Published in About Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me — Robert BartonIncarcerated for 26 years and out to bring humanity to an inhumane “justice” system. — Indian activist Arundhati Roy once said: “There is really no such thing as the voiceless… only the deliberately silenced or the preferably unheard.” She’s right. People behind bars do have voices. But they are forcibly shut up and told no one wants to hear them. …About Me6 min readAbout Me6 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Mar 20Sex, Prison and Frustration With Nowhere to GoImagine hundreds of men crowded together for decades with no outlet for natural human desires — trouble is bound to happen — By Askia Afrika-Ber Sexual yearnings are as natural as any other human emotion, and perhaps the most powerful. That is especially true in prison, where even the mere exposure to the opposite sex is rare. …Sex7 min readSex7 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Feb 23A Tough Question Posed by Heinous CrimesShould the possibility of redemption be offered to everyone? — By Rob Barton “There is no place for you or your ignorant, hateful, and evil ideologies in a civilized society. There can be no mercy for you, no understanding, no second chances. The damage you have caused is too great and the people you have hurt are too valuable to…Prison5 min readPrison5 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Feb 17Whether Private or Public, Prisons ProfitClosing privately operated prisons doesn’t change the profit motive of the prison-industrial complex — By Joseph Lamica In December, the federal Bureau of Prisons ended all its contracts with private operators of its facilities. The move followed an executive order by President Biden, which he positioned as ending the practice of profiteering off of prisoners and their families. But as an inmate in FCI…Prison5 min readPrison5 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Feb 6When Will There be Consequences for Prison Staff?We’re always being written up; why aren’t guards? — By Robert Barton For the last 29 days, six hours and 28 seconds, these tiny bathrooms we live in, which we call cells, have been the entire world for the men in USP Coleman 1. It’s where we exercise (I’ve gotten up to 1,000 pushups), walk off our stress (six…Prison4 min readPrison4 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Jan 30How Much Money Can You Squeeze from a Prisoner?The federal Bureau of Prisons continues to find new ways to gouge prisoners and their families — By Jeremy Fontanez There is a lot of coverage in the media about prisoners who accumulate thousands of dollars in their institutional accounts, despite being ordered by the court to pay restitution to their victims. …Prison7 min readPrison7 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Jan 25Hunger Strike! Forever the Tool of Prisoner ResistanceBut is the long-term cost to the prisoner worth it? — By Pam Bailey Hunger strikes are an act of very last resort for prisoners who feel they are being treated inhumanely, and there is either no other way to challenge it or the grievance system is dysfunctional and/or biased. …Protest7 min readProtest7 min read
Dec 23, 2022Look at MeThe only thing I have to hold onto at night is my faith I am someone who never cried tears of joy. …Prison2 min readPrison2 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Dec 21, 2022The Meaning of Holidays When You Have a Life SentenceWhat is the significance of the holidays in a place plagued with so much misery and ugliness? — By Jeremy Fontanez, More Than Our Crimes staff writer This is the time of year when we are supposed to forget our troubles and appreciate the good things in our lives. Out “in the world,” families sit together around large tables loaded with plates of food, with a juicy, stuffed…Holidays6 min readHolidays6 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Dec 2, 2022Inflation in the Incarceration NationDo you think inflation is bad? In prison, it’s hitting hard — By Jeremy Fontanez, More Than Our Crimes staff writer Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Inflation is…Prison6 min readPrison6 min read
