Black People's

Prison Survival
Guide

by Abdullah Ibraheem
2003
PREFACE

This bok is writen with the Black male in mind who s suffeing the ordeal of
incarceration. Although it i intended for Black males, it may be read by Black
females suffering the same predicament. Also, the information and insights contained
in the following pages might be valued by any of our people living i this socicty.

Some will question the purpose of such a book. They will read i fitle and fecl a
sense of shame and embarrassment in that persons of our race might need a guide to
prison survival. Let me state that | feel a sense of shame and embarrassment, too;
however, such a book is sorely needed and some benefit may derive from its
publication.

Many of us suffer the "Ostrich Syndrome.” We continuously bury our heads in the
sand choosing to ignore certain realities in hopes that they will go away. The
majority of us know someone who is locked up or who has been locked up or who
has a family member who is now locked up. Going to prison has become a "common
thing." Black people have been decply affected by the American penal system. In
society, we are a minority. In prisons we are the majority. America will continue to.
lock many of us up in the future. This couniry has succceded in creating gencrations
of Black prison class societies

This is a self-help book. It is not just a textbook of practical jailhouse wisdom. It is a
survival guide to help the reader safeguard his or her mental, physical and spiritual
well-being while in prison. If you find yourself incarcerated, this book may prove
itself especially useful to you. Experience is the most qualified teacher, and I have
been well-schooled by my past expericnce with prisons and people in them. For the
past 15 years, I have been locked up in Ohio prisons for a crime that adrittedly, 1 did.
commit. Two days ago, at a parole hearing, I was given a five year continuance for
being "too intelligent.” The parole board said that the education I reccived while
incarcerated makes me more dangerous to society. That may very well be true, but
not in any physical sense, because | am not a criminal.

This book is about change. Hopefully, in reading it you will change your thinking,
your way of sceing things, and change your way of life. One word of caution. I
Fecognize that we are limited in our education, but I will not write down to anyone.
‘You will do well to get yourself a dictionary and keep it handy. Lok up cach word
you don't understand. Never skip over words because you don't understand thern.
Find their meanings. Remember: Lazy reading is a crime, t00. It robs us of valuable
knowledge.

Part |
AMERICA'S PENAL PAST

The firs il in America to house felons was the Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia.
Itwas built in 1790 by Quakers. During their imprisonment, prisoners received
intensive religious instruction and endured harsh physical labor to build their work
ethic. They also observed complete silence. There was no socializing between
prisoners, and often brutal disciplinary measures were sed to ensure their silence.
Later prisons were founded at Auburn, New York, in the 1820's and a reformatory at
Elmira, New York in 1876. Like the Walnut Street Jail these later prisons instituted
religious instruction, rigorous labor, and absolute silence as part of their
rehabilitative process. These carly penal experiments failed, because of the high
insanity rate resulting from the policy of enforced silence. Many of the prisoners
went crazy from being given the "slent treatment."

Penology in this couniry has reached its apex development in the past 100 years. Itis
Row a science. There are actually people who attend universities to major in this field
of study. They eventually carn the title of "Penologist.” We may logically conclude
that penology has become very important, No major university would include useless
courses of study in their curriculums. It has specific purpose. Penology is one of the
basic Five P's now used to systematically control the unconscious masses
(Philosophy, Psychology, Politics and Propaganda being the others.) At this point, lot
me emphasize that there has always been 2 connection between penology and labor.
It this connection that continues to affect Black people today.

PAST VICTIMS

The conneetion between penology and labor extends back to those early prisons in
the colonics. Remember that labor was an integral part of the stict disciplinary.
regimen in those days. In those carly prisons, the products that the prisoners made
were later sold in the market place, and the prisoners received a small percentage of
the profits as pay. The wardens were the ones who benefited from inmate labor.

After the Civil War, this country entered into what was known as the reconstruction
period. The war had caused great property damage throughout the south. Large
Plantation houses had been destroyed during the fighting. Crops had died and there
were no scasonal plantings. The northern forces had looted and pillaged as they
swept their way to victory. All that had been damaged needed "reconsiruction.” This
reconstruction period lasted for nearly 15 years afier the war.

Itis well documented that the Afican slaves had built up the whole of the Western
hemisphere. A society and cconomy with free labor as its principle base could casily
be developed and maintained. Slavery in the colonies was the first large scale
capitalist venture, and the most successful up to that point. The African people had
brought important skills with them from their lands. They weren't just cotton and
tobacco pickers, as white historians and television would have us believe. They were
the needed brick masons, carpenters, farmers, weavers, doctors, and "blacksmiths."
If the Blacks were used to build up the south once, then they would surely be used
again,
The newly freed slaves were as casily exploited by white southerners as the native.
people were by the carly settlers. Free but uncertain, fearful of venturing out beyond
the plantations of their births, they were casy targets for further exploitation. The
plantation owners held out promises of better treatment, improved working
conditions, and future pay as enticements for the freed Blacks to stay on and
continue working. When these ploys failed, threats of lynching by groups such as the
KKK held Blacks in check. Afier the period of reconstruction the south was thriving
again,

‘We must keep in mind that ths was a time of no industrialization. There were no
machines to perform the work. Stil the work had to be done. Cheap sources of labor
were sorely needed to keep things running smoothly for the profiteers. Slavery took
on another form; hence, we had its other version, the "chain gang." The majority of
prisoners in the south who were sentenced to spend time on its chain gangs were
Black men. The symbolic connection between the chain and slavery is obvious. The
particular stigma attached to the chain gang itself denoted that not only was a man
guilty of some offense, but that he was deserving of his bondage and punishment,
ie.,"hard labor."

