Everyone grows old...
While for those in prison, growing older often means lost years that can never be reclaimed. It's an awareness that time is slipping by, and one is missing out on life. In prison, aging is as much psychological as it is physical. I believe this to be true, having observed the aging process in the lives of my fellow convicts, and in my own life as well.
Forty-five years of incarceration has taught me a lot about living in prison. At its most basic level, incarceration, above all else, is about punishment. You break the law, and you receive the sentence the court feels you deserve. Whether it be six years, or sixty years, into the world of corrections you go.
Even the natural aging process becomes a form of punishment. You enter a stressful environment that's
charged with anger, fear, and a collection of harsh, raucous noises. Inmates are yelling at each other or at the staff. Steel doors are constantly banging shut, as shrill bells clang throughout the cell block, while loudspeakers blare announcements. It's all a part of the daily grind of prison life.
One cannot tell me that living in such an environment won't speed up the process of aging, not to mention a less than ideal diet. I have seen many a man age before his time. Walking down the prison's corridors, you will see men who seem to be devoid of energy and have lost their zest for living. This is not a healthy environment, and it's not meant to be.
Yet, life goes on. Many of the negatives that are part of prison life can be overcome. My faith in God is the biggest factor for making it possible to stay positive. So are good friends and having a spiritual family of fellow inmates who are united by our common faith and therefore make it our business to encourage one another. Educational and therapeutic programs help as well to make prison life more bearable.
Nevertheless, correctional facilities are not built for comfort, but for housing convicted felons like myself at the cheapest cost possible. And while everyone ages, those who live in this environment age faster. There are exceptions, of course. But prison is not a place for healthy living.
D.B.
Forty-five years of incarceration has taught me a lot about living in prison. At its most basic level, incarceration, above all else, is about punishment. You break the law, and you receive the sentence the court feels you deserve. Whether it be six years, or sixty years, into the world of corrections you go.
Even the natural aging process becomes a form of punishment. You enter a stressful environment that's
charged with anger, fear, and a collection of harsh, raucous noises. Inmates are yelling at each other or at the staff. Steel doors are constantly banging shut, as shrill bells clang throughout the cell block, while loudspeakers blare announcements. It's all a part of the daily grind of prison life.
One cannot tell me that living in such an environment won't speed up the process of aging, not to mention a less than ideal diet. I have seen many a man age before his time. Walking down the prison's corridors, you will see men who seem to be devoid of energy and have lost their zest for living. This is not a healthy environment, and it's not meant to be.
Yet, life goes on. Many of the negatives that are part of prison life can be overcome. My faith in God is the biggest factor for making it possible to stay positive. So are good friends and having a spiritual family of fellow inmates who are united by our common faith and therefore make it our business to encourage one another. Educational and therapeutic programs help as well to make prison life more bearable.
Nevertheless, correctional facilities are not built for comfort, but for housing convicted felons like myself at the cheapest cost possible. And while everyone ages, those who live in this environment age faster. There are exceptions, of course. But prison is not a place for healthy living.
D.B.
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