ration, and the lel - objectives , their commun- port generated Wor Life isn’t a DIY project THE SWORD Zine Submission Guidelines Send us your writing, artwork, or poetry!! Submissions must relate to prison issues, prisoner rights, prison advocacy, or the spread of knowledge, wisdom, moti- vation, inspiration, etc., etc., with the goal and intent of promoting change and attaining the parallel objectives between prisoners, their advocates, families, their com- munities, organizations, and victims, alike. Drawing upon your own personal experiences is encouraged; however, we will not publish writings detailing the writer's own le- gal case. Hand-written submissions will be accepted - as Tong as they are LEGIBLE! Send submissions to: Submissions to THE SWORD, c/o Barbara Bryant, 3205 Kiya Court #CS5, Peoria, Illinois, 61604. Writings submitted by email may be sent to TheSword2024@gmail.com with the Sub- ject line: "Submission for The Sword". Articles/essays limited to 500 words, may suggest a title for such, and nay be submitted anonymously or with a pen name (pseu- donym). In addition, submissions may be considered for in- clusion in THE TRUTH: The MidWest Journal of Injustice Across America, and/or The In-Crowd Movement Prison Advo- cacy, Pen Pal, and Leisure Time Mixbook. While we will sider ALL submissions - there is NO GUARANTEE of publica- tion. Submissions may be edited, but no substantial changes will be made to the content. 222 Ol 2L IZYING A New Beginning Awaits Us All Editor's Log. The Scoop Spotlight A Broken System (Essay) From the Belly of the Beast (Thrown to the Wolves) Painting Grim Pictures of Violence The Seven Shades of Wisdom | A Prison Story (Poem) Establishing a Legal Defense Fund The Meaning of Life: A Case for Abolishing Life Sentences 10 Principles From the Greatest Salesman in the World CONTRIBUTORS Robert Bey The Marshall Project Cecil G. Truman Nicholas Giles Jody Cramer Christopher Santiago The Prison Journalism Project Dear Reader: In initially conceptualizing this zine, my initial intent was to simply spread knowledge and wisdom amongst my peers, and those whom love and support us. But once I actually began] the process of compiling the segments/content for this com- moncenent 1seue, T recognized the fact that it 18 not in me, specifically, after all I've been through to ignore, disre- gard, or overlook the fact that many people in my situation have yet to muster the mental fortitude and courage to care about and respect themselves to stand-up and show-out for. themselves (if need be!), when they've been wronged, and that| 1'd be further remiss if I failed to address such a topic in this commencement issue of The Sword. WE MUST LEARN TO AD- DRESS SYSTEMATIC ABUSES IN THE PROPER WAY! I'm not so sure that T subscribe to the notion that pulverizing C.0.'s (Cor- rectional Officers) in retaliation for being wronged is the proper response or remedy - but I overstand - and, oftentimes| agree, that that is what a good mumber of them deserve. But, truth-be-told - that isn't a solution! It is selfish, and only provides a false sense of retribution! And, in-the-end, is exactly what the evil ones want. They want to be beaten, so they can be sent home Twith often trivial injury), with pay, and to use such incidents as justification to continue to sow discord between the individuals-in-custody, their ad- vocates, and society, by pushing the false narrative that these incidents provide proof of who we are - and why they (and their institutions) are needed! So, T say, ag;ié, indi- vidual (and group) attacks on C.0.'s are selfish, reckless, and only aid in the reversion of progress that our advocates | make on our behalf - and also includes those of us whom have | elected to vage our part of this war by rebuilding the minds, | | | hearts, and spirits of prisoners, as well as their condi- tions! Reframe your MINDS! Reframe YOUR INTENT! Respect. =SCO0P!: IS IT POSSIBLE TO SEAL OR EXPUNGE MY CRIMINAL RECORD? | WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? HOW LONG MUST I WAIT BEFORE | T CAN TRY? AND CAN IT BE DONE FOR FELONIES, AS WELL? | [ | When a criminal record is expunged - it is GONE. | | COMPLETELY destroyed. Obliterated. NOBODY will ever be able | to find it/see it. However, sealing a record simply hides | |1t from the public. This means that the record still exists | and can be located and revieved by law enforcement and