Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Duplicitous Justice--Sending Kids to Prison for Life While Blaming the Parents

 In a recent edition of the Criminal Defense Newsletter, an article noted, "No country other than the United States permits sentencing children to life [in prison] without parole, and Michigan leads the nation in people serving this sentence" (Feb. 2024, Vol. 47, Issue 5). 


This statistic deeply saddens me. Some might justify the practice of sending children to prison for the rest of their lives by noting that some other countries would probably execute these children. That's not a comfort though. Life in prison IS an execution, but it's a slow, cruel one. 

Michigan prides itself for being progressive, but its criminal justice system is one of the toughest, most archaic in the nation. When the United States Supreme Court ruled that former juveniles serving life in prison must be resentenced (and their youthfulness considered as a factor), Michigan dragged its feet. Some of these prisoners have STILL not been resentenced, more than a decade after the Supreme Court's ruling!

Recently, Oxford High School shooter, Ethan Crumbley, was tried as an adult and sentenced to four life sentences. He was only the most recent high profile juvenile sentenced to life in prison in Michigan. The criminal justice system tried Ethan as an adult and gave him an adult sentence. But, then the same "justice" system held the child Ethan's parents accountable and found them guilty of manslaughter. 

On one hand, Ethan was treated as a competent adult, but then when it came time to prosecute his parents, he was a mentally ill child who the parents should have had more control over. I don't see how the "justice" system can have it both ways. Mark my words. Either Ethan or his parents will get back on appeal over this duplicity. 

If Ethan was a competent adult who is responsible for his actions, than his parents cannot be held culpable for his actions. But if he was a mentally ill, immature and irresponsible child, then he should not have been tried as an adult. His parents, then, should have held some culpability. 

Let me be clear. What Ethan did is horrific and tragic. Four families' lives were changed that day, and many more have suffered the after effects of his actions. If Ethan was not mentally ill, he should pay for his crimes. But is it justice to send him--a child himself--to prison for the rest of his life? Is he incapable of rehabilitation? Perhaps that justice system knows what every prisoner already knows--the prison system does not rehabilitate people. 

And if we as a society want to start holding parents responsible for the behavior of their children, as the court did with Ethan's parents, then the parents' irresponsibility ought to be a significant mitigating factor in the child's sentence. 

I doubt Michigan will lead the way in this common sense approach to justice. It's already too busy leading the way in sentencing more children to life in prison than any other state, and nation, on earth.

Monday, March 18, 2024

The Addicts are Dropping Like Flies in Prison

Last week was a banner day in prison, but for all the wrong reasons. In a two or three day period, at least fifteen prisoners at Parnall Correctional Facility overdosed on drugs. As far as I know, they all survived, but it's only a matter of time before someone dies. 

Many Michigan prisoners over the last few years have turned to a substance that is referred to in prison as "paper" or "toonch." Apparently, it mimics the effects of crack, but it is a chemical substance sprayed on paper. Rumor has it that some "toonch" is bug spray on paper. I'm not an expert, so I wouldn't know, but the main key for these prisoners is that the administration cannot test for its use. That means it's difficult to hold these prisoners accountable. It's also very difficult for the administration to catch the drug coming in to prison. 

Nevertheless, the effects are obvious. Some prisoners who have used start acting highly erratic, even stripping naked at times and writhing on the ground. Others fall on the ground and appear to seize, slurring their speech or drooling on themselves. The effects usually last for less than an hour. 

The prisoners who use these substances also often run up debts with the dealers. Some concoct stories to get their families to pay their debts, but others have to "lock up" when they can't pay. They ask the officers for protection and then go into protective custody. They avoid paying their insurmountable debt, but that debt often catches up with them at whatever other prison they are then transferred to. 

As a prisoner who is trying to find productive and constructive ways to spend his time in prison, it's frustrating to see the lack of purpose, the hopelessness, and the stupidity that is running rampant here. As a prisoner who facilitates a substance abuse recovery group, it feels pretty hopeless. The pull of the paper (and other substances) is strong, and so many men are ill equipped to say no. Some simply don't want to. 

It's maddening when the administration reacts to these overdoses by taking away our privileges and increasing our lock downs. But what other remedies are there? Last week, I wrote about the MDOC's wasteful expenditures on a body scanner that isn't even looking in the right places for illicit substances. Perhaps looking in the right places would be a good start. 

Eventually, I'm sure the administration will have the ability to test for these substances. Recent batches have apparently been adulterated with fentynal, and tests are already available to test for that. That's a step in the right direction. But they'll never be able to stop the trade. As long as there are humans involved (prisoners and officers), there will be greed driving the trade. 

The real key to changing this drug driven narrative is to change hearts and minds. But you can't force or coerce that kind of change. It has to come naturally, or when, as they say in A.A., the users have hit "rock bottom." Apparently for some, prison isn't far down enough. Sadly, for many only death will stop their decline. Let's hope that for most it won't go that far.  

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Budget Shortages and Misplaced Priorities in Michigan Prisons

Despite having one of the highest per prisoner costs in the country, Michigan always seems to be short of money for important investments in prison. But that doesn't stop the MDOC from making expensive investments with taxpayer dollars that do little to solve the problems they aim to solve. 

Several Michigan prisons have crumbling infrastructures, and everywhere you look in prison, something isn't working properly or is falling apart. Parnall Correctional Facility, in Jackson, for example, is designated an ADA "medical facility," housing a larger than normal population of disabled or elderly prisoners. Nevertheless, its paved areas inside the prison are crumbling, making it dangerous and difficult for prisoners in wheelchairs and with canes or walkers. Its medication line is outside and uncovered, too, forcing some elderly and ill prisoners to stand outside in inclement weather while waiting for their medications. 

And this is only one of hundreds of examples of infrastructure problems in Michigan's prison system. 

But instead of investing in fixing these problems, prisons like Parnall's install pointless additional fencing in a low security prison and purchase million dollar equipment to allegedly stop illicit drugs from entering the prison. 

After a recent visit with a family member, I waited with the other prisoners for our traditional strip search. This search is meant to discover any contraband prisoners might attempt to smuggle into the prison after a visit. Yet, instead of the traditional one-at-a-time strip search we normally endure, we were ushered into a different process. 

