Abby's class reflections
Note: Reflections were done each week by students in the class. They may refer to specific books or speakers. We encourage you to follow our reflects and read our weekly book assignments, find more information in the Get Involved section.
Pre-class reflection
1. What are the first images and thoughts that come to your mind when you hear the word offender and ex-offender?
An undereducated individual who does not understand or respect the social norms of a society. The phrases offender and ex-offender are also vague in my mind. An offender could be an individual who steals from grocery stores or an individual who commits sexual assault. Since I am unclear how to define an “offender” the image the word conjures in my mind is also vague. I have images of Aladdin and Robin Hood and others of child molesters and murderers.
2. What are the first images and thoughts that come to your mind when you hear the word prison?
I get images of many types of prisons. I imagine a fashionable prison where celebrities spend a few months. I imagine a prison with disgusting food and muscular men. I imagine Guantanamo. I think the unifying theme between these images is that a prison is a world of its own. I believe there are relationships and social structures that form in prisons as people try to develop “lives” while they are essentially void of all possessions.
An undereducated individual who does not understand or respect the social norms of a society. The phrases offender and ex-offender are also vague in my mind. An offender could be an individual who steals from grocery stores or an individual who commits sexual assault. Since I am unclear how to define an “offender” the image the word conjures in my mind is also vague. I have images of Aladdin and Robin Hood and others of child molesters and murderers.
2. What are the first images and thoughts that come to your mind when you hear the word prison?
I get images of many types of prisons. I imagine a fashionable prison where celebrities spend a few months. I imagine a prison with disgusting food and muscular men. I imagine Guantanamo. I think the unifying theme between these images is that a prison is a world of its own. I believe there are relationships and social structures that form in prisons as people try to develop “lives” while they are essentially void of all possessions.
Week one
I found Lisa Daugaard very moving in her talk but I did not find her very inspiring. After watching the video, completing the reading and listening to Lisa, I felt depressed and angry. While I immediately wanted to go out and change the world, I was (and am) unsure of how the injustice of our prison system could be fixed in the near future. In The New Jim Crow the author said several times that a change in the way society viewed the prison system was necessary for real change. However the idea of changing the views of society is obviously a daunting task and it is hard for me to imagine how it could be accomplished.
At our Saturday meeting with the Post-Prison Education Program students I began to feel inspired. The students’ stories of perseverance and dedication showed me that once the correct resources were available individuals were able to change their lives and become productive and positive members of society. As we developed ideas as a class, I started to see how it was possible for our class to provide some of these resources and begin making a difference in our community.
I am also proud of the diversity and scope of project ideas we thought of as a group. It is obvious that our diverse backgrounds and interests not only helped us brainstorm great ideas but will also help us push our projects forward. I am excited to see how our progress develops and it is exciting to not know what to expect.
At our Saturday meeting with the Post-Prison Education Program students I began to feel inspired. The students’ stories of perseverance and dedication showed me that once the correct resources were available individuals were able to change their lives and become productive and positive members of society. As we developed ideas as a class, I started to see how it was possible for our class to provide some of these resources and begin making a difference in our community.
I am also proud of the diversity and scope of project ideas we thought of as a group. It is obvious that our diverse backgrounds and interests not only helped us brainstorm great ideas but will also help us push our projects forward. I am excited to see how our progress develops and it is exciting to not know what to expect.
Week two
As I began reading Banished I became increasingly frustrated with the trespassing and SODA/SOAP laws in Washington. It was obvious from even the introduction of the book that the laws are not helping solve the problems of addition and prostitution but rather seem to be perpetuating and worsening the situation. According to the book itself, “banishing individuals from areas does not lead to relocation, stabilization, or reduced criminal justice movement,” and so we have to ask ourselves what do they accomplish?
One answer is that banishment laws help create a false sense of security for business owners. After listening to Professor Herbert it became clear that banishment laws implemented by the Seattle Police Department are partly the result of political pressures and pressure from small business owners to find a solution to our cities homeless and “dangerous” population fast. The most superficial way to do this is to hide the problem which is what banishment laws attempt to do. The laws try to move “problem individuals” from one area to the next in hopes a change of scenery will correct the individual’s addictions and behavioral problems. However as Banished showed, most individuals return to the areas they are banished from because it is the only area they can call a “home.” These individuals then fall into the fate of becoming multiple time offenders if they are caught in a banished area. This leads to a cycle of arrest, jail and release back to the streets.
