Life In Prison

   Now, I know that not very many of the readers of this blog may have the need to communicate with an inmate in our prison system, but I have done this for a few years.

   Back in the 90s, I had the privilege of going into a state prison here in Georgia, and working in a Christian program called Kairos. This is a non-denominational weekend retreat that ministers to inmates in several correctional centers here in our state, and, indeed, all around the world.

   I became friends with an inmate who went through the program, and, by the way, is still active in it on the inside. We began writing back then and continue to this day. Communication with a friend on the outside I believe has given him the feeling that someone cares about his life, and that he is just not a number in a system.

   A few days back, I got a letter from him. In it he said that he was going to be able to contact me via email because the state prison system was making a tablet available to him for certain selected purposes, one of which was email. He would also be able to download music and some games for his entertainment.

   These tablets are limited in their usage capabilities, and they can only be accessed from a designated kiosk, probably in the dorm of the inmate. They cannot be used to surf the internet on a free wifi system on a when-desired time frame, and all of the messages, both incoming and outgoing, are supposed to be monitored by the prison officials.

   I have tried to read up some on this new development in prison systems, but there are still questions for me. Who pays for the tablets? Who owns the tablets? Is the system there to be abused, or can it help the inmate to serve his or her time more productively? Can the various costs be a rip off to the inmate, and who will gain from the monies paid into the whole project?

   I tried it out yesterday. Since I knew the ID of my friend, I put that into the system, and was able to email him. The cost of the message to me was less than that of a first class postage stamp, and I did not even have to have an envelope, or paper, or walk to the mailbox.

   I even had a reply before the day was over.

   There is a lot that I do not know about the whole project, the possible ways to abuse it by inmates, or gouging companies, the benefits to the prison staff in fighting boredom, the interaction between the inmates in the use of the devices, but I can see some advantages to giving it a try.

   There will be some who will jump all over it to move toward a new start in life, and then there will be those who won't, and will try to game the whole system.

   The ability of families to stay connected easier which seems to be a key to staying out of prison after serving time, the actual connection to new technology which might make reentry less demanding, the educational opportunities available for those who could and would take advantage; all of these could help to rehabilitate those incarcerated, keeping men and women out of lockup, and reducing the costs to all of us.

   I am not sure how all of this will turn out, and I know that there can be many potential upsides and downsides, but it is an interesting development that could bode well for those in the prison system, both residents and keepers.

   Let's pray for all the good that can happen and work to minimize all the pitfalls.

   Being concerned about the lives of all involved is a good place to start.

   Inmates are real people, with real lives, and not just a number.