Two officers escorted the group of us prisoners to a different building. After arriving, we had to wait until a Sergeant arrived to supervise (another new process). We were then subjected, one-by-one, to a full body scan with the prison's newest pricy toy, I mean tool. And then we were strip searched anyway. 

I asked the Sergeant how much radiation we were being exposed to, but he claimed they weren't exposing us to anything. The radiation symbols on the papers secured to the wall behind his head seemed to indicate otherwise. Apparently I'm supposed to be too dumb to recognize the symbols. 

The problem I have with this entire new process isn't the triple or quadruple time it takes to process prisoners, despite the MDOC's claims that they are 1000 officers short. It's that the prison staff KNOW this process is unlikely to stop the smuggling of drugs into prison. They know that only a small amount come in through visits and that most come in through corrupt staff members. Yet, only prisoners are exposed to the full body scans and intrusive searches. 

A million-plus dollar investment is not going to solve a problem when the real problem is ignored. But scrutinizing staff members might lead to even worsening shortages. I get it. 

Still, Michigan taxpayers ought to know how the MDOC is spending parts of its $2.2+ BILLION dollar budget to solve probably less than 10% of the drug problem in prison. 

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Trying to Stay in Prison - Confessions of an Idiot

 This past week I heard another prisoner say something that not only astonished me but also infuriated me. He claimed, "I'm a smart criminal. I've never been caught for any of the crimes I've committed. I'm in prison because someone lied on me." 


I was furious with him because he had also just finished describing a crime he planned on committing when he left prison. Of course, he didn't believe it was a crime. He thought he was justified. 

The most astonishing part of it all was that this prisoner was not talking to another prisoner. He was saying these ridiculous things to a prison employee! I was within 10 feet of the conversation, and I wanted to shout, "You are CLEARLY not a smart criminal, you IDIOT!" 

I doubt this prisoner thought about that the fact that the employee he was speaking to was required to report things like what she heard from him. After that prisoner left, the prison employee later expressed concern about the prisoner's parole status. Apparently she knew the information he'd divulged might jeopardize the recent parole he'd received. 

This isn't the first stupid thing I've heard in prison, but it certainly ranks up pretty high. Admitting to a prison employee one's plans to commit another crime after leaving prison? Completely ludicrous.

More frustrating, though, is that this prisoner clearly had embraced a criminal mindset. After at least two years (probably more) in prison, he was still thinking about how to commit crimes, and he was reveling in getting away with his previous crimes. So much for the prison's investment in training this prisoner in a vocational trade. 

I should be used to entrenched criminal thinking since I'm surrounded by it. Perhaps it says more about my misplaced belief in humanity than about the state of the so called "brilliant" criminal minds around me. I honestly don't know why I still have a tendency to believe in people. I ought to have given up a long time ago. 

I guess it's a good thing that I still have some hope for even the most hopeless among prisoners. But some guys REALLY make it difficult for me to see a positive future for them. Delusional isn't even a strong enough word for some prisoners. 

But, you can't force prisoners (or anyone for that matter!) to change. One must want to change, or it'll never happen, or at least never stick. I hope this guy decides to change before he ruins his life or the lives of others.

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Prison is Full of Deadbeat, Dysfunctional Dads

My dad was a good dad. 

That's a difficult thing for me to say, but it's true. He was by no means perfect, and I held resentment towards my dad for many years. I felt abandoned by him growing up, and as an adult, I still felt like I was not important to my father. He died a few years ago, and our relationship was, sadly, still strained. I missed his funeral and was excluded from it in every way. I don't even know where he's buried.

But my dad was a good dad. And not many prisoners can say that about their fathers. 

My dad provided for our family and was a hard worker. My entire childhood, my dad had a decent job. He never shied away from his responsibility of providing for his family. We didn't have a lot when I was growing up, but we had enough. And my dad is the reason. 

We didn't have fancy cars, expensive vacations, or big houses. But I have fond memories of camping together, roller skating together, fishing together. I even remember when he defended me in my first neighborhood fist fight. I still smile when I hear him say, "Get up, both of you! Okay, now it's a fair fight. Continue." I'm not sure if that was the right way to parent, but it filled me with courage that my dad believed in me. I chased that bully all the way out of our neighborhood. 

My dad never abused me. He was a kind man who hated to even spank us kids. He was emotionally sensitive, and I used to think his quickness to cry was a weakness. But I see now that it was a strength. He had a heart for people, even if at times I wished he noticed me like he did others. 

My dad taught me to love The Three Stooges. He let me watch baseball games on WGN Saturdays in the garage. I'm a big Cubs fan today because of him even though I don't think he was a Cubs fan. 

Dad wasn't a materialistic guy. I never learned from him that things defined me. He was content with simple things, and I credit him for teaching me the same. I also credit him for teaching me to serve others. Mom taught me that, too, but Dad would drop everything to help a neighbor. 

Dad had his flaws, for sure. He didn't like conflict (neither do I), so he taught me to avoid it by leaving. I've had to unlearn that. He also had trouble connecting with people in deep ways. I inherited that from him, too, but I've now discovered that authentic living helps me connect more easily with others. I wish Dad had learned that, too. Maybe he did late in life. 

So many emotions flood me when I think of my Dad. Longing, loss, regret, sadness, gratefulness, happiness. When I hear the horror stories of terrible dads from other prisoners, I'm so grateful that my Dad was a good dad. But I'm also overwhelmed with sadness and regret that I failed to be the dad I always longed to be. 

A lot of prisoners are dads who are filled with regret and pain over their failures as dads. I'm constantly overwhelmed with the pain I feel over my failures. I wish I could talk to my dad about what I'm feeling. He probably wouldn't know what to say, but I know he'd listen. He'd probably cry, too, and I'd not get any answers--he wasn't a fixer like me. I'm pretty sure, though, that I'd feel better having talked to him. 

I wish I had been a good dad, too, like my dad. 

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Prison's Epidemic of Dishonesty Among Prisoners and Staff

 The other day, I was talking with another prisoner about how often we hear people lying around us in prison. It's definitely at epidemic proportions. And most of it is absolutely unnecessary. 


