I'm tired of this mess we're in

I agree that she rambles, but maybe someone ought to listen to Jennifer, mother of a 17 year old kid in the Michigan prison system.

Who is our voice? This state cannot have it both ways. They can't keep whining about the budget and then disallow people who can help to do so. I visited my son in prison yesterday. He said "They're taking away the food tech program at some of the facilities, discontinuing the trades programs and stopping a lot more programs to help these guys when they get out. They are evening stopping the GED program!" What the hell is wrong here? I want to use my own money and labor to cook these guys a real dinner once with something that might resemble real meat. Hell, I'll go in and help these guys study for their GED and I know other people that will, too. It's not enough we lock 'em up like animals. Now, we can't even be sure there is any kind of incentive to improve their lives out in the world. Are we just going to sit back and do nothing? I have cabled my congressman's office. It's not so much what they say. They even listen in a very condescending way. Their attitudes are: they're just prisoners. Finding a way to bring in our own programs and food has to stop fitting under the guise of contraband. That's old and worn out. Aren't you sick of it? I want to give more money. I want to give more than money. Isn't there a way to find more people willing to be on committees to bring back good time? I know you've heard all of this before. I know it's frustrating. I read your book SWEET FREEDOM. It broke my heart. If keeping these guys in so long isn't wrong, than nothing is wrong.

Well-said by a frustrated mother of a prisoner.

What say ye?

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