Herein, we can see the connection between penology, Black people, and labor
exploitation. Across the south, those who benefited most from this updated form of
forced labor were the states and local plantation owners. Forests were cleared, roads
were built, levees were constructed, fields were plowed and cotton was picked by
those carly chain gangs. Many times these gangs were leased-out to work for farmers
in nearby communities. The chain gang became an extension of slavery.

PRESENT VICTIMS

There are a variety of causes for erime in this country. Over the years, studies have
been conducted to determine the causes of crime. No one specific cause or any exact
combination of causes has been pin-pointed s the determining factors that lead to
eriminal behavior. Crime is a hot topic and punishment has become a big business.

The average white American, with nothing better to do, sis at home each evening
viewing television programs such as Hard Copy and A Current Affair. These shows
exploit rime to get higher viewer ratings. The more sensational crime it covers, the
higher the show’s ratings and the more commercial revenues it generates. The
television program Cops gives actual footage of middle-aged, White suburban thril-
seckers and weekend survivalists, guns drown, crashing in the doors of terrified poor
folks in their efforts to solve the crack (Black) problem. America loves it

‘When people constantly view-crime as depicted on television, they build up an
immunity to having compassionate feclings for the criminal. What circumstances
Played a part in causing another to commit a crime becomes less important.

4
Consideration is given only to his or her punishment. The insensitive public cris for
blood. "Lock them up forever!” and "Thro away the key!" and "They ought to be.
fried!" became the cries of the day. Being influenced to react (it can't be called
thinking) this way, our people are caught up in the same kind of dumb emotionalism.
They make the same dumb statements, untl it's a nephew or ltle brother who's
sitting on death row. Only then do they stop to question what caused the nephew or
litle brother to go wrong. And there are many answers.

“The attitudes about criminal behavior differ widely, depending on what country is
Tooked at. A good example is Japan. In Japan, when a person is convicted of a crime
itis seen as a failure of their society to provide the proper nurturing environment to
mold that person into being a productive human being. Upon incarceration, extensive,
steps are taken to foster the rehabilitation of that person. O the other hand, in thi
country it is seen as a shortcoming of the individual who commits a crime and years
of punishment i the best answer. Society shares none of the blame, although it
ereates criminals. Let us imagine this. A police decoy staggers down a dark street at
night pretending to be drunk. He has a large wad of money sticking out of his pocket,
Someone comes along, sees this, snatches the money, runs,-and is arrested by the
police. In criminal law, there is a defense called "entrapment.” It could be said that
the poor man who snatched the baited money was victimized by circumstances
which were set-up by the police; thus, he was "entrapped” into committing his crime.

As in the case of the poor man who snatched the money, society has set-up a host of
cireumstances in our environments which bring about eriminality in some of our
people. When drugs are made available, when there is a proliferation of guns in our
communities and when our youths are programmed to be violent by music and
television, then the entrapment defense has some validity too. We should be at least
partially exonerated because of the host of circumstances society has set-up against
us. The United States locks-up more Black people than racist South Africa. I creates
eriminals and jails them, because keeping a large prison population is beneficial. One
reason for keeping a large prison population is population control. Fewer Black men
means fewer Black babies. Another reason is that prisons employ lot of poor,
uneducated White people who are otherwise unemployable. Yet, the single most
important reason is that it s profitable to lock people up. Peaple who ar locked up
are casily exploited for their labor.

Today's modern prisons are industrialized. Top quality products are being
manufactured in America's prisons on assembly lines. In many cases, gone are the
days of just pressing license plates. Large corporations have cast their lots on the
sides of prisons as being a cheap readily available source of labor. And the biggest
advantage to these corporations is that there are no labor unions to deal with. Some
of these corporations that have invested in prisons are TWA, AT&T, MC, and Best
Westem, to name several

One good example of prisoner labor exploitation is Ohio Penal Industrics (OP1). OPI
maintains factories in nearly all of Ohio's twenty-seven prisons. It reaps astronomical
profis from the products it sells to the public, because it pays prisoners slave wages.
It operates under the guise of training prisoners for employment when they are
released, while it does not assist them in finding jobs when they get out. There is no
unionization, and there is no form of compensation if prisoners are injured while
working. The average pay for an OPI worker i less than $50 a month for 40 hours
work wecks. An entire volume could be devoted to the exploits of OPL but let it
suffice here 1o say that OPI's competitors complained that they could not compete
with OPT prices because OPI maintains an almost zero per cent labor cost.

Recently, there has developed a trend of states that if a company can present a low.
cost analysis, it can own itselfa prison (and the Black people in them). The
advantage to these companies in running these private prisons is that they can profit
from the inmate labor pool. They may in furn contract with outside companies to
produce goods using inmate labor. Since the majority of people incarcerated are
Black, we can make the connection between this form of labor exploitation and the
chain gangs of the pas.

