waiting for parole

Timothy Olinger

2010-05-01T05:09:00.000-07:00

Parole PORTFOLIO
Inside the Wisconsin Prison System (WPS)
January 2010

Prepared and submitted by
Timothy L Olinger SR. #166554

Introduction:
Hello. My name is Timothy L. Olinger Sr. My hope today is that, in submitting this Portfolio; that it will in some ways offer more insight about me and the strides that I have personally taken while being incarcerated in the (WPS) from March 8, 1995 until this present day. It is also my intention to provide the Parole Commission, as well as those concerned with accurate in¬formation that will hopefully show that the petitioner meets, and has attained statutory eligibility, served a sufficient amount of time for punishment through institution adjustment, program participation, institutional as well as personal re¬habilitation, and has developed an adequate parole plan.
Also, to assure the Commissioner(s) with a reasonable confidence that release at this time would not involve an undue or an unreasonable risk to the public, and would not serve to depreciate the seriousness of my crime(s). All of which being the foremost requirements for release to parole supervision back into the community, according to the PAROLE COMMISSION ADMINISTRATIVE RULES.

Table Of Contents
I. Factors and Insight.............................3-5
II. Crime and Punishment................................5
III. Responsibility and Remorse ........................ 5
IV. Change and Progress...............................5-7
(A.) Finding Myself...................................6
V. The System..........................................7-9
VI. A & E Requirements................................. 10
VII. Education...........................................lO
VIII. Work History (Incarceration)......................10
I.. Personal Achievements................................10
.. Future Goals Upon Release(Short-Term)............ 11
Long Term............................................ll
I
.I. Leisure Activities............................ 11-12
.II. Support Base. .................................. 12

I. Factors and Insight Leading to My Incarceration in Retro¬spect
As a young man from as far back as I can remember, I ex-perienced some difficulty in following rules. Whether it was in my mothers home, at school or out in society. Thus with time, came progression. Today as I look back and reflect on my child¬hood, and my youthful episodes; I've come to believe and in some-ways understand that the various forces that come together and culminate in the shaping and molding of a young and impression¬able mind, can often be very damaging.

None more powerful or confusing than the day that my father left. I was about four years old then. I make reference to this part¬icular event in my childhood, because today I review it as a very pivotal time in my childhood. In essence, he, my father, was the primary authority figure in our family at the time. Although my mother was equally diversified in the task of discipline, when it came to me her only son, she often stumbled about a bit awkwardly yet gainfully in the areas where a man's cultivation must ultimately prevail in a young boys life. My mothers influence, as profound and as necessary as it was and still is to this day; succeeded in the areas where a woman is most strongest, and most effective. In my opinion she did her best from what she knew.

I understand now as a 46 year old black man, that the guidance that a father figure provides in a young boys life, is in my opinion very critical. Today somewhat of a father myself to two young adult women, and a young adult son who also has been languishing in the (WPS) for the last five years of his life... it matters. Often times its a matter of life and death for young men who find themselves in similar situations. As I con¬tinue to grow and educate myself with such social subjects, I must acknowledge that the choices and decisions that ultimately landed me in prison time and time again, had very little to do with others, as it did with me and how I felt about myself. I could never have envisioned a life for myself saturated in de¬spair...surrounded with fences and bars, and neither did my parents. Yet I realize today, that psychologica11y...as it relates to me, the damage had already been done. There were also other very prolific events in my childhood that would also prove to be very harmful to my young mind. Some of which are very painful And to this day seem difficult to talk about. Some of those events would eventually come to alter the way I related to other. Including women and authority figures.

As a young adult, I began to experiment with different drugs and alcohol. This behavior was as much a part of my existence as living and dying is, and helped to nurture the circumstances that would eventually bring me to low points like this in my life. At some point I began to believe that with the ingestion of these substances I would somehow be able to cope with the world around me- that I had in essence created for myself. I was too young and immature then to identify with clinical terms such as: issues of abandonment, issues of trust, issues dealing with authority, issues with identity and issue surrounding chauvinism. All of which were all too real. The lack of education also proved to be a very strong factor as I continued my downward spiral.

I dropped out of school to the chagrin of my mother. I was about seventeen years old. During this period of my teenage life, I was pretty much lost to a mentality of rebellion. Which I'm confident today was brought on by my own ignorance, low self esteem, and my inability to seek or ask for help. While my classmates were graduating and moving on to the next level, I was slowly becoming mired into a psycho¬logical prison of dysfunction and apprehension. My choices began to reflect this condition.

Thus in retrospect, robbing, stealing and hurting others, as horribly wrong and dishonest as those things are ... without trying to lessen the seriousness of the crimes-that I committed, was in fact tantamount to how far I had fallen and regressed from the young man that my family had always envisioned for me. I've come to realize and understand today that in such a fallen state of being, my responsibility to my children, my family and ultimately my community...was unlikely. In hindsight and from a internal sense of liberation and compassion, I am able to construct these sincere thoughts of introspection and self scrutiny. Through much soul searching and forethought; I realize today that prison and I were on a collision course. Confinement or graveyards can only come from such an existence of rebellion and confusion.
I feel blessed and fortunate to be in a conscious state of mind
today.

II. My Crime and Punishment
I am incarcerated today for the crime of Armed Robbery(PTAC). Myself along with another person, robbed an after hours party and took property from those who came to have a good time. I received a 30 year sentence with a Mandatory Release date of 2015. Which amounts to 2/3. The date that my sentence began was March 8,1995. I received 118 days County Jail Time. I've served just a little over 15 years .

III. Responsibility and Remorse
When I think about "Responsibility "...it brings to mind in-spiring words such as: accountability, reliability, dependability and trustworthiness. Years ago, these commendable words were very foreign to me, due in part to my self-centered and immature view of the immediate world that existed around me. My conduct was very poor and unacceptable, thoughtless and irresponsible. I live with not only the knowledge that I've hurt people. . . namely the victims of my crimes, but I also live with the consequences. I also under-stand that our communities have suffered greatly because of the senseless violence.

Being a praying man at times, I often pray for better results, but I understand that I must do my part. Today I take responsibility for my life and the damage that I have caused. I believe that true change is not merely a one time event, but a constant progression towards growth, experience and improvement. Genuine change starts within and works its way out. It begins wherever we are, no matter the circumstances. While that statement is easier said than done, I believe it to be the closest thing to the truth.

IV. Changes And Progress Made Since Incarceration
"An educated mind behaves differently; is able to canvass options and solve misunderstandings without the insistence of violence.” (author unknown)

A. Finding Myself
As I think about, or attempt to surmise the subtle progresses that I have made personally throughout this period of incarceration, what immediately comes to mind are those people who have in some way supported me and poured their spirits forth that I might in some way benefit from their wisdom as well as their experiences. I read somewhere that no man is self made, thus because they cared and showed me what they knew to be compassion...each step that I have taken along this dubious path, has in some form or fashion been humbly immersed in some phase of transformation, or change. Whether it be changing old habits, associations, or defunct think¬ing patterns, I feel pretty confident about the changes that are taking place today within myself.

When I came into the (WPS) in March of 1995, for the third time, I was lacking in many areas of my life as an individual, as well as a human being. I began to ask myself some tough questions. I thought that maybe I was just indefinitely flawed and unable to live in a civilized society where people are generally good and capable of giving and receiving compassion. I honestly had no real sense of self, and no real desire to succeed at anything. I was a 31 year old boy with the age of a grown man.

I found myself searching the pages of different religions to find the answers that I felt were eluding me, as though it were some type of elaborate scheme designed to keep me down and out. Although my spiritual understanding has flourished be¬cause of that diligence and curiosity . . . the spotlight continued to fall back on me, not to those external forces that I was so sure had sabotaged life. I realized then, that only an educated mind could find its ways back to the surface of well-being, and a comfortable sense of wholeness. Because of this ambiguous attitude, today I have an Associates Degree in Business Management Along with other academic achievements that have in some way added to the humanity that I so earnestly seek. I realize today that I am merely a student of life passing through a world of classrooms filled with different experiences, different people, and different episodes, that ultimately serve to shape and mold us. I believe the question for me is, and has always been, what do I have to offer with my life, and what is my purpose. I n-Ht4. meantime, I continue to open myself up to this process of being and becoming.

V. The System
When I was sentenced to 30 years in the(WPS )..in Judge Frankes courtroom, I stood before him as an habitual offender. Very confused, and very unsure of myself, or my future. Its clear to me today that I needed help. The theory that I had become a danger to the community as well as myself, never truly resonated with me at the time. The Department Of Corrections(DOC),has been for me, a place of reflection, self examination, and endless soul searching. And yet it has also been a source of humiliation, remorse, embarrassment along with misplaced anger, and pride.
In hindsight I realize that I did need a structured environment(as much as it pains me to admit that)...to help me address the many psychological issues that permeated deep within me.