other| government. agencies. In other words, someone looking for it | at the courthouse, from the general public, will not find | it. | | Since expungement is more extreme, it is harder to do. | What makes it most hard, in particular, is the fact that |it's only even possible if there are no convictions, at all, |on your record. This, of course, would logically beg the | question: “IE my record is "clean", why does it need to be expunged? Right? Vell, there are several possible answers; but, the simplest, is that, under the law, court supervi- sion, and certain kinds of probation - once successfully conpleted - are no longer considered convictions! But most | le (including those subjected TO said supervision or “‘?:Ziemnn do %: know tha{, and job interviewers will of- ten reject applicants if the check with the local circuit | clerk, or any other website containing the information, and | |see "supervision" or "probation”. And, although it is il- | legal to refuse to hire someone just because of an arrest | record, an employer may not hire despite the fact that the charges were dropped (but still reflected on the arrest re- ‘wfi - and, of course, they'll never tell why they didn't |actually hire an individual. | If you have a conviction somewhere on your record that | cannot be expunged, you may still be able to have it sealed. Most misdemeanors can be sealed, but only a few felonies. In Tllinois, the law was broadened in 2014 by expanding |£elonies which could be sealed. Previously, only felony con- victions such as prostitution, or a few drug offenses could be sealed - and only if they were of the lowest Class (i.e., Class 4). At the time of this writing, there are now 10 different Class 4 felonies that can be sealed, as well as five differ- ent Class 4 felonies; amongst others, this includes theft, vetail theft, forgery and deceptive practices. The The vaiting periods to try to expunge or seal these re- lcords vary. There is mo time period to wait to attempt to ex- punge or seal a record vhere the charges vere dismissed. It is two years, however, to try to expunge a record or success- Fully completed supervision, and five years to expunge a re- lcord of successful completion of the kind of qualified proba- |tion possible in certain drug cases. On January 1, 2015, the waiting period to try to seal lconvictions was reduced from four to three years. Further, there was also a new provision that went into effect which eliminated the waiting period for attempting to seal a con- viction if someone got their GED, or other degree or certifi-| cate, during their "sentence, after-care release, or manda- tory supervised release You MUST file a petition to expunge or seal in the ORI- IGINAL CRIMINAL CASE. That petition gets served on the law en- Forcenent agency responsible for you arrest, their attorney, the state's attorney who filed the charges and the State Po- Lice. In Tllinois, they have 60 days to respond/object. I Ino one does, chances are good - but mot certain - that your petition will be granted! Now, in closing, this information may not be applicable to most of us - but it could be a game changer - if you have this knowledge and may be able to use it to help a loved one in need. ! 1 was released from prison in May 2015. While The Marshal Project existed at the time, News Inide did not. I 2017, 1 founded The Ladies of Hope Minisries (The LOHM) with an EPIC vision to End Poverty and InCarceration of women and girls globally. | joined the board of directors for The Marshall Project in October 2078, coinciding with the preparation ofthe launch of News Inside. In that capacit, | get to see the impact that News Inside is having on incarcerated people in helping o bridge the informationl gap between society and the forgotten world behind those wall. As a previously incarcerated woman, | know firsthand the importance of getting access to current and relevant information. My abilty o gain access was necessary for a successful reentry, and | want that for il of my brothers and sisters. Dr. Topeka K. Sam is the founder and CEO of The LOHM and president of EPIC Financial, TKS Ventures LLC, and Faces & Voices Inc. She also serves on the board of irectors for The Marshall Project, Pure Legacee, Operation Restoration, and United Justice Coalition. Most recently, Dr. Sam was appointed as the UN Ambassador for social justice and incarceration for the Global Creative Economy, named