A SCENARIO OF VICTIMIZATION

America's criminal justice system s not based upon justice or fair play. Itis
predicated on lies, trickery, and deceit. Whether one of us is innocent or guilty, we.
must recognize that when we enter the courtroom we have entered a bloody arcna,
where the prize at stake is our lives. Anything goes. Rights violations, prosecutor
misconduct, coercion, perjured testimony, falsified reports, and the list goes on. What
the prosecutor secks is that initial conviction, because they know that the appeal
process will drag on for years. While you rot behind bars, your appeal bricfs will
collect dust on some obscure judge's desk.

When we are indicted for our alleged wrongs, many times we are overcharged for the
erime itself. They rack up many related charges that stem from one offense. We are
faced with staggering amounts of time and our minds recl at the thought of doing so.
much time. "A thousand years?! All I did was ..." you ask and say. It s basic
psychology. It s to ensure your full cooperation when you are offered the coveted
al” that will allow you to spend less time behind bars. Actually, it s a ruse to
frighten you into accepting a plea agreement for something that the prosccutor would
be hard pressed to faily prove against you anyway. Many codefendants are tricked
this way into offering testimony in exchange for lighter sentences o in some cases.
even total immanity for crimes they helped commit

One essential thing to understand is that the sincere looking White attomey wha is
supposed to defend and protect your rights is in fact a "sworn officer of the court." They
are bound by some oath of judicial fealty of which you know absolutely nothing

6
about. "Why, you'll never sce the light of day! Take the deal! It a good deal. With
time off for good behavior you'll be back out in a few years,” the smooth talking,
reassuring White face says. The dockets are full. They are no more than an amateur
actor with mediocre legal abilities. They play their part again and again. It their job
to ensure that the wheels of injustice continue to spin smoothly. They are the golfing
buddy of the judge, the cousin of the prosecutor. They may have been a prosecutor
themselves once. They lunch together every afternoon. Their children attend the
same private schools. They belong to the same clubs, the same lodge, they may even
swap spouses. Their allegiances are only to cach other and not o you. For those who
refuse to take that coveted deal, there will be hell to pay for having the nerve to buck
the accepted system of things. You won't be dealt with fairly because you are poor.
‘You will not be afforded a jury of your peers. The legal terms they use are spoken in
Latin, a dead (buried and thus hidden) language, only spoken (and kept alive) by
priests at the Vatican. Witnesses are coached in what to say. The police intimidate
your witnesses to not appear in court. Hand signals are given and passwords are
Spoken. Objections are over-ruled by the judge with a nod and a sly wink. You sit in
the midst of some Masonic ritual taking place. Your silence i assured. You are
threatened with exposure of your criminal past (if you have one) if you dare to speak
in your own defense. The cards are well-stacked against you and chances are you
will go to il

Many of us lack fundamental belief in ourselves; therefore, we lack faith and
confidence in the abilities of those professionals of our race fo perform accurately
when things count most. We feel somehow that their education and training isn' on
an equal footing with their White counterparts. We have been brainwashed to assume
that a Black attomey isn't capable of competently representing our interests in the
‘White man's court of law. "Now don't you go in there with no nigga’ lawyer. Get you
agood Jew Lawyer. You go down there with a nigga’ lawyer and you'llend up with
more time.” That is standard advice. By such a notion of 'slave wisdom” we fal casy
prey into the clutches of the corrupt White attomeys. If we fully understood what we
were up against, we would sce that no one should reprosent us other than another
Black person. There are many White attomneys who earn their livelihoods extracting
pounds of Black flesh inside America's-halls of injustice. They continuously deal
Black lives away by the deftstrokes of their pens. They trade in Black bodies as their
slave owning forefathers did in the days of old. These attorneys deal cases with the
prosceutors and collect bribes when we have the ability to pay. To these White
attomeys we are just unsuspecting vietims.

Part Il
INSIDE

Entering prson fo the frst time can b fightening experienced The noise level is
what stkes you and it s unlike any nose that you hav ever heardbefor. I
uman noise and lamor. Tht,coupled with the Sigh o those dreary bars, made me

think, "Man, what have I gotten myself into here?!" When you have entered prison,
7

you have entered a world allits own. Each prison is different. What applics to one
prison certainly will not apply to another. Prisons are classified by security levels
(Maximum, Ciose, Medium, Minimum). You will have different rules and types of
people according to what kind of prison you find yourself in.

Although each prison is different, there exists three basic groupings in all prisons.
This social strata consists of the administration, guards, and the prisoners
themselves. Each group operates according to its own set of rules and values, while
there exists an interplay between the three, and none being totally independent of the
others

‘The administrators of prisoners are usually people with years of devoted service in
the penal system. Some are educated in the seience of penology, but for the most part
they are persons who came up through the ranks as guards. Afier taking a number of
college courses, or gaining a degree in some social science, they were granted their
positions and ties. At the higher levels of penal administration can be found a bit
more educated persons who are more devoted to the penal system. These are the
wardens and people who help make policy decisions. In this moden day, they are
usually Black peaple. For those who understand the negative consequences of
incarceration, their appointments to those positions can be recognized for what itis, a
divisive tactic. Normally, they are no more than mere figurcheads who do the
system's bidding in oppressing other Black people.