The notion of rehabilitation when I came into the system in March of 1995, seem to be very much alive. When I came through the Dodge Correctional Facility, where I was Assessed & Evaluated (A&E), it was determined that I needed Drug And Alcohol Treatment, Anger-management, I had a Vocational need, and I was required to complete CGIP 1&2. This process is common to all inmates. With my sentence structure being a such...(30 years), most of those programs would not become available to me until much-much later in the course of my incarceration. Thus I had a huge amount of time on my hands to reflect on my life and the time that weighed heavily on my mind.

It was in these times or moments of despair and meditation, that the rehabilitation process for me began to resonate. I quickly learned that such a process must start with me first. I learned that attitude meant a lot, and with a 30 year sentence hanging over my head, my attitude needed a complete over-haul. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but I was willing, and that was a start.

With the political landscape constantly changing, the road would prove to be even steeper. Tommy Thompson had just recently passed new legislation called "Presumptive Mandatory Release(PMR). Which effectively allowed the various release mechanism via, the Parole Commission, the Placement & Review committee(PRC)...etc , to hold inmate on or beyond their MR dates should a committee of these people decide that the inmate had not satisfied certain ambiguous criteria's for release. The infamous Tommy Thompson letter, as it has come to be known, called for the holding of inmates for as long as possible. With this legislation in place, the prisons began to swell. Considering that the cost of keeping one person confined for one year is a whopping $29,041.. . release for some inmates at that time seemed inevitable. Yet instead the system started systematic¬ally sending inmates out-of-state to be warehoused in (CCA) facilities. Which stands for Correction Corporation Of America.

The reasoning here was to effectively alleviate overcrowding, and in the course of this endeavor, save money. Whether or not the goal was achieved; these CCA facilities that I found myself in such as: Whiteville Tn, Sayre Oklahoma, Wotonga Oklahoma, and Appleton Minnesota ...were breeding grounds for gang activity, drug activity, and a host of other questionable activities. For me it was difficult to find a reason to be positive. After the initial shock of being so far away from home began to dissipate, I began to seek out the positive aspects of these places instead of dwelling on the negative. The academic courses, the religious events, the programs available, and the leisure time activities, helped to keep me grounded and focused on the goals that I had set for myself within the system. Not being able to see my family, or my children, often left me feeling estranged and out of touch with the support group that I yearned for and felt that I needed the most.

In 2003, Governor Jim Doyle appointed Mr. Lenard Wells as Chairman of the state's Parole Commission. With the appointment of Mr. Wells, the tentative pendulum of the Parole Commission, seemed to finally be swinging in a more liberal direction as it related to the current prison system, and its prior Parole Commission. Men who had for decades been denied parole under the guise of not having served enough time, or that release at the time would cause an undue risk to the public, or simply because some program that usually more times than not, only becomes available to those closest to their Mandatory Release dates, were beginning to intermittently find relief and release, as they appeared before respective parole boards.

My own personal experience with the Parole System, has been at best tentative. Where the harsh tentacles of ignorance, and confusion exist, there is no vision, or insight from which one might glean a clear understanding of that which besets him. That statement, I believe most accurately described me, and countless other inmates that found themselves oblivious as to how the system that's in place today, actually worked. Thus, the egregious notion of fairness, justice, and equality, have in there own exclusionary manner, left me feeling somewhat jaded, and overly anxious as I pursue my freedom.

If I had to pinpoint one criteria that appears to be a thorn in my side, that the Parole Board cites with staunch regularity;
that would be...Hasn't served "sufficient" time for punishment. After 15 years in the WR5 , that in a nutshell describes my plight, and all my frustrations to this day.
With that being said, I can honestly say that I personally have no idea where this current system hopes to go.

However, with the cost of housing just one of the state's 23,000 inmate's at a whopping $29,000 per year, the outlook doesn't seem to be very productive. Since Chairman Alphonso Graham took office, the percentages show a 33% reduction in parole grants. From 15% under Mr. Lenard Wells, to 10% under Mr. Graham. In conclusion, I struggle each day with the knowledge that the system doesn't work in its current capacity. Thus what chance do any of us have of being fairly treated as we seek to return to our families, and our communities!?

Sadly, with resignation of Mr. Wells in 2007, those of us still languishing under the old regime, or(01d Law)...or Old-New Law, or whatever, depending on ones own perspective; find ourselves at the mercy of a "New Law" that doesn't include us, an "Old Law" that has in many respects, out worn its welcome.(Via.the dismantling of the Parole Board to ERRC).

Under the Wisconsin Act 28, Sentencing Reform. Thus myself, and others like me, who have "NOT" served sufficient en¬ough time for punishment, and continue to pose an "UNREASONABLE" risk to the public, are in my opinion, simply pawns in a system that has simply gone awry. I guess the question here is, have we satisfied our debt to society? And should we as inmates expect to be treated fairly given our crimes and our history!?

VI. A & E Requirements
* Vocational...Custodial Program(Complete)
* AODA Level 6 Support Group Programming(Complete)
* AODA Level 1 Support Group Programming(Complete)
* CGIP 1&2... Cognitive Thinking(Complete)
VII. Education Initiatives
* H.S.E.D.
* Associates Degree in Business Management
* Certified L.V.A. Tutor
VIII. Personal Achievements (Programs)
* Restorative Justice Program
* Victim Awareness Program
i
* R.Y.T.E. Program...(Reaching Youth Through Education)
* Reach Out Program. ..( Focused on reaching youthful offenders)
* Community Service Program...(Focus on giving back to the community
* Anger Management Program
* NA/AA . .(Support based groups)
* Applying Basic Life Principles. . . (Christian based program)
* Basic Money Management...(Banking Principles)
IX. Jobs Held During Incarceration
* C.W.C...Off Grounds Project (Oakhill Corr. Inst.)
* Bathroom Custodian (Oakhill)
* H.S.E.D Tutor (Redgranite Corr. Inst.)
* Reintegration Tutor (Redgranite)
* Financial Literacy Tutor (Redgranite)
* Business Basics Tutor/Facilitator (Redgranite)
* Library Clerk (Redgranite)
* Recreation Worker (Redgranite)
* Badger State Industries (Columbia Corr. Inst.)
* Canteen Worker (Columbia)
* Community Service Project (Columbia)

Jobs Continued.
* AODA Level 6 Facilitator (Whiteville Tennessee)
* Segregation Worker (Whiteville)
* Kitchen Worker (Sayre, Oklahoma)
* H.S.E.D Tutor (Sayre)
* Dayroom Custodian (Appleton MM)
X. Future Goals Upon Release (Short-Term)
* Develop working relationship with Parole Officer
* Find work immediate1y . . .develop work history
* Seek out support based groups... attend church functions
* Continue education...MATC
* Surround myself with like minded people with positive attitudes
* Get involve with community events, programs, and seminars
* Most importantly, be patient...stay focused!
* Find suitable housing . •
* Get I.D, Birth Certificate etc.
Long-Term
* Stay drug & alcohol free
* Build a relationship with my children/grandchildren
* Work with at risk youth
* Look at possibly starting a business
* Successfully complete paro1e. . . stay out of prison
* Look at possibly owning investment properties/Landlord
* Get married
* And just strive to be a decent human being
XI. Leisure Time Activities
* Meditation/spiritual focus
*Reading/writing poetry
* Exercising/Sports
11
Leisure Activities Continued...
*Studying African American history and diverse cultures
* Studying Real Estate
* Listening to music
XII. Support Base
In conclusion, I believe that I have a very strong support base. I have a strong and determined woman in my corner(my fiance’).. . who has been my eye's and my ear's throughout this vast ordeal. I owe her my sanity. The mother of our son, she is an integral part of my smooth transition back into society. Also my immediate family members are very instrumental in my life. They have always supported me in a positive way, and have also been a life preserver along the way. They've always managed to be there for me in some of my darkest hours, and they continue to express their love and support as I make my way home.
I've also taken the initiative to become acquainted with several agencies in the communities of Milwaukee, that assist prisoners with the arduous task of reintegration . Agencies such as: Project Return; Community Corrections Employment Program(CCEP); New-Hope Project; Milwaukee Job Training Services; Milwaukee Urban league; and the list goes on. I'm confident that these community resources will prove to be invaluable as I make the transition back into society.
Sincerely,
Timothy Olinger L Sr .

Cory Gilmore

2010-03-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

Cory Gilmore #254400
WSPF PO Box 9900
Boscobel, WI 53805

IN 1995 when I was 18, I was sentenced to 54 years in prisons for two armed robberies, aggravated battery, and substantial battery.

My nephew and I robbed a store and we were stupid enough to return to the same store a week later because a different clerk was working . The guy became suspicious and pulled a gun on us. We fought over the gun and I struck the guy with several bottles until he released the gun. We then ran from the store. We did not take any money, but the guy lied and claimed money was taken. I take responsibility for the crime I committed but I do not deserve 54 years in prison.

Since I been in prison, my mother , a brother and aunt has died. I have a 15 year old son who I haven’t seen since he was two.

