The Keryx Prison Ministry Works Miracles Through Hugs and Tears
Chris Dankovich describes how transformative the Keryx prison ministry is, working miracles in the least likely of places. One of the men ahead of me…
Chris Dankovich describes how transformative the Keryx prison ministry is, working miracles in the least likely of places. One of the men ahead of me…
Arnold Barnes explains how spirituality in prison can renew a person’s energy, offer a new perspective, and provide guidance for navigating life behind bars. Have…
Chris Dankovich reflects on peace as something that can exist even in prison, challenging the assumption that freedom alone determines joy or fulfillment. Who should…
Jeremy Busby writes about a friend on death row whose influence transformed his life in prison and whose legacy continues long after his execution by…
Marcellus Smith writes about how child incarceration shaped his life long before he ever stepped into an adult prison. A Childhood Behind Locked Doors Growing…
Charles Smith and Amanda Coles reflect on their prison relationship — and how it reshapes love, trust, and identity for both the incarcerated partner and…
Derrick Walker talks about entering prison for the first time and what people need to know to stay safe. Drawing on his own years of…
Chris Dankovich recalls a surreal ride in a prison transport van — his first time out of prison in fifteen years. The light turns green,…
Michael Philpot writes about his remorse in prison, knowing his victims will “never see a beautiful sunset, taste a home-cooked meal, or see or be…
In this story, Lucas from Texas describes a weekend prison “lock-in” at the Jester 3 Unit that unexpectedly became a powerful emotional experience—one that made…
Robert Porter IV explores what it means to refuse to commit violence in prison, arguing that true strength lies in restraint, compassion, and moral clarity…
Michael Himes writes about getting a job in prison and how persistence, discipline, and attitude matter more than connections or luck. Through his own experience…
Terry Sellers describes how personal growth in prison began with a blunt warning from an older mentor and evolved into a life-changing journey from anger…
Jayson Scott Slaymaker explains how one of the rare prison programs that fostered real growth and accountability inside administrative segregation became vulnerable once it began…
Edgar Garcia reflects on finding life after death row, where years of isolation and loss became the foundation for healing, purpose, and transformation. The longer…
Edgar Garcia writes about 17 years on death row, the clemency that granted him a second chance at life, and the struggle to escape the…
Tutankhamon Waterman describes how stepping into a college classroom for the first time while incarcerated became a turning point in his life, sparking a deeper…
Michael Philpot writes that redemption is possible when incarcerated individuals are given a chance to share their stories, highlighting how platforms like Prison Writers help…
Charles Smith recalls how learning inside a maximum security prison transformed incarceration into an education that reshaped his mind and future. I arrived at Sussex…
Marjorie Jay writes about how education is proving to be the most effective tool in reducing recidivism and offering incarcerated people a real chance at…
Leonard Scovens ended up writing a book, Wildflowers in the Median, with the mother and grandmother of his victims. His longer story on the…
Derrick Walker explains how restrictions on religious materials in North Carolina prisons have resulted in a direct violation of religious rights and constitutional freedoms. The…
Tracy Lee Kendall shares that Thanksgiving in prison is shaped far more by the inner lives of incarcerated people than by any holiday menu or…
Charles Smith explains how a lifelong sentence beginning at age 16 led to years of violence, isolation, and ultimately a powerful transformation through words. I’ve…
Jeremy Busby shares how fatherhood in prison transformed his life and gave him renewed purpose despite devastating obstacles. Becoming a father was no doubt my…
Michael Himes shares a rare and moving experience seeing snow in prison, describing how a simple weather event momentarily dissolved the walls of separation among incarcerated…
After a tragic car accident during a police chase left an innocent man dead and led to my 50-year prison sentence for felony murder, I…
Jayson Hawkins explains how learning to write during incarceration gave his life purpose, from short stories and novels to co-authoring books and creating a guide…
Charles Hill writes about how years of incarceration reshaped his ability to interact, and how Toastmasters helped him rebuild essential communication skills. It was a…
Edgar Garcia writes about his journey from death row to clemency, reflecting on the pain of long-term isolation, the discipline of self-improvement, and the power…
Ryan Campbell writes about starting a prison garden, showing how resilience and education can flourish even within the walls of incarceration. I’m in a program…
Marjorie Jay shares her journey from dropping out of school to earning her secondary diploma through the Penn State Muncy Tutoring Program, showing the power…
Tyler Bowman writes about how education and faith can work together to transform life behind bars—from despair and idleness to purpose and hope. Day in…
As a prison writer, Kory McClary discovered that putting pen to paper not only gave him purpose but also transformed his life from one of…
Troy David offers some advice for pursuing rehabilitation in prison — tips that will prepare you for reentry. He says these are the rules he…
Benjamin Case used to think “crime was more than a lifestyle. It was a belief system. I was gangster to the marrow” until the unconditional…
Richard Gross describes the restorative justice workshops he facilitates in prison. He shows us how the experience can be profound, transformative, and cathartic. I’m a…
Tony Scott started a brotherhood group to show others how to turn their lives around and thrive in prison. For some, incarceration hardens the heart.…
