Interview with Andy Chan from Books to Prisoners
There are over forty organizations in the United States that distribute donated books to prisons and incarcerated individuals. One of these nonprofit organizations is Books to Prisoners, located in Seattle, Washington. They have been responding to individual requests for books for close to five decades. We sat down with Andy Chan, who has volunteered there […]
The First Step Act: a Failure of Implementation
In 2018 the United States Congress passed the First Step Act, is a criminal justice bill aimed at reducing prison sentences for non-violent offenders. The bill, which aims to reduce rates of recidivism and improve productivity in the community, has faced huge delays and misinterpretation by the Bureau of Prisons, the department that manages inmates […]
Unbelievable Conditions At Federal Prisons
It’s interesting to see the disparity between inmates and staff. The line between has a clear demarcation that shows who is afforded the basic necessities and rights, as well as who isn’t. Currently, I am incarcerated at a Federal Prison Camp. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t have tennis courts and get to sit around […]
Transit During COVID-19 (Part 2)
This blog post is the continuation of a series, Transit During COVID-19. Read part one here. Grady County (Shady Grady) When you are on a prison transport bus, the windows are often too high for you to look out at anything and just barely thin enough to let in any light. So when you are […]
Transit During COVID-19 (Part 1)
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a living nightmare for most, trapped at home without the ability to do things you used to enjoy such as visiting friends, going out to eat, etc. Many people have been subject to depression and other mental health challenges. It’s been rough, to say the least. However, it’s been even […]
Costs of Incarceration
Keeping people behind bars is a huge business, with huge costs associated with the effort. The latest publication issued by the BOP states that on average it costs roughly $40,000 per year to house an inmate. This has been an increasing upwards trend for a number of years, rising from just around $35,000 less than […]
Lockdown In The Feds
It’s been a short while since being able to write, due to a lock down nation-wide at all 120 U.S. Federal Prisons. The blackout eliminates all phone calls, computer access, and visitation. Every facility, even at the lowest security facilities, like the one where l am located with no gang ties, lose access to these […]
Rajesh Maddiwar
I’Il be sharing a particularly interesting case involving a real estate attorney, caught in the crosshairs of the government prosecutors for something he had no knowledge about. (As a disclosure for all the inmate stories I share, I only have the information provided from the perspective of the defendant and associated legal paperwork which has been mailed […]
Solitary Confinement
One of the most tortuous parts of the US criminal justice system is Solitary Confinement. This form of discipline is actually considered a barbaric form of torture by the United Nations. Very few counties in the developed world still use this as a form of discipline. Many correctional institutions refer to solitary confinement simply as […]
New Years 2022
As we usher in another new year for 2022, our thoughts often turn to the past to consider how we have changed (or may want to change), as well as to the future, to identify opportunities to make a difference in our own lives and others. This year is no different for me. Years ago, […]
