It's no wonder that sociologists and psychologists frequently conduct studies on the behaviors and social interactions among prisoners…
After all, prisons consist of men and women from many different backgrounds, races, faiths and languages all having to live in close contact with little to no privacy.
I've been incarcerated for forty-five years, so I know. Prison can be likened to a test tube filed with human beings waiting to be studied, or a petri dish of living organisms moving about in a contained area while being observed and monitored as part of an experiment.
But aside from all the behavioral studies, for me, prison has been a place for growth and change. The victory of incarceration is that it has put me in a position, both physically and mentally, to become a better person. In truth, it comes down to this: either I seek ways to become a better individual, or I allow the prison experience to make me bitter.
Many incarcerated individuals have allowed anger and the roots of bitterness to grow within their heart. And some may even feel entitled to be angry because they believe they were unfairly tried in the courts, or were arrested on trumped-up charges, or that the system and society has failed them. And for many of them, this may be true.
The courts are by no means perfect, and the judicial system is not always fair. While the police and prosecutors are not always honest, and at times have been shown to lie, the fact remains that once you're incarcerated, you have two basic choices. You must either choose to make the best of the situation and better yourself in the process, or you can decide to stay angry and bitter and spend your time brooding.
With God's help, I eventually decided to put my life into His hands and allow Him to make me into a better person. Or I could have chosen to stay angry and waste my life by living in a state of bitter rage. I know I made the right choice.
D.B.
I've been incarcerated for forty-five years, so I know. Prison can be likened to a test tube filed with human beings waiting to be studied, or a petri dish of living organisms moving about in a contained area while being observed and monitored as part of an experiment.
But aside from all the behavioral studies, for me, prison has been a place for growth and change. The victory of incarceration is that it has put me in a position, both physically and mentally, to become a better person. In truth, it comes down to this: either I seek ways to become a better individual, or I allow the prison experience to make me bitter.
Many incarcerated individuals have allowed anger and the roots of bitterness to grow within their heart. And some may even feel entitled to be angry because they believe they were unfairly tried in the courts, or were arrested on trumped-up charges, or that the system and society has failed them. And for many of them, this may be true.
The courts are by no means perfect, and the judicial system is not always fair. While the police and prosecutors are not always honest, and at times have been shown to lie, the fact remains that once you're incarcerated, you have two basic choices. You must either choose to make the best of the situation and better yourself in the process, or you can decide to stay angry and bitter and spend your time brooding.
With God's help, I eventually decided to put my life into His hands and allow Him to make me into a better person. Or I could have chosen to stay angry and waste my life by living in a state of bitter rage. I know I made the right choice.
D.B.
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