I've always viewed honesty as an extremely important character quality. Of course, that didn't stop me from living a lie and holding a double standard about lying. Looking back, I don't know how I justified to myself holding honesty in such high regard while I practiced exactly the opposite. It makes no sense to me. 

I'm sure my own disgust at my prior dishonesty has only served to reinforce my view that honesty is critically important. Yet, I'm surrounded by lies. 

Many prisoners lie about everything. They lie about their conviction, about their "innocence," about money they owe to other prisoners, about their substance use in prison, and even about their past "successes" prior to prison. I've heard prisoners lying on the phone to their loved ones, usually about other relationships, money, and their activities in prison. 

The friend I was talking with about lies in prison said he even recently heard another prisoner tell someone on the phone that he found a rat's head in his food. The prisoner was trying to secure money, purportedly for food so he didn't have to eat in the chow hall. What he really needed the money for was more likely drug debts. 

It's true that prison food is terrible. It's the lowest quality food I've ever eaten, and it is often cooked poorly. The potatoes are always gritty from not being cleaned properly, and what little vegetables we're fed are usually animal feed quality and overcooked. But we don't have rat's heads in our food. 

One time in fifteen years I found a maggot in my food. It was a terrible experience and made me question all the food the prison fed me. It didn't help that I was accused of planting the maggot! As if I'd know where to even find a maggot... But cases like these are relatively rare. 

Prisoners aren't the only ones who lie in prison. Prison staff routinely lie to prisoners, and the entire system lies to the public and the legislature. Other prisoners call it "spinning" when a staff member lies to them. I call it what it is: lying. And it's at epidemic proportions even among prison staff. 

Nobody really holds any of these liars accountable. Prisoners often get away with lying, though sometimes another prisoner will call the liar out on his BS. Sometimes staff attempt to hold prisoners accountable for lying, but that seems highly hypocritical, given the frequency of lies among prison staff themselves. 

For prisoners to really change their criminal thinking and behaviors, they must make a commitment to deal only with the truth. We can't expect honesty to be modeled by prison staff, but developing the character of honesty shouldn't depend on others doing likewise. 

People convicted of crimes already have a trustworthiness problem, so if we're to recover, or build for the first time, trustworthy reputations, we have to begin by committing to the truth. Sometimes the truth is difficult, but when you're honest, you don't have to worry about keeping your story straight. It's a much more comfortable way of living. Trust me, I should know.

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Suffocated to Death in the Name of Justice

 A few days ago, Alabama prisoner, Kenneth Smith, was executed by the State using a new, and highly controversial method of killing. He was suffocated to death when he was forced to breathe a nitrogen gas. The nitrogen gas replaced the oxygen in Smith's lungs and cells, causing his body to die, violently, from suffocation. 


Smith's death was allegedly supposed to be quick and painless. The nitrogen was supposed to render him unconscious, and then his body would die from starvation of oxygen. But he didn't die quickly, or painlessly. Observers report that Smith was visibly conscious for several minutes while he gasped for air and his body convulsed violently. 

This state-sanctioned killing was conducted in a country who polices other countries for their human rights abuses. We chastise other countries for hanging or shooting political dissidents and other citizens who we deem unworthy of death. Meanwhile, we kill our own citizens, perhaps in more barbaric ways, because they "deserve" to die. The moral contradiction is glaring. 

I oppose the death penalty primarily on moral grounds. I think it is morally, and biblically, wrong. But I also oppose it on human rights and legal grounds. Our country has executed many innocent people because our justice system has put more weight on the finality of a judgment by a jury of peers than on evidence of one's innocence. We ought to be ashamed of ourselves, and we ought to stop telling other countries how to be more moral if we don't occupy the moral high ground ourselves. 

Kenneth Smith may very well have been guilty of the crime for which he was convicted. I don't know the details of his case, or of his guilt or innocence. I'm sure if I did I would be outraged by the harms he may have caused. But in 2024, do we still believe that harms can be balanced by killing the person guilty of those harms? Is our world better because we've eliminated a threat to our "good"? 

I'm sure Iran, North Korea, China, and other countries with known human rights abuses feel justified in eliminating people who threaten their country's "good" too. We can disagree what is good for those countries, and therefore justify our outrage over their executions, but how are we any different in the end? 

Alabama is in the "Bible Belt" in America, and sadly, those who support the death penalty often use the Bible to justify their beliefs. They don't understand their Bibles, and they pick and choose what parts of the Bible to use to support their moral positions. They've elevated an ancient law of limits ("an eye for an eye") over the final word of the Law Giver, Jesus. Even Jesus refused to support the death penalty, even when Jewish law was clear. "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone," Jesus directed. Then, the only one without sin (Jesus) refused to cast the first stone. 

It's time for America to outlaw the death penalty. We cannot continue to call ourselves the world's moral police while killing our own citizens in the name of justice. Suffocating someone to death is not justice, no matter how you slice it.

Monday, January 22, 2024

Here's the Truth about Fictional Prison Claims

 I have a background in Internet marketing and public relations, so I tend to notice marketing ploys and public relation strategies. Lately, I've noticed a concerted effort by the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to improve their public image, through a fanciful marketing campaign and more recently through media stories intended to generate good will. 


For years the MDOC has claimed that its focus is on rehabilitation. While they have offered some rehabilitative programming over the years, it has often been low quality curriculum or apathetic instruction. Programming that prisoners are required to take prior to their paroles have often been provided late, even delaying many prisoners' paroles. Required programming is, by some instructors (but definitely not all), treated as something to check off a list rather than as an honest attempt to change hearts and minds. 

To be fair, though, education, especially that's designed to change thinking and behavior, cannot be coerced. It simply isn't effective; however, prisoner initiated education and rehabilitation is, but only if it is allowed. 

In recent years, the MDOC has allowed college programs to operate within prison. This began after then President Obama initiated a limited return of PELL grant funding for prisoners. Now, the MDOC is touting its new focus on educating prisoners, but its messaging is deceptive. 

