In my quest to draw awareness to the plight of the oppressed and enslaved within America’s Prison Industrial Complex, my writings bring me into contact with other like minds. I am empowered when these are fellow incarcerated people like myself.
We are part of an exclusive cadre – for better or for worse, today and forever – of which we didn’t choose but I long ago embraced. We share collective bond borne from adversity forged through time, that transcends race, creed and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are incarcerated people and formerly incarcerated people.
We are unbreakable.
Incarcerated people return to society shunned and labeled “convict” “ex-convict” “inmate” Words meant to subjugate a class of people to societal margins. We have thrived despite purgatory existence, endured corruption and bore witness to their crimes and survived it all.
Like others in my cadre, my days are regimented, by choice, of course, and not due to any edict or arbitrary rule. No act of verbal or physical assault has conquest over me for I am forged from 31 years on the inside.
I am on a mission to lift us, humanize us and empower us. I didn’t ask for this but I will rise to it.
All around me oppression abounds. How is it that a father or mother should be forced to slave daily earning pennies an hour for working a prison job? I stand witness to the mental distress etched across faces young and old. It is cruel and unusual punishment.
What is less known is that this is by design for the 13th Amendment permits it:
“Neither slaving nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
Nationally incarcerated people average 14 cents hourly earnings working a prison job. Here in Ohio a tube of toothpaste costs $3.17 in prison commissary. This is the equivalent of 22.6 hours of prison earned wages for Ohio’s incarcerated people average $20.00 a month working 36 hour work weeks. A pair of socks from one of Ohio’s ‘sole source’ vendors costs $1.95 the equivalent of 14 hours of monthly wages; basic bra $9.95 or 71 hours of earnings; and a box of tampons runs $7.95 or nearly 57 hours of monthly wages.
Put another way, this is the equivalent of a free world citizen working 165 hours in order to afford four basic items. Would you accept this? Yet, somehow it is acceptable that incarcerated people nationwide endure this burden.
The poorest families of incarcerated people are disproportionately burdened with having to financially support an incarcerated mother, father, daughter, or son.
Families of incarcerated people are systematically preyed upon by monopolistic companies such as JPay, GTL, Securus, and CorrLinks – to name just a few. It is here in America’s jails and prisons where an email can cost 50 cents, a local phone call $18.00, and a 15 minute Skype style video ‘visit’ $15.00.
Every incarcerated person and their loved ones know this reality for we live beneath this yoke every day. I seek to draw awareness to life on the inside. Minutes Before Six is one place where our voices are heard. My journalism, blog, (letters fromChristopher.com) and advocacy with local, state, and national organizations are others.
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