I was a high school student before my incarceration and I obtained my HSED shortly afterwards. Then completed an office assistant vocational and have not been allowed to take additional vocationals because the prison where I was held only allowed the completion of one vocational per prisoner.
I was denied parole in June of 2009 and given a 48 month defer. The reason given for the defer was that I hadn’t completed all my program needs. The program I am required to take , however , is only available at a medium security, and I’m not eligible for a medium security because of my sentence structure.

I do not make excuses for the choices I’ve made, but several factors lead me to being in prison. I was never taught a work ethic or the moral of right opposed to wrong. My father died when I was eight, and my mother raised me on a limited social security income. I valued money but didn’t have the work ethic to get it lawfully. I believed I could commit crimes because that is what I saw daily. Guns and drugs were the norm. I also had a very cynical view of the world. I believed that if no one else cared, then why should I care. I allowed heart to turn cold, but I was not conscious of the coldness. I believed that violence and not caring for others was the norm. I can say now that I’m trying to change. I’ve found a lot of peace within. I believe we all have the capacity to love or hate, to be kind or cruel, to do right or wrong. We must simply choose to be who we want to be. If I’ve ever released back into Society, I choose humanity

patrick M. Petit

2010-02-20T12:48:00.000-08:00

Patrick M Petit
DOC# 175484, LOC.K-118L
Wabash Correctional Facility
PO Box 111
Carlisle, IN 47838

I Aa a 33 year old male. My date of birth is 12/17/76. The first time I got locked up was for growing marijuana plants. I won’t lie. I smoked some. But I was also growing it for a friend who was fighting cancer. I didn’t want to see him suffer like he was. I was charged with a class D felony and served a year.

I got out and was out for about 3 months. Then I got a job scrapping iron. Come to find out the checks he was using to pay me with were stolen checks ., I did not know this until I got arrested . This time, I got charged with a class C felony.

FDO I regret what I did the first time to get locked up? Not one bit . I am not the type of person who ca watch a friend suffer. Would I do it again. For someone I care for, Yes, in a heart beat. Do I feel bad about what I’m in prison for now? YES! Will it happen again? No!

Well , I truly hope you understand my story. I also hope , I might have caught your interest. I hope to hear from you.

Joseph Orosco - juvenile offender asks for second chance

2010-02-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

Hope For Pseudo Adults?

I have a question. What constitutes an 'adult offense' v. a juvenile offense? I ask because here I sit, in prison, for a crime I committed at 16. I do not believe that there should be NO consequences for my actions. I agree, I was wrong. Nonetheless, it's the length and rationale with which I have the disagreement with. HOW can a person be told that at 16 yrs. old, once he/she has done a certain behavior, they are subject to the 'adult' standard of consequences, Where's the logic in all of this? The Supreme Court ruled in its Roper decision that a juvenile cannot be sentenced to the death penalty because they are not capable of making a fully informed decision. That the adolescent doesn't have the full use of the brain's ability to make a decision on the long term consequences (whether good or bad) because the pre-frontal cortex hasn't reached it's fully developed stage. This is science telling people this and the Court agreed. Include the other choices that are reserved for a person who is 'of age'. Not until a person is 18 can they purchase any tobacco products, vote, live on their own, buy alcohol (even that age was upped l8 to 21 because of the ability to make an informed decision), cannot graduate from high school nor complete the GED/HSED testing. A teenager must acquire a work permit before they can get a job even! But let that same adolescent/juvenile commit a crime that's been determined to be an adult offense and they're automatically waived into the criminal courts. The adult court. Where's the logic?! Who determined this? Is that a fundamentally sound decision? So, this juvenile is instantaneously considered an adult and stuck into a legal system that everyone else has gone to school for- they've all completed high school and have spent another 3-6 years in college afterwards. On top of that they've had other courtroom experience, and said juvenile is to aid the appointed advocate (he/she cannot afford an attorney. He/She doesn't work)in putting forth a viable defense, Really? All of that from a teenager who, by an action alone, is assumed to be cognizant? This is what is acceptable? "Oh, sure, that young person is getting what's best." What about the evolving standard of decency? In a country revered for its fairness and justice, this hardly seems to bolster that dogma. One of two countries in the world who sentence a juvenile to such a lengthy term (Life) and yet this is overlooked. The other is considered a third world country. The USA and Somalia. Love that patrio¬tism... It just feels like a second wrong is being done here. It's not because I feel sorry for myself and this isn't to be taken as a boo-hoo. I don't EVER forget what it is that I did. It's fact and it is my burden. My gripe is the fact I continue to see others similarly situated who come into prison at a young age and become warehoused. There is no designed or special treatment given to a juvenile coming into the adult prison system. You get here and you sit down. No shrink comes to visit you. Except for the one that is customary during your arrival at Dodge for the Assessment and Evaluation phase. And that's to determine if you're a security threat. After that, there is no on-going mental evaluation. The person is an adult now, thanks to the predetermination based on the age at the time of an action. It's ridiculous. Anybody can have psittacistic behavior as to what is fed to person in school, but can that alone be equated to being "fully informed"? That's enough for "automatic waiver"? I'm coming up on 30yrs. old and have been really thinking about this for some time now. What is really taken into account on the part of the p s e u d o - a d u 1 t ? A Life sentence? Yet a drunk driver is given leeway because they're impaired. How many times do you see a drunk driver charged with First degree Intentional Homicide and receive a prison term equatable to that of what a pseudo-adult has been given. Let's keep in mind that a great majority of those convicted for a drunk driving offense resulting in a death are ADULTS!. And they've seen countless commercials informing said persons of the dangers. I don't know guys...pseudo-adults v. legitimate adults.... Cogitative processes... um..ouch. A dope dealer can sell to someone KNOWING that drugs can and do kill but, when a person dies as a result of the drug, and the dealer is identified, how likely is the dealer to receive a sentence like that which the pseudo-adult received? Fairness in full effect. So, who asks for a change? Who wants an overhaul? Or, at least, at least, a long and "fully informed" second look at the issue? This is okay to continue? What other options can be put forth? Who’s willing to say something other than myself in a 'social dia¬tribe'? I am not asking just on my behalf but for all us who 're stuck with little recourse and otherwise stymied.

A voice with maturation,
Joseph Orosco 335933
Waupun Corr. Inst.
P.O. Box351
Waupun, WI 53963

marteze Harris

2010-01-30T13:34:00.000-08:00

TUESDAY,JANUARY 19,2010
MR.MARTEZE HARRIS #161543
WAUPUN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
POST OFFICE BOX 351
WAUPUN, WISCONSIN 53963

HELLO,MY NAME IS MARTEZE,AND I AM 37 YRS. OLD (DOB: NOV. 10,1972-SCORPIO) I SEE THE PAROLE BOARD JAN. 2011,BUT WITHOUT A PAROLE MY RELEASE DATE IS 2036 BUT, WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR AND THE BLESSINGS OF GOD, I WILL BE OUT WAY BEFORE THIS. I HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED FOR 14 YRS. FOR ARMED ROBBERY.

IF YOU LOOK AT MY WEBPAGE AND MY BLOG SITE,YOU WILL SEE THAT I AM VERY OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT WHO I AM,THE PERSON I USED TO BE AND THE PERSON I STRIVE TO BE EVERYDAY. WHY AM I SO HONEST? I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD TO GAIN. IT WOULD BE EASY TO LIE AND TRY TO DECEIVE YOU, BUT WHEN YOU LIE YOU HAVE TO KEEP LYING AND IN THE END YOU END UP LOSING OUT IN THE LONG RUN. ALSO I'VE LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU ARE HONEST WITH MOST PEOPLE THEY WILL RECIPROCATE THE GESTURE.

WHEN I WRITE FOR THE INTERNET WHETHER IT BE FOR MY WEBPAGE,OR BLOG,I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I WILL WRITE ABOUT. THE INTERNET IS NEW TO ME AND WERE IT NOT FOR THE LOVELY MRS.PEG SWAN,AND HER ORG. I WOULD NOT HAVE A VOICE. SO I AM FOREVER THANKFUL TO HER AND WHEN I WRITE I ALWAYS TRY TO DO HER AS WELL A£ MYSELF JUSTICE.

SO,TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS DEAR TO PEG,AS WELL AS MOST PRISONERS. IN ORDER FOR PEG,TO BUILD UP SUPPORT FOR HER ADVOCACY FOR PRISONERS,PRISONERS RIGHTS ,FUNDRAISING,ETC.,ETC. MORE PEOPLE IN THE FREE WORLD HAVE TO STOP FEARING PRISONERS AND SEE US AS HUMANBEINGS. AND MAYBE IF I WRITE AND OTHER PRISONERS WRITE AND YOU GET TO KNOW US THRU OUR WRITINGS, THEN YOU START TO SEE US FOR HUMANBEINGS THAT WE ARE.

PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG "YES" YOU HAVE CAREER CRIMINALS IN HERE,AND OTHER FORMS OF PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NEVER BE FREE,BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT THOSE PRISONERS ARE FEW AND FAR IN BETWEEN. FOR THE MOST PART YOU HAVE ALOT OF PRISONERS FOR WHATEVER REASON GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE SYSTEM,WITH CRIME. YOU CAN LOSE YOUR WAY ONE TIME AND BE IN THE SYSTEM TRAPPED FOR A LONGTIME. MOSTLY BECAUSE THE AVERAGE CITIZEN ISN'T EDUCATED ABOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM "EVER" UNTIL SOMEONE THEY KNOW AND LOVE MAKES A MISTAKE OR COMMITS A CRIME. FOR THT MOST PART WE SERVE OUR TIME WITHOUT COMPLAINT,BUT IF YOU AS FREE PEOPLE CONTINUE ALIENATE US, FEAR US, LOOK DOWN ON US AND JUST CONTINUOUSLY CONDEMN US THEN THE RECIDIVISM RATE WON'T DECREASE,THE PRISON POPULATION WON'T DECREASE, CRIME WON'T DECREASE.

PEOPLE HAVE TO START CARING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE,START BEING MORE FORGIVING FOR OTHERS MISTAKES,JUST LIKE YOU WANT SOMEONE TO BE TOWARDS YOUR MISTAKES. NO BODY IS PERFECT EVERYONE HAS FLAWS,BUT WHEN YOU CAN HELP SOMEONE SEE BEYOND THOSE IMPERFECTIONS INTO THE PERSON THEY CAN BE,THEN CHANGE WILL COME, AND,ABSOLUTELY...YOU CAN NOT HELP EVERYBODY,SOME PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT,WILL BREAK YOUR HEART,LIE,DECEIVE YOU AND DOWNRIGHT JUST DO WRONG,BUT I GUARANTEE THOSE FEW THAT LET YOU DOWN,YOU WILL HAVE MANY MORE THAT WILL MAKE YOU BURST WITH PRIDE. BUT,IF YOU NEVER TAKE THE CHANCE THEN YOU WILL NEVER REAP THE REWARDS OF THAT HARD LABOR.
Note: Marteze has his own blog , see link on side bar.

Steve Gordon talks about PA System

2010-01-30T13:15:00.000-08:00

By Steven Gordon

I am in Pennsylvania's overcrowded prison system. I have been waiting for a letter from the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole (PBPP) telling me it was going to send me home on supervised parole for the last four months of my sentence. This of course would be to alleviate the prison overcrowding and open up bed space in a system that is somewhere around 8,000 prisoners (about 15%) over capacity. The Department of Corrections (DOC) needs my bed here for somebody else and I am just taking up space.
The letter hasn't arrived yet. Maybe the mailroom is behind sorting all the mail to all of us? I don't know, what else could it be?

Last year I filed a legal challenge against the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. I don't think they (the PBPP) like that -being questioned and all. I did it because I don't accept the reasons for their decisions to deny my parole over and over and this is a democratic society based on checks and balances, or so I thought.

It isn't the first time and I have never been successful as I keep looking for a different approach to the autocratic power the PBPP has. You'd think I would learn but a hard head is.. .well, there is the logical and common sense approach to things and a lot of this doesn't add up to me. I suspect my actions have been used against me as an unwritten retaliatory reason for denial of parole except of course we all know retaliation isn't practiced nor proper use of power (or legal?).

I don't know how parole works in other states but after a parole moratorium here in Pennsylvania last year (triggered by a parolee who killed a police officer in Philadelphia) seemingly little has changed. A study done during the moratorium concluded that our parole system is one of the best in the country and that other states come here to study our system. That isn't too self-serving.

Learning of that finding inmates, as well as some DOC staff, just looked blankly at each other and scratched our heads. Being part of the system and seeing what happens we just don't see how that conclusion was arrived at. But of course we are here and don't know how other states are more dysfunctional.

We go through a process and are evaluated by DOC staff before we have our parole interview. Don't get me going on that process. Some parole decisions, usually the denials, come back quick in weeks. Others can be several months coming back and they still could be a denial. All decisions are final and at the sole discretion of the Parole Board as per Pennsylvania's Parole Act. No decision is open for administrative review by the Parole Board or anyone nor is there any other recourse like a judicial review.

Here is the kicker in this. In the Pennsylvania Constitution in Article V (The Judiciary), Section 9 (Right of Appeal) it is written in part:
"There shall be a right of appeal in all cases to a court of record from a court not of record; and there shall also be a right of appeal from a court of record or from an administrative agency to a court of record of to an appellate court... "
The problem here is you can't get past the Commonwealth Court as it relies on the precedent of Rogers vs PBPP, 724 A.2d, 319 (Pa. 1999) set by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. As such any petitions for review from inmates challenging the PBPP and asking for a judicial review on appeal of parole decisions are dismissed Per Curium.

Barack Obama ran on a platform of change. I won't get political but I am pretty sure he was speaking about all kinds of reform. In one of his eloquent speeches he was quoted as saying, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we 've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. " , ,; So where do we go and what is our recourse? Who will help? Who cares?

Recent figures show the number of parole approvals here is upwards of 60%. What the public doesn't know (and what the statistics don't show) is that many of these are still in the prisons. To be paroled you must have a PBPP approved 'home plan' to go to or you are put on a list for a bed in a CCC center (halfway house).

The concept used to be that from the center you can get a home plan and in 90 days or so be on your way and thus make room for someone else. Getting to a center is step one of course but the problem now is that the centers are filled and open beds aren't plentiful. There just aren't enough centers and then there are restrictions for certain offenders. Additionally the centers aren't very evenly located throughout the state and you could be sent to one not near your home area.

So as you drive down the road to parole after you get approved here comes a couple new speed bumps. One is a trend in that approval of home plans is seemingly becoming stricter than before. Thus people are paroled but have no place to go. As far as getting a bed at a center, the new deal is that you have to have a home plan to be on the waiting list. It's a — nice little loophole that keeps people in prison and promotes the business of prisons.

I have a cellie (in his 60's like me) who was reparoled and on a waiting list for a center. He was waiting patiently for a date and then... he was removed from the waiting list and told to get a home plan. He isn't alone and the DOC and PBPP point fingers at each other with no resolution forthcoming to date. A group out of Pittsburgh has written and has plans to file a class action against the PBPP and the DOC on this.1

The thing about home plans is if you have someone who has been in prison for say 10 years and is older and who may have little or no family or outside contacts and possibly no resources (or any combination of those things) exactly how is an approved home plan going to be obtained? Even for a younger person it isn't easy to do from within prison.
These people are now in a position of being approved for parole by the PBPP but they are facing the likelihood of not being released on parole and instead they will max out their sentences. This backs up the prisons of course. Then when the release (max) date comes the DOC and PBPP washes their hands of that prisoner setting him up for failure and/or to be a further burden on society.

Let me go back to and hit on the reasons for parole denials. The reasons are like randomly hitting the Fl, F2, F3, etc. key on the computer keyboard. That is the joke among inmates. You get my drift here? Plain and simple, some of the reasons for parole denials just plain don't make sense. It is such a subjective process and we have covered the angle of challenging parole decisions by the PBPP (and possible retaliation).
Briefly on the retaliation aspect, why else would an interviewer at a parole review ask a prisoner why he has challenged the decisions of the PBPP in the past? Is that a new requirement for parole - to sit back and accept what you don't understand? Is parole supposed to be about being a good soldier and following the rules or does it now include a negative connotation for standing up for yourself and the right to challenge decisions of the PBPP?

Consider the ambiguous "Reports, Assessments and Evaluations" that indicate your being "a danger to the interest of the Commonwealth," as they say. Never have those reports been seen or proved to even be in existence and most DOC counselors will tell inmates that they...well, they don't believe they exist either. Who did these assessments? Where did they come from? One has to question them as being a falsification an official state document, but the court wouldn't hear it because of Rogers.

In a Commonwealth Court decision in Reynolds vs PBPP. 809, A.2d 423, 433 (Pa. Cmwlth 2009) the Parole Board submitted an affidavit that it has guidelines it used to determine a prisoners parole. In that same affidavit the PBPP said in part:
"Nonetheless, the Board avers that it is not bound to follow any recommendations regarding the grant or denial of parole that might appear on the guidelines form, and it adheres to no formal guidelines in making parole decisions. "
So take the case of someone who falls within all the positives of those guidelines. Say a prisoner has completed all his programs, had all good to excellent housing reports, had full institutional support for each parole review, had no misconducts, is the lowest rating level on a new violent offender assessment (OVRT) put in place after the moratorium, had a PBPP approved home plan and had done every program available beyond the required prescribed programs. What does he say to his family when parole is denied?