the first Social Impact Award recipient from Google at the Variety/Lifetime Power of the Woman Summit, received a full and unconditional Presidential Pardon ‘and her Honorary Doctorate in Divinity from NYTS. She has worked and continues. to work selflessly and relentlessly in her fight for the dignity, decriminalization, and decarceration of women and girls. All Social Media Handles: @Topekaksam A BROKEN SYSTEM by Robert Bey Given the current state of our country's criminal jus- tice system, it has become apparent that our system is broken and needs to be fixed. Tnere are many different reasons, and many differeat factors involved, but the conclusion is Still the sane. Some may only reach this conclusion because of the incredible finacial toll it has taken on us as tex-payers, and the state and federal budgets and deficits of our govern- ments. But there is another side to this story. First-and-forenost, it snould be noted that America, by far, has the hignest prison population in the world. I suppose sone think that this is a good thing. I do not. Is this making America safer? Conversations need to be had, by society, on these issues. To begin with - Waat is the purpose of a criminal justice system? Yost would agree that it is to fight crime and make people feel safer. The big discrepancies don't come into play until you start asking questions like, 'Is ori- son meant to punish or renabilitate?” Tnis very fundamental issue needs to be addressed. If we, as a society, can't fig- ure-our the criminal justice systen's purpose, then it has failed. A goal must be establisned before it can be attained. To begin such a discussion, some would immediately state their opinion that some criminals can't be renabilitated due to the nature of their offenses. I would counter that by stating the obvious: "some” criminals does not mean ALL crimi- nals. In fact, those that fall into the 'some’ criminals cate- gocy, are probebly the minority. Also, more than likely, they are mot first-time offenders. Had renabilitation been tne 30al, in the beginning, pernaps the situation wouldn't have regressed so far. The nigh rate of recidivism shovs that rena- bilitation has never been the goal. That's wnere the heart of this problen lies. If you keep locking-up the old criminals, plus the new ones, chances are you will end up with an expen- sive, over-populated, unproductive system like the one we nave. The goal, all along, snould have been to re-habilitate. By Cecil G. Truman Craigsville, VA Thrown to the Wolves This is a true story about a kid we will call Max. I met Max afew weeks ago in Bible study. Upon speaking with Max, I ould tellthat his heart and mind were very young. At the age of 19 Max was sentenced to 40 years for what he was convicted of. Furthermore, Max was very young and even I could tell that Max was suffering from the pressures, trau- ‘ma, and stress inflicted upon him from the unfair things in life—many of which he was powerless to prevent and were not a result of his choices. Max suffered domestic abuse for God knows how long, Kkilled 2 family member, and was condemned to pretty much the rest of his lfe in prison. All o these things thrown upon this young man are more than anyone would wish to bear. Max killed himself. In this heartless, cruel, and inhumane criminal justice system, this young man was mercilessly condemned, his emotional and mental needs ‘were ignored, and he was thrown in prison stripped of hope and justice. Anyone could see that this young man— barely older than a child—needed help processing the tragedies and suffering this i afflcted him with. Instead Max was thrown in prison. Max was a level 3 and they were raising his security to level 4. It s truly a tragedy that Max would be in high security prisons and no care to his safety or mental and emotional state considered. | By Darrell Sharpe Mass. Correctional Tstituton | Norfolk, MA i | First and foremost, I would like to apologize | for the picture | am about to show you because | of wha it has done to me, and what it will likely do t0 you, I searched through my stack of pctures arefully to find the one that would vividly illustate to you the lossthat violence bringa. But there were no pictures to convey the gravity of what [d lke to share. SoT have to paint one. A picture with words. Long before I stepped inside of a prison cell, Tknew what violence could take away. Most of you think you know