Category: Testimony
-
A Man is Worth More Than the Worst Thing He's Done
The ‘ ‘unfulfilled” good judgment of the foregoing can be found in Legislative Act 730 ILCS 5/1—1—2 which mandates, but does not enforce or even practice the “purpose” of prisons: to prescribe sanctions proportionate to the seriousness of the offenses and permit the recognition of differences in rehabilitation possibilities among individual offenders prevent arbitrary or…
-
CORONAVIRUS & PRISON: A Call for Help from the Inside
CORONAVIRUS & PRISON: A Call for Help from the Inside BY: Stanley Howard As of early—December 2020, the United States leads the world with over 16 million confirmed coronavirus cases and close to 300, 000 deaths, and action must be taken to protect everyone including prisoners. With the news of promising vaccines being celebrated, the…
-
PRISONER SALARIES in I.D.O.C.
PRISONER SALARIES Prisoners are the engine that powers all the functions that prisons need to run smoothly. We do the cleaning, clerking, and cooking as well as the maintenance and repairs on prison buildings and equipment. We are the ground keepers, the gardeners both inside and outside the immediate area around the prisons . We…
-
Justice for Jackie
Justice for Jackie For three decades I have lived among a multitude of “fallen” men while serving time. To me, most are unremarkable men who let the weight of their daily existence overwhelm and wear them down. This is a micro explanation of how men enter prison. The details of their crimes are a myriad…
-
Profile in Excellence: Building A Bridge to The Outside World
PRISONERS EXCHANGE: Profile in Excellence Featuring Sherman ‘Spearo’ Spears Building A Bridge To The Outside World In a necessary move to stem the spread of the covid—19 virus, the nation’s prisons were forced to lockdown in March of 2020. That lockdown will most likely remain in place for the rest of the year. However,…
-
Student Of The Tree
STUDENT OF THE TREE. There’s a tree outside my window. It stands there, its branches like broad arms twisting themselves toward the sun. Some days I watch the wind blow through the gaps between its green locks; it is mesmerizing. Now, I sit on my bunk, warm and protected from tonight’s chill. The tree learned…
-
Darnell Foxx – Interview
In 1997 Darnell Foxx was a 15 year old kid on the Westside of Chicago. Like many of the kids his age growing up in one of Chicago’s most segregated and disadvantaged communities Darnell had very little understanding of the systemic problem proliferating in his community. Such problems like failing schools, disparate poverty, dysfunctional family…