The good and the bad: You gotta love 'em all!

Dan Rooks and I had such a neat experience yesterday!

Dan is a clinical psychologist and former chairman of our Board of Directors.  He and I do a “dog and pony” show in Michigan prisons from time to time.  I speak first, telling about the history of HFP and the services that we offer.  He then follows with a serious chat about non-violent communication…an important topic for all of us, but especially for prisoners.  Yesterday we presented our program at the Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility, one of three state prisons in the city of Ionia.

On the way in

As we walked through the yard on our way to the prison auditorium, the Activities Director pointed out the unique facilities on this campus, including one special unit for physically handicapped and one special unit for mentally challenged inmates.  He explained that this particular facility offers more programs than any other single prison in the state, including college courses and even vocational training.

Once inside

As men filtered into the auditorium it felt like “old home week.”  I met a couple of inmates whom I have known for nearly 20 years.  There were many friends that we recognized, and many other names that we recognized from our correspondence.  It was an amazing experience.  Nearly 100 guys there, all copiously taking notes as I explained what we can do and how we can help.  One could hear a pin drop when Dan talked to seasoned prisoners on how to respond to insults and threats in a non-violent manner.  This delicious experience lasted for nearly two hours, with a lot of Q and A and open discussion.

On the way back

A different Corrections Officer led us back to the main building.  This time, as we walked through the yard, he pointed at a different unit, mentioning “the cream of the crop.”  Then he apologized, saying he was just joking.  That was the building where the toughest and most problematic young prisoners are housed.  “I confiscate drugs and weapons in that unit every day,” he explained.  My question:  “How does that stuff get in there?”  And he couldn’t give a good answer, because they keep coming up with new and innovative methods to sneak the stuff in, including both “visitors and dirty staff.”  “It’s like trying to plug too many holes with just ten fingers.”  He concluded by flatly stating, “I’ve given up any thoughts about rehabilitation for that bunch.  If one of the guys says ‘I’m really trying,” I just say, Yeah, whatever.’”

Richard A. Handlon CF:  A study in contrasts!

Sobering conclusions

The whole experience gave me at least two very important reminders.

Number one, it’s imperative that we pray not only for the good prisoners who have chosen a new and better way of life, but also for the tough and mean guys who think they know of a better way.  And on the other side of the coin, it’s important that we also pray for prison staff, as well as prison administration.  This business of incarceration and rehabilitation is complex and complicated.

And Number two, ALL of these men have been created in the image of God, and just because some are more challenging, it is the duty and the responsibility of HFP to be kind to them all, and respond to every request for assistance.  With divine intervention for sure, we’ve been known to touch some of those lives, as well.

God loves them all!  So must we.



Comments

Unknown said…
Amen, retrain the staff that kindness matters
January 29, 2017 at 9:13 AM
Unknown said…
Amen, retrain the staff that kindness matters
January 29, 2017 at 9:13 AM
Bob Bulten said…
Very well put. Doug. Keep up the good work.
January 29, 2017 at 7:55 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Half-a-race!

The HFP Drag-Racing Fund-Raiser had the potential of being extremely successful, and could have raised several thousand dollars. Let's just say it was partly successful. For background purposes I'll explain that I was racing a 1963 supercharged Studebaker Lark that has a reputation of being one of the fastest stock Studebakers in drag racing today. The engine was built by one of the finest Studebaker engine mechanics in the country, and the car many times has achieved quarter-mile runs in less than 14 seconds! We promised to make at least ten passes in the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags at Mid-Michigan Motorplex in Stanton, Michigan, this past weekend, and we asked for pledges ONLY ON THOSE RUNS REACHED IN LESS THAN 14 SECONDS. On Friday, here's how we fared: Run #1 13.936 @ 101.24 mph Run #2 14.027 @ 101.30 mph Run #3 14.091 @ 100.88 mph Run #4 13.805 @ 102.84 mph Run #5 14.058 @ 101.26 mph By the 5th run we discovered that ...
Read more

Gregory John McCormick: 1964-2008

Itchy is dead. The lifeless body of this talented rock musician, whose band Shock Therapy was a popular group especially in Europe, was found in a field in Detroit last Wednesday, November 5. The Wayne County Coroner's office informed father Glenn McCormick that the body of his son Gregory, better known to all of us as Itchy, bore no signs of trauma. Glenn said that Itchy, who had been living at his father's dental lab in Detroit, had been drinking to excess for some time. While the toxicology report has not been released yet, the general consensus seems to be that he drank himself to death. Our agency, while still named INNOCENT, first got involved with Itchy in 2005. The Detroit native, who called Germany his home, got involved in some unfortunate activity that placed him in the Michigan State prison system on a charge of arson of a dwelling. It was really just a bonfire in an alley, but an alleged parole violation placed him in prison for 1-20 years. I personally sat w...
Read more

Three lives, connected by a divine thread

My kids say it should be a book! The Doug, Pat and Mark story is a doozie!   About 25 years ago, while fighting to free Maurice Carter from prison, I read a newspaper column written by Pat Shellenbarger of the Grand Rapids Press on the topic of eyewitness identification. I contacted Pat re that story. That led to a friendship between Doug and Pat that continues to this day.   In subsequent months, Pat would go on to assist me in an investigation into the Maurice Carter case that eventually led to solving the crime.  That particular episode became a chapter in my book about the Carter case, SWEET FREEDOM, published in 2006.   Fast forward to 2009, A New York businessman claims wrongful conviction, and while serving time in a Michigan prison is handed a copy of my book. Mark Hartman, who was also convicted in Berrien County, was amazed at the similarity of these two stories and tried to reach out to me. His letters bounced.   Persisting in his efforts to c...
Read more