Blog Post 4

According to some of the inmates in the HBO documentary, prison can be a place of great despair if you let it be that way. However, it can also be a place where you can accept your life and try not to let what you can not change drive you crazy, according to Dortell Williams. Scott and Nelson talked about the different cliques in prison that are usually separated by race. Kenneth also dives into this when he lists the different groups, which were northern Mexicans, southern Mexicans, blacks, and whites. While there is lots of downtime, it is up to the prisoner to chose if he wants to do something positive or stir up trouble according to Scott and Nelson. 

In the book, it is evident that there is a persistent "us vs them" mentality between correctional staff and the inmates. According to Scott and Nelson, there was at times good wardens and wardens that just wanted to make life miserable. Depending on how they were treated, would usually reflect on the environment of that prison. In the LA country jail, guards would regularly inflict violence, which in turn caused the prisoners to inflict violence on each other. Scott and Nelson talked about how Warden Budge allowed them to explore their artistic side by introducing group activities and music. As a result, it was a peaceful environment with minimal violence. One of the other guest speakers, Mark, said during the academy you are taught to think it is "us vs them" but that he never let that mindset affect him in how he treated the inmates. He said, after all, they are human, and they are not garbage like you are often taught to believe. This recollection allowed me to understand that good relationship are essential to a healthy environment behind those walls. 

Incarceration for family members can be difficult as they can be met with a life of isolation and suffering. If a parent is incarcerated, the family could be met with many financial hardships as one of the two primary breadwinners has now been taken out of the picture. This can make it difficult to buy school supplies for a single mother/father and buying groceries on a weekly basis. The second challenge of incarceration for family members is the stigma they may face. Neighbors may stop waving, friends may stop calling you, and members at the church may stop sitting in your pew. While other people in society celebrate their kids graduating from college, or parents' wedding anniversaries, these individuals don't. 

I enjoyed the HBO documentary the most as it touched upon the lives of different incarcerated individuals and the positive changes they have decided to make but also the dark and lonely moments they encounter. These experiences are important as it helps them relate to the audience for a more personal collection. I also enjoyed the guest speakers as they expand upon what we learned. For me, Nelson and Scott were similar to Kenneth as they rehabilated and felt remorse for thier actions. They talked about thier experinces, both positive and negative of what occured behind bars. Having insider perspective is helpful as it allows individuals like myself grasp what people are feeling and how they have decided to deal with thier situations. All of these persepctives are helpful for my education as it allows me to understand what life on the inside is

Comments

  1. Great reflection! You used specific examples from the class and summarized how they related to one another. I'm glad their perspectives were helpful for your education!

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