I heard a news report that Nelson Mandela celebrated the anniversary of his release from 27 years of imprisonment this past week. I don’t know how long ago Nelson Mandela was freed but he has been an inspiration to me throughout the decades I’ve served. His contributions to the world convinced me to continue with [...]
Every time I open a local newspaper, the advertisements for consumer goods catch my eye. The costs of appliances, furniture, clothing, vehicles and other items have increased since 1987 when I was last free. After reading those advertisements, I spend time making lists of the items I will need to purchase to launch my life [...]
Last Friday I wrote about the law library that was available to federal prisoners and I suggested that prisoners use it to educate themselves. This morning, after my exercise, I spent some time reading about procedural hurdles I would have to overcome in order to seek judicial relief. I have an issue concerning the sentence [...]
Yesterday afternoon a comic from Los Angeles, Michael Colyar, entertained us at Taft Camp. One of the prison’s case managers, Ms. Oliver, coordinated the show and I joined hundreds of prisoners on a lawn to listen and laugh. Before my prison term began, I used to enjoy comedy clubs but watching Michael Colyar was the [...]
Today I spent time rehearsing a speech that I am scheduled to deliver next week to students in a local high school. The students of the school are not labeled “at-risk,” but administrators feel that they may benefit by listening to other members of our outreach program and me. We will tell them how we [...]
I was disappointed to read that the President’s 2011 budget calls for a $527.5 million infusion for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2011/assets/justice.pdf). Should the budget pass, the BOP budget will rise to $6.8 billion in the 2011 fiscal year. My position, of course, is that we need prison reforms in the federal system that [...]
Early this morning I finished writing a profile that described some difficulties of a fellow prisoner named Jay. I interviewed Jay last week to learn about the crimes that brought him to prison. He was serving a two-year sentence for violating fraud statutes and since I’m interested in learning about business transactions that lead people [...]
When I hear news from friends I’ve made in prison who’ve returned to society, I realize that an entirely new adjustment awaits. The thought of adjusting to a halfway house or to conditions that a probation officer may impose does not cause me anxiety despite what I hear from others. I’m ready for liberty in [...]
I’m happy that Sunday will conclude another football season. When I began serving my term, I remember watching the Miami Dolphins play their first pre-season game at Joe Robbie stadium. Ever since then, football season has been one way of marking the passage of time. I always look forward to the season’s first and last [...]
Every day that I serve in prison, I work to advance the values and goals that govern my life. Sometimes I don’t succeed, and whenever that happens, I fail, sending my internal balance out of whack. That happened yesterday when a young man I’ve been hoping to mentor expressed his offense at something I wrote [...]