There was a case written about in the June 2009 Graterfriends (a newsletter published by The Pennsylvania Prison Society) in which an individual came to prison in 2004 on a misdemeanor and he was on parole. He made a mistake and had a drink at home and openly admitted to it to his AA sponsor and said it felt good to be open and honest. When he told his parole officer the article said he was handcuffed and taken away in front of his 11-year-old daughter who was "screaming and crying." The Parole Board gave him 12 months back in prison for that. Is this the attitude we want and are these the kind of people we need to be taking up space in our overcrowded prisons?
"I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice. "
Abraham Lincoln
There is a Republican state representative from Philadelphia, John Perzel, who last year proposed that all violent offenders never be paroled. Given the generalization in the classification of what a violent offense is that covers a large portion of prisoners in Pennsylvania. This kind of draconian thinking needs to be eradicated or the building of new prisons will never cease. Is that what the taxpayers want?

It brings up a more dangerous option however. Is it safer and does it present less of a danger to the community to release someone from prison without any supervision or should all prisoners be required to spend some time in a center or on home supervised parole before being totally freed? Of course that brings back the problem of not having home plans approved and the lack of space in halfway houses.

Gov. Swartzenager of California recently said he wanted to spend more money on education that on incarceration. It is a lofty and noble goal because education trumps a lot of things. You know what? I have never heard anyone answer the question of why the United ! i .> i < ; • - - - -• States has more people in prison, by a large margin, than any other country in the world yet we still have crime and the crime rates don't really vary that much. I want to conclude with one last position. There are the outside factors of objections to a prisoner's parole. Why should a judge or a prosecutor have this loophole? They had you in court to exact punishment. In a case I know of a particular ADA objected to parole for five years. In the 'what goes around comes around' category he (and a number of other prosecutors in Bucks County, Pennsylvania) was fired in December, 2009 by the DA-elect, former president judge David Heckler, after 21 years in the DA's office. The new DA told him that he wanted to go in a different direction. 1 will complete my sentence and be released without supervision after 10 years in prison. Without going into my offense, I am not a danger to society. I made those points to the PBPP and the DOC is on my side on this. It fell on deaf ears. The PBPP responds to letters not with answers but form letters. It will say something like "your letter will be put on file and become part of your permanent record." It also asserts that it has sole discretion on all parole decisions and all decisions are final. Nice attitude! Being one to generally say what is on my mind and to take a jab here at things and there I wrote a letter last summer to T. Gary Gambardella in Bucks County, my prosecuting attorney who continually objected to my parole. I thanked him for subverting the parole system and allowing me to go home unsupervised. Then when I saw a newspaper article saying that he was fired at the end of the year I also sent him a congratulations card. It was for his moving on to a new career of course. As for my letter from the PBPP, I don't think it is coming.

footnote:1 Community Justice Project, Don Driscoll, Esq., 429 Forbes Ave., Suite 1705,
Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Does Anyone Really Know What Time it is?

2009-10-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

By Steven Gordon EM-3704
PO Box A
Cresson, PA 16699-0001

I wrote a sincere letter to the warden of my county prison. I wrote that I doubted that he had ever received a letter like this and in the first paragraph I wrote that I wanted to help and I would be released from state prison soon.

There has been no response to it. When I put it in the mail I didn't really know what to expect, but with the nature of the letter and officials focused on rehabilitation I thought I would at least get a "thanks but no thanks."

I related that I have moral and ethical values as a 62-year-old and that my domestic offense came out of wrong thinking, not criminal thinking and I have had these values all my life. I believe that having been "inside" for nearly 10 years who better to understand and work with offenders than someone who has been there? The goal of course is to keep people from coming (back) to prison.

I guess this warden in Bucks County, Pennsylvania doesn't see it that way, doesn't care or thought it was a joke. It wasn't a joke! Does that make rehabilitation is a myth?

"Us" and "Them"
The staff advisor/coordinator of our incarcerated Vietnam Veteran's of America chapter here at SCI Cresson in Pennsylvania talks with us on things not all veteran related. One thing he has said about public perception is that there is an "us" and "them" mentality outside.

Basically he says the "us" is those in the communities who look at the prisons telling the officials that they should take care of "them." The plain and simple fact is that about 90% of "them" will eventually become part of "us."

Speaking for myself, I won't be an "us" because that whole mentality is a segregating thing. In our democratic society we are supposed to be above that sort of thing.

I am not smarter than anyone else but I would love to be able to tell what I have experienced to help others. I think having a message that is relevant and that has real meaning trumps smart. To that end I guess I would have to conclude the warden I sent my letter to is a closed minded individual.

Prison is a warehouse
Prison is a business to warehouse "bad" people. About five years ago statistics from the Justice Department cited Pennsylvania as keeping its prisoners longer than any state on average of 69 months per prisoner. Texas was second at 55 months and I think Wisconsin was third at 38 months. To make that number stand out more, Texas leads the nation in number of sentences of 20 years or longer.

Currently Pennsylvania houses state prisoners in county prisons that have open beds and they are exploring sending prisoners to other states. As reported in the USA TODAY over the summer, other states are finding ways to close prisons in favor of less costly methods to monitor its prisoners while maintaining public safety. Pennsylvania is proposing to build four new 2000 bed facilities.

Why?
There are many contributing factors. In my case I am maxing out my sentence because my prosecuting attorney, Mr. T. Gary Gambardella, (who is running for District Attorney in Bucks County, Pennsylvania) has objected to my parole five times. It isn't a public safety issue
- never was.

I am not the only one in this situation. Pennsylvania has 51,000 prisoners in 28 facilities designed for 43,000 as reported on the news locally. I even heard a guest on HLN say that there are too many people in prison who don't need to be there.
Rehabilitation programs

Lets talk about (the perception of) rehabilitation. In Pennsylvania we had a parole moratorium near the end of 2008 where all paroles were suspended. The basis was the shooting of a Philadelphia police officer by a parolee.

It was tragic for sure, but unfortunately people (some parolees) will commit violent crimes. Do we want to take measures to limit this - certainly we do. That's where the concept of rehabilitation programs in prison comes into play.

Consider this - perhaps the prisons themselves, are part of the problem. From my experience too many prison staff seem to come to work to collect a paycheck rather than to do a job. That is easy for an inmate to say, but as part of "them" I get to see examples first hand as the "us" look the other way. To be fair they are not the majority, but they have impact as inmates observe them.

When the parole moratorium was lifted it was pretty much back to business as usual.
It's a Catch-22. The parolee who killed the police officer was on parole after 10 years of a maximum 12-year sentence. People decried, "How could you let him out?" However, if that individual were to have been kept to complete his sentence and released unsupervised and he killed a police officer, they would have cried, "Why wasn't he released under strict supervised parole before just letting him go?"

Then the question comes up about rehabilitation in prison.

Parole
A study was done during the moratorium it concluded that the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole (PBPP) runs one of the best parole systems in the country. PBPP and DOC leaders reported to the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary at a hearing that other states study Pennsylvania's parole system. Really?

Based on recommendations by Dr. John Goldkamp of Temple University in Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania DOC and PBPP set up a mandatory program called Violence Prevention for violent offenders to complete before they could be paroled.

This program, run by the Pennsylvania DOC, was in place but it wasn't mandatory. This created a long waiting list. I had three cellies, or former cellies, who got into separate sessions of VP but with the same staff counselor. He was supposedly specially trained to be a group leader for this program but only about 30% of the scheduled sessions were held and everyone got a certificate of completion. The other VP group leader ran a complete program.

Great for the inmate who didn't want to participate in the first place but how does that equate to the DOC and PBPP for the perceived value of the effectiveness of program?
I proactively did the program a couple years ago. On a personal level I am, and have been, 100% program compliant with good work, housing and psych reports, institution support for parole for each of my five parole reviews and I have the lowest OVRT (violent offender rating) under the new system to rate violent offenders. The PBPP even approved my parole home plan yet I am still here.

Another thing - a friend was recently transferred back here from South Carolina for a technical parole violation. He said Carolina officials said they could have handled otherwise but it wasn't their call.

And state officials wonder why the Pennsylvania prisons are so overcrowded?
The PBPP is on record (Reynolds v PBPP) saying it has basic guidelines for parole and yet admits that it holds itself to no guidelines for making decisions granting or denying paroles. Try to explain the logic (and efficiency) of that to family, etc.

Further, the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Article V, Section 9) holds there is a right to review or appeal from decisions by an administrative agency or a court of record to a court of record or an appellate court.

However the PBPP holds itself above that and says that is has "sole discretion" in all parole decisions and there is no right for an administrative review of any decision. The problem is the courts have set a roadblock of precedents to support the PBPP. I have filed to the court to review that trying to make it a constitutional issue.

Responsibility and Cooperation
In spite of the lip service that the PBPP and the Pennsylvania DOC cooperate, there seems to be little or no cooperation. They snowballed the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Pennsylvania DOC and the PBPP just go about their business separately and workers come to work and collect a paycheck and they let those outside (remember the "us"?) think they are doing a noble service to the community. One footnote, the majority of staff are not like that.

Prison overcrowding is a huge issue now. The DOC wants and needs to made bed space and they are handcuffed. As for the PBPP, it doesn't seem to get it. The legislators - who knows what they are thinking?