too, but want you to take another look Lvant you o be asintimate with the los that comes from violence as | am. Violence s the | voice of my threelte sisters sying, “re you going o jail? What did you break?” Violence is my it nepher tlling his nana “ ” thatif he eats his vegetables, his muscles will Grief . | tum t rocks because all he remembers o his by Aleksey Trapeznikov uncle s squeezing his arm in a prison visiting | Violence s my youngstersser who received the brunt of my easing and tauning,crying as | she lee out the candisbecause al he wished for was her big brother to come home Violence i a teen boy trying to prove just how tough and brave he is by jamming a knife into | the stomach of another teen boy. Violence s the lst thoughts of the other boy as he bled to death ina school hallway, and a death certificatethat says, “Parens too distraught to sign” Violence s the emptiness that s lef behind. Darrell Sharpe Violence s the guttural sound that escaped ‘my mother’lips when the judge sentenced me. Violence s th e tha I told my ‘mother when I sid, “Everything’s going to be alright” Violence i the many years I've spent trying to atone for something for which there | s no atonement. It s the tears that treaked down my face and sained this page. | It the picture that I've painted with words, a picture o horror and despair that [ Tonly hope and pray you never have o paint this picture for yourselves, because folence is not the answer. # THE SEVEN SHADES OF WISDOM v. Bt beginning in Issue 12 of Words of Fire, o sharing your full name and town in print Tell s if you have other preferences. Words of Fire Prison Books Collective PO Box 625 Carrboro, NC 27510 See more ot www.PrisonBooks.info. BIART DREAMING] About What It Means to Be Alive BLACK LIVES MATTER! That vas the reason for their very existence. And fi / when those acting under the falsehood of the color of law - that they vere just doing their jobs as police offi- Cers, prosecutors, etc., etc. = Cross that line, and Black people end-up dead, Mustafa and his covert group of professional hitmen dish out their own brand of justice! But, organized, funded, executed, and hidden by-and- through the Dark Web - for years - they suddenly find their whole existence compromised when they discover that one of their secret accounts has been "swiped” of $32- million by Man-Man and his crew of former street denizens who call themselves The Lick Clique. To protect their ex- istence, Mustafa and his organization, The Outfit, must g0 to war with people they've sworn to protect. But The Lick Clique is no push-over. They have an unknown advan- tage - and his name is Black - a true gangster ... Who will come out on top?! Especially, with practically every law enforcement agency known to man hot on their tracks!! [GET YOUR GOPY AND FIND OUT!!!] Send $15.00 (shipping/handling included) to: Toola Tay- lor, 3205 Kiya Court #C5, Peoria, IL., 61604. [ Breakoutmediallc.com Breakout Media provides publishing serices exclusively 0 nmates W understand the noeds and chalenges tht incarceracd publishers face bringing ther work to market. Book Publshing! sping proofresding and cover . sting books and -books on Amazon and Barmes and Nobel LC formation. + Music and An Insta Pics: Give us the name of your favorites and we can. send you pics through Amazon! Contact fo details! Breakout Media Email POBox 1157/egt. W admin@reskoumedislc com State College, PA 16804 Everyone has a story e, Now’s the time to write yours! = P fters Bresking nto Prin - time-tested, customized. rtessionatwrtingcoureswi: " Ona-on-snencrctonwith a0 uthr o dfr Customias coursowark o ¢ i i gous Pyt wark st your un pacsand o your schckle - Foudoackdtaling yourwriSnsrngineand so5gesions o neone o on oo arktyor submissn-resdy st START by taking our Writing Assessment! STEP Complet the ritng Assesament uressesamen s 3 e o gotyour castive i Rowing €5 and iy STEP 2 Rocav YourResuits urprofesionsovlators wi rview your srssion s 7o Uty Y b Dt 30 author o ctr 8 o prsoal et Yok ety i ey s ot et e r onmsson's o, o0t o FREE copy compteand md e copon ety Wel a0 SR ity yodd o e el Thres o oG rial i e ] YS! Pess sond m your FREE Wrting Assesamant ssering yous comin 1 fction/nanfctionpragram. | nrsand hat ¥ as: | may Sl bt et 1 roigsten G R ) | gy i G The American Prison Writing Archive (APWA) s a growing publc, internet-basec collection of non-fiction writing about direct experience with the U.S. prison syster. ‘Anyone who has been incarcerated or has volunteered insids can send handw or typed pieces. Allwriting skil evels are welcome. 