I Will Not Be a Pawn (Unabridged‪)‬

In I Will Not Be a Pawn, a prison corrections officer provides a unique perspective on the complex relationships and hierarchies of the prison system and how life behind bars has both changed and stayed the same.

Joseph S. Spicer Sr. details his life both within the Department of Corrections and outside. His memoirs provide a powerful look at corruption and courage.

Spicer notes that corrections officers aren’t supposed to stand out. They are supposed to be homogenous units designed to aid the more important pieces without drawing any attention to themselves. In short, they are the pawns of the corrections system. Spicer began to see prison life as one big game of chess, with he and his fellow officers being thrust out on to the board for use as sacrificial lambs.

Join Spicer as he looks back on his time at the Department of Corrections—using the “king,” “queen,” and “bishop” as examples of rampant corruption within the system—and details his refusal to be anyone’s pawn. To the listeners, he imparts lessons learned from his bosses, his coworkers, and the prisoners themselves.