Rules in prison are formulated o either antagonize or placate prisoners, but their
main purpose is to control. The guards are the people who enforce the rules. They act
s mediators between administrators and prisoners. As prisons and people in them
differ, so do guards. Some are real professionals. They respect other human beings.
They spend cight hours at their jobs and go home. Others are the worst types of
people. Dirt poor and barely literate, they exist in a no man's land between welfare o
prison for themselves. They deal in contraband and are capable of brutal acts
(including murder) against prisoners. Most are former military people, ex-cops, or
people who couldn't qualify for police departmens. They thrive on having authority.
Some hold memberships in racist organizations and Masonic orders whose roles are
to suppress non White people. Suffering psychological problems, their world view is
negative, and that s how they generally view most prisoners.

‘The most difficult part about having contact with prison administrators and guards is
that they usually operate from a set of preconceived notions about all prisoners. For
them a textbook example of a prisoner is dumb, petty, scheming, and manipulative.
Their manuals generally describe all prisoners this way. They tend to lump all
prisoners into these categories. Accordingly. it would be safe to lump them all into
one category as well. Expect them to be indifferent, authoritative, brutal and racist
toward you. When you encounter an administrator or guard who is different, cons

it ararity.

8
Prisoners come from a variety of backgrounds. Prison is a confined place, packed
with living bodies of every shape, color and size. You will find yourself closer to
other human beings than you have ever been before, many of whom you won't like.
‘When conditions are crowded, there is a natural tendency for people to band together
for mutual protection as well as friendship. Most prisons are divided by groups.
These divisions occur along racial, religious, and ideological lines, as well as gang
affiliations. The administrators and guards usually know who's who, because they are
kept abreast of the inside goings on by their inmate informants.

There exists a class of people who are "at home” inside prison. They were
conditioned for prison ife from childhood. Starting out in juvenile corretional
facilities they later made the transition to youth reformatories and adult prisons. They
are totally inept as criminals and have becn incarcerated any number of times. They
are institutionalized and would rather be in prison than out. By conditioning, prison
safe, controlled environment s best suited 1o them, a place where they are clothed,
fed, and told what to do. Outside lifeis too difficult o grapple with for these.
individuals.

For another class of people, prison is a kind of homeless shelter. They o't
necessarily want to be in prison, but in a sense they are forced to be. Unskilled,
homeless and destitute, they enter jails and prisons for an array of minor crimes to be
fed and rested up. Prison gives them a needed break from homelessness and crack
addiction. For them a six month to a year sentence is a heavenly blessing. They aren't
eriminals in the real sense but men and women who have been forced by cconomic
and social conditions to take the easy way out time and time again.

For yet another class of people coming to prison is an oceupational hazard. Crime is
their vocation and they take coming to prison allin stride. It would be incorreet to
type them as institutionalized, because they long for the free world. They make no
excuses for what they did and openly discuss what they will do once back out on the
strects. They intend to gang bang, rob and peddle dope. Their time inside prison s
just an extension of their criminal lives on the outside. Many continue to profit from
Vices while in prison.

It has been difficult characterizing people in prisons. As previously stated, prisons
differ and so people confined in them differ as well. No description of prison has
ever been positive because it is a negative place filled with negative personalifies
who exhibit some abnormal behavior patterns. The variety of criminal offenses that
you will find inside prisons are too numerous to lst. One thing that usually all
prisoners have in common is that they have suffercd some kind of abuse in their lives.
whether it be physical, mental, drug or alcohol related. Penal facilities are in the
same class as mental institutions, therefore, you will find persons with mental
histories who are prescribed various types of powerful psychotropic medications.

The one general rule is to never attempt to apply reason and logic to people or the
situations you may encounter. If you look for logic and reason you'l find that you're:
in the wrong place. 9
ASSOCIATIONS

In everyday life, whether we find ourselves in jail or out, associations are important.
We are often judged by who we associate ourselves with. The old saying, "Birds of a
feather flock together” holds true. Because of the close proximity, you will be judged
more harshly by your associations by others in prison. We are assumed to be ofa
particular character or to engage in certain activities by whom we associate ourselves
with. Associations are of two types, positive and negative. If we refllct on our pasts,
it will usually be seen that our lives took a term for the worst when we began to
“hang with the wrong crowd," and it was in that group that we smoked our first
reefers, hooked school and began to steal. All behavior is learned, and so was our
eriminal behavior. As casily as going along with the wrong crowd, we could have sat
in the front row of the class with those "A” students who went on to college and later
became professionals. Had we made the decision to have positive associations we
would not have fallen prey to the negativity that eventually led us to being where we

The same choice continues to hold itself out to us daily. One of the frst steps toward
change and self improvement is to begin to choose positive associations in our prison
environment whose influences will benefit us in the long run. One good look around
will tell you that there is very litle actual thinking going on in our prison
environments. The real thinkers are few, and that is what makes them noticeable. You
will find these persons taking full advantage of the educational and vocational
opportunities made available to them. They use their time wisely preparing
themselves for their lives in the free world. These are the best associates, and we can
usually benefit from their insights and accept their advice.