5,000 word limit. Visitusat: PRISONWITNESS. ORG ‘Wereadandrespond to llwriting Noreadingfees or SASE required. A signed Permics ons Juestcnae (PO)form i required for writng t be included I the APW. For mare informatian, o receie o #0 form.plesse writeto: Amertcan Prison Wrtng Archive N Johns Hopkins Univers \ SLCON. Chries St 3 — Batimore, M0 2213 T S oy (e el QRDFP ForMm £ | The Sword @ $5.00 each I Cris Wanser, MANUSCRIPTS TO GO Book & Author Services 07 & eawng Consuting Transarpton Word Processng ook Layouts & Covr Design Kindie D/ Amazon Aessance Personalzed author services | since 1995 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS DON'T HAVE TIME FOR SUBMISSIONS. Need more time to write? Internet or other access limited due to your situation and circumstances? In our 30th year! We provide leads, query letters, research, proof- reading, targeting submissions, and lots more! Accepting Dpoetry, short stories, novels/memoirs. We love writers! You write, WE submit! Join 60,000+ subscribers to our free newsletter! Writer's Rehef, Inc. Call (866) 405- 3003 or visit www.writersrelief.com. " A FRIEND ON THE OUTSTDE! e are your source for online research, educational, Le- gal, and/or reentry info! We will, amongst other things, purchase Amazon books/BSN magazines, etc., etc! No hus- tles! Trustworthy service! For a brochure detailing our services, send SASE & 1 U.S. Postal Stamp to: Webb Hunter, LLC., P.O. Box 363, Dept. UL, Christiansburg, VA., 24068. Heyinmate.com Online social media for inmates: * Dating * Pen Pals * Social Media $49.00 per year/unlimited content! Send us your photos and content info and we will scan and upload! Heyinmate.com Email POBox 1157+ Dpt.5W admin@heyinmate.com State College, PA 16804 Chasing your dreams as an urban or African-American author? Want to hone your craft, self-publish, find a publisher, find an assistant, promote & market your book, build your platform and/or create your fan base?! Learn how by purchasing your copy of Urban LIT! Info, contacts, reviews, resources, contests, and more! Send $7.00 to: Toola Taylor, 3205 Kiya Ct.#Cs, Peoria, IL. 61604. “I've got a terrible headache. | think 'm gonna make an example of you.” F YOU WANY TO LEARN NORE ABOUT AMERICA'S CORRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEM THEN GO 10: www.lettersfromprison.info Once thero -ciick on Robert ok PLEASE SHARE TS FORMATIONFREE LY -15- The Meaning of Life: The Case for Abolishing Life Sentences Review by Christopher Santiago Columbia, SC More than 200,000 people are serving life sentences in the United States. Thats more lifers than in any other country, and despite declining crime rates, their number is grow- ing. In The Meaning of Life: The Case for Abolishing Life Sentences (2018), Marc Mauer and Ashley Nellis of The Sentencing Project succeed in drawing from a wide range of sources plenty of evidence to make their case against life imprisonment. They explain how life sentences con- flict with human rights norms, contradict the principles of rehabilitation, contribute to mass incarceration, and result in diminishing returns for public safety as prisoners “age out” of criminal behaviors. Life sentences dispro- portionately affect vulnerable populations and people of color while having lttle or no deterrent effect on crime. ‘The book provides a roadmap for research-based crimi- nal justice reform and policy recommendations at a time when there is bipartisan support for decarceration in America, “To lay the groundwork for a realistic challenge o mass incarceration and to provide a better approach to public safety;”the authors write, “sentences in American prisons should be capped at a maximum of twenty years, except in circumstances in which the individual sillrep- resents a clear threat to public safety.” Mauer and Nellis thoroughly debunk the notion that life sentences are an alternative to the death penalty. They show that lfe imprisonment is a more protected from -16- ey s s proceuuran sateguards and public scrutiny. At the top of the sentencing scale, lfe sen- tences exert upward pressure on the severity of all other sentences, resulting in longer prison terms that distort how criminal justice resources are allocated. Aging pris- oners cost twice as much as