The MDOC director and perhaps a few others may genuinely desire to educate prisoners since research has shown a direct correlation between education and reduced re-offense rates. However, college programs are sometimes poorly supported by the MDOC, and their motivation appears to be driven more by money and public image than a true desire to change hearts and minds. 

A recent local news story touted the MDOC's push for more prisoner education, and its recruitment commercials laughingly claim, "compassion works here...unfriendly does not." Meanwhile, administrators at SMT (and most certainly at other Michigan prisons) are facilitating the extreme censorship of educational materials. Free educational programs available to prisoners, like the PEN Writing Program and Cornell University's Prisoner Express, are rejected due to "voluminous mail" limits. Policy now limits the number of pages to 12, far fewer than what is mailed out in free educational programs. 

Exceptions to this page limit policy do not exist, even for educational, rehabilitative, and religious materials. Consequently, the MDOC sells to the public its "educational and rehabilitative focus" while actually thwarting prisoners' efforts to educate and rehabilitate themselves. 

Apparently, if there's no money in it for the MDOC it's not allowed. 

One thing I have learned through Restorative Justice literature, prior to the MDOC's recent extreme censorship practices, is that honesty is critically important. One cannot expect to find any genuine restoration without a radical commitment to truth. This and other important truths are critical for prisoners to learn, if they are to genuinely change their hearts and minds and become safe citizens who positively contribute to their communities. 

Perhaps more prisoners would learn the importance of truth telling if the MDOC also committed to honesty and truth in its marketing and communication with the tax paying public.

Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Prison Mail Restrictions Work Against Rehabilitation Efforts

 I have to imagine that writing rules for how prisons run is difficult and extremely complex. You'd think with hundreds of years of experience, they'd have it all figured out, but new situations constantly arise. But, perhaps more problematic is when rules are created to solve one problem and yet cause many others. 


Michigan's prison rules regarding mail handling is one area where whoever creates the rules have actually caused more than they intended to solve. At least from a prisoner's perspective. 

When I first came to prison in 2009, prisoners could receive photographs, crayon drawings, glitter held on by glue, publications prisoners themselves wrote, and mail of any "reasonable" volume. But in the last nearly 15 years, much has changed. 

Today, Michigan prisoners cannot receive any photographs on photo paper, nothing on the paper other than pen ink, any publication they themselves have written and published, and nothing with more than 12 single sided or 6 double sided pages. Furthermore, we only receive photocopies of our mail and not the originals. That makes it impossible to get a color photo on regular paper through the mail, for example, because it will be photocopied before being delivered to us. 

Whoever makes these rules likely has good reasons for why they make them, but they don't often think through the full implications. Photocopying mail might stop illicit material from coming through on the paper, but it also stops us from receiving emotionally important drawings and creations from our children or grandchildren. Most people have even stopped sending prisoners holiday cards, because we can't get anything but a photocopy of them anyway. Furthermore, these mail restrictions haven't in any way slowed or stopped the influx of drugs into the prison system. Those come in through officers and other ways, not through the regular mail system. 

Volume limits are a recent problem, the latest in a string of increasingly restrictive mail rules. For example, I have recently had several pieces of mail rejected due to volume restrictions. I had signed up for several free educational programs for prisoners, including the PEN Writing Program. However, their mailings are more than 6 double sided pages, so their mail was rejected. I also participate in a Bible study through the mail, and that too, was recently rejected for volume reasons. (This is a lawsuit waiting to happen as it violates religious liberties.)

These new volume rules are limiting prisoners' ability to participate in educational and religious programs through the mail. The prison system has now made it very difficult for prisoners to voluntarily participate in things that will help them spend their time in prison constructively. While the Department touts its focus on "rehabilitation," it actively undermines rehabilitation efforts. 

Prisoners are allowed to appeal these decisions, but I have personally experienced a significant push back against my right to appeal these decisions. In fact, the prison refuses to follow the same policy that restricts our mail when it comes to our right to appeals. They do whatever they want to and make it impossible, other than through lawsuits, to have reason guide their decision making. 

If one appeals too often, which happens when a prisoner is actively pursuing constructive things to do with his time, he is labeled a "troublemaker." Prison administrators would rather prisoners spend their time mindlessly watching TV or playing cards, dominoes, and chess. I personally want to spend my time learning and developing as a person, not in mindless activities that keep me engaged in the destructive prison culture. 

I don't know what the solution to this problem is, but I know that when administrators do not use reason and discretion in their application of rules, they undermine prisoner rehabilitation and cost the state money in senseless lawsuits. Someone in administration needs to take accountability for these stupid policies, or at least the stupid application of them. Instead, they pass the buck and blame someone else. Funny. They urge us to take responsibility for our behavior and not shift blame to others, but they provide a pretty example of doing just the opposite. Typical.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

As If Prisoners Need Any Other Cause for Cognitive Decline

This past week, I saw on the news a story about recent research into sleep deprivation. Studies have linked sleep deprivation with cognitive decline, not surprisingly. The study also showed that 1 in 3 Americans do not get sufficient sleep. 

One would think that prisoners are not among those numbers. After all, we have nothing better to do than sleep, right? Well, sadly, prisoners are often sleep deprived. 

It's true that some prisoners sleep a lot. Some are heavily medicated because medication is the cheapest and easiest way to deal with mental health and behavior problems. I know many prisoners who take medications at night that knock them out by 8PM. But I know many, many more who don't get enough sleep. 

When I was in the county jail, awaiting either a trial or a plea offer, I was astonished at how difficult it is to get decent sleep in jail. Lights were turned out at 9PM, but emergency lights stayed on all night. Some of these lights shined directly in the cell, making it difficult to fall asleep. Some prisoners, too, either stay up late hollering back and forth with each other or banging on their metal toilets while "rapping" out loud. 

If, by some miracle, I was able to fall asleep somewhat early, officers still made rounds all night, jangling their keys loudly. Often, when they would open the pod door, it would wake me. Some officers would shine flashlights directly in the prisoners' eyes and wake them, calling out, "I just wanted to make sure you are alive." It was intentional torture. In fact, the Geneva convention classifies sleep deprivation as torture. 

