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Hospitality to the Imprisoned ˜ 139
resented the prisoners bettering themselves. For political reasons, college-level
courses were removed from prison. 1 Once again, national and state leaders and
prison officials had denied prisoners a means to better themselves and to improve
their chances of staying out of prison once released into society.
Most prisons have a vocational-education department. In theory, prisoners
with few or no job skills can obtain vocational training and licensing to help
make them employable in areas such as auto-body repair, auto mechanics, cabinetmaking,
masonry, heating and air-conditioning repair, small-engine repair,
computer repair, welding, food services, food preparation, and so on. The problem
is that most, if not all, of the vocational-trade instructors were fired, laid off,
or forced into retirement. Again, this is frustrating if you wish to better yourself.
You are told that the state doesn’t have the money to pay these salaries. Yet
you see many prisons with a salaried coaching staff. Soon you face the grim realization
that prison officials would rather see a prisoner playing basketball or
softball than earning a GED, college degree, or job skill that would keep him
out of prison.
Do you wonder why men and women in prison are bitter and angry Do
you wonder why so many prisoners, when released, commit new crimes and return
to prison Do you wonder why so many in prison are caught in a cycle of
self-destruction
Let’s say you want to join one of the group sessions offered in prison. These
groups address topics like substance abuse, anger management, and cycles of violence.
The first thing in which prison counselors try to force you to believe is
that you are mentally defective and in need of their help. Men are taught in these
groups that it is an error in thinking to strive to be independent from government
assistance. Instead, you are taught that, since you are defective in your
thought processes, you should give up guilt about leaning on government-assistance
programs. What gets you labeled as having a defective thought process
Frankly, if you express your desire to stand on your own two feet and to work
for yourself, you are told that you are not dealing with reality.
If, in being in prison, you have the misfortune of experiencing the death of
a loved one, whatever you do, do not tell one of the prison counselors. If you do,
the following is likely to transpire:
Your counselor will ask if you feel sad or are grieving over your loved one.
If you say yes, he or she will make an appointment with one of the prison psychologists.
If you say no, they will say you are having problems expressing your
grief, and they will make an appointment with one of the prison psychologists.
1. For many years, Senator Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) pushed to make federal Pell Grants
unavailable to prisoners. Although less than 1 percent of Pell Grant funds ever went to
prisoners, Helms finally prevailed, and most college programs in prisons were crippled
or gutted (ed.).