Prison Journal: Day 8,117
October 30, 2009
One of the ways I strive to find meaning in my prison experience is by writing about it. I don’t write for other prisoners around me, as rules prohibit me from distributing my work inside the prisons where I’m held. My intention in writing about the prison experience is to educate citizens about the challenges of preparing for a law-abiding and contributing life from prison while serving a lengthy prison term.
Since I don’t have direct access to the Internet, and I’ve never been able to participate in gathering with readers who might have an interest in my work, I’m somewhat disconnected. That’s why it’s always a treat for me when a reader reaches out to me. This morning, while I was writing an early-morning letter to my wife, a prison guard from Taft Camp whom I’ve never met before made a point of stopping to tell me that he enjoyed reading Inside, my previous book. We had a little chat and I told him about Earning Freedom, my newest manuscript, and he said he looked forward to reading it.
In the mail I received today, I also read through several email messages that my wife printed and sent. Several students who read Inside wrote to thank me for writing about the prison experience. It’s a real privilege for me to contribute to the education of others, one that makes me feel as if I’m leading a meaningful life. I will continue this work upon release, whenever it comes.
One of the letters was from a graduate student at the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas. She completed her undergraduate work at Washington University and an internship with the public defenders office persuaded her to pursue a career in criminal justice and prison reform. The student offered to collaborate with me for an article she would like to write for Frank magazine. I’m honored that she found my work inspiring enough to reach out to me and I wholeheartedly agreed to offer her my insight on the prison experience. I feel a duty to share my experience and to work toward prison reform, and I look forward to sharing this message with as many people as possible.
To work with others is a privilege for any prisoner, as that work can bring the feeling of participating in society. I hope to effect positive change and contribute to the improvement of our criminal justice system, and one way of doing that would be to change the way we measure justice. In the decades to come, I will speak and write about this concept frequently, and I’ll do as much as I can while serving the remainder of my prison term.
This morning I ran seven miles and followed with 200 pushups before coming in to prepare for my visit with Carole. My running tally now extends to 2,861 miles over the past 321 days.
Friday, 30 October 2009
Prison Journal: Day 7,929
April 25, 2009
I’ve read many books that authors wrote on the subject of blogging, though I have to admit that I don’t know as much about keeping readers’ interest through a blog as I would like. I intend to learn. I face challenges because I do not have access to a computer or the internet, so I cannot browse around in the blogosphere to experience effective blogging strategies. That limitation comes as a consequence of my predicament, like so many other restrictions.
I may compare my challenge to someone who wants to learn how to fly an airplane. That student may read many aviation manuals. He may familizarize himself with all the gauges, switches, levers, and cockpit mechanisms. Until he sits in the pilot’s seat and practices, however, the student will not fully grasp the complexity of flying.
I write my blog entries by hand. When I begin I create an index that identifies the number, the category, the title, and what I perceive should be the tags. As soon as I finish one blog article, I fold the page and insert it in an envelope to send to my wife. From that moment, the blog is lost to me as she coordinates the typing and publishing and I move to the next article or writing project. The writing itself is therapeutic for me, though I’d like to become a more effective blogger on the prison experience.
Carole and I have been very fortunate to have guidance and support from Bean, a former classmate of ours. Bean has sent books, lesson plans, and lengthy, instructive letters to help my understanding of effective blogging techniques. My slowness in picking up all the intricacies of blogging may come from an incorrect belief that I’m always writing for a new reader, for someone who does not have any familiarity with my work. I’m always striving to build my network of support, or advance the call for prison reform. My thoughts were that by writing frequently, more people would find my work through search queries.
During a brief conversation I had with Carole today, I learned that Bean advised me to write fewer entires. My continuously mentioning the length of my prison term, or how long I had been confined, could be overkill. I won’t know the full message until Carole sends it to me through the mail. I’ll follow the guidance Bean gives, however, as she has taken more time to help me through this learning process than anyone else. I feel grateful for her patience and her instruction.
If I am to limit my blogging to fewer daily posts, I will focus more time writing on other subjects. I can always profile other prisoners; I can write more articles for PrisonTalk.com; and I can write for change.org. I also can devote more time to this book proposal I’ve begun. Writing helps me through each day, helps me feel productive. I still need to create this meaning in my life.
I ran 10 miles today, lifting my tally to 1,182 miles over the past 134 consecutive days.
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Prison Journal: Day 7,903
March 30, 2009
The possibilities for prison reform legislation continue to improve. In the early morning, often writing two blog entries on prison experiences, I wrote letters to various senators who have expressed an interest in prison reform.
Although I had not yet seen the Bill that Senator Webb submitted to Congress on prison reform, I knew that other senators joined him in sponsoring the legislation. Those senators included Specter, Reid, Leahy, Durbin, Graham, Schumer, Murray, Wyden, Brown, Warner, Gillibrand, and Burris. I wrote individual letters to each of those senators.
My purpose in writing letters was to introduce myself as a long-term prisoner who could offer a unique perspective. Each one-page letter revealed that I was in my 22nd year of imprisonment, that I had earned two university degrees, published extensively, and could offer prison reform suggestions that would lead more offenders to emerge as law-abiding citizens.
I don’t know how the members of Congress will advance the cause for prison reform. Yet I feel strongly that I can contribute testimony that will assist their deliberations. Writing letters from prison may not be the best way to establish myself as an authority on prison reform, though it is one step I will take to persuade Congress to call me as a witness on prison reform issues.
After finishing the last of those letters, I went to exercise. I ran four miles, then I had to stop because the camp administrator paged me. She wanted to speak with me about a group of at-risk adolescents who would be coming to Taft Camp to listen to our TOAD presentation. The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday evening and she asked me to coordinate. The page interrupted my exercise. Rather than resume my run, I recorded the four miles and let my legs rest. I now have 950 miles recorded over the past 108 days.
In the afternoon I led the seventh meeting in our session for the Entrepreneurial Compass class. We met in the chow hall, as the warehouse where we usually meet was filled with inventory. Scott Evans, the motivational speaker from Los Angeles was present for the class. Walt, one of the participants, delivered a speech on his prison experiences and preparations for release.
Monday, 30 March 2009
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