younger prisoners to house and are far less likely to reoffend. If those funds were real- located to reentry services, education, employment, hous- ing, and substance abuse treatment in under-resourced neighborhoods, the book argues,they would produce bet- ter outcomes for public safey. Spread throughout the book are six profiles of liers written by award-winning author and former lifer, Kerry Myers, Its hard to read the profiles without pangs of sym- pathy for these six people. Lifers are condemned to live in hopelessness and despair, withlittle reason to pursue an education or refrain from violence. But these stories reveal, again and again, that humans have the capacity for positive change and personal transformation. They de- serve a chance a redemption. “Itis long past time to join the rest of the democratic ‘world by scaling down the excessive nature of punish- ‘ment that has become the hallmark of mass incarcera- tion.” 1s time to end lfe imprisonment. For more informa- tion, visit feimpri Lorg. = Christopher Santiago is a prisoner serving life without pa- olein the South Carolina Department of Corrections. This piece was taken from the National Lawyers Guild Guild Notes publication, Volume 44, Number 3/4. If you, lor anyone you know, may be interested in submitting to Cuild Notes - or to become a Jailhouse Lawyer member! - submit/write to: National Lawyers Guild Foundation, Post OFfice Box 1266, Dgk. 84D, New York, NY 40009. If submit- ting an essay/article, add "Guild Notes Submissions" to the address, and keep said submissions below 600 words. For more info on writer's guidelines, send a SASE to the |above address, or go to: wiw.nlg.org/submission-guide~ 17 Please don't let Max be forgotten. He deserved a sen- tence that would have allowed for his rehabilitation. He deserved alife, but because of the heartless atrocities of the Commonvwealth of Virginia he was given more than he could bear—more than any 19 year old kid should have to bear. The prison system in Virginia does more than incarcer- ate people: it kills hope, deprives humans of dignity and justice, it is the enemy of truth and crushes the light of Love (charity) at every opportunity, it promotes death in its practices, and in every way stealslfe from the human heart. It stole Max’ life and has broken the hearts of his family and friends. The Commonwealth of Virginia condemned Max to die and now the world i less without him. I am less without ‘him. We are less without him. The inhumanities of the sentencing practices combined with the neglect for the mental and emotional care of the human beings coming through these prisons s just too much. Our prisons have become an industry for profting. ‘The hearts and lives of the human beings incarcerated are ignored and the whole of our society suffers because of it. We are enslaved, deprived of the basic care needed to promote healthy living and productive social growth. We are made o live in unsafe conditions, fed an improper diet conducive to mental and emotional development, and in all confined to hellish conditions. There is nothing about prisons that helps human beings become healthy and more productive citizens upon release. We need to really exam- ine what is being done in our criminal justice system, and for the sake of society and the human condition, start pro- gressing towards real change to heal the hearts and minds of so many of us suffering human hearts that the criminal justice system has labeled “criminal.” » 12 | | vvine ror Frison Journalism Project WHO:Firt-time and experinced witers who aa incacroted. formerly ncarcarates family members, corections offcers. prison educators and others invaied i 1 o inellegl systemor ffected by te experionceof prison o i, WHAT: Submissions under 1200 woras. No more than ONE STORY o TWO SO Submision per month. Pease suomit oty your D6t ot Factsnyour pece must b nformation ou gatherad firsthand.no soscsaton or information that youe bained hrough someone ise. We cannot acceptsores sbout indivicual cases or that are accusatory about speifcperson. roup o nstutin. e 82101 pubisn academic esearch paprs, aigious SErMOnS o okt IENGe for 8 Generalaucence. Ary data tht s mentionmd must b attibuled 08 soutcs Wo reserse he ight 0 exciud portons fyour work tht ot conform o s ol Witers st sign and e 0 pusised (Pease wr 11 the PUP Pemision 3nd Acknoweagement 1015 10 raques e form i ou do ot araady eve . 