The term “jailhouse lawyer” has been a polarizing one for many years. To some, these men and women are the saviors of those who lack funds or legal wherewithal to mount a collateral attack upon an unjust criminal conviction or sentence. They are considered the champions of those behind bars whose rights are being unfairly
The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word education as: “The action or process of educating or being educated, a field of study dealing with methods of teaching and learning.” My lack of education has lead me to this 8′ X 9′ cell that I am now forced to call home.
Scholastics were not embraced by me in my youth. The school of hard knocks was my institution for teaching and learning. Pupils in attendance gained the knowledge of every phase of robbery, drug distribution, and every other crime imaginable.
As I sit in my prison cell, I sPhoto courtesy thebrightlines.wordpress.comometimes flash back to my earlier years and wonder what went wrong. My mother was a caring and willing woman who fed and clothed me to the best of her ability. She was a black single parent who could not read. However, she pushed and encouraged me to be a good student.
I remember having to read the newspaper and other documents to my mother. I was just eight years old and was already writing checks for the household bills, due to her illiteracy. This continued up until I was sixteen. That’s when she kicked me out of her house for dropping out of school and doing other things she didn’t agree with or even understand.
My mother was a Jamaican immigrant who came to the United States in 1982. She worked three jobs and saved for years to bring me to this country. I came to America at the age of six. I find it to be somewhat ironic that I was issued a scholastic visa to enter this country as a student.
By Derek Gilna The nation’s economy remains fragile, U.S. troops continue to fight a losing war in Afghanistan, North Korea has recently threatened a nuclear attack, and in March 2013 Congress and President Obama failed to reach a compromise to prevent the “sequester,” which mandates deep spending cuts on the federal level. Yet issues related
By Christopher Zoukis In Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817 (1977), the Supreme Court held that “the fundamental constitutional right of access to the courts requires prison authorities to assist inmates in the preparation and filing of meaningful legal papers by providing prisoners with adequate law libraries or adequate assistance from persons trained in the
Michael Herron, a 31 year old former prison inmate and drug peddler is now peddling his way to work in San Diego, California.
This is made possible by Pedal Project, a program that donates refurbished bikes to ex-offenders as a means of transportation. Before Herron had a bike he was taking the bus or bumming rides from friends because he couldn’t afford a car or a $72 monthly bus pass.
Several ex-cons and people who help former prisoners re-enter society related that not having reliable transportation makes it difficult for ex-offenders to have a way to gPhoto courtesy businessinsider.comet to job interviews and workplaces.
When Steve Shia, a retired corrections officer and teacher commuted to Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, he experienced a need prisoners have when they are released. Shia taught secondary education and helped young offenders prepare for college at the San Diego-based correctional facility. His commute required him to bicycle from the border trolley to his job. Shia also noticed that his car repair expenses were cutting into his salary. The situation made him aware that when prisoners are released from prison they usually don’t’ own a vehicle to dependably get them to work or even provide transpiration to look for a job. Shia was motivated to create a solution for released inmates to have a means of transportation when they enter the work force.
By Matt Clarke In January 2013, a $45 million settlement was reached in a long-standing lawsuit that challenged the failure of prison phone service companies to provide rate information to people who accepted calls from prisoners in Washington State. Previously, on February 23, 2012, a King County superior court had certified the case as a class-action
By Christopher Zoukis Casandra Brawley, a prisoner at the Washington Correctional Center for Women, had been leaking amniotic fluid for three days when she was finally granted medical aid. Ms. Brawley was shackled and then transported to a local hospital. At the hospital, she was shackled to a hospital bed during labor, which was in
All odds were against “Frankie” Guzman growing up without a father in the heart of a California neighborhood known for gang activity and crack cocaine rings. His father abandoned the family when Guzman was only three-years old. Guzman was raised by a mother who commuted to the affluent community of Malibu, cleaning houses to support her family. By the time Guzman was an adolescent his father was incarcerated in a federal prison for attempting to cross the Mexican border with a large amount of cash. Frank Guzman, Jr. / Image courtesy vcstar.com
Guzman’s brother “Freddie” was arrested when he was 17 for shooting a gang rival at a party. He was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 17 years to life in prison.
Guzman was enthralled by his brother and wanted to be with him even if it meant joining him in prison.
With no immediate male role model Guzman was on a downhill slope and going down fast. His high school GPA went down to 0.8 and he was expelled from school for a fight in the boy’s restroom.
But Guzman’s troubles did not end there.
Two weeks after being suspended from school, Guzman’s wish to be just like his big brother Freddie came true when he was arrested at 15. He and his friend stole a car and robbed a liquor store at gun point. Guzman was sentenced to 15 years at the California Youth Authority.
During incarceration Guzman had plenty of time to earn his GED — twice. He made valuable use of his time attending every class he possibly could while confined behind bars.
Just when Guzman was beginning to be inspired by education, events in the outside world crumbled his new found motivation for success.
Guzman’s uncle, the only male role model he had left that was not behind bars, passed away after a long addiction to drugs and alcohol and his best friend was killed in a gang fight.
On February 23, 2013, The Economist published a very thought-provoking article entitled “Jobs in Jail: Remunerative Justice.” This article was about England’s system of putting the incarcerated to work in factory settings within their prisons. These factories are owned by private entities, not the British government. According to the article, this is a position supported by both
The State of Georgia, led by Republican Governor Nathan Deal, has for the past several years demonstrated understanding and progress when it comes to criminal justice reform. With Georgia being the 10th largest state population-wise, but ranked fourth in the size of its prison population, it’s about time someone stepped up to the plate and