A Letter To Cookie Crews

August 4th, 2026

Department of Corrections Commissioner Crews:

Hello! This is inmate Hiett #283308 at Northpoint greeting and wishing you a great day. Clearly if I'm taking time after 11 flat to approach you, I have concerns. Knowing you are a busy person I appreciate your momentary focus. This pertains to matters on the ground for all demographics, the tether connecting I realize you tire of hearing about: sexuality. Something I wouldn't address but it's problematic for everybody, with results down the road I envision no one wanting.

Backing up, I'm a Sociology near-grad who's been out gay 40 years and the reason I'm raising that minor point is showing my lens. What I'm seeing is outlawing of, for lack of a better word, "healthy sexuality". Images of female nudity are forbidden, and no conjugal visitors. This is a woman-free landscape of frustrated guys. Daily I see this with tension, anxiety, and underestimated bad acting. Commensurately I see a rise in hostility toward gay and trans populations. I'd add "understandably".

Apparently abolishing heterosexual imagery happened off a grievance by a gay inmate. This was a misstep. In timely fashion I'd appreciate the DOC revisiting/reversing it. What problems I see are subjective experiences of different groups.

Trans inmates who've had transitional therapy for years, many pre-lockdown are locked to identity, and suicides have resulted from removal. Therefore, makeup and accessories have a place. Problem is there are malingerers using them for things like protection, money, or drugs via prostitution, a known fact. For hetero inmates having someone with those accouterments regardless of intent giving enticement to others without polar options like nude photos or pornography, hostility hits systemically including the LGBTQ community.

Recently I've seen upticks in xenophobia I predicted long ago. We have homoerotic lit in our library, podcasts too, and a desperate lack of balance not only unfair to us housed here but also female staff. Some might suggest removing LGBTQ materials. My argument is this: closely studying incarcerated healthcare, physical exercise is paramount importance. However, its propagation of testosterone without appropriate releases I guarantee spikes violence. Increased options will decline those. "Blowing off steam" is valid and recognizing this as an adult population with matching needs is smart.

Studying cultures and history I know prohibition makes things more taboo and desirable. This population needs normalized sexuality badly. Making even basic life-producing attraction equal to drugs after living among the sex criminal community to my mind furthers the problem rather than a potential puzzle piece to solve with.

Another issue is grooming. Youthful offenders without genuine sexual histories are only exposed to a single stream of sex. Professional predators pounce on such people as many sex offenders are older men with a taste for boys. Removing sexual outlets added to desperate situations plus the availability of willing partners angling to convince impressionable often clueless types "gay's OK for the stay". Incentives without opportunities for normative expression enables behavior many young men resent or regret yet can't repeal afterwards. I beg the DOC to intervene and fix this.

Again, thank you for your consideration. 

R. Todd Hiett #283308