Humanity for Prisoners

  “The opposite of poverty is not wealth. In too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice.” ― Bryan Stevenson   Chances are, you heard nothing about this today. But, this is a special day in our country. March 18 is National Public Defense Day …a day that was created to honor those lawyers who resist the appeal to make big money in order to represent individuals who are charged with crimes but are unable to hire a defense attorney.   Most of us haven’t been arrested. And, if we were, we probably have enough dollars to hire a lawyer. But, there are many who cannot, and I’m proud to say that our country’s forefathers considered that possibility. Here’s how the UCLA Law Library words it: " The right to counsel under the U.S. Constitution is actually a fairly simple concept. If you are charged with a crime for which you face potential time in jail, then you have the constitutional right to have a lawyer to assist you in your defense. And if you can’t afford to hi...

Brad Sigmon was shot to death last week. It was his choice.   Sigmon, age 67, was executed by firing squad on March 9 in South Carolina. He was the first person to die by firing squad in the United States in 15 years.   If there were such a thing as humanity for prisoners, our organization would not exist. But, even with what little humanity you might find in our justice system, it took a step backward last week! Having experienced some horrific experiences with lethal injections, the State of South Carolina responded by offering alternatives to prisoners facing execution. After being convicted on a murder charge, Sigmon was allowed to choose between three inhumane methods of execution—lethal injection, electrocution, or firing squad.   A personal note. It's not at all uncommon or unexpected that I consistently criticize capital punishment. Early in my career as a prisoner advocate I actually witnessed an execution. My buddy/client Charles Anthony Nealy was executed...

Call it vanity if you wish, but when I was a young, aggressive broadcast journalist I coveted the title “award-winning” for my news department.   As a teenager I aspired to become a good radio news reporter. I had no formal training in the field, so it was up to me to establish and follow my own curriculum. I worked hard at it, and eventually became a respectable and respected newsman. Over time my small-market radio news department became incredibly good and nationally recognized. But, I wanted awards. We never got them.   Some radio news departments that were receiving honors were so large they actually had staff members preparing materials for annual award entries. Others had large enough departments to assign team-members to prepare documentaries and investigative features hoping for awards.   But, here’s what I’m finally getting.   While these award-seekers did their best to get recognition every year, my little team and I were doing our darndest to serv...

One of my teeth broke a few months ago. I’ve learned that the teeth of octogenarians are not as strong and healthy as those of teenagers. I immediately contacted the office of my dentist, fearing the worst because it’s an incredibly busy office. No worries. A very nice member of the staff found a cancelation, and I was able to get an immediate appointment.   That reminded me of a situation I encountered years ago. I was working solo in a much smaller Humanity for Prisoners back then. A Michigan prisoner complained by letter that he had suffered a broken tooth and was experiencing pain from an exposed nerve. Upon contacting the prison dentist he and was informed that he could be seen in about a month!   I’ll bet money that that situation ended up with a removal of the tooth. We continue to hear horror stories about prison dentists…removing teeth instead of repairing them. One dentist explained to an inmate, “I don’t get paid to fix teeth!”   I bring up the issue beca...

We have long deplored the manner in which the Michigan Department of Corrections treats women. Some 2,000 women reside in our state’s only prison for women, located in Ypsilanti. When a plumber employed by the state dared to speak his piece after witnessing the sad treatment of women while he was working at WHV, we put that message out to the public. When a group of whistleblowers among the women dared to sneak abuse messages to HFP, we did something about it. The ACLU jumped in, and a federal investigation was started!   It's no secret that incarcerated women in Michigan face a number of challenges, including trauma, sexual assault, and inadequate health care.   Now it’s time to raise hell once again!   Claiming that this is unlawful, our friends at the American Friends Service Committee bring a deeply disturbing practice to our attention: The MDOC is recording strip searches at Women’s Huron Valley Facility, a blatant breach of dignity and privacy.   Here’s...

Two headlines shouted at me this week! I thought I had written my last piece in observance of Black History Month for 2025. Then, just the other day, MLive newspapers carried this headline:   Black babies in Michigan face triple the mortality rate of white infants before first birthday   T oday, while reading some reports on-line, another headline smacked me:   Ruby Bridges was the first Black child to enter an all-white school in the South. She’s just 70 years of age!   OK, I’m prodded into one more piece.   I remain focused incarceration, prisoners and the justice system on this HFP website. I must tell you that our team encounters racism on a regular basis!   There's a two-tier justice system. And anyone who denies it is either naive or in denial. This is what the reality of America is. If you have certain privileges, if you're from a certain socioeconomic status, you have a certain skin color, the odds are in your favor. ---Ana Kasparian ...