One officer, in particular, took pleasure in torturing prisoners, including those of us who were in jail as pre-trial detainees. We had not even been convicted of any crime yet. It takes a special kind of sadist to treat us as he did, with sleep deprivation and in other ways. 

Even when all was quiet, no prisoners yelling, no officers jangling keys or waking people up for haircuts at 3AM, no flashlights in my eyes or banging on the bars, I still had my tortured thoughts making sleep difficult. Yeah, the county jail is no place to catch up on sleep.

Now, in prison, sleep is still difficult to come by. Emergency lights still shine in my eyes, officers still jangle keys, and prisoners still shout back and forth hours into the night. Sometimes, prisoners in the segregation cells across from my cell loudly express their anger late into the night. Fortunately, I have earplugs if I need them, and I cover my eyes to dim the lights. 

Some prisoners, though, are not so fortunate. Those on suicide watch are in cells with bright lights on 24/7. I don't know how bright lights that make sleeping difficult are supposed to help those struggling with thoughts of self-harm. Other prisoners are housed in pole barns where officers violate their own rules and use the PA system late into the night, and where lights shine right into the eyes of those on the top bunks. 

I'm sure that for a population who already largely struggles with cognitive issues, good decision making, and anger issues, sleep deprivation doesn't help at all. I don't expect prison to be a summer camp, but I do at least think its leaders ought to make every effort to avoid deliberately causing conditions that reinforce negative outcomes, like cognitive decline. 

All this talk about sleep, though, is making me want to go take a nap. Perhaps I'll try, through all the hollering back and forth, slamming of dominoes, incessant arguing about nothing, and the hundreds of other noises that make sleeping in prison a challenge. 

Saturday, December 30, 2023

New Year, Same Old Prison Garbage

 

Recently, the Michigan Department of Corrections announced to its prisoners that we might be getting some price reductions on commissary items. You'd think that would be a cause for celebration among us prisoners, but it's only generated a bunch of eye rolls and skepticism. 

Over the last two or three years, commissary item prices have risen dramatically, especially on popular food items. Tuna prices jumped more than 100% due to "shortages." It only keeps going up, making us wonder if "shortages" were really the problem. 

Peanut butter also rose sharply due to problems in the peanut supply chain. That was more than two years ago, but the price has only continued to climb. It never dropped after supplies stabilized. 

Coffee, which is instant, dry, generic brand coffee, more than doubled in the last two years. Mayonnaise more than doubled, too. Even though egg prices have dropped again, our mayo cost has remained very high. Even Ramen noodles jumped almost 80% in cost over the last couple of years. 

One problem with prison commissary prices in Michigan is that up til now, 15% of the cost of commissary items goes to the Prisoner Benefit Fund (PBF). The PBF pays for things like cable television, weight equipment, sports equipment, Christmas "goody" bags, and other "prisoner benefits." With the drastically increased pricing, the PBF has become flush with cash over the last couple of years. 

PBF funds are spent with warden and prisoner representative approval, but some prison wardens refuse to approve many expenses. Consequently, the PBF fund grows. (Incidentally, there is little to no oversight or independent review of how these funds are managed by the MDOC. Many prisoners believe the funds are often misused, though we can offer no proof without an independent audit.)

Commissary prices continue to rise, and prisoner wages have not risen in more than three decades. Perhaps that is why the MDOC has decided to reduce the percentage of commissary prices that go to the PBF. Instead of 15%, it will now be...14%. That means that a $6.96 bag of freeze dried coffee, that a year ago cost $3.68, should now drop to $6.89. Wow. Big savings. 

I, personally, do not believe the reduction is enough. Perhaps the MDOC plans future reductions if necessary. I hope so. But commissary prices will continue to inflate dramatically because there is no competition. The single company that manages our commissary can charge whatever it wants, and we have to deal with it, like it or not. 

There are certainly many far more important things happening in the world that the legislature has to concern itself with, but sadly, that's always the case. In the mean time, prisoners and their families pay a heavy cost of unregulated, noncompetitive commissary prices for basic necessities and food replacements due to inadequate prison food. 

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Unforgotten in Prison During the Holidays

The segregation cells at the prison where I am housed are in my housing unit. They are actually on the same gallery (floor) as my cell, and I am right across from the middle section of the twenty or so seg cells. 

This past week, the prison emptied at least half of the seg cells that had been occupied. Others will transfer out or be released this week. Hopefully it'll be quiet at night for a few days, at least!  

Unfortunately, the holidays are a time when prisoners tend to go to the hole (segregation). Some prisoners decide to "party" and drink prison hooch (alcohol), often leading to rowdy or violent behavior. Others "treat" themselves to getting high on one of the several substances available in prison. These prisoners, too, either get rowdy or are simply caught using. 

Fights are more common in prison during the holidays, probably because of a combination of increased substance abuse, and because prisoners are more angry and anxious from missing family. Substances also have to be paid for, and prisoners who go into debt and can't pay often end up fighting or "locking up." 

When a prisoner locks up, he goes into protective custody. This is a special section of the "hole" that is more protected from the general population than the rest of the hole. At other prisons, the hole and protection are the same cells, or an entire housing unit might be designated for prisoners in protection. 

I understand the increased sadness, depression, and anxiety during the holidays. Every year, to some degree, I experience the same. I miss being with my family, and I'm angry that I put myself in this situation. I've lost out on a lot of important memories with people I love because of my stupid decisions. It's easy to spiral into a hole of self-pity. 

I'm long enough into my prison sentence that I have developed ways to deal with my emotions in healthier ways than many other prisoners I see around me. I've never been drawn to the substance abuse I've observed in prison for many years. But I do have to fight the tendency to isolate myself and wallow in my sadness. 

I'm incredibly grateful for the people who have remembered me throughout the holidays, including Christians who work for several prison ministries. It's amazing how meaningful even a simple card with a mass mailing message can have. 

But the most effective antidote I have found for staying out of both the actual hole (segregation) and the hole of self-pity is to focus on putting a smile on others' faces. I've found that it doesn't take much. A simple gift of something sweet from commissary, along with a simple "merry Christmas" message can make a big difference for those who are hurting. 

