Inmates Unlocked

Education and the Ex-Convict

“Second Chance students are given the prospect of truly changing their lives and the opportunity to reclaim their humanity, as the respect and consideration they are shown by the program are in turn given back to their fellow students and to their communities. And it’s hugely cost effective.” 

Dr. Raymond Fong, Article by Louise Rafkin, City College counselor steers former inmates to education, The Bay Citizen*

Angela Davis responded to this article with this comment: 

“It has been such a struggle attending college after a life of addiction, prostitution, ill-gotten gains and complete loss of all dignity. It is not easy picking your face up off of the floor and looking the world in the eyes, especially when the world tends to look so far down on you.” 

She praised Dr. Fong for the help he gave her.

The article doesn’t emphasis getting work, although many members work as drug counselors, social workers and activists. Second Chance sounds like a worthwhile program. We all live up or down to the opinion we have of ourselves. However, I hope Dr. Fong emphasizes the reality of getting work once out of prison. It may take time to get that first job. 

In my blog, Ex-Inmates Earning Trust, Dr. Williams talks about obstacles such as background checks she can’t pass as she works on her PhD. At the writing of the blog, she earned ten dollars an hour as a shift leader. 

Education alone may not keep prisoners strong. Often, new self-respect must withstand jobs below an ex-offender’s education level. Angela can deservedly feel proud for having followed the long road to getting an education. However, those ingrained feelings she mentions may return easily. Until an inmate knows the worth we get from God—trusting in Him and leaning on His love—willpower can waver. 

Inmates should understand that any job is a good job in the beginning. Forewarned, they can take the menial job while they persist in looking for the job they deserve through their education. If they keep trying, they will get better jobs in time. 

*The Bay Citizen website may be down. I wasn't able to link to the article about Dr. Fong. If you can't click through, please try later.

Order Escape from the Prison System: Finding the Narrow Door, today. Forty-three percent of sales go to prison ministry.

Is Revenge Worth It?

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “ vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Romans 12:18-20.

 “’Twenty percent of the people in prison need to be there. The other 80 percent we’re just mad at.’ …

Today, (Sean) Sartin is living a life that is indistinguishable from the life of a person who has never been in a prison. He has his own apartment, his own car and a job in a local manufacturing plant. The new, higher-paying job with more responsibility shows how a person can start with small steps and progress.

Sartin said he is now eight years sober and three years, going on four years, out of prison. … Sartin is now volunteering his time to help former inmates who want to reenter their community.”

Harold Reutter, State Group Aims to Rehabilitate Prisoners, The Independent.com

Society could have opted for revenge. I don’t know Mr. Sartin’s crime. As usual, drug use fueled it. Harold Reutter quoted Lauri Westfall in her statement that prison costs $30,000 a year per prisoner in Nebraska. The state could have abandoned Mr. Sartin to drug addiction and crime. Maybe he would have gone to prison for another ten years. He would have cost the state another $300,000. But, at that point, a hardened criminal, it probably wouldn’t have stopped there.  He could have cost the state over $1,000,000. Multiply him by all we wanted to see punished, and the cost is incalculable. It’s a high cost so we can feel like we got “even.”

As Lauri Westfall says, “some inmates in Nebraska’s prison system truly do need to be locked up for the protection of society, …” but for the redeemable, we need not be concerned about revenge.

Paul watched Stephen killed as he held his coat. Then Paul spent his life suffering far more than Stephen did.

Tuesday, I blogged about a teenager who killed his friend. His pain went so deep, once out of detention, he wrote the newspaper to apologize. He will live with what amounted to a stupid accident for the rest of his life.  

Let’s give revenge to God, and instead do what is the best for our state and country.

What do you think?

Order Escape from the Prison System: Finding the Narrow Door, today. Forty-three percent of sales go to prison ministry.

Why Aren’t We Outraged?

 The Lawrence Journal World ran a story some years ago about a young man of thirteen who killed his friend of the same age while taking drugs. They found a gun. A young black man lightly colored, freckled, and with the still-round features of childhood lost his life. They were friends. Their befuddled minds didn’t grasp the danger of waving the gun and pulling the trigger.

The white killer looked like any middle-class white couple’s child. The paper ran a picture after the sentencing of the boy. He stood with his parents. They had the expressions of hurt you would expect, and the young man sobbed like the child he was—one life over, another life forever changed. After the young man left detention, he wrote a letter to the paper apologizing and pouring out his pain at what he had done. 

Why aren’t we outraged at the easily available drugs, alcohol, and guns that turn children into criminals? The writers for Escape from the Prison System, with a few exceptions, committed their crimes while drunk or high. Or allows psychotics to fulfill their most evil fantasies. I suppose we feel helpless. I do. 

I know I can’t reach anyone about gun availability. People become livid if you try to take away their guns. They say, “The Constitution guarantees our right to have guns. We only want them for our protection.” Surely the Bill of Rights founders didn't mean personal ownership of pistols and Uzis. I won’t comment on hunting guns. People don’t usually kill their bosses and co-workers with those. 

So, we can’t attend a movie. Anyone of any mental state may have bought guns off the internet. No one will screen him. Maybe he will then take them to a theater. Or take them to our jobs. Or take them to our schools. Our town passed a law allowing concealed weapons. Businesses put a picture of a gun with a line through it on their workplace doors if they don’t want guns in their building. I know I feel safer. 

Concerning drugs, I would say throw away the key on drug pushers, but the drug pushers often are the children, getting money for drugs. 

What do you think? I won’t run profanity and hate-filled comments, but I will run reasoned disagreement.

Photo: Uzi, Wikipedia

Order Escape from the Prison System: Finding the Narrow Door, today. Forty-three percent of sales go to prison ministry.

Her Majesty’s Prison Northward

“Inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison Northward are currently rearing cows, goats and tilapia and creating items as diverse as church pews, wine racks and custom engravings. The meat and produce are primarily consumed by inmates, with the excess of some items sold through local supermarkets and other venues. 

Inmates also undertake much of the work required at the prison, including the construction of the 7,200 square-foot work vocational centre and a 5,000 square-foot greenhouse.” 

Prison Rehab Efforts Intensify, Caymen iNews, Caymen Islands

The God-given creativity of those who decide conditions need to change staggers me. Her Majesty’s Prison Northward in the Cayman Islands train inmates for future employment as they support the costs of the prison. 

Prisoners must stay out of trouble to get into the training programs. They exist for those who have decided they want a better life. Once out, offenders will compete with others to get work, but the prison predicts some will “start cottage industries.” 

America could take a note. Not only adult prisoners, but juvenile prisoners might benefit. Change their direction before they have records that look like the page count of War and Peace. 

What do you think?

Photo by Information Officer Lennon Christian

Order Escape from the Prison System: Finding the Narrow Door, today. Forty-three percent of sales go to prison ministry.