Meet Jeffery…
Prison is a necessary evil, but an evil nonetheless.
My family invested in a dictionary and typewriter that beeped when I spelled something wrong. My poor celly thought I was sending Morse Code until my spelling improved. I began writing letters to the administration, governor, and legislatures which greatly improved my handwriting and style. I filed several lawsuits against the prison and staff, made some minor improvements within the system and earned some money. I was floored when a superior court judge stated I had excellent writing skills. After years of litigation and realizing I was not making enough positive change, I wrote a short story published in a zine for prison reform and two other publications. I am now a contributing writer for an oversight group dedicated to improving the prison system and was invited to submit this letter to HoSQ. Trying to transfer my writing skills from legal, which has a limited audience, to a broader demographic, I asked my friend for constructive criticism. He provided some and said I should get a book on creative writing which I would have if the COVID-19 hadn’t shut down the prison library for over a year. Because of the early support from my family I was able to use the money I received to donate some to charities, helped two former prisoners start their own businesses, and provided a laptop for a prisoner that started community college upon his release. I hope to improve my writing skills to make positive changes to the prison industrial complex and the lives impacted by it.