I'll never forget the simply wrapped (in white typing paper) Christmas gift I received from another prisoner one year. It was a few pieces of candy and a granola bar, but it really put a smile on my face. Now, I try to replicate that for other prisoners. 

Everyone wants to be remembered, especially during the holidays, but there's definitely power in what Jesus said: "It's better to give than to receive." 

Monday, December 18, 2023

Navigating Relationships with Prisoners During the Holidays

 The holidays are always hard for prisoners and for their loved ones. We're separated and unable to connect and celebrate together, whatever that looks like for each family. 


It's a particularly stressful time in prison, when depression and anger often get the best of prisoners. The hole (segregation) fills up quickly and often, and prisoners are more short tempered than normal. Fights and insolent behavior is more common as emotions run high. 

Our families we left on the outside also have to navigate the holidays without us, sometimes plagued by the sadness of separation, and perhaps even (unfairly) by guilt that we cannot enjoy the holidays with them. 

Navigating the complexity of relationships with incarcerated loved ones during the holidays and other special days and events is difficult. Sadness is inevitable, but it doesn't have to dominate, or even worse to come between you and an incarcerated loved one. 

When I wrote Insider's Guide to Prison Life, I did so because navigating relationships with an incarcerated loved one is complicated any time of the year. It is even more so during holidays. I've experienced the prison side of the equation, so I know what it's like in prison. I know what we need, and sadly the way we often sabotage relationships with the very people we love and desperately miss. 

Insider's Guide to Prison Life addresses many of these issues and more. This year, give yourself the gift of learning how to turn the tragedy of incarceration into an opportunity to deepen and enhance your relationship with your incarcerated loved one. 

Insider's Guide to Prison Life is available at Amazon.com in paperback for $14.99 or free on Kindle with an unlimited Kindle membership. https://a.co/d/5UDj4BU Invest in yourself and your relationships this year, or gift it to someone else who has an incarcerated loved one.

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Don't Just Talk About It. Be About It.

I recently read a beautiful Thanksgiving themed quote, written on a whiteboard by my supervisor at my job in prison. The quote comes from President John F. Kennedy during his Thanksgiving Day proclamation in 1963. He said, 

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

In other words, we best express gratitude by living that gratitude out, not just by verbalizing it. That requires intentionality, though, and not a lot of people live with intentionality. 

We humans, and Americans in particular, are emotionally reactive beings. The ways we behave primarily reflect our emotional states. That's probably why psychologists, for decades now, have focused on "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy." They attempt to teach their clients how to think rationally before they act. 

Some of Michigan's prisoners are required to take classes that are based on cognitive behavioral therapy. These classes, like "Thinking for a Change," try to teach prisoners thinking tools to help them evaluate their thinking and adjust their typical behaviors before they act. These classes are attempting to teach intentionality. 

I, too, try to teach a form of cognitive behavioral theory when I teach about relapse prevention plans. These plans are designed to help prisoners to think about their triggers, how they have responded to these triggers in the past, and to make plans for how to respond differently in the future. 

One exercise I like to use is to help prisoners think through the values they claim to hold. Then we discuss how well they are actually living out those values. This process was very helpful for me when I first came to prison. Most of us, inside and outside prison, don't very well live into the values we claim to hold. Perhaps that's what a saying I commonly hear in prison is trying to convey: "Don't just talk about it. Be about it." Or maybe that's just a call to demonstrate one's claimed toughness. 

Anyway, if one claims, for example, to value kindness, they must live a life characterized by kindness. Perfection is not necessary, but consistency is. 

When it comes to gratitude, it's easy to behave with gratitude, temporarily anyway. But, once we feel like we've "evened the scales," we often return to our normal behavior patterns. That's not how gratitude is supposed to work. It's not a currency with which we pay our debts to others. 

I'm profoundly grateful for God's grace and mercy in my life, but nothing I do, no behavior on my part, will ever even the scales. I'm simply incapable of repaying that debt. Yet, it ought not stop me from still living a life of gratitude towards God. I don't always live out that gratitude very well, but I do make a consistent effort to try. 

But these are just words that you're reading. You couldn't possibly know how accurate or truthful they are until you are able to observe my life, my gratitude in action. 

I'm not sure how familiar JFK was with Catholic theologians, but his quote reminds me of the words of St. Francis of Assisi:

"Preach always, and if necessary, use words." 

Friday, November 24, 2023

Much to be Thankful for, Even in Prison?

 Thanksgiving is always a good time to think, more than usual, about what we are thankful for. But it's not the only time of year we ought to think about or even express thanks. 


Over the last nearly 15 years that I have been incarcerated, I have had many reasons to be thankful. I know, it sounds strange to hear, I'm sure. But I think I can reflect back with thankfulness, despite my incarceration. 

As much as I hate being in prison, I am grateful for the interruption incarceration provided to my destructive behavior. I was stuck in a pattern of behavior that needed interruption. I needed that distance and break from my real life in order to work on the issues driving my bad behavior. I didn't anticipate having to spend this much time in prison, but whatever God's reasons are for not intervening before now, I'm sure they are for my good. 

I'm also grateful for the incredible favor I've experienced in prison. For nearly fifteen years, God has protected me from violence, even when violence was all around me. I've also had decent jobs in prison. Though prison wages are pitifully low, in each prison where I've been housed, I've had a top paying job. God has provided for me, more than I deserve. I've also enjoyed mostly positive relationships with prisoners and staff. 

I'm grateful for the incredible opportunity I had to earn a bachelors degree in prison, from a well respected Christian university. I applied because I wanted to earn a bachelors degree, but I didn't expect to find such a loving and caring community in the process. The six years I spent involved in the Calvin Prison Initiative (www.calvin.edu/prisoninitiative) community was something I never expected to find in prison. I made some truly lifelong friends, and I experienced far greater blessings than I could have imagined in prison. 

The prison where I am now housed is not exactly ideal. However, even here, I have many things to be grateful for. I'm grateful, again, to have a decent and well-paying job (compared to most prison jobs, that is). I'm also housed in a single man cell, which is a HUGE blessing! Additionally, there is little violence or theft at this facility. I've heard of other level one prisons having far more violence and theft.  