So what are the alternatives? Professor Herbert and Ms. Daugaard mentioned several alternatives to the destructive cycle caused by banishment laws which include programs to help treat mental illness and addiction, the decriminalization of addiction, and programs to offer support to individuals instead of alienating them.
These alternatives came as no surprise to me after talking to the Post-Prison Education students on our Saturday meeting since many of them highlighted the need for such programs. Speaking with the PPE students really made it clear just how hard it is to succeed after being in jail even once. They spoke truthfully about the lack of resources and support, and seem convinced that with more programs to help our city’s homeless and mentally-ill population, they could become valuable parts of our society.
I think the most telling examples of the effects of helping instead of alienating are the students themselves. All of them have lived lives where they were pushed to the boarders of society where they became a one word entity, a criminal. But with the support of the Post-Prison Education Program all of them were able to enroll in community colleges and make a fresh start to their futures. What is amazing is that the students are also aware of their success and instead of selfishly running away from their pasts, all of them have chosen to try and help people like them who continue to lack resources.
So far this class has been an amazing experience and I am excited to become better acquainted with the PPE students and learn more about their amazing success stories.
One answer is that banishment laws help create a false sense of security for business owners. After listening to Professor Herbert it became clear that banishment laws implemented by the Seattle Police Department are partly the result of political pressures and pressure from small business owners to find a solution to our cities homeless and “dangerous” population fast. The most superficial way to do this is to hide the problem which is what banishment laws attempt to do. The laws try to move “problem individuals” from one area to the next in hopes a change of scenery will correct the individual’s addictions and behavioral problems. However as Banished showed, most individuals return to the areas they are banished from because it is the only area they can call a “home.” These individuals then fall into the fate of becoming multiple time offenders if they are caught in a banished area. This leads to a cycle of arrest, jail and release back to the streets.
So what are the alternatives? Professor Herbert and Ms. Daugaard mentioned several alternatives to the destructive cycle caused by banishment laws which include programs to help treat mental illness and addiction, the decriminalization of addiction, and programs to offer support to individuals instead of alienating them.
These alternatives came as no surprise to me after talking to the Post-Prison Education students on our Saturday meeting since many of them highlighted the need for such programs. Speaking with the PPE students really made it clear just how hard it is to succeed after being in jail even once. They spoke truthfully about the lack of resources and support, and seem convinced that with more programs to help our city’s homeless and mentally-ill population, they could become valuable parts of our society.
I think the most telling examples of the effects of helping instead of alienating are the students themselves. All of them have lived lives where they were pushed to the boarders of society where they became a one word entity, a criminal. But with the support of the Post-Prison Education Program all of them were able to enroll in community colleges and make a fresh start to their futures. What is amazing is that the students are also aware of their success and instead of selfishly running away from their pasts, all of them have chosen to try and help people like them who continue to lack resources.
So far this class has been an amazing experience and I am excited to become better acquainted with the PPE students and learn more about their amazing success stories.
Week three
When I purchased Picking Cotton for our class I was so excited to read it I finished the book before our class even met. When I finished the book I was appalled by the justice system and the errors being committed so I was very excited to hear from a member of the Innocence Project NW. Since the weather prevented this opportunity, I did some of my own research on the Innocence Project. The work they do amazes me and I was excited to see they had resources for youth to become involved. In the next week I plan to start talking to my friends and family about the “blindness” of our criminal system and asking my community to sign a petition. While I know it is only a small step, education is the first step and so it is where I will begin.
In response to the writing prompt on Picking Cotton, my initial reaction to Jennifer saying “Thank God I picked you,” was anger and frustration. It made me think, how many people did not have the will or strength to fight as long as Cotton? How many people are rotting away in prison for crimes they never committed? It made me think of our justice system’s doctrine “Innocent until proven guilty.” For such a simple phrase it leaves an enormous amount of room for error.
