“I was convicted of distributing a large amount of crack...

“I was convicted of distributing a large amount of crack cocaine. I was offered sixty months to cooperate, but I turned it down. My family is still mad about that. They say I chose the streets over them. But I couldn’t bring someone else down with me, so they gave me five life sentences. I’ve been here twenty years. I’ve seen a lot of these younger kids come back two or three times already. I try to guide them but it’s no use. They only seem interested in finding a better way to do bad. The library is always empty. None of these young guys take advantage of the programs. I encourage them to get their GED’s while they’re here, but they laugh at me. They don’t respect their elders. Crack changed everything. So many of these young men saw their mothers and fathers doing drugs in the street. So many of their parents went to prison. These kids were forced to raise themselves. So they aren’t about to listen to anyone. I did the same thing to my kids. My son got murdered. My daughter had to raise herself because her mom is doing thirteen life sentences. But she’s the exception. She’s got every excuse to be bitter, but she doesn’t even talk about it. She’s got a 4.0 at the University of Virginia right now.”

(Federal Correctional Complex: Allenwood, Pennsylvania)