Despite a rocky childhood, Kevin “Rashid” Johnson hopes for “a world where all life can coexist as a community and interdependent whole.” He’s found redemption…
Although he has four life sentences, Benjamin Case has been saved in prison by God and the remarkable and unrelenting support of three strong women…
Thomas Koskovich reflects on how a simple baked potato became a profound reminder of gratitude and mindfulness in prison, revealing the beauty in life’s smallest…
Jessica Travis explains that surviving the prison cycle means learning how to see through the illusions and tactics designed to break your spirit. Drowning in…
Jerry Metcalf tells the touching story of an inmate living in a Michigan prison managed to develop a college art course for prisoners across the…
The new Director of Arizona’s correctional system is bringing PhDs into prison to teach his incarcerated population, an opportunity that women like Shajiyah Iman are…
Matthew Muniz gives himself a pep talk while counting down the days before he’s released. This time, he says, it’s goodbye prison, forever. 16 and…
Ramelle Kamack describes his work for a prison body shop where clients get their cars restored and repaired for free. About a month ago, I…
Felix D’Allesandro explains who and what is stopping him from getting a college education in prison and describes why it’s an serious issue with a…
Dan Grote describes what happens when you match up a violent drug kingpin with two life sentences — with a dog in prison named Fred.…
In 1999, Kenneth West was give a 120-year sentence at the age of 19. He describes how long sentences and punitive treatment by guards can…
Shawn Harris found recovery in prison. Through therapy and self-reflection, he realized that to beat back temptation, he had to find himself. I found my…
Finding myself in Ad Seg (Administration Segregation, similar to solitary) again is bittersweet. It has been over 10 years since I have touched the world…
Ramelle explains how sports in prison plays an important role in not only keeping inmates out of trouble but also changing their attitudes towards one…
On Juneteenth, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 362. New Jersey’s clemency initiative is geared towards providing relief from the inequalities that…
Amid the relentless chaos of New Jersey State Prison, one inmate’s attempt to find quiet in prison is dramatically interrupted by a sudden alarm. The…
After her parole revocation, a mother confronts profound loneliness in prison, turning to writing and virtual communication in an attempt to bridge the distance between…
Thomas Koskovich takes a look back at the evolution of his criminal life to better understand how he ended up in prison with two life…
Training a service dog in prison taught me lessons I never expected. My heart fluttered as I stared through the window at the beautiful strawberry-blonde…
Making cotton candy unveils profound gratitude in prison, highlighting moments of joy behind bars. Every quarter, the BOP (Bureau of Prisons) incentivizes us to complete…
Shawn transforms his drab surroundings through the art of prison cell decoration, turning it into a lively space that reflects his creative vision. It begins…
I've fallen asleep alone every night of my life. For half my life there's been another person in the room, but that's not the same.…
My name is Justin Welch and I’ve been in prison for fifteen years. I made very bad choices when I was 26 years old and…
As the call for systemic change echoes across America, sparked by the recent anniversary of the tragic killing of George Floyd and countless others, a…
The prison philosopher in me believes the solution to any given problem cannot be found within the problem itself, but must come from a greater…
I have been incarcerated now for 15 years and this is about all the things I learned in prison. In the year 2008, I was…
As I put pen to paper to try to formulate the thousands of thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are running through my mind and very…
I am an incarcerated felon who entered our broken criminal justice system (CJS) at age 53, after nearly 30 years as a husband, father, and…
In this essay, writer Frederick Paine reflects on attending a prison college graduation and explains why education in prison may be one of the most…
How do you explain the situation of facing execution? It took time, a lot of practice, and this overwhelming need to be understood before my…
What does a person do when a simple house plant, thriving due to mindful attention paid to it, evolves in its growth beyond the parameters…
I’ve decided to stay sober. Such decisions seem to be magnets that attract all sorts of intoxicants, so my sobriety could die before the sun…
When the prison I’ve grown up in partnered with a local animal shelter and a service-canine organization to start a dog rehabilitation and training program,…
The night before my release from prison was turbulent and restless, with fear and uncertainty running rampant through my mind. As I lay on my…
“Hey, youngster, what the hell is wrong with you?” “Huh?” “Don’t talk to your people like that! Who were you talking to anyway? If you…
I was captain of the football team. I broke many track and field records. I got good grades in school and even got a scholarship…
And I can go on and on about the bad in prison but what happened on 6-22-23 could help change peoples lives. So I feel…
You are familiar with his work: the lovable face of Home Improvement, the voice of “Pure Michigan” and Buzz Lightyear … as well as the…
Dear Prison Writers, Just wanted you to know that I am excited to share this site with people I know… Our family went through the…
Phoenix Players Theatre Group (PPTG) is a small, selective theater group that operates quietly amidst the 1,600 residents of the maximum-security prison in New York,…
A friend asked me about forgiveness. I decided I would explain how I became a better man by putting my life in God’s hands. Learning…
When I entered prison, I did not imagine being here seven years later, or still alive. People talk about how it feels to hit rock…