When I was reading Actual Innocence I saw a lot of similarities to Picking Cotton. The most obvious similarity was that victim testimonies of what they thought they saw were treated as solid fact. After reading “Seeing Things” I was even more frustrated by this practice. Science shows that stress and adrenaline can seriously effect a person’s perception. Not to mention victims are often searching for their attackers and are more likely to pick “the best choice” or the person who best fits what they remember, even if that person is not the attacker. In the case of Faye Treatser, (which had striking similarities to Cotton and Jennifer’s case) it is obvious that her testimony seven months later was greatly impacted by the information she learned about Walter Snyder in the time between the attack and the testimony. But how often are these discrepancies and false memories caught in court?
Actual Innocence also highlighted the importance of good science. It made me realize that we are too quick to accept scientific evidence and that even science makes mistakes. I hope that as the field of forensics improves “junk science” will become increasingly uncommon, but in the meantime it is apparent that courts should not rely completely on certain scientific tests like hair tests which can have error rates up to 50%.
In response to the writing prompt on Picking Cotton, my initial reaction to Jennifer saying “Thank God I picked you,” was anger and frustration. It made me think, how many people did not have the will or strength to fight as long as Cotton? How many people are rotting away in prison for crimes they never committed? It made me think of our justice system’s doctrine “Innocent until proven guilty.” For such a simple phrase it leaves an enormous amount of room for error.
When I was reading Actual Innocence I saw a lot of similarities to Picking Cotton. The most obvious similarity was that victim testimonies of what they thought they saw were treated as solid fact. After reading “Seeing Things” I was even more frustrated by this practice. Science shows that stress and adrenaline can seriously effect a person’s perception. Not to mention victims are often searching for their attackers and are more likely to pick “the best choice” or the person who best fits what they remember, even if that person is not the attacker. In the case of Faye Treatser, (which had striking similarities to Cotton and Jennifer’s case) it is obvious that her testimony seven months later was greatly impacted by the information she learned about Walter Snyder in the time between the attack and the testimony. But how often are these discrepancies and false memories caught in court?
Actual Innocence also highlighted the importance of good science. It made me realize that we are too quick to accept scientific evidence and that even science makes mistakes. I hope that as the field of forensics improves “junk science” will become increasingly uncommon, but in the meantime it is apparent that courts should not rely completely on certain scientific tests like hair tests which can have error rates up to 50%.
Week Nine
A few weeks ago a number of UW honors students and Seattle Central Community College students joined students from the Post-Prison Education Program along with Ari Kohn the Program Director of PPEP to give a presentation on the Post-Prison Education Program and the Post-Prison Community Collaboration Project at the Monroe Correctional Complex. The complex houses roughly 2,400 offenders, split between maximum, closed, medium, and minimum units. Our presentation was for the minimum security unit which houses offenders with release dates in less than two years.
On our arrival we were given an orientation in the visitor room then we were ushered into the dining hall which had around twenty-five steel tables. We took seats on metal stools at the tables and waited as roughly 70 prisoners entered the hall and took seats at the tables next to ours. Many of the Post-Prison Education students still knew current prisoners from when they spent time at Monroe or nearby prisons, and so there was talking and hugging between the PPEP students and current prisoners. I was sitting at a table with Gina, Nancy, and RJ as the several of the male PPEP students walked around hugging and shaking hands with prisoners. Gina commented that it was so sad to see so many young men in prison, and she was right I was startled by how young some of these men were. They looked like they had barely hit puberty and here they were behind bars. To be honest, the hopelessness of the situation made me start to tear up. As I looked around I could these men as students, bankers, engineers, healthcare workers, but would they ever get that chance? No probably not, because the stamp of “Ex-prisoner” would follow them forever taking away life and job opportunities. Gina also reminded me that without post-prison support about a third of these men would return to their old bad habits and eventually end up back in prison within three years. At this point I was turning into a weeping mess, so I had to shush Gina and try and take my mind off the issues so I at least had a chance to compose myself.
Ari started the talk by diving into a description of the Post-Prison Education Program and how important higher education is in giving ex-prisoners a chance to start a clean new life. Next he handed the mike over to students in the PPEP program who talked about how their lives have changed since they left prison and went back to school. They talked about the endless struggles they faced in society but how learning, their families, and their new freedoms have made it all worth it. The stories the PPEP students shared were inspiring and I know no words I use could do them justice. Then Ari invited the UW honors students onto the stage and my hands started shaking. What was I going to say to these men? I wanted to cry for them, I wanted to tell them to never give up hope, to work hard once they were out of prison and to pursue an education. But I had no right to tell them what to do and why should they listen to me anyways? When I got to the front of the room, I was the first student given the mike and I as I looked at the 70 men sitting in front of me I just told myself to speak from my heart and hopefully my heart would have something good to say. Unfortunately because of the adrenalin I do not remember a word of what I spoke, so if you want to hear that part you’ll have to ask another one of my class members. What I do remember was what my classmates said after I passed the mike onto them. Each of my classmates was nervous as well, but each one did an amazing job explaining how important our class is to them. The words many of them spoke were powerful, moving, and full of understanding, and again I found myself on the verge of tears.
After our introductions, the presentation continued with more facts and speakers, and then a question and answer session at the end where we received a rush of questions from the prisoners about the program. At the end of our presentation time, we were escorted out of the cafeteria and eventually out of the prison into the parking lot.
As I think back the experience seems unbelievable. I wish I could explain better how much the visit means to me but unfortunately I cannot capture it in words. I only hope someday after some reflection, I can better describe how meeting and befriending a group of formerly incarcerated people led me not only to visit a prison, but also continue to change the way I view the world around me.
On our arrival we were given an orientation in the visitor room then we were ushered into the dining hall which had around twenty-five steel tables. We took seats on metal stools at the tables and waited as roughly 70 prisoners entered the hall and took seats at the tables next to ours. Many of the Post-Prison Education students still knew current prisoners from when they spent time at Monroe or nearby prisons, and so there was talking and hugging between the PPEP students and current prisoners. I was sitting at a table with Gina, Nancy, and RJ as the several of the male PPEP students walked around hugging and shaking hands with prisoners. Gina commented that it was so sad to see so many young men in prison, and she was right I was startled by how young some of these men were. They looked like they had barely hit puberty and here they were behind bars. To be honest, the hopelessness of the situation made me start to tear up. As I looked around I could these men as students, bankers, engineers, healthcare workers, but would they ever get that chance? No probably not, because the stamp of “Ex-prisoner” would follow them forever taking away life and job opportunities. Gina also reminded me that without post-prison support about a third of these men would return to their old bad habits and eventually end up back in prison within three years. At this point I was turning into a weeping mess, so I had to shush Gina and try and take my mind off the issues so I at least had a chance to compose myself.
Ari started the talk by diving into a description of the Post-Prison Education Program and how important higher education is in giving ex-prisoners a chance to start a clean new life. Next he handed the mike over to students in the PPEP program who talked about how their lives have changed since they left prison and went back to school. They talked about the endless struggles they faced in society but how learning, their families, and their new freedoms have made it all worth it. The stories the PPEP students shared were inspiring and I know no words I use could do them justice. Then Ari invited the UW honors students onto the stage and my hands started shaking. What was I going to say to these men? I wanted to cry for them, I wanted to tell them to never give up hope, to work hard once they were out of prison and to pursue an education. But I had no right to tell them what to do and why should they listen to me anyways? When I got to the front of the room, I was the first student given the mike and I as I looked at the 70 men sitting in front of me I just told myself to speak from my heart and hopefully my heart would have something good to say. Unfortunately because of the adrenalin I do not remember a word of what I spoke, so if you want to hear that part you’ll have to ask another one of my class members. What I do remember was what my classmates said after I passed the mike onto them. Each of my classmates was nervous as well, but each one did an amazing job explaining how important our class is to them. The words many of them spoke were powerful, moving, and full of understanding, and again I found myself on the verge of tears.
After our introductions, the presentation continued with more facts and speakers, and then a question and answer session at the end where we received a rush of questions from the prisoners about the program. At the end of our presentation time, we were escorted out of the cafeteria and eventually out of the prison into the parking lot.
As I think back the experience seems unbelievable. I wish I could explain better how much the visit means to me but unfortunately I cannot capture it in words. I only hope someday after some reflection, I can better describe how meeting and befriending a group of formerly incarcerated people led me not only to visit a prison, but also continue to change the way I view the world around me.