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United States of America: hopeless insomnia
// A series of testimonials of “a typical day in prison” (9)*
Days go by, but just like outside prison, no two days in prison are ever the same. Prison conditions, the daily routine, possible visitors, medical treatment, food, or even access to the right of defence, vary greatly from one prison to another, and from one country to another. Prison Insider publishes testimonials from people who have been, or are currently in prison, and from people who are able to share their experience. This series of testimonials, “A typical day in prison”, puts the truth behind worldwide prison conditions into words.
Robert Lee Allen is imprisoned in the state of Michigan. He’s currently serving his fifth year of a 17 years-sentence. He tells Prison Insider how doing time is a daily battle.
My heartbreak turns to acid in my chest as this fucked up world comes to life around me; poison runs through my veins at the idea that I have to be part of it.
Hell, for six years I haven't even been able to a decent night's sleep.
As it stands now, there is absolutely zero incentive for any inmate to make those changes, though many still do. There is only punishment
Take action
Robert Lee Allen is currently imprisoned in Michigan. His text is followed by a call-to-action we are reproducing here:
If you have a twitter account please tweet Michigan’s new governor, Gretchen Whitmer, about Michigan’s good time bill. Whitmer is a democrat who recently delivered her State of the State speech, and though Michigan’s prison system is one of the most backwards, outdated, and dismal in the country, she didn’t make a single mention of prison reform.
Michigan is one of only three states in the country without good time, without any incentive to rehabilitate. When a Republican majority congress, senate, and president, are able to pass a bipartisan federal prison reform bill in these divisive times, it’s embarrassing and unacceptable that Michigan’s house bill: HB5666, for prison reform can’t even get a hearing, much less a vote under a Democratic governor.
Please guys, we need a few minutes of your time, I need your help. In our country no one should be denied a second chance, but more importantly, we should all want those people being released back into society to actually be rehabilitated, and that starts with the opportunity for those inmates who show growth, effort, discipline, and genuine change to be given that second chance sooner than those who don’t…
As it stands now, there is absolutely zero incentive for any inmate to make those changes, though many still do. There is only punishment, there is no positive reinforcement. Even dog trainers know that positive reinforcement is how you change behavior. This is not justice.
We are all in this together.
One way or another, we will be coming home.
Don’t forget us, write to Whitmer on Twitter - Facebook - State Office
Robert joined this graph from Prison Policy Initiative to illustrate how other countries’ incarceration rates compare with Michigan’s.