A word to the wise. There exists another set of thinkers as well. Because we see
someone carrying an armful of books does not mean that their association can always
be beneficial. There are individuals who are extremely intelligent but they utlize
their energies foolishly in creating friction. Having had problems with authority all
their lives, they love to antagonize authority with frivolous grievances and baseless
legal claims. They will make themselves (and you by association) targets of official
reprisals. The thing to recognize about prison is our vulnerability and so it is best to
remain distant from smart people doing stupid things.

There are others who are leaders of gangs and various other factions inside prison. In
Tove with a feeling of power over others, like actors, they play out roles in their own
little Godfather movies. They control the drugs, gambling, extortion, and other vices
inside prison. Their manipulative abilities are usually honed by years of jailhouse
experience. They know all the right buttons to push, and they orchestrate others in
doing their bidding. Needless to say, nothing positive may be gained from these
associations.

As previously stated, the choices in our associations holds itself out to us daily. I
recognize that peer pressure plays a part, also, especially in a close environment such
as prison; however, when most people see a person take a definite stand to do.
something good, they will usually respect it. The same is true for ourselves. We must
take that firm stand to take on associations that are right and in our own best interest

FAMILY

The importance of the family bond can not be over emphasized. The conneetions.
between us and our families need to be strengthened. No matter what the given set of
circumstances, family is what we are linked to, not only in name but spiritually as
well. After our Creator, family should be our primary source of strength to draw
from. If you look around all you se are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters
mothers and fathers. We are all linked to a family system, no matter how good or
bad. Americals slave system was responsible for the destruction of the Black family.
The destruction of our families was the frst thing that the oppressors did to our
people. They sold us off from one another. The same thing s don by the American
penal system in this day and age. Prison sells us off from those that we love.

Time and distance plays havoc upon what ties of family that we may have. The
reason why most prisons are located in rural areas is not only to provide jobs to
impoverished people, but because they solate (in most cases totally) inner-city
Blacks locked up in them from their loved ones. When a person is isolated, they are
easier to control. No one is there to question what happens to that person. This.
allows the racist White authorities to basically have their way.

The State of Ohio is notorious for its program for the destruction of Black family
ties. Practically all of Ohio's prisons are located in rural areas. Black prisoners arc
routinely sent to prisons hundreds of miles away from their homes to render them
inaccessible to concerned family members. Limitations are placed on the number of
persons who may visit. Conjugal visits are non-cxistent. Prisoners are given added
time to their sentences when they g0 up for parole. This causes less committed
family members to desert their cause. This program of systematic destruction takes
Place while the State of Ohio hypoeritically states that it cncourages strong family
ties.

Many people in prison have not had the benefit of loving home environments. All
along, the State has acted as a surrogate parent. These people are what you would
term as being "state raised” from carly childhood on. I think it is these persons who
make up the bulk of the prison population, at least in Ohio. It is a deliberate crime,
and it is unfortunate that we live under a system that conditions people from
childhood to be locked up, so that the system can maintain control
If you have a family or anyone on the outside to support you in any way, then
consider yourself very fortunate. Do all that you can to maintain and build upon
those relationships. Communication is the key. Regular letters, telephone calls and
visits will help. Always report the positive happenings in your life, admit past
mistakes and let go of old resentments. Always show your appreciation and love for
them, because they need that t0o. A strong support system can carry you a long way.

TIME UTILIZATION

In doing time in prison, time is the essential factor. Our physical lives are measured
by seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. Time measures our
physical lives; therefore, we should begin to measure time and become time
conscious. In this way we can utlize our ime in prison and work i to our best
advantage.

1f you look around the prison you are in, you will see a lot of time being squandered.
Valuable hours of cach day are being wasted senselessly in useless pursuits. There is
50 harm in recreation, but when entire days are spent playing board games, cards,
basketball, and watching television, then priorities have 1o be questioned.

An objective evaluation must be made of cach and every activity that we engage in.
We can determine if the activity is beneficial to us by its end results (if we actually
benefit from it) and how much of our time is devoted to it. An hour game of cards or
hess can be enjoyable and relaxing, but when these games last up to four or five
hours, then it has become a waste of time. The same stands true of basketball. (Don't
dribble your life away.) None of these recreational pursuits can change our lives or
prepare us 1o be stronger men and women who can go out into the world to face lif¢'s
challenges.

The most senseless use of ime in prison has to be constant television watching.
There are adult men in prison who watch cartoons and soap operas for hours each
day. They know all the soaps' characters, plots, and can figure all the possible.

scenarios of upcoming episodes. They live through the tube. They call television the
"Boob Tube" because it will make you dumb if you aren' alrcady. Its shameless,
naked images will poison your mind and spirit. Is fantasy will rob you of all original
ereative thinking abilities. Constant television watching develops the dangerous habit
ofalways wanting to be entertained, which causes laziness.

