Humanity for Prisoners

 " They shouldn’t have voting rights!”   That’s how one reader responded after HFP posted a message on Facebook encouraging formerly incarcerated men and women in Michigan to vote on November 3. Ours is one of 23 states where those living behind bars in state prisons lose their voting rights…but only until their release. When they get out, voting rights are automatically restored.   For the record, 25 states actually bar community members from voting , simply on the basis of convictions in their past.   Also for the record, Michigan is one of 48 states that won’t allow prisoners to cast ballots.   HFP’s Communications Director Brad Warner, who speaks from personal experience, quickly responded to that statement on Facebook: “…our system is built on due process, the presumption of innocence, and the belief that people can be held accountable while still retaining their humanity. Rights should not be taken away based solely on an accusation, nor should p...

Imagine giving birth in a hospital bed with two state corrections officers—including a man—standing over you, their chest-mounted body cameras recording your active labor, intimate medical exams, and the first moments you breastfeed your newborn son.   I've just finished reading Detroit Free Press writer Paul Egan’s story about a federal civil rights lawsuit filed on October 12 by Natalie Forrest, a former minimum-security inmate at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility (WHV). The complaint alleges that guards kept their body cameras rolling during her delivery, despite prison leadership being warned in writing just days earlier that filming undressed women is a felony. To make matters worse, guards allegedly threatened Forrest’s mother with two additional years of prison time for her daughter if she dared to snap a photo of her newborn grandson!   Our supporters know that we’ve been concerned about the way the State of Michigan treats women in prison since the day HF...

Two things are quickly approaching. In a few weeks I’ll hit the 90-year mark. And in a few months, Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s term will come to an end. Those 2 prospects this week prompted me to attack some unfinished business: I sent a formal letter to Governor Whitmer with a serious, urgent request for positive response to a posthumous pardon application for my late friend, Maurice Carter. That request was filed more than a decade ago. Still no action!   Many of you know that Maurice was the catalyst for everything we do at Humanity for Prisoners.   In the mid-1990s, I partnered with him in a grueling, ten-year battle to overturn his wrongful conviction. We achieved a partial victory in 2004 when Governor Jennifer Granholm granted him clemency for health reasons. Maurice was freed, but tragically, he passed away just three months later. He died a free man, but he did not die an exonerated man.   In 2014, a dedicated team of University of Michigan law students filed...

I get upset when local area media present lopsided stories about prisoners who are finally granted release by the Michigan Parole Board. You’ll hear reasons like -while an inmate may get a second chance at life outside, the victim's loss is permanent; -families still fear for their safety if the prisoner is released; and -the justice system frequently focuses heavily on rehabilitation but treats the lifelong trauma of the victims as an afterthought.   All of this came to mind as I reflected on the delightful evening last week when some 150 people attended the annual film festival of Humanity for Prisoners. Here’s a part of the evening that only a few in the audience were aware of:   -2 members of our staff have served nearly 45 years behind bars! -The pastor who offered the invocation had served 34 years! -Released prisoners in the audience had served some 60 years!   In that very room sat men and women who had collectively spent about 140 years in prison!...

  It’s not a day that is posted on most calendars, but it’s a day that should be of interest to you! Today, October second, is International Wrongful Conviction Day. The Innocence Network decided to do something about so many innocent people sitting in prison many years ago. It’s a network of organizations and agencies that provide free services to people who claim they were wrongfully convicted. Their goal is a lofty one: to highlight systematic flaws in the criminal legal system and to advocate for reforms.   I have a particular interest in this topic because my very special friend Maurice Carter had been wrongly convicted, and my 10-year battle with him for his freedom resulted in a dramatic change in my life, as well as the formation of what is now HFP.   But, as I mentioned in today’s headline, the topic should be meaningful to you, as well. Let me explain.   We often think that those who have been wrongly convicted are poor people, often Black, who probabl...

Perhaps you saw the story in the news last week: Families of four dead inmates sue state over unsafe prison railings.   Is it any wonder?   Paul Egan, fine writer for the Detroit Free Press, has been doing an excellent job of following this story for years. It’s not a very nice one.   This new lawsuit alleges that officials knew prison railings at two Jackson-area facilities were unsafe for years and did nothing. The Detroit Free Press has documented six fatal inmate falls from upper galleries and four falls causing injuries at these 2 prisons in Jackson, beginning in 2020. The MDOC ruled 4 of the deaths as suicide. The other 2 were said to be accidental falls.   “The lawsuit notes that, as first reported by the Free Press, an MDOC employee in 2023 complained to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration that the height of the railings was unsafe and that the MDOC's response to the complaint was that no hazard existed,” says Paul Egan. Now t...

David was more than an HFP client. He was a dear friend, and I miss him. It’s a sad story.   I first met this kind, soft-spoken man shortly after the formation of HFP in 2001, back in the days when our organization was still called INNOCENT. Because of that name, his parents contacted me to explain his case. I will not delve into the legal aspects of this story now. I will only state that we had proof that he had been wrongly convicted.   18 years later, while serving time in one of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula correctional facilities. David became ill. It was apparent that this was no common cold. David had pneumonia, and the Michigan Department of Corrections determined that the nearby hospital wasn’t capable of handing this situation.   So, here’s the first shameful step the department took. It piled him into a van, while literally dying, and transported David 160 miles to another UP prison for supposedly improved hospital care! No one will ever know how much this...

Death and dying are on my mind. Earlier on this Saturday I played the organ for a memorial service in our church. That prompted some reflections.   Death and dying have been a part of this old man’s life for decades.   In the 1950s, when I got married, I was a news reporter. My new bride, Marcia, was an emergency room nurse. I covered accidents where there were fatalities . Family was there. Marcia treated patients who didn’t make it. Family was there.   Later in life, while serving some 50 years as a church organist, I played for many funeral services. Family was there . Meanwhile, Marcia became a certified hospice nurse, sitting at the side of men and women in their final moments. The beauty of it was, Family was there .   Well, then came my third career. I began working with prisoners and it wasn’t long before I and my new organization were dealing with death and dying for the incarcerated. The big difference: Family wasn’t there!   Marcia and I cam...

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...

  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...

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...

  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 ,...

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...

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...

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 ...

August,2026, marks the 25th anniversary of Humanity for Prisoners. This is the eighth in a series of reflections by founder Doug Tjapkes. Unsung heroes don't seek glory; their virtuous deeds speak louder than any praise!   (anon) I can’t tell you how it all started. Neither can Judy. We think it was around the year 2008, and here’s how she and I think the story began.   Judy VanderArk of Grand Rapids had a heart for prisoners and was helping several incarcerated students of the Crossroad Bible Institute who resided in Michigan prisons. A state prison rule is that you may visit only one person. She wanted to visit more.   I helped her attain clergy status to solve that problem. I was looking for fund raising ideas, and Judy and her husband Pete were the directors of a fine mission training project called MOSES. They knew how to raise money, and they helped me to solve that problem.   Well, whether it was for one of those reasons or both, Judy and I not only conn...