Finally, I'm thankful that the prison phone rates went down again this year. Now it costs about $1.17 per call, when just a few years ago it was over $3 per call. That makes a big difference when I earn barely three dollars a day. I'm also thankful for the organizations working hard to get the good time legislation on the ballot next November. To all those who are helping with this endeavor, thank you!

Let's keep a thankful spirit throughout the year, and it'll help us combat all the negativity trying to destroy our peace, whether inside prison or out.

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Michigan Has the Eighth Highest Incarceration Rate in the World

 This year (2023) has seen probably more criminal justice reform bills introduced in Michigan than in any recent years. But they've nearly all died in committee. Legislators have been reluctant, for whatever their reasons, to advance any of these bills. Now, after our recent election, the Democrats, who were more likely than Republicans to pass these bills, have temporarily lost control of Michigan's House of Representatives. 


It's discouraging to have so much hope for the passage of some of these critical bills, only to see them die in committee. Nothing has really changed at all. 

In the summer 2022 edition of Fast Company magazine, Kristin Toussaint wrote about a bill passed in California that allows some prisoners to be resentenced after years of good behavior ("A Law that Rectifies Injustice," p. 68). It's a second chance bill, similar to Michigan's Second Look Act that never advanced out of committee (H.B. 4556 and S.B. 321). 

Toussaint shares incarceration rates from around the world, and not surprisingly, Michigan is very high on the list. In fact, the top eight locations listed are in the United States (Louisiana tops the list). Per capita, Michigan ranks as the eighth highest incarceration rate in the world. As of 2022, Michigan incarcerates 599 people out of every 100,000. That's more than three times the rate of China and more than 17 times higher than India! Even Cuba (510) and Russia (329) incarcerate fewer people per capita than Michigan. 

That's a very sad statistic that ought to deeply trouble Michigan lawmakers. But it's unpopular to let prisoners out early, even if Michigan's average prison sentence is longer than any other state in the nation. It's definitely not that Michigan has higher crime rates than other states and other countries. Michigan has simply made prison industry a foundation of its economy. 

Taxpayers ought to be angy that Michigan continues to incarcerate people for decades longer than necessary, when laws like the Second Look Act could allow for smart, evidence based decision making on reducing lengthy sentences. Why are we wasting precious tax dollars to keep prison jobs Michigan cannot even fill? 

It's time for Michigan citizens to step up and have the courage that the lawmakers don't have. Please be sure to sign the petition to bring the Good Time ballot initiative to Michigan voters. 
Go to:  www.gtballot2023.org  find out more.

Monday, November 13, 2023

When the Foundation of Truth Crumbles the Edifice of Justice Falls

 The last few weeks have highlighted the deep divides in America. We all knew America was deeply divided, but I'm guessing most didn't expect this level of division. We're not just divided over policies of economics and taxation, crime and punishment, or gender and sexual rights. Our divisions apparently go much, much deeper. 


Now, we have very large groups in American supporting Hamas and their recent horrific crimes. To be fair, many of these supporters deny that Hamas carried out the horrors they are accused of, despite the overwhelming evidence. But, ought we to be surprised? Some Americans have been creating their own faulty narratives for years. 

Some groups deny the truth of the holocaust, some the truth of slavery's horrors, and others the truth of election results, despite wide evidence in each case. And these are big examples. How many hundreds and thousands of "smaller" things are Americans denying, despite the evidence? Come to think of it, I'm not at all surprised so many in America support Hamas. 

Postmodern philosophy prides itself on rejecting objective truth. What's true for you is true for you and what's true for me is true for me. Well, look around you and see the results of that ridiculous philosophy. When we as a society reject objective truth, anarchy is the inevitable result. We ought not be surprised to see the chaos we're seeing in the world. 

Even courtrooms are affected by this widespread rejection of truth. Juries, and judges, to be fair, are persuaded now less by concrete facts and more by the persuasiveness of storytellers. Justice depends on truth, so until people are willing to deal in facts, no matter how ugly, justice cannot prevail. 

I'm terribly saddened by the horrors happening in Israel and Palestine. I'm deeply disturbed over the innocents, on both sides of the divide, who are suffering because of this millenniums long hatred between peoples. I don't know how this conflict should be resolved, but I do know one thing. It'll never be resolved without a commitment to deal only with the truth, on both sides. 

Truth is the foundation of justice. A simple glance at all the atrocities in America's past will reveal an origin for each: rejection of objective truth. If we want to begin turning hearts away from hatred and towards true justice, we must begin by embracing truth.

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

"It's not my fault!" -- How the State Reinforces Lack of Accountability

 The news networks recently covered a story of Attorneys General from several states filing a lawsuit against social media companies for providing children access to harmful content. Their claim is that the rise in mental health crises among children is at least partly the fault of these social media companies. 


I agree that children ought to be protected from harmful things, including online content that disturbs their mental health. But, I question the motives of these AGs. If they prevail, the social media companies will likely be liable for hundreds of millions of dollars that these harmed children will never see. Is it really the children the AGs care about?

Hear me out. Remember back in December of 2021? Ethan Crumbley, a juvenile, took a gun to school in Oxford, Michigan. He killed four students and a teacher, and wounded several others. He faced prosecution, as an adult, for his horrific actions. His parents, too, were prosecuted for manslaughter for their son's actions. In this case, the Michigan AG determined that Ethan and his parents were responsible for his actions. 

Alternatively, recent court cases and legislative actions have concluded that juveniles cannot face mandatory life in prison sentences because of their impressionability, immaturity, and lack of development. Both the courts and legislatures recognized that social forces often heavily influence young minds. In these cases, social forces are largely to blame for the juveniles' actions. 

Now, I believe largely motivated by money, these Attorneys General are going after big tech. They want to hold them responsible for children's behavior. Certainly, these companies ought to have safeguards in place to protect children from harmful content, but our society cannot even agree what exactly is harmful. Somehow, school libraries ought not to censor any material young minds might want to explore, no matter how "harmful" it could be. But, big tech companies ought to? It makes no sense. 