55 .7 camot puish ourstorywithout . 1By doing 5o you oan: PUP & on-xciusive, pr. oyaty e canse 0 oG publs, aprocuca distrure. ranemit. sublcanss. a0 archive your worin i 01 and mecla wrigwide. NG Wi P partners 100 Colaboratos. However. o SONUIE 0w your ok and can puBlh éceatare You may receive anhanorariur 3 pubished piece. We cannot r-ecia stry ance it 5 publishr. ot you woula K2 you toy aken dowfor any resson pleas st & FequesL. i an error was nsertedin th eiingprocess. oty uswith axianation ot hecarmection. and e wi i th oy A neadarwith our ful nam suggested headine. Your 08 it oy used for verific A ti-to-ree-sentence oo pulish wihyou iece ncuding your tte. I youre ‘ieady publishes. you e wekcome 1o menton herwork. (1 you 80 1t st i, e il ot asimsio o tht says s you e ncarcerated | 1 you prefe 3 irst name or pen 5 you bylne. ncludearequestwith aeason hat can e published 35 part of you i farof rprsal. ready estabished asa writer unar i e name | ADholo 0G0 it your o I inars ot possibie. we willus & grahicof youe s WHEN: e accep stciesonaolingbass. Youwi eceiv copy o yoursory e UBlSh £ on PUP. We nave rge ckiog o subssions. out we corsider ach one Carefly. lease alw 16 weeks. Timely stoies wilbe expeditod) REPORTED NEWS AND FEATURES: Articies basec on reporting and research tht el people about things that actallyhappene. ESSAYS: Essays and memoirs sbout something you experienced. (OP-£DS: Opiian atcies and commentary witha thesis, arqument o callto action. POETRY: Nomare than two submisionsperenry. ART: Drawings. skeiches,paintings and other artthatustate scenes ofprison ife. Please nclude ashort story ora few sentences that descrive your stwark. No more than theart- works per etry Atwor cannot b returnes Prison ournaam Prsect 2093 Prisguiphi ik 1054 Glaymont 0€ 19705 Pup artDepartment 2825 Mlcatras Ave. 432, Serktey, CA 94705 L Comnac Natwork. GTL Gating Out and Corinka U ——— 7L Gatting Out s for maseages oy supmisions mustoesent i USPS. Securs:toruritersgponournaismpreect o1 Py messages il comefrom James Pae) forwtiters@pisarjounatamprojec o5 e suomisionspisanjounatismproject o1y | WRITERS WANTED!! The Com- | mencenent Issue of "The | In~Crowd Movement Prisoner Advocate, Pen Pal & Leisure Time Mixbook" is scheduled for release in late-2024 and is searching for essays, articles, short stories, poens, etc., etc, pertaining| to Justice issues, street life, the prison experience, support & advocacy for prisoners, their families, and vic- tins, alike - or anything that you believe may be of inte est to such! Experienced, unexperienced, published and un- published writers are all WELCOME to submit! Forward work with a short bio and picture (if available), along with a $10.00 administrative fee (vhich will be returned if your work is chosen for publication!) to: Myriad Publishing, a Bryant, 3205 Kiya Court’C5, Peoria, IL 61604. WRITERS WANTED!! Founded in 1971, the PEN Prison Writing | Program believes in the restorative, rehabilitative pover of writing and provides hundreds of prisoners across the country with skilled writing teachers and audiences for their work. It provides a place for prisoners to express themselves freely and encourages the use of the written itimate forn of power. The program sponsors n annual writing contest, publishes the free Handbook for iter's in Prison, provides one-on-one mentoring, con- rkshop, and seeks to promote prisoners’ work pu- blicly through literary publications and readings. Con- EN Prison Writing Program, 588 Broadvay, Suite , NY 10012, 212-334=1660, wv.pen.ors/about/ son-writing. TOGETHER Second Edition of "Labor of Thought, Struggle of Change" (First Edition available at Lulu.com)! Purchase your copy at f | ! | | Great tabletop book of poems and essays about el the author's experiences of prison life, family, friends, and the struggle of trying to comnit to self-rehabilitation despite the situation and circunstances! ALL SALES TO BE DONATED TO CHARTTY!! ——— Second Chances Clemency Consulting, LLC $1,000 (Payment: plans available!) Includes (but not limited to): Typing, editing/proofreading, clemency prepa- ration, preparation of Motion for Resentencing by the People, speaking at the hearing (Illinois Only at this tine). For Tntake Packet write: Second Chances Clemency, Consulting, LLC, 850 Main St. NW #1104, Bourbannais, IL., 60914. Secondchancesclemencyconsulting.com After all, the fact is, most criminals will be freed, someday. Would you'prefer that that person be a well-adjusted, producie] ive member of society - or remain angry, with a high likeli- hood to offend again and, perhaps, even worse than before? If| a safer society is wnat you seek, then the answer is clear. This is a logical conclusion that I have reached. Here's another logical conclusion. Some in autharity, with the power to make these decisions, are not interested in| a safer society. The criminal justice system in Americh has become big business. As crime affects most of society, somel are completely oblivious to it. They make money and build| their riches off of the backs of the average American.