If you think of it, we usually don’t see the formation our life is shaping up to be as it’s happening. We are usually living…
I was following my dream to become a great actor/writer and filmmaker. Acting was a way to escape my abusive childhood. I was sexually molested…
Dear readers, On September 16, 1995, I shot and killed a man. For that crime I’m deeply and profoundly sorry. No matter how much I’d…
Only the strong survive. Those were the words I was told in 1999 when I was sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of…
In Voltaire’s A Philosophical Dictionary, there’s the question, “Can a person change his or her character?” Voltaire’s suggestion that “we can improve, we can smooth…
Mr. District Attorney Alvin Bragg, My name is Sheldon Preston Johnson. I have been incarcerated twenty-five years on a fifty year sentence. I am writing…
I’m 31 and came to prison at 15, so I’ve been here for half my life and my dad has visited me more during the…
Roman Noel reflects on “fear in prison” which is his greatest worry behind bars, above violence or time — losing the ability to grow. Drawing…
There’s a multitude of reasons why it’s important to be a father in prison. However, to me, the most important thing is to do all…
I came up around people that lived the street life. And in that setting, you learn a set of skills that helps you survive. If…
I committed a crime that I’m still paying for and for that I was given the ultimate penalty: a trip to death row. I eventually…
Somewhere back around 2006, a glaringly bright lightbulb burst to life inside my skull, and I realized that I needed Alcoholics Anonymous. Actually, to be…
AN AMAZING SIDE NOTE about Leonard Scovens: Agnes Fury is the mother and grandmother of author Leonard Scoven’s two victims. Years ago, she contacted Scovens…
Finally, the next class is here and I’m finally going to attend an Alternatives to Violence Project class. When we all entered the room for…
Benjamine Spencer never stopped being who he is, no matter what the world and prison threw at him.
I don't think I will ever be able to understand what could make me do all the shit I did when I was younger. I'm…
In 2000, I was 23 and struggling to find myself in a sea of death row madness. The madness wasn’t just from the inmates there,…
Some people knew her as Arlene Mohammed, but her name was Mo and she brought people together. Mo was a strong black woman from another…
The last great book I read made me cry and grind my teeth and pace my cell. It was written by a Harvard Law…
Dear Prison, I’m writing this letter to thank you, to let you know how much I’ve come to appreciate you in my life. This might…
In 1992, summer in Brooklyn, New York came early. We had “permanent beef” with a West Indian crew, which meant trying to terminate each other…
Nicholas Laumann from Wisconsin writes about how an unlikely mentor saved him behind bars. I thought I was destined for prison long before I ever…
They made a journalist out of me. And that, my friends, is something of extreme significance. I came to prison with an eight grade education.…
For the past two decades, up until April 27, 2015, I was living in solitary confinement at the only federal Supermax prison in America, ADX…
It took twenty-two years of hard time in prison for me to get how deep gratitude is. I’ve found it to be a force in…
We were handcuffed in our boxers and shower slippers, barely awake. They, however, were ready, looking for a reason to hit the button. And to…
I've watched countless faces pass through what seems to be a revolving door, leading out, and—all too often—right back into my home. It's rarely difficult…
On April 4, 2011, I was pulled over for a taillight being burnt out. No big deal, right? Usually no, however I was “methin’ around”…
“You've got a thousand men in the water and maybe three life preservers. You better be okay with watching men drown. ” - Melvin Tunstall,…
Throughout my 23 years of incarceration, many people have had a positive influence on my life, but none more so than the courageous volunteers who…
I realize this is obvious as hell, but here’s the data. Data confirms that police treat Black Americans with less respect. A Stanford University analysis…
As we know, I am currently in prison, which I have learned does one of two significant things to its occupants: brings the best out…
There aren’t many positive prison programs available in the criminal justice system these days. But forty-years ago, college courses were offered with the possibility…
Agnes Fury is the mother and grandmother of author Leonard Scoven’s two victims. Years ago, she contacted Scovens in prison to find answers and closure.…
Anyway, it was a close race and you only needed about 800 votes to win. All of us would have voted for you if we…
President Trump fulfilled his vow to relieve prison overcrowding, implementing his top secret Executive Order 62254 yesterday. Specially trained Federal Militia entered 486 state and…
In some ways GED instruction in prison is a big charade. The program looks good on paper (lots of prisoners in class) for those that…
When I first started to write this article, it was almost an easy choice because the most memorable person I got to know in prison…
Approximately, nineteen years ago, while I was a teenager attempting to navigate alone through the obstacles of life, I did not have the parental influence…
Tracy Lee Kendall writes about escaping prison mentality — a transformation that began early in his incarceration in Texas and grew into a deliberate effort…
Getting a visit can almost be harder than not ever setting any at all. The pain of seeing them walk away, for what can seem…
I am often amused by the prison stereotypes I run across in the media. We are all big, buff, tattooed beasts who spend our days…
Editor’s Note: Tracy Lee Kendall gave us permission to print this personal letter to his long-lost son, Kaleb, in hopes he will someday read it. …
“Dope is how I do my time,” Dale explained, after asking me about the availability of drugs in prisons I’d that he might be transferred.…
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