Perhaps if things were properly addressed and dealt with by all parties all along this crisis would likely not exist to the extent that it does today.

A few weeks ago I wrote a brief "Open letter to the Pennsylvania legislature" for the Graterfriends newsletter published by The Pennsylvania Prison Society. GF is a publication with mostly inmate contributions. I hope they print it.

The premise was simple as they wrangle with a state budget and prison overcrowding being one of the concerns therein. Provide for early release for anyone maxing out a sentence with say less than 9 months left to go. They'd be out in a matter of months anyway. I don't have the numbers but my guess is that it would open up hundreds of beds and would relieve some pressure on the state and county systems.

It isn't the solution and in a perfect world you wouldn't consider this. But in times of crisis you take drastic unconventional steps. Look at what we are doing with the economy by giving money away for free to stimulate spending and to ease the burdens of middle class America.
The "us" want to be separated from "them" and they have no concept of the process and consequences. What is the worst and most violated value in communications - Lack of information or ignorance of it?

I'm sorry for wanting to make a difference.

Terrance Shaw

2009-09-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

(click on picture to view full size)

Prisoner's Lament

I flush the commode
And watch the contents swirl down
Like all the hopes and dreams
Of what my life could have been.

Terrance J. Shaw, #138254
Oshkosh Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 3310
Oshkosh, WI 54903-3310

Terry also has his own blog,with testimony and documents attesting to all he has done to improve himself. Click on :http://terranceshaw.blogspot.com/

My Crime and Successful Treatment

In 1981 I raped and murdered a 30-year old woman and was convicted in 1982 to Life plus 20-years in prison, with my first parole eligibility being in 1993. When I first came into the prison system, my Assessment & Evaluation (A&E) specialist determined that I needed to "participate in Sex Offender Treatment (SOT) to learn and understand the dynamics behind my crime, in order for me to lower my risk for parole.”

I was in SOT at WCI for 3-years and in the 2003 SOT Report Summary, "--WCl's Chief SOT Psychologist, Dr. Ankarlo, documented that I-currently have: NO HIGH RISK AREA TREATMENT NEEDS at this time (in 2003). He also wrote in the SOT Program Report that, "Mr. Shaw has benefited greatly from his participation in SOT and has displayed his understanding of the treatment principles in his self-disclosure and feedback." Dr. Ankarlo goes on to state that, "Clinical judgment alone would suggest that he has made sufficient progress in those areas to have completed his SOT need."

So, I figure that since nothing has changed with the severity of my crime since I was convicted and sentenced in 1982, as well as there is no new offense or action to require more treatment than was recommended programming for me at A&E in 1982, I have satisfied the A&E program need requirement recommended for me to lower my risk for parole, and I should be given a Grant for parole anytime after I satisfied the A&E requirement in 2003 with 3-years of SOT at WCI.

But this is not the case. I have seen the parole board 7-times since my 2003 SOT program report and parole says that I still have to "complete" the 3-4 year Sex Offender Treatment Program (SOTP) that wasn't even in existence at the time of my 1982 conviction, sentencing and A&E. I explained to the parole board that I was in the OSCI SOTP from 1997-1999 and was kicked out against my WILL in 1999 after 20-months of SOTP at OSCI for phony reasons/justification, and every time I requested Re-Entry into the SOTP I have been denied Re-Entry by SOTP.

Yet every time I go back up before the parole board each year, the parole board insists/demands that they won't parole me unless I also "complete" the 3-4 year SOTP.
SOTP and the parole board have put me in this phony "Catch-22" situation that is outside of my control. But according to my original A&E recommended program need, to "participate" in SOT to lower my risk for parole, I already did that, so I could/should be already paroled at any time since my EXCELLENT 2003 SOT program report by Dr. Ankarlo at WCI.

The above is an overview of my prison circumstances and parole situation through my past 28-years of incarceration.

My OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

I will also relate here my other achievements during my past 28-years of incarceration that the parole board seems to be turning a blind eye to, so I will tell you those particulars about me too.
During my past 28-years of incarceration I only have one major conduct report on my prison record, And I still claim my innocence on that one major conduct report, but I won't go into explaining the particulars of it to you, other than to say it was for "Enterprising," for which I still proclaim that I still maintain my innocence, even though the prison found me guilty (because the foxes are guarding the chicken coop).

When I first came to prison in 1982 I didn't even know my high school fractions, decimals, and percents. But during my first year in prison I got clean and sober and had a Spiritual Awakening. I studied hard for my own personal enrichment to remedy my mathematical deficit and went on to the Univerisity of Wisconsin-Extension and got 4-credits in Algebra and 3-credits in Accounting,and became a prison GED math tutor.

I also took and successfully completed the 4-year Ambassador Bible College correspondence course by Herbert W. Armstrong out of Passadena California. After that I took and successfully completed the 3-year Kenneth S. Hagin's RHEMA Bible College correspondence course out of Tulsa Oklahoma for 60-credits.

Then I want on to get a Master's Degree in Religious Studies, a Doctorate in Biblical Studies, and a Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Religion. My Doctoral Dissertation is registered and copyrighted at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Here at OSCI I had a meeting with Chaplain Reinke and let her know that when I am paroled I would like to apply with the WDOC for an Assistant Chaplain's position, since I believe I am called by God -and my religious correspondence courses make me qualified. OSCl's Chaplain Rainke encouraged me, stating that the WDOC currently employs two former inmates as Chaplains. After I get paroled I also plan to volunteer to speak at jails,prisons, churches, or any place that will invite me to speak, about what I was like,what happened, and what I am like now, in hopes that maybe I can humbly reach out to others to help them turn their life around too.

I believe I have credibility with inmates since I have been an inmate myself for 28-years of straight incarceration. I actually have, and am, walking the walk; therefore I am not only qualified, but I have credibility. I can also relate to inmates (anyone) about faith and spirituality in general, even though my personal faith is Christian. Even to atheists, GOD can be considered a Good Orderly Direction.

The circumstances tending to establish my suitability for parole are that I do not possess a violent crime committed while a juvenile; I have a stable social history and a prior (full time) tax paying work record; I have shown remorse; I committed the crime as a result of significant stress in my life and the significant stress built over a long period of time; I lack any significant history of violent crime; this is my only felony and first time in prison; at 60-years old I am now of an age that reduces the probability of recidivism; I have made realistic plans for release, plus I have developed new marketable skills (that accommodate my various aging disabilities) through taking extensive correspondence courses while in prison; and have engaged in institutional activities that indicate an enhanced ability to function within the Law upon release.

Here, I have shown uncontradicted evidence of my rehabilitation and there is no other evidence that I currently posses a danger to society. My current behavior during my many years since my offense, and my current mental state, demonstrate that my past offense is no longer a realistic indicator of my "current" dangerousness.

I have engaged in extensive rehabilitation through the WDOC and on my own for my own personal enrichment, gained insight into my offense, expressed remorse, and made realistic parole plans. Mere recitation of the circumstances of the commitment offense, fails to provide the required "modicum of evidence" of unsuitability for release on parole. However, the WDOC parole board still refuses to parole me, and even raises new roadblocks to block my parole.

Details of conduct report for those who are interested: As an added point of interest, I was sent from here at OSCI to WCI in 2000 on a bogus conduct report when they found me guilty and gave me 8 and 180 days in the hole here and then sent me back to maximum security at Waupun after they made me do the hole time first. A jailhouse lawyer in Waupun subsequently got that bogus conduct report reversed in outside court so the WDOC had to expunge it from my prison file/record. It took about 18 months to accomplish it, but by then I had been on the WCI Sex Offender Treatment (SOT) waiting list for some time and had been admitted/entered into the SOT program at WCI by the time that bogus conduct report was reversed and expunged,
so when the Program Review Committee (PRC) at WCI was going to send me back to medium security here at OSCI, I requested to stay at WCI so I could continue to participate in their SOT program, and WCI PRC let me stay there in the program for a total of 3-years in the SOT program at Waupun before they sent me back to medium security here at OSCI in 2004.

The reason,I believe they get away with the tyranny that is perpetrated against inmates by some prison staff, unbeknownst to the public, is because there is a definite need for prisons and incarceration because there are definitely some dangerous and distorted inmates in prison that the public needs to be protected from. So under the disguise of justified security and half the inmates crying wolf, the prison staff can get away with banking inmates on bogus stuff behind the closed doors of the prison system and nobody on the outside realizes it and doesn't want to believe the system they pay for with their tax dollars has corrupt elements within it.

It is easier for the public to agree with John Walsh on Americas Most Wanted and "Get those scum bags off the street." And at the same time, there are also some fine, professional and ethical Staff working in the prison system too. It's only the corrupt element that I and others try to expose and defend against. I didn't want to talk about bad prison staff without also acknowledging there are good prison staff in here too.

