I worked in county jail in Florida for three years leading church services, providing trauma informed care, and leading addiction and trauma recovery groups. It’s been seven years since I worked in the jail, and I still lie awake at night thinking about the horrible conditions, under which the women there are treated, the dehumanization of the mail and prison system, and how so many people profit from the suffering of others. I could write novels about what I learned while working in jail, and now providing re-entry therapy to people who have been released. There is currently no reliable care for incarcerated people, at least not in Florida where I live. We use a profitable system to abuse people, then blame them for the abuse, then blame them for not being able to survive amidst the abuse. It’s a disgusting reality of American culture that needs to be abolished. And the worst part is that so many churches actively support this system or are complicit in its functioning.
I worked in county jail in Florida for three years leading church services, providing trauma informed care, and leading addiction and trauma recovery groups. It’s been seven years since I worked in the jail, and I still lie awake at night thinking about the horrible conditions, under which the women there are treated, the dehumanization of the mail and prison system, and how so many people profit from the suffering of others. I could write novels about what I learned while working in jail, and now providing re-entry therapy to people who have been released. There is currently no reliable care for incarcerated people, at least not in Florida where I live. We use a profitable system to abuse people, then blame them for the abuse, then blame them for not being able to survive amidst the abuse. It’s a disgusting reality of American culture that needs to be abolished. And the worst part is that so many churches actively support this system or are complicit in its functioning.
Stanley's speaking and sharing his story is so impactful. It reminds me of stories shared on Moth Radio Hour (wrongful convictions too). I watched the episode on the day this report was released: https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/one-in-five-racial-disparity-in-imprisonment-causes-and-remedies/ Thank you, Mr. Stanley, and Dr. Tisby!
Thanks so much for tuning in and for sharing this resource!