Patience in Prison
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The Faith and Character Community Program at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center started in the spring of 2007 and produced its second graduating class in August 2009 Medium-security prisoners volunteer for the program, and they live and attend class in two pods. The “character pod” follows a yearlong, character-based curriculum, including courses on anger management, cognitive change, etc. The “faith pod” uses the same material but also involves volunteers who help relate concepts to particular inmates’ faith traditions. Participants are divided into “family groups” during the 5-6 hours of class time and activities each day. Program coordinator Ilinda Jackson and program provider John Carothers recently responded to a few questions. Character First: How would you summarize the prison experience for readers unfamiliar with it? What challenges do prisoners and families experience?
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Ilinda Jackson: The experience, especially for women, is the separation from family, the being alone. [It is] a very structured experience [including] schedules, movement, visits, phone calls, meals, and counts. It can also be a place of learning and a place of change. John Carothers: ...You are given no control on where you live, what you eat, when you sleep, etc. It makes it very hard for the offenders and their families to remain connected and push forward in their relationships. The parenting process, however hard in society, now multiplies as you are away from your children, utilizing the phone and mail to parent. This poses a huge obstacle for all involved and places a strain on society also. CF: What characteristics allow a person to use time productively-rather than just wait for time to pass? Jackson: When a woman is sober as a result of incarceration, she can usually think somewhat clearer. The offenders’ thoughts are on family and children, promoting the desire for change. This usually starts a process of searching self, faith, and the facility for programs that may help promote growth. The primary characteristics are as follows-desire for change (determination), sorrow and remorse for the neglect of family and children (responsibility), realizing what incarceration does to the entire family unit (forgiveness, compassion), motivated to take advantage of the down time (diligence). Carothers: Contentment-Realize that just because your material items are gone, be happy about the life that you still have. Determination-Pursue the goal at hand, regardless of the obstacle it poses. Endurance-To persevere through this stressful time to reach the life that you want. Forgiveness-Forgive yourself and others for the pain they brought forth and move forward. And self-control-Recognize the addictions in life that brought you to prison and start rejecting those wrong desires. CF: What motivates you to keep going despite the difficulty of the prison environment?
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Jackson: The belief that all people can change. Passion...to see it realized. Carothers: The prison environment is yet another place where you can develop character and help individuals that really need a positive influence and direction in life. Everyone makes bad choices in life, and we have all hit bad times. I feel like I have as much to learn as the offenders that I teach. If you keep this attitude and mental focus, the environment blends into the background and takes a backseat to growth. CF: What have you learned from your work with prisoners? How have you been challenged personally?
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Jackson: Given time and resources, many offenders find hope and strength to forgive themselves and let life begin again. For myself, I never really knew I had so much to share, teach, or give until a demand was placed upon my life to do so. The program has caused me to have a much clearer understanding of the magnitude and process of change. Carothers: ...When I took this position to start a new character program at a women's prison. I felt like this would be a piece of cake and I had plenty of character in my life. Turns out, I had no idea what I was talking about. Character development for me started when I began this journey at Mabel Bassett. The things I have learned from female offenders brought a new perspective on my life and the things I didn't know regarding relationships, drugs, children, etc. It has been a challenge and a privilege to grow and learn the true meaning of character. Useful Links: