In the past few weeks, readers have found several stories in The Valdosta Daily Times concerning violence at Valdosta State Prison. The reported violence involves inmate-on-inmate attacks and attacks on correctional officers by inmates.

These news stories have generated numerous phone calls and e-mails to The Valdosta Daily Times offices from people claiming to be current or former correctional officers or the family of prison personnel.

These calls and messages have detailed everything from the number of inmates reportedly involved in specific altercations to the lowering of scores to become a corrections officer to definitions of “nuisance contraband” taken during a recent shake down to personnel shortages caused by furloughs to how it is impossible for past prison files being destroyed to other incidents that have not been reported.

In terms of these messages and calls, we’re receiving plenty of information from people whose names and exact relationships to the prison we do not know.

As for official prison comment, we know their names, but they aren’t saying anything.

Recent open records requests have been stymied by state Department of Corrections’ claims that the records have either been destroyed or cannot be released because they are “state secrets.”

These requests were prompted by two corrections officers and the father of a third officer willing to go on the record to share their experiences of being attacked by inmates. Yet, it is difficult to sort out what is happening when details from one anonymous caller differ from those left by another. Still, this anonymity is understandable. These callers do not want to jeopardize their jobs but want a safer work environment.

What’s not understandable is the continued silent treatment from prison officials. They are public officials who should be answerable to the public. Their silence only fuels more concerns within the community.

Instead of words that might seek a measure of calm or understanding to the conditions they face, their silence fans the flames of rumor and innuendo, panic and fear.

This week, Valdosta city and police officials would have likely preferred not having to speak about the deadly violence of this past weekend’s shootout in Hudson Dockett or the murderous effects of this past summer, but they did. City officials did not answer every question, but they at least put themselves in the position to answer some questions.

City officials promised to address the issue of violence. They promised they are working on a resolution to the case.

As for prison officials, they have no worries of breaking any promises, because they have no promises to keep. They have only kept quiet about what’s happening at Valdosta State Prison.