Television s a powerful tool of propaganda also, which is one of the Five P's
mentioned carlier. Television is dangerous to Black people (especially children),
because it will distort one's self concept with its endless parade of White intellect,
beauty and White super heroes. You can not find a better stamp of approval for the
notion of White supremacy than television. For a thinking Black person, in general,
television is a no, no. Cut out television for one month and you will be surprised at

12
what you can get accomplished in that time. Knowing how to manage time properly
is important in everyday life. When we leam how to get the most out of our days, we.
will come to know a real sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. There arc only.
twenty four hours in a day. The more you begin to actually do the clearer it becomes
that there never s enough time to get things done. Then you will understand the
value of time.

Here are some suggestions for successful time management: develop the habit of
getting up carly. This can be a plus. All that is needed is an alarm clock and a little
will power. Think of getting up carly as getting a jump on the competition. When the
rest of the world s just waking, you'll be up, cleaned, groomed, dressed and already.
in full motion.

Begin to make daily schedules. Think of yourself as someone with a lot to do but
limited time. At night before going to bed, lst all you want to do the next day. Keep
this list with you and check offthings off as you do them during the day. Review the
list at night to see what you didnt get done. Put what you didn't do on the list for the
next day.

et short-term and long-term goals. Goals are objectives and life doesn't have much
purpose without them. In order to attain your goal, you must formulate a plan. For
instance, your short-term goal may be 1o get a G.E.D. in six months. Your plan to
obiain that goal would be to study for a couple of hours a day. Beyond this, your long
term goal could be to eamn an Associates Degree in two years. As your plan, you
would set a pace for your classes in that o year period of time.

Our time in prison should not be wasted. It is time in our lives. This is the best fime
that we can possibly have to develop ourselves in all ways. We're being fed, clothed
and housed (in my case "warehoused"). There are no bills to pay. no job o g to. To
gain as much knowledge, awareness and skills as we can should be our primary
objective. I the racist system has given you a lot of time, then you should leave
prison with a college degree or several good skills. Get the best out of the situation
and don'tlet the situation get the best out of you. This is how to "beat the system™
and walk away ahead of things. You can do all of this by learning how to use time
effectively.

Part Il

Your Mental Health

Prison il destoy you mentaly i you slow it o, Being i pison can b one of
the most degrading experiencesin . I scems that degradation i the min purpose
You doven and anniilte you psychologicaly

13
Having a strong mind helps one to survive the rigors of prison. This calls for having
a positive mental outlook in spite of the circumstances. Prison s a negative place.
Probably some of the most negative thinking on the planet takes place inside of
prisons. There are many broken people in prison who suffer from defeatism. They
have failed in life because they never really try. When they see others attempting to
make positive strides, they ofien criticize but never encourage.

Never count yourself amongst the losers. By keeping a positive outlook you will
have the advantage in any situation. It can be quite difficult, but at some point all
things face opposition. As prison can be one of the worst passible situations there
will be many obstructions to your progress. In developing and keeping a positive
mental outlook, you will remove your first and greatest obstacle --yourself

Having a strong belief in yourselfis vitally important. You must believe in yourself,
that you can change your condition, that you can be a better human being. Believe
that you can get out of prison and be a good father or mother or husband or wife and
be a productive part of your community. You must believe in yourself. Hardly
anyone else will

How you sce yourself determines how you se the world and others. Having a strong.
and clear mental image plays an important part in self-development. How do you see
yourself? What is your self-concept? If your conception of yourself isn't strong, do
You at least have some notion of the kind of individual you wish to become?
Consider these things.

Thoughts are powerful. They create and give new life and can cause death. Never
allow fear, anxiety, anger and doubt to run riot in your life and exert rulership over
you. Negative thinking will defeat you. Be filled with confidence and optimism that
problems will be resolved to your benefit. Have thoughts of patience and fortitude.
Clear thinking is the best thinking there is

Worry is the most senscless use of mental energy. I have seen others worry
themselves unil they become so overwhelmed that they give up all hope. We should
Rot worry over things we have no control over. A pending appeal, a lover, unruly
children at home, are things we shouldn't worry about. We have to realize that what
s to be will be. You don't want to end-up dependent on some drug like Thorozene for
your peace of mind or having some medical problem due to worry. Save yourselfa
ot of grief. Place focus on the improvement of your mind.

Knowledge is power. There is a vast difference between a leamed person and a fool.
‘The more one comes to know the more sensible the person will act. Education is the
key: Prison will bestow the precious gift of free time to allow you to obtain
knowledge and useful skills. Sublimate your energies toward gaining education and
skills that can be used once you are released from prison.

14
Reading is fundamental. It was once a crime to teach a Black person how to read.
The slave holders knenw tht an educated Black wouldn't make a good slave. This law.
still exists in its unwritten form. When you look at the low reading levels of Black
children and the general condition of mental slavery, we find ourselves in today, it
becomes obvious. Valuable knowledge is contained in books. There are books
written on every subject. When you desire to know about something, find it in a
book. Books can open whole new worlds.

Reading can be a waste of time if you don't know what to read. Books are the plates
on which mental food is served. Will you eat a nutritious, well-balanced meal or will
it be McDonald's? Will you read a technical book or a comic book? Will you read
The Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams or Iceberz Slim? Like
Iooking at a men, the choice is ours as to what we feed ourselves mentally by what
we read.