( Click picture below to view full size)

Rodosvaldo Pozo

2009-09-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Rodosvaldo Pozo #141818;

Wisconsin Secure Program Facility (WSPF)

PO Box 9900; Boscobel, Wi 533805

“I am a Black Cuban who is doing 25 years for ‘party to the crime’ of 61/2 grams of cocaine, trying to prove innocence. “ I’m not a racist-never have and never will be because my ex wife is white as is my girlfriend and I have lost all so- called friends except God. But life goes on and we must be strong because I believe God has a better plan for us.”

Personal information: Nickname: “ El Nino”. Date of release: Litigating now, if successful, he hopes to be released next year.

Race/tribe: Black Cuban; Age “48 but I look 30;” Birthday: 10/20/57; Religion: one love, one God, one people;

Physical Description: height 6’1”; weight about 170; Hair: long dreadlocks; eye color: Brown
“I’m a very active person and always happy because always god provides us with a way out. I love to write poetry and songs whether in English or Spanish- It’s no matter. I also love to do legal work on my own and help others with their legal problems. My real interest is to find good and honest persons who can tell truth to power- because Jesus said: ‘Truth says you are free.’” John 8.32

“I speak two languages-Spanish and English. My special skills are the law and the way I can communicate with others. I know how to use the computer. “
“I’m looking for a nice, I mean, a decent and honest lady (senorita) who is not afraid to get down to the root of the problem and who doesn’t hide anything from her man. Gen.-2:22-24; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Matt. 19:4-6; I cor. 7: 3-7: Eph. 5:25”
Love (con amor),
Pozo

"Pozo's Experience"
1980-2009
About May of 1980, I came to the U.S.A. from Cuba. I'm from Camaguey-flori Cuba, lovely small town. I have 11 bros & sis total. When I arrived in United States of America, I was taken to Key West Florida. Then from there to Wisconsin Fort McCoy, Sparta Wis. I got sponsored by nice 5 lovely Spartan couple with 3 children. Their names are, Diane, Phil Dammen, and their children's names are, Tess, Jen, Siri-they are grown up now, they love unconditionally. I stay in Sparta for many years, then moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin. I got married after awhile with lovely white lady named Debra Louis Van 'Ripper. We used to love one another very much, so her children Tiela, Trover, Tony. Tony her older son used to live with a foster home because he didn't get along with his mom.

I went to his job and told him that I have married his Morn And that (if) he; ever need any place to stay , that he was welcome. Indeed, he visited me (us) and I fix everything him & his Horn. Then he moved to our house for awhile and I help him with everything- bought him a nice car, gave him money, clothes, etc. That boy love me with all his heart, but his Morn begin to drink & refused to listen to me. After a few years I couldn't take anymore £ she file for divorce. We Divorce 1995-but she used to write me & send pictures of the babies and herself. She always will be my friend no matter what. By about 1990, me & Debra were not living together, but we remain friends & start dating, etc. I start working with my sponsors becuz they have a big photograph studio inside their house.

I worked for them for awhile. Then I moved back to La Crosse, Wi. Once I found a nice white girl named Gabrielle Volten. She invited me to her nice home in La Crescent,MnT. I went there and met her 3 children. I took her out and we fall in love right away & the babies, Liz, Alex, Matthew seem to like me. I took Liz to her Grandmom's farm in my Motorcycle becuz she wanted to ride her horse And later I pick her up... I taught her music, took her, Matthew & Alex to school becuz they love me and love me to take them to school with my red Camaro. I was teaching them Spanish and spend a lot of time with them. Gabriel has a nice dog a rott weiler. She had 11 puppies and we took all to the beach by Mississippi river. Me & Gabrielle has a beautiful girl named Maria Pozo Volten. She is 15 yr old now.

Gabrielle did not get along with her lovely mom Maria, but I told Gabrielle she is your Mom & I'm going to take you to her house tonight. she didn't wanna do it but I persuaded her and we and the children went to her Mom Nicest home. Her Mom Maria was a rich lady, she was born in Germany and married one of the 5 men who invented the radar. Me and Gabriella are no longer in the relationship becuz I told her -not to sale the drug and she did & refused to listen to me and was unfaithful even though I was faithful and loved her to death. She sends me pictures of our daughter when she likes-but I'm ok with it be cuz she has taken good care of our daughter and she is a nice Mom & friend. She has a heart of gold though. My experience in America is great & I'm looking forward to find a nice lady so we can marry and live happily ever after. Only love can save the world. "SMILE!"

“El Nino” Letter to the Justs
Petition

Written in July 2009, for himself and others on the wing near him in the Wisconsin Secure Program facility, WSPF

Dearest ones!
I am writing to you with die respect and great understanding. The reason why is that we wish not to go down in history as Unrehabilitated Inmates.

What we mean is the people who have understanding and true guiding principles don’t abuse the rights of others and usurp their authority.

We are being mistreated , misguided, misled and miseducated under the guise that we are receiving fair and equal treatment by the Wiscosnin DOC and state officials but, really, we being made the bitterest persons with no hope whatsoever and no one to be blamed but the entire system , the Department of Corrections, the Justice Department etc.

Since 2000, we are asking for real treatment so we can become better people by helping one- another to be more productive , better fathers, better family members, honest citizens and rehabilitated inmates. But we have been mistreated and tortured mentally and psychologically..

We are also asking for the reinstating of our parole rights and that our family and friends be able to participate in the parole hearings.

This is our hope too,, that we are going to receive fair justice by the parole board, and a true helping hand from the Doc , the government , lawyers judges, family and friends.
We hold this petition as an honest and respectful one for mercy and we further hold it as self evident that our petition will be granted by those who want to ease the unnecessary burden Wisconsin tax payers bear as they pay millions of dollars to keep parole ready prisoners incarcerated.
We are willing to comply with all parole regulations and rules in order to make a better community . we apologize for our crimes and to our victims.

Sincerely Rodosvaldo Pozo

Enough is Enough

There is enough flame and a lot of smoke, to conclude that the Wisconsin Parole Commissioner Alfonso Graham needs to be removed form his position forever… because no one is above the law. The constitution was designed to protect the human/individual rights against government oppression.

Madison said that in the USA “ charters of liberty grant power, in Europe, charters of power grant liberty.”
No one is above the law. It is time to restore checks and balances, it is time to restore the rule of law.

So we say enough is enough.

Their Love and Beauty

by Rodosvaldo Pozo 7/13/99

Everyday I greet the children with respect, love, and an open heart!

I say to them, "Hi there." And they all responded with "Hi, hi, hi, hi!"

I say to them, "Excuse me my brothers and sisters, I have some humble questions to ask of you all" They asked me, "What do you want to ask us sir?" I was impressed with them for the way they treated me and for their loyal love and respect.

I ask them all in turn many questions. I have many problems knowing what color I am, but I'm asking you now. "What color are you?"

But first of all, before you answer these questions, please introduce yourselves! "Hi there! My name is little Roger Smith, ha ha!" Very nice Little Roger, very nice! "Hi! my name is Liza, but everybody calls me Gabi, ha ha.'" "Ah, Brother Roger. Yes! you forgot to tell Brother Pozo that they call you Prince too!" "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that at all," said Roger. It's ok. Little Roger, don't worry brother ok? Thanks!

There were many, many more children there but they were shy and nervous so they didn't introduce themselves at first, and we all know children are like that right? Yes, yes, we know! Good!

Now, I asked them again, "What color are you little ones?" Little Roger (the Prince) said, "Brother Pozo, my parents told me when I learned to talk that we have no color." Good! You have nice and truthful parents, Little Roger! "Ah, Brother Pozo." said Roger. "Yes?" I answered. "Please call me Prince!" he said "Ok Prince, I will call you Little Prince instead, deal?" I said. "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" he said. "Thank you Brother Pozo!" "You're very welcome."

"Liza, do you want me and the world to call you Gabi or Liza?" I asked. "Well, Brother Pozo I don't mind ok, but, you can call me Gabi because it sounds cute." she said. “Ah yeah, you are right Little Gabi, ha, ha!" Smile!

I asked little Gabi this question and she told me this, "Excuse me Brother Pozo, you forgot to tell us what you asked Little Gabi," said Prince. “ Oh yeah, I sure did, but I thank you all for being polite and for reminding me!" "Excuse us Brother Pozo, but, God made us or we better say He created us with the right attitude to be nice to one another and to love one another as well because it's our true nature." Ah, you're right my loving brothers and sisters! Thanks!

Well, let us then ask Little Gabi this question ok? "Yes, yes!" Little Gabi. "Yes?" What do you think about the human race? "Brother Pozo, even though I'm little, I'm only 7 years old, my parents have told me that we are all one, I do feel that we all are brothers and sisters and that we must love one another always," said Gabi. It's nice and very touching Little Gabi. I loved what you said! "We too like what you said Little Gabi, that was beautiful," said Prince.

I continued to ask them a number of good questions pertaining to Life and the true creation of God. And you know what? They are all sincere and honest you can feel their true profound wisdom meaning, (right from wrong). I was amazed with their altruism, love and loyal understanding which adults have lacked for centuries. They are Divine and we must treat them right.

