Jon Crispin's Notebook

Craig Williams sent me a link to an article that ran in the Trumansburg, NY weekly paper, and I wanted to pass it along.  It is a very well thought out editorial on the potential closing of two Southern Tier psych centers (Willard is also mentioned).  Here is the link.  I thought of the above photo when the writer spoke about how the alternative to folks getting help in psych centers is to house them in prisons.  The above photo is from a project I did in the 1980s photographing early 20th Century New York State prisons.  This particular shot was taken in the Elmira Correctional Facility which would undoubtedly end up hosting some of the very people who would not be able to get treatment in the psych centers that are meant to close.  I accept that it is all very complicated, but some logical planning on the State’s part should be encouraged.

On a somewhat connected note, yesterday I photographed a very moving interfaith service at the South Church in Springfield called “Creating a Peace-Full City”.  There has been an awful spate of gun-related violence in Springfield this year, and many have come together to see if something positive could be done about it.  I had never been in this church before and it is stunning.