| They could care less about rehabilitation. Their rhetoric inpires| the clueless to believe that a prison's sole purpose is to| punish. It is only wnen their greed has taken such a hugd tolll on the American public that even politicians start to jagreel that we can no longer afford it, that they decide that some- thing must be done. Open your eyes. Society is being used. Is your commnity safe? Do you have family members whom are incarcerated? Does tnat incarcerated individual have kids? Fowl do you think their incarceration is affecting their comminity? Are there families in your community dealing with such ldsses? Does the punishment fit the crime? These are all questions that we need to address. We've been going backwards, for far| t00 long. Qur prisons need to focus on renabilitation. e havel many otner issues to deal with before prison becomes the| answer; but once one's situation becomes that dire, it sHould- n't get worse. Our criminal justice system is failing us. WE| are failing... | America is SUCH an unforgiving society. In Florida, 257 of the adult population are unable to vote, due to past felony| convictions. America has 5% of the world's population, byt 257) of tne world's prison populace. A disproportionate numder of| these inmates are Black. It is incredibly difficult td find| employment if you have a criminal backzround. It's| even| difficult to find housing. Tnese issues CAN be fixed. [It is| imperative that they decome the basis for discussion. Our sys-| ten is failing society. Prosecutors aren't even interested in one's guilt or innocence. A suspect has been arrested, and| Make custom shirts for your event or eam with our fun & easy Design Lab. Name brand apparel and 40.000-+ imay FREE Shipping & FREE design help 7 days/ week. www.customink.com 855-411-0682 &3 CustomInk @ Design Tshirts Online [ Create Amazing Shirts! THIS TS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY | FOR THOSE OF YOU WHOM ARE | SEARCHING AND HOPING FOR | INDIVIDUALS AND OR WAYS TO |RAISE FUNDS FOR LEGAL REPRE- | SENTATION! A1l you need is someone on the outside to design, promote, and sell |the shirts! You can find one Iperson to handle all three phases, or create a "toan to execute your movemen! |Assistance is available, for {a fee, if you have, or do |not have the options above! Books Behind Bars The following is short list of organizations that provide| FREE literature to help you improve yourself. Do the time - DON'T LET THE TIME DO YOU!! Organizations prefer that you, at| least, provide them with book subject/topics to help | better| £ill your request(s). Most limit you to three (3) books per| request (every three-to-six monms{. And subjects/topic in-| clude: African-American Literature, Art, Business, Computers,| Biography/Menoir, Economics, Health/Diet/Fitness, History,) Latin-Anerican, Math, Music, Native-American, Philosophy, Pol | |itics, Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, Science, Self-telp, Sports, Trade, Travel, true Crime, Writing & reference, etc.,| etc. Books 2 Prismers Books for Prisoers P.0. Box 515 /o Left Bank Bookstore Urbera, IL 61808 92 Pike St. Bax A \aas.bocksZprisers.or, Seattle, W %BI0L Provices up to 3 books at & tire. Re-| quest by sibject - m religion o le- Bocks 2 Priscrers £l book requests. 1631 Elysian Fields Ave. #117 New Oclesrs, [A 70117 Priso ook Project P.0. B 3% ‘The Bodks for Prisers Qrar Averst, M 01004 /o Hobo odstore P.0. Box 19065 Ciredmati, G 45219 Providerce Books theu Bers /o Myepic Books 5 South Angell Street Books for Prisoners Providerce, RT Q2905 /o Grardiark Bocks 023 Student. Ganter: La Jolla, O 92057 Miduest. Pages to Briscners Prefiect /o Barear Hooks & Gomiity Genter 48 E, 6th Street Bloorington, IN_ 47408 MEE TO QE...! -2 THE POWER OF WORDS