My Side of the Bars

Cleo Dunnit is a Forensic Psychiatric Nurse in a maximum security prison for males in New York State. The book is from a nurse's perspective and Cleo's opinions. It reveals the criminal mind at work in all its manipulations, selfishness, and lack of remorse. It reveals how the manipulative behavior of the inmates is condoned versus being corrected. It reveals the bureaucratic incompetence of the state system. It shows the lack of rehabilitation and how the system actually sets up anyone release from prison for failure. It shows that although there are many hard working dedicated employees, there are also incompetent and inept persons whom are never held accountable or fired. They are just transferred to another facility. It shows how in the over all picture our present prison system in New York State puts staff, inmates, and ultimately society itself in danger.