It might seem unimaginable that being incarcerated can alter a prisoner’s life, turning the bad guy into the good guy, especially if the incarcerated is sentenced to lifelong imprisonment. Infamous Texas inmate Rickie Smith proved the impossible to be possible when the three, 99-year termed prisoner made a radical transformation from being the most violently known inmate there is to a God-fearing man who turned his life around when he discovered God’s presence in his life. Rosser McDonald’s Real Prison Real Freedom relates a tale of prison life during a turbulent time within the Department of Corrections. The Rosser book on transformation of a notorious Texas inmate demonstrates how there is hope in life, even for the so-called society’s rejects.
The Prison System
Prison is a physical structure or a facility where people are held as a form of punishment for a crime they have committed. It can also be detention or a holding facility while a person waits for trial. Prisoner or inmate is the name or term for a person legally detained for a crime committed. Imprisonment is part of the criminal justice system. The process of imprisonment slightly varies from state to state, but the main essence of the process starts with the police, to the courts, and then to the corrections system. It all begins with an arrest done by the police. A person caught in the act of committing a crime or has been tagged as a suspect because of probable cause is arrested by the police. The police then take the person into custody, take them to jail, and begin the booking or recording process such as getting profiled, fingerprints, photographed, etc. If sufficient evidence is produced to be able to proceed with a case or a trial, a court hearing is then scheduled.
A court hearing or trial by jury determines the faith of the detainee. If the court or the jury found the detained guilty and sentenced the person to imprisonment, the detainee is then forwarded to the Department of Corrections to serve out their term. Then begins a complex prison life that seemed exaggerated in books and movies but nonetheless is true in real life.
Life In Prison
Life in prison seems unreal to the average Joe. Still, the harsh reality is the overelaborate stories we hear about prison gangsters, prison wars, fighting with prison guards, drugs, prisoner relationships, and even food fights in prison canteens are all true and happening in real life. People have this visual of prisons being akin to living hell, and it is a good example of a place where the fight to survive is crucial. To be tough and intimidating is the norm. If a person is weak, that person gets the worst form of bullying ever known to man. Want to learn how politics work? Then prison is a good place to learn and practice how perfect politicking works. The inmate culture often encourages “fraternization” as a form of survival. Politicking involves getting “friendly” with the prison guards, or even with the warden, to receive special treatment or priority when a prisoner asks for favors. Prison gangs are also commonly found in prisons. They say that there is strength in numbers, so belonging to a prison group gives a prisoner a higher chance of survival or gives a form of protection from being picked on or from being bullied.
Prison life is continually painted as bleak and horrible. Any redemptive transformation of prisoners is but a small percent of the prison life. There are many stories of prisoners who transformed from being the tough guy hooligan act to a guy who chose reform and made a 360-degree nice guy transformation. A small percentage of the prison population, but still, that percentage shows that there is hope to be had for a life in and after prison.
Hope for Society’s Rejects
Prison is unpleasant, so as being referred to as society’s rejects. Being rejected by society for failing to meet society’s norm of what is normal, acceptable life is enough to send a person’s life spiraling out of control and make them do acts that eventually send them off to prison. These are people outcast by society because of many different factors, such as living in a domestically abusive environment, bullying, being illiterate, being unable to be financially and professionally successful, and many more.
Staying in the negative stigma of being a prisoner is a choice. There are a lot of rehabilitation programs, whether faith-based or social-based that offer help and support for prisoners and ex-prisoners alike if they want to change their life. A person can always drop that negative stereotype that came with being imprisoned. It is still possible to get a job after imprisonment. It is still possible for prisoners to create and have their own families. It is still possible for a prisoner to get a career and be successful at it. It is very possible for a bloodthirsty, murderous prisoner to change into a peaceful and humanitarian person. There is always a second chance for everything. There is and always will be hope, even for the rejected of society.
The Damsel’s Files 