Perverts Terrorize Young at Mansfield Reformatory

From First Page

"But of course, many of them are not very well equipped to defend themselves, said Robert C. White, reformatory superintendent.

A Plain Dealer team interviewed prisoners and members of the reformatory staff, and learned:

• The problem exists. • It is real.

• And it is racial. The superintendent pointed out that blacks comprise 56% of the reformatory's inmate population of 2,086.

He said most attacks are by black inmates on whites.

""

"IT'S THE NO. 1 PROBLEM in the institution,' said the Rev. Warren D. Shelton, a Protestant chaplain at the reformatory for the last four years.

The Rev. Mr. Shelton, who is black, formerly was pastor of Union Avenue Mission Alliance Church in Cleveland.

"It's usually the small, soft white boy... sort of pretty," he said.

"They come to see me out of fear of being molested, of being forced to become someone's 'woman.' the chaplain said.

"They say, "They're pulling hairs out of my chest, trying to make a woman out of me. But don't tell on me, or I'll be in more trouble.'

THE CHAPLAIN SAID HE advises them: "You can either snitch, fight or submit. But once you submit,

the news flies fast and you will find yourself submitting to many.

""

Most often, he tells them to fight back.

The chaplain, who explained that he had bossed a street gang in Pittsburgh in his youth, said he sometimes counsels the young inmates who come to him for help:

"Get yourself a pipe and pipe him. A pipe is a club. Sometimes it's the only way to move them.”

“I don't know what else to tell them, except to pray," the chaplain said.

THE REV. MR. SHELTON said he does not agree with reformatory officials who contend that the sexual threats are merely part of a process which inmates use to test newcomers.

Threats of rape are serious, he said.

"A homosexual came to me and said "I can't remember when I preferred a girl to a boy,' but on the outside it's a matter of choice. Inside here it isn't a matter of choice."

"When they get hard up, even a friend will force his friend," the chaplain said.

"The public needs to be aware of what is going on in here," he added.

"WHEN THE PUBLIC GETS aroused, they'll find whatever it takes."

Black inmates say young and vulnerable blacks are subjected to the same kind of assaults and harassment.

White prisoners say that while there are homosexual relationships among whites,

it is more often a consenting relationship.

A black inmate said there is a fad among blacks to for a sexual partner. have a young white "punk"

"You have to have a punk to get along with the other guys, even if you don't want one,” he said.

For a black, the fear is always there that if he doesn't get a 'punk,' he will be picked on by other blacks, the inmate said.

The threat of rape also is used on whites to keep them in fear of the blacks, he explained.

Young blacks who are raped by other blacks often keep the fact hidden from their families because of shame.

Whites freely told reporters that they had been assaulted, but were reluctant to admit that the rape attempts were successful.

NEXT: The story of James, Larry and Shawn.