I was having a good time with them all because of the way they treated you, and the way that they spoke to me with full sincerity. They are God's children! 1 asked them too about the clothes they like to wear and here is what they told me. "I'm Little Prince, and I like to wear old clothes, ha ha! My parents asked me if I wanted new and expensive clothes and I told them no and the reason is because my parents have to take care of the house, and me. They also donate money to some organizations to help the poor children."

What about you little cute one, right there in the back seat? "Me?" Yes you sweet one! "Well Brother Pozo, I'm a very shy little girl, but, because we know you really care for us and you know how to love and teach us. I must tell you my name now ok Brother Pozo." Ok Sweet one! "My name is Lilie and I have three brothers," she said. "They call me Little Lee and I like it because it sounds nice, don't you think so Brother Pozo?" Yes, my friend Little Lee, it sounds beautiful!

"Well Brother Pozo, let me tell you and the brothers and sisters here what I like to wear," said Lee. "I like to wear nice clothes with flowers because the flowers represent the harmony of all the colors which means (One Love). Right Brother Pozo?" Yes, my sweet Little Sister Lee you are correct! May God bless you and the others more so that we all can live in peace.

"Oh Brother Pozo I like to wear hats too. My mom bought me a nice one for Christmas." Oh yes! "I don't ask my parents for much because they are nice to me, and they take time as they should to teach me and my brothers the true meaning of life. I love my parents from the heart, Brother Pozo. Do you Brother Pozo?" Gabi asked. I do too always! God bless them all for life!

"Hey Brother Pozo," said Prince. "Yes?" "Do you know how to sing songs?" Yes I do, why?" "Because," Prince went on, "we want you to sing us a nice song. Yes, but don't worry Brother Pozo we will listen to it and will tell you our honest opinion Ok?" Ok my brothers and sisters Ok. Yeah! Don't laugh at me now. "No Brother Pozo, go right ahead," said Gabi. Ok! Here it goes:

Give the children the whole world. Let them all fulfill their God given dreams. Let them all teach us the true way of tomorrow and we'll have a better and lovely world to live in all together! Love the children each and every day. Speak to them as you should speak. Treat them good and fair and show them all the true compassion and the true identity of our pious souls so then we shall see a better and more loving world. Hallelujah!

For our children we must be willing to die, we must let them be beautiful, loving and free and we are going to see the world of tomorrow with the true love and the new thoughts of peace! So give the children the whole world. Let them all teach us their true loving ways, because with their unique smile and their altruism love. We can make a safe and wonder world for the children! Just for the children.-J

Amour!!!

"Bravo, bravo, bravo Brother Pozo, bravo!

Do you all like my song? "Yes Brother Pozo, we love it and we want you to teach us how to

sing and write songs so we can bring true peace to the world," the children said together "since some adults have failed for centuries to do it."

"Brother Pozo." Yes? "We want to heal the whole world with children's love and we want to tell our parents: It's time for peace." "Hey Brother Pozo," Yes "Why doesn't anybody help you to establish the 'Happy Glorious Children's Day?" August 10? "I don't know, well Brother 'Pozo," Yes! "Don't worry because we are all going to ask our parents to help you, since we do need a children's day," they said. Oh yeah, you all going to help me with that? "Yes, we will." Thanks, my beloved ones. OK my sweet little brothers and sisters. I promise you all to teach you how to sing and write songs and poetry but you all have to promise me that you will be nice to your parents and will attend school five days of the week, deal? "We pinkie swear Brother Pozo, we pinkie swear!" Alright then. So let us start it right now. "Yes, yes, yes!"

Ok now! listen my sweet loving brothers and sisters. To write good songs and also good poetry, we need to write them from the heart. Thinking about the wonderful creation God has created for us all. God Created us all as good people. Yes! So if we want to write, we must use our loving style, our altruism and our best and excellent manner. Uh mmm!

Let us write one right now ok? "Yes, yes, yes, Ah, ah, ah!"

I'm your true Brother Pozo and I'm not Black or White, I don't even have any color for my skin. When it comes to love it is all from the heart! I'm just me, Brother Pozo, and I love you all for life! See? "Yes, you love people Brother Pozo. We also love you too!"

Little Gabi. "Yes Brother Pozo." I want you to please write a few lines for a poem or a song! "Brother Pozo, yes!" "I never have done this before but because you are teaching us true love and you have showed us the true way of life, to love one another. I will write a few lines for a poem." It's nice of you to do that Little Gabi, Thanks!

Here it is Brother Pozo: "My name is Little Gabi and I just learned how to write and I just wanna tell all our loving and beautiful parents that 'Our Happy Children's Glorious Day' will be lovely and fun!" Amour! Amour! Amour! ha ha! We love it we love it, Little Gabi! We love it,it's beautiful, very very beautiful.'

"Brother Pozo do you like it?" asked Gabi. Oh yeah, it's the most loving, touching poem I ever have listened to. Well, it is getting late now my sweet brothers and sisters and I have to leave now. "Brother Pozo." Yes? "Before you go, we want to ask you something." Oh, little ones what is it?

"Brother Pozo what does your last name Pozo mean?" Oh, ha ha! Well, my last name is Spanish, and my last name means wells. "Wells?" Yes Wells! "Oh! we see why you love us all so much because you have wells of love within your heart! Oh my little ones thanks!

"Brother Pozo." Yes? "We all want to pray before you go, if it's OK with you Brother Pozo?" Oh yes, I do pray too every day! Who will lead the prayer? "Me!" Who is me? "Little Tommy!" Ok Little Tommy, you can lead the prayer, now go ahead!

"God, we thank you for your wonderful creation. We also thank you for our loving parents, our teachers, preachers, pastors, educators, police, doctors, physicians, writers and poets and others. God, we further pray for your Divine protection and we as your own children ask you today to heal the world with true love and peace, teaching us the true and sacred law of this wonderful universe which you created for us to live all in peace and in true harmony. We all thank you God and we say, Amen!"

"Hey Brother Pozo why are you crying?" I don't know! "Don't worry Brother Pozo everything is going to be alright!" Well good-bye my little brothers and sisters.Until next time! "Bye, bye, bye, bye," they all said.

Marcus Porter

2009-09-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

Marcus Porter

I’ve been in prison since I was 17 years old for 1st degree reckless homicide.
In 1994 I was given 40 years, the max. I am now 32 years old and still in Maximum prison due to my hard time adjusting to prison life at a young age so I Racked up a lot of conduct reports but since the I’ve completed every program that was asked of me. I even took it a step further and did those same programs twice-then I finished programs that wasn’t for me but i done this in an effort to better my life and thinking pattern.

I have a family who is supportive and I also have a daughter who is now 15years old . She was 30 days old when I was first imprisoned. I am asking for a real opportunity to give back to society and do what ‘s necessary to curve the crime rate in the community I came from because as of now that young people in my community are seriously lacking real men and role models that have ben through what they are going through . I can let them know you can do 27 and you can plan your life passed your 18th birthday.

Marcus Porter #251029; Waupun Correctional Institution; PO Box 351; Waupun, Wi 53963

William Payne

2009-09-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

After you read this post , you may want to view William Payne's blog with testimony on how hard he has worked to become an asset to society. click here to view:http://wpayne.blogspot.com/

William Payne #280194

Columbia Correctional Institution
P.O.Box 900;
Portage, WI 53901

D.O.B. 6-26-73
Crime: felony murder
Release Date: 8-7-27
Race: Black

My name is William Payne. I have been incarcerated for the last 12 1/2 years but with God blessing and help from my family I'll Be home soon. I'm extending my hand in hope's of a strong friendship. I can say that I learned one Important rule to a woman's heart "they don't like a liar." I’m a fire believer in fidelity. I have high respect for women. I will feel very lucky because it's been some time since I've had a opportunity to take a peak into another heart so I say thank you for this chance at a welcome invitation to a new friendship. I'm 36 years young 5'8” dark complexion long hair, as you can tell from this picture I'm not that bad looking, (smile), some of my interests in the finer things in life are family, friends, and also I like pampering my lady friend with things that she needs and what make her smile. I could go on but I'm not going to bore you. I've always had the power of belief when meeting new friends no matter what race, we learn and grow from one another. Well I'm about to end this but never our friendship, whenever one come about, smile. Respectfully submitted. William Payne

I have a big problem With PRC here at CCI. The problem is every time that I come out for PRC, PRC always finds a way to second-step me. I have been second-stepped this last six PRC hearing and third step once, my Institution adjustment has been remarkable for some time now. I never had a major conduct report in the 12 years that I have been incarcerated. The parole has endorse me to go to medium. CCI has a unit team and the team has recommend me for long term medium every time that I come up for PRC. I have appealed my decision of both PPC and second-step and was rejected to go to medium. I don't know what to do.
Respectfully/Submitted

William is also Looking for a penpal.

I'm looking for a women that's nice, funny, outgoing, and also understanding, a women who has class and knows what she's looking for in life.