Education without culture will only make an educated slave. Find the truth of history
contained in books. Historical reading is the most rewarding and has a profound
effect upon the psyche. I recall that when I learned from reading that medicine,
mathematics, building and the arts and sciences had their origins in Africa (Egypt), it
increased my thirst for knowledge. After reading about it, I was able to relate it to
myself. When I finally entered college, I wasn't fooled when the White professor
claimed those advances for the Grecks.

Do a great deal of reading to cultivate your mind. Developing a reading program will
help. If you're not a good reader, then keep reading and you will surely improve.
Never be intimidated by the number of pages in a book. Start with short books and.
work your way up. A steady diet of two books a weck can't help but improve you.

Your Physical Health

Prison will destroy you physically if you allow it to. It would seem that is its
purpose, to make you grow old, run you down, and cause you to suffer from ill
health. Knowing some steps to take a protect your physical being will help you get
through prison.

Prison is a dirty place. Most prisons arc old. Some date as far back as the Civil War
period. The drab conditions of buildings and over-crowding make prison a fertile
environment for pests, rodents and diseases transmitted by human contact.

Physical cleanliness is essential. Always be clean and groomed. This is the first step
in keeping yourself healthy while in prison. Personal cleanliness enhances self-
esteem; plus, it makes a positive statement o others about you.
Concentrate on the fotal cleanliness of your immediate iving environment (bed arca,
cel, ctc.). Always keep dirt and dust (0 a minimum. Now I'm sure at some point in
our lives most of us have had some contact with those "brown cousins” and prisons
are full of them. But,learn to be intolerant of roaches. If you roll over and sce one
crawling up the wall at three in the morning, then gt up and killit! Along with
rodents, they carry all inds of discases.

Physical contact is nearly impossible to avoid because of the close proximity of
others. Probably one of the fist things you will realize in prison is that everyone isn't
clean. Some people are just downright funky. Besides filthy habits and bad personal
odors, common discases carried by others could range from TB to A.LD.S. When it
comes to T.B., watch what you touch and never drink or smoke afler anyone. If
you're ina cell with someane else, then keep a window cracked at all times to
maintain an air flow. Avoid constant coughers

Abstain from the use of cigarettes, coffee and all drugs. Those things are bad for us
health-wise. Besides that, you don't want anything that is habit forming, something
that you just "gotta’ have" the first thing cach moming. The use of habitual things
robs us of our independence. We need to develop independent thinking for when we
et out, Habits stfle growth toward independence.

Food is life. Most food in prison isn't food at all but what I call "filler" It has no real
life substance in it and is used to fill your belly and keep you quict and complacent.
It comes canned and dehydrated, then usually gets boiled beyond taste or fried. The
meat is usually ground up because of ts inferior quality. Lots of potatoes and plenty
of pork. Pork is the worst meat for human consumption because it's full of parasites
You'll find that because of the food people in prison suffer from many stomach
ailments. As a general rule, cat less and you will be better off.

Fresh air and sunlight is essential to life. I you have access to movement outdoors
then stay outside as much as possible, even during the winter months. Get lots of
sunshine and breath in as much fresh air as you can. Also, it has been proven that the
sun has a positive effect on human emotions and physical health. Physical excreise
each day will keep you in good condition and help to relieve stress. One of the best
things that we can do is stretch. Stretching keeps the body flexible. Some form of
martial art would be beneficial. Prison can be an unpredictable place. Anything could
happen, so if's best to keep yourself at ready.

Getting proper rest at night is important. Prison can preserve your youthful features,
because you aren't constantly on the go as free persons are. You can walk out of
prison not having aged much physically. Proper rest with regular exercise and a good
diet will carry you through. Always get a good night' slecp.
Your Spiritual Health

Prison will destroy you spiritually if you allow it to. The experience of being locked
up can make you bitter beyond compassionate feclings for other human beings. You

lose what moral values you have in prison. The prevalence of evil and vice
inside prison can rob you of your spiritual life if you are unaware. People are
composed of mind, body and spirit (or soul). The three are connected and form life
as we know it. We know that mind exists because we think most of the time. We are
certain of our bodics because we see it and have the sense of touch. But what about
the spirit or soul? When we become better attuned to ourselves we know ofits
existence, because we "feel it

The knowledge of the existence of a spirit or soul that exists after bodily death, to
face a judgment was common to our African ancestors. The Africans of Egypt were
one of the first known people to promulgate the belief in the soul and a judgment
with heaven or hell as a reward for carthly deeds. These belicfs had at some point
become common to most of humanity but was always central to African lfe.

Afocal point in African life was the belief in one divine Creator of all things. In fact,
the first known purely monotheistic religion had its origins in Egypt, that which
today is known as Judaism. Some Affican nations worshipped many deitis, but even
then there was always one supreme god who stood head and shoulders above all the
rest. Belief was the essential theme of our forefathers'lives and should remain as the
main theme of ours as well. When we became so *logical (or embittered) that we
deny the existence of our Creator and our own souls, then we have lost touch with
our natural selves and our humanity. A strong sense of belief in the Creator will help
us face life's challenges.