But the double standards don't stop there. Attorneys General are responsible for holding people accountable for illegal actions. It's their jobs. Yet, state prosecutors are given "prosecutorial immunity" for their actions, even when illegal. Other state "agents," including police officers, judges, and corrections officers and staff are also usually protected by immunity. 

So, as I understand it, if you have no money the state can get from you, it's off to prison you go. You're personally responsible for your behavior (sometimes). If you have lots of money, then even if parents ought to protect their children, and children are otherwise held accountable for their own behavior, it's now the rich companies' fault. And, if you work for the state, you can basically get away with whatever because you're protected by immunity. Got it. 

Can we just tear the blindfold off of Lady Liberty already? Can we ditch the scales of justice? Blind justice is a fallacy, and fairness and equality are a farce. With these terribly mixed messages about responsibility, it's no wonder so many people in America want to blame everyone else for their actions.

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Mass Shooting in Maine Exposes Crisis in Mental Health Responses

The night was winding down as we approached the time for lock down. The housing unit was loud as men hollered back and forth with each other, finalizing last minute conversations or negotiations of one type or another. I was down on base, having just finished a few games of Scrabble. 

All of a sudden, another prisoner in my housing unit walked quickly towards one side of our unit. He swung his arms wildly, waving his religious text in one hand and shouting nonsensically at the same time. I tried to discern what he was saying, but it made no sense. He was shouting something about his religion, but it also sounded like he was defending his city (Detroit) and vilifying anyone who challenged either his religion or city. 

I looked around in confusion, asking a few people what was happening. The man was known in our unit as being loud and obnoxious, and even a little aggressive, but it appeared like he was experiencing a mental break. Nobody seemed to know what he was hollering about. 

I heard some other prisoners laughing and making cruel comments about the man, but everyone stayed out of his way. Even the officers, who would normally quickly respond to such a situation, stayed in the office. They had to have heard what was happening. 

The next day, the same man, still erratic and over hyper, approached a nurse who came to pass out medication to the men in segregation. I heard him aggressively demand that the nurse tell his psych he needed to see her. The nurse looked scared as officers were again absent. 

Later, the man was placed on suicide watch by his psychologist where he shouted, punched his mat, and threw his dinner food for over an hour before calming down. He was clearly experiencing a mental health crisis. 

What disturbed me about this whole situation was the lack of response by correctional officers. Yet, I don't really blame them. For more than two years now, corrections officers have been mandated to work overtime so much that I don't understand how they can possibly have a life outside of work, let alone respond appropriately to prison crises. They are stretched so thin, when crises like this happen, they sometimes stay out of the way, hoping the situation will resolve itself. 

We've seen the same overtaxing of healthcare, law enforcement, and mental health specialists outside of prison. Too many people don't want to work, yet the problems don't stop or slow down just because the workforce is short. 

I don't know if Robert Card, the man in Maine who just took the lives of at least 16 people, faced the same apathy to his mental health crises. Perhaps he, too, faced a system woefully short of people and resources. He was known to have violent and aggressive behavior and a mental health issue, but he still had access to assault rifles. He didn't get the help he needed to prevent him from harming others. I can only hope he's caught before he kills any more people.

Our country is in crisis, but it shouldn't take a mass casualty event like the one in Maine to galvanize people into doing something. I'm afraid even this tragedy won't cause any changes. Others like it haven't been enough. 

It makes me worry about what crises will finally cause changes in our prison system. The current situation is untenable as officers are quitting faster than the department can replace them. And those who stay face their own mental health crises from being forced to work so many hours. It's not only prisoners who are at risk of losing their minds.

We as a society cannot continue to hold onto our old ways of thinking and expect different results. That's insanity. We need a total rethinking of America's mental health crisis, and we need a total rethinking of America's dependency on incarceration as a solution to every problem. 

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Man Down! Prisoner Crisis Causes Conflict of Emotions

 This morning, a little more of my humanity died. Every time we prisoners suffer indignities from prison staff or other prisoners, or if we are forced to not act when we see someone in crisis, it strips more of our humanity. 


Early this morning, I was sitting on my bed writing, listening to music when I heard a loud thump and felt the gallery shake a little. I removed an earbud from my ear so I could hear the unit noise and determine if something serious was happening. 

"C.O.! C.O.! HELP! FIRST GALLERY!!" I heard several prisoners shout.

I jumped up and looked out my door to see a neighbor a few doors down lying face up on the ground in front of his cell. His head was hanging off the gallery, and he appeared to be passed out. 

I rushed over to him, as I was the only one close to him at the time. At first, he appeared to not be breathing, and I could see blood dripping rather quickly off the back of his head. Then, relieved, I saw his chest move. My EMT training from years ago kicked in, and I shouted his name, asking if he was okay. He was unresponsive to my call. 

Everything in me wanted to support his neck and head, to use a washcloth in his hands to staunch his bleeding. But I could hear the officers running towards us on the gallery, and I knew I would probably get in trouble if I touched him. I had to step back and wait for the staff to help him. 

I was appalled to see the first officer who arrived grasp the other prisoner by his feet and drag him back so his head was no longer hanging over the gallery. The officer didn't support his head in any way or protect his head from further injury. Clearly, the officer had not even the simplest training in first aid. 

As the officers took charge of the situation, I had to leave the area. Soon, the whole housing unit was closed as the officers and medical staff (who had arrived after several minutes) waited for the ambulance to arrive. 

The prisoner, who had apparently passed out, is a man around eighty years old whom I had befriended. He is new to prison, has no financial support, little family support, and has no clue how things operate in prison. Lately, he'd been feeling sick, so I'd been checking up on him and making sure he had tea and cough drops. Apparently, he was feeling worse than he let on. 

As he left the unit in a stretcher, I was able to give him a thumbs up, and he nodded to me. Hopefully he'll be well cared for in the hospital and be okay to finish out his short sentence. I know he's looking forward to going to live with his daughter when he leaves here. I don't know if anyone in his family even knows what happened to him today. 

My compassion for people like this old man is alive and well, but when I am unable to assist someone in need, especially when I have the training to do so, it steals something from my soul. I hope the freedom I'll have after I leave prison to choose how I respond to people in need will restore some of what I've lost in prison.