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Happy Labor Day to 6 of the best friends Michigan prisoners ever had!

Last week I  mentioned the names of the Humanity for Prisoners team when I reported on the meaningful honor that we had received. No one deserves that Justice Warrior Award more than Mark, Carmen, Sarah, Brad, Jen and Joe! Yes, they all have titles but, in our office, we don’t let title or seniority get in our way. When one needs help, the others pitch in. On this Labor Day I think it’s important that we recognize the dedication to justice, dignity, and advocacy that this HFP group has for those who are often forgotten. It’s a profound form of labor ! As the founder of this impactful organization I know, first-hand, that these efforts are heavy, continuous, and rarely receive public thanks. This team labors year-round in the toughest corners of our justice system to bring hope and dignity to incarcerated men and women in all of Michigan’s correctional facilities.   On Labor Day, 2026, thank you for showing up every single day to be a voice, a lifeline, and a force for chang...
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What a birthday gift!

  August 29, 2006, marked the 25th anniversary of Humanity for Prisoners. This is the 14th in a series of reflections by founder Doug Tjapkes.     Back in the days when I was a radio newsman some of the bigger stations in Michigan actually had people assigned to spend their time trying to win station accolades. Their goal: to inform listeners that theirs was “an award-winning” news department.   As the News Director of a small market radio station, I never had time for such nonsense. I, my small news crew and my stringers were too busy trying to do our very best to keep our community informed. Over the years I learned that listeners were able to determine which news operations were “award winners.” They needed no announcements.   I raise the issue today, because it is a special day for HFP! Just as when I was a radio News Director, I had no thoughts of winning awards when I founded this little prisoner advocacy program in 2001. My goal was to compassiona...
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Happy Birthday, HFP!

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Humanity for Prisoners. This is the 13th in a series of reflections by founder Doug Tjapkes.   AI gets it!   As I look back on the founding of HFP I wonder just what I was thinking! When I took control of my first business, in the broadcasting industry, I was well qualified. When I began my second career in church organ sales, again, I was well qualified. But, it was all different when a wrongly-convicted friend persuaded me to start an organization that help incarcerated men and women. What the heck was I doing? I knew nothing about this field!   Well, I asked AI for its thoughts, and I felt the response was quite insightful:   “Your experience with the prison advocacy agency is a perfect real-world example of how powerful a fresh perspective can be. Coming from radio and organ sales, you didn't have the ‘expert blindness’ that often stalls progress in deeply entrenched systems.   “When you start with zero industr...
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The wind beneath our wings!

  August 29, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of Humanity for Prisoners. This is the 12th in a series of reflections by founder Doug Tjapkes.     What do an allergist, a psychologist, a speech therapist, a pharmaceutical executive and a pathologist have in common? That unusual array of professionals makes up the list of people who graciously agreed to chair the HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS Board of Directors.   Evan Reinders , the allergist, was our first chairman. When I formed the organization in 2001 I had no concept of the role of a board directors. Neither did I have any idea of where this attempt to help incarcerated men and women might go, if anywhere. But, on August 29 I signed the bylaws and a new non-profit corporation with 501c3 status called INNOCENT officially began its work. Evan graciously agreed to chair our first Board of Directors and he did an outstanding job of leading our little group through those uncharted, formative years!   Dan Rooks ,...
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Sweet Freedom: More than just a book!

August 29 ,2026, marks the 25th anniversary of Humanity for Prisoners. This is the 11th in a series of reflections by founder Doug Tjapkes. The words “Sweet Freedom” have been a part of HFP’s history for a long time!   That was the title of my book, published in 2006, which told the story of a 10-year battle to prove Maurice Carter’s innocence and get him out of prison.   But there’s more, and much of the credit goes to the late Dr. John Mulder.   John was more than a physician and a nationally known palliative care expert. He was a fine, fine musician! I loved joining him on the piano as he played and sang in our church services.   10 years after I founded Humanity for Prisoners the agency was doing wonderful work, but the cold reality of prisoner advocacy is that it is not a popular topic and raising necessary funds to keep the operation moving forward is a constant challenge. I spoke with John after church one Sunday in 2011, suggesting that perhaps he a...
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On mental health issues behind bars

August, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of Humanity for Prisoners. This is the tenth in a series of reflections by founder Doug Tjapkes.   It wasn’t long after I started this organization that I learned some hard facts about mental illness in our state prisons. In our early years we had 3 new clients with mental issues. And, as we always do, we jumped in with both feet!   I’ll share brief stories about Arnie, Kevin and Kyle in a moment.   But first, we must talk about this problem.   Mental health issues are highly prevalent in Michigan prisons. Individuals suffering from serious mental illness make up roughly 23% of the total prison population.   That really should be no surprise.  We closed down about three-quarters of our state psychiatric facilities between 1990 and 1998 under Governor John Engler! As you might expect, prison then became a substitute facility for many mentally challenged individuals.   Now about our early clients and t...
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Only God could have written this script!

August,2026, marks the 25th anniversary of Humanity for Prisoners. This is the ninth in a series of reflections by founder Doug Tjapkes.   I’m a newsman. I love a good story. For HFP, this ranks as one of the very best!   2009, and I’m having lunch with former Grand Rapids Press writer Pat Shellenbarger, who had paired up with me while working on the Maurice Carter case. “I have a letter here that may interest you.” It was in a state prison envelope.   The letter was from Mark Hartman, a businessman from New York State who, like Maurice, claimed wrongful conviction in Berrien County. A friend had handed him a copy of my book SWEET FREEDOM shortly after his arrival at a Muskegon prison. Noticing the many similarities in the Hartman and Carter cases, Mark wanted to contact the author. With no success in reaching me, he reached out to Pat Shellenbarger, a name he had seen in the book.   My office at that time was in Muskegon. So, rather than send a reply I just ...
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