Constant prayer is the essence of spiritual life. It is man's way of calling upon and
giving praise 1o the one great force of all the worlds. Whatever name we choose to
call Him, be it "Allah” or "Yahweh or "Jehovah," we must know that He is even
above names. He is the Most High and He is One. Being consistent in supplication
acts as a reminder and keeps us within the bounds of upright conduct. Prayer helps
us to understand our relationship to our Creator and to other human beings. Prayer is
the spiritual food that nourishes the human spirit.

Charity is a means of fulfilling our duties to our fellow human beings. If our Creator
is one, then His creation is one as well; therefore, it becomes our duty to act for the
welfare of others, to want for others what we wish for ourselves. If we desire peace,
security and happiness, then we should always extend those things to others. It is
better (0 give than o receive. There are blessings in giving and, when we give, we
will always find that we still always have enough for ourselves. A smile, a kind
word, encouragement and a helping hand are all forms of charity.

Fasting is a way of purifying ourselves. By short periods of fasting, we can rid our
systems of toxins, develop inner-discipline and focus our attention toward our
spiritual selves. Fasting not only places us in contact with our spiritual essence but
grants us at least a momentary mastery over the desire for food. It will also grant us
an exact understanding of the deprivation that others in the world now suffer daily
and evoke feclings of empathy within us

Pilgrimage is a form of spiritual migration. I i a way of transcending beyond the
cell, the fences and walls, those man-made barriers which stand between us and
physical freedom. To perform a spiritual migration each day is to know true freedom.
We all need a spiritual link to something, be it a church, temple, mosque or a distant
place. It would be helpful to have persons in those places who pray daily for our
well-being. Itis in those directions that we should place our attention and travel
spiritually cach day.

Each one of us has the right to believe as we choose. Let there be no compulsion in
matters of religion. Religion is social. Its purpose i to bring people together before
the Creator, but most often it divides them. On the other hand, spirituality is
personal. It is how we relate to our Creator and how we live. Spirituality lies decp
within.

In attempting to make this book as readable as possible, I have sought a way around
the issue of religion because | wished to address spiritual well-being and not gt into
differences. It then occurred to me as | was writing that the reader could hold no
religious beliefs whatsoever: therefore, the subject then became unavoidable to my
way of thinking. So the remainder of this is devoted to religion purely from my
perspective, which condemns no one clse.

Islam s a beautiful religion and a total way of ife. The religion transformed me and
molded me into being a better human being. I sought out the truth for myself. asked
questions, read, studied and made comparisons. Never in my life have I accepted
anything without investigation. | encourage everyone else to do the same, especially
when it comes to religion, because it is such a serious matter.

There are many reasons why I accepted Islam, and here are some of them. Its
seripture (the Holy Quran) was casier for me to read than the Bible had been. The
principles of the religion were simple. Islam teaches that we are not to worship
things or men and that Allah (The Creator) is One. It places a heavy emphasis on
moral and physical cleanliness with the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) and his Sunnah (way) as the best example.

Perhaps the biggest reason why myself and others choose Islam is it gives a sense of
cultural identity that most Black people in this country seck. The continent of Afica
is populated by Muslims, so it aligns me with Africa. Islam is the largest religion on
the carth. There are nearly one billion Muslinss of all nationalities and colors, and so
Tam now able to identify with them too. Islam has restored in me a human identity.
18

The religion of Islam is the most active force in the world today. It is the perfection
of all eligion, as the Holy Quran teaches. If you find yourself locked in a spiritual
battle, trying to fight against weaknesses and addictions, then try Islam as a way of
living. The best thing about Islam is that it is open to be investigated and tried by
anyone! Iis casy principles (belief, prayer, charity, pilgrimage and fasting) were
basically expounded upon i this book for spiritual health and well-being.

Conclu:

As T read over the pages of this book, I find that much has been left out. There were
things that didn' come to mind as [ was writing, but let this effort suffice. In writing
this book, it has been my sincere desire that it will help someone to better their lfe.
No matter what the condition or circumstance, one can live a cleaner and fuller life
and become a better human being. I hold myself out as my best example.

Over the years, prison has changed me, but litle has changed about prison. There are
the same sights, sounds, and I hear the same voices. | see many of the same faces
Feturning time and time again. Other faces have become much younger. What all the
faces seem to share in common is a lack of hope written in them.

1 generally have compassion for people, and so I have often pondered over what I
could do to motivate others. My attempls at sharing my insights have usually
encountered strong resistance on a personal level. Writing this book has been my
best answer.

We live in an era where our people are being locked up in staggering numbers. It
scems as if we are all under lock and key. In this process of genocide, we are losing
our most valuable resource -- our youths. I reading this book makes a difference for
one of us, then this humble endeavor has been realized, and I thank Allah. I hold a
strong belief in change.

Abdullah Ibraheem is a 41-year-old writer stll serving time. He has written many
other things including books, short stories, and plays. If you have questions or
comments, you can contact him at Abdullah Ibrahcem Box 45699

Chambers 155773

Lucasville, OH 45699
‘The Boston Anarchist Black Cross functions as the defensive arm of
local anarchist strugy e work to forge an organized support network
for local activists i ind for folks behind bars. We seck the total

abolition of prisons and work on projects in support of this cause.

Boston ABC
PO Box 230152
Boston, MA 02123

bostonabe(@riseup.net
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