Archive for the ‘Prisons’ Category
A new prison post from my friend, Gunther Fiek
Monday, November 27th, 2017Vermont corrections officer of the year dies in apparent suicide
Sunday, October 29th, 2017
Dalton pointed to a 2013 literature review from the U.S. Department of Justice that included research on the stress that correctional officers face. The review found, in part:
- In 2011, about 31 percent of correctional officers reported “serious psychological distress,” twice the rate of the general public;
- In 2012, 27 percent of correctional officers who responded to a study indicated they were suffering from PTSD;
- “Much more research is needed to develop a better understanding of the prevalence and causes of suicide among (correctional officers).”
Read the article by Erin Mansfield in the Vermont Digger.
Prisons for Profit and Other Perversions of Justice
Friday, May 5th, 2017
One truth that I have learned is something that I wrote in a recent post: “Beneath every story is another story that brings light to what is on the surface.” This is true in the story of every prisoner I have met. There are evil people in prison. There are some who should never again be entrusted with freedom beyond these stone walls, but they are a small minority. For the vast majority of prisoners I have met, restoring justice to their lives and restoring their freedom is a singular goal. The problem is that there is very little that happens in a one-size-fits-all prison that helps bring that about, and there is a lot in prison that actually works against it.
Read the blog post by Father Gordon MacRae, an innocent man in prison.
A New Prison Post From my Friend Gunther Fiek
Sunday, April 30th, 2017“Being a Christian and living that life in prison is certainly challenging. But who said that the Christian life would be easy? Some of us were believers before we came to prison. Some of us came to know God here in prison. Some of us might have short sentences while others might be here for a while. Whatever the case may be, I believe that being a Christian in today’s world is probably just as difficult as the persecution that Christians of the first few centuries endured. Our beliefs and what we stand for as believers are under attack by a world that seems to turn more secular every day.”
Read Gunther’s full post.
Wildfire – a New Prison Post by Gunther Fiek
Tuesday, February 7th, 2017“An accusation is like a spark that can easily start a wildfire and, if not handled or contained properly, can quickly spread out of control thus creating panic in a community. When authorities are unable to recognize in what direction the wind is blowing, they fail at the very task they were trained to do and the misused of the tools that guarantee to extinguish that wildfire become obsolete. The wind can then blow embers and ignite multiple wildfires. The media is like a gust of air that does nothing more but feed the fires by inflaming people’s passions. When it is all over, the damage is widespread and nothing will ever be the same, for anyone, as it will take time to recover — if ever. However, after all the destruction and everything has been left in ruins, one can only go through the rubble and hopefully find the pieces necessary to help you determine how it all started, what was done wrong and how another spark can be prevented.”
Read the full post by Gunther Fiek.
Please Send Bob Halsey a Birthday Card
Monday, February 6th, 2017Bob Halsey turns 88 on February 18th. I am surprised he is still alive. He has been in bad health for years.
Bob is an innocent man who has been in prison since September of 1993. He will die in prison. And even if by some miracle he were to be released, he has nowhere to go and no one to take him in.
Bob was railroaded by many of the same characters who sent Bernard Baran to prison. Baran’s prosecutor, Dan Ford, was the trial judge. Jane Satullo was the chief interrogator of the children.
You can learn more about his case.
Here is the address for cards:
Robert C. Halsey
W-55045
POB 1218
Shirley MA 01464
A Computer for Joseph Allen’s Sister?
Monday, January 16th, 2017I communicate with Joseph Allen via email using jpay.com. He also has been doing this with his sister Dora in Alabama.
Joseph contacted me to tell me his sister’s computer has stopped working. She really can’t afford to get it fixed or to buy a new one.
I spoke with Dora. She said that the old computer was an AC. I’m not familiar with this brand.
Joseph asks if someone out there might have an old computer they might donate to Dora. If you can help, either comment on this post or email me at bobchatelle@gmail.com.
If you need to refresh your memory about Joseph’s plight, here is some information.
-Bob
Joy and Glory — A New Prison Post by Gunther Fiek
Wednesday, January 4th, 2017“Christmas came and is now gone. Or is it? For some, Christmas is a special day of the year and, for others, is a season we celebrate with the highlight being the 25th. It’s an occasion we look forward to. Many around the world may celebrate Christmas in their own way, maybe following a family or cultural tradition. No doubt, it is a time in which families and friends get together for a meal and exchanges of gifts. It is also an opportunity in which many businesses expect big earnings. One thing is for sure, whatever may be one’s view of Christmas, over the course of many years it has gradually been losing its true meaning and purpose. That reality is something that I was already experiencing even before my incarceration but, since then, it has become more clearer to me.”
Read the full post by Gunther Fiek.
Highway – A New Prison Post From Gunther Fiek
Friday, December 23rd, 2016Those white crosses mark nameless people. Only a number can be seen in each cross. The cemetery off Highway 178 is where the Georgia Department of Corrections bury inmates “without family, friends, or a care from the world.” I couldn’t help but wonder whether that would be me one day. Or, any of the men I have met over the years. I tried to shake it out of my head. I prayed.
Read the full post by Gunther Fiek.
Please Send a Holiday Card to a Prisoner
Monday, December 5th, 2016Anyone who knows a prisoner knows how important it is to them to receive mail, especially at this time of year. Many prisoners receive no outside support at all.
I don’t care if you send a Christmas card, a holiday card, or whatever. Neither will they.
Here is a list of prisoners who’d be delighted to get a card:
https://bobchatelle.net/please-write-to-a-prisoner
Unfortunately, New Hampshire prisoners are not allowed to receive greeting cards of any sort, picture postcards, or any typewritten or printed material. Only handwritten letters on stock paper are permitted.
-Bob Chatelle
