far between. Lonnie and his wife could not afford to pay their rent because of the lack of available jobs. They had no means to make money. Because of his parole Lonnie couldn’t leave Susanville, but if he is unemployed and homeless he won’t be allowed to complete his parole. Lonnie can’t leave Susanville where there are no jobs and no means to make money and he also can’t complete his parole until he has a steady income and a home. It is a vicious cycle. He and his family are stuck in Susanville where there is no opportunity for a better future for their family. They are stuck like many other prison families in Susanville. The prisons have caused more trouble and poverty than the economic boost they originally promised. It seems to me that Susanville will be stuck in poverty and an economic slump as long as the prisons are there, but if the prisons close or move Susanville will completely collapse. There is little hope for the people of Susanville and Prison Town, USA.