Justin Welch: I’m Considered a Bad Ass Killer but This Program Made Me Cry

Hi, my name is Justin Welch and I’m doing life for murder 1 in Waupun Correctional Institution in Wisconsin DOC. I would like to tell everybody what took place here on 6-22-23. It’s kind of a big deal because a person does not get much good out of prison. 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 it’s very important to get this out there for everybody to read.

So on the morning of 6-22-23, a CO comes to my cell door and tells me the “white shirts” want to talk to me. And I told that CO that if the white shirts want to talk to me they can come to my cell door and talk to me. And I ask the CO what they wanted and he said he has no idea. So right then I was thinking they are on some BS and the CO left and came back to my cell and told me that it was about a victim impact thing! That’s all he knew, he said.

I had no idea what the hell he was talking about but I said, what the hell, if they are going to lock me up or whatever, it will happen no matter what. So I agree and I go with the CO and I was taken to a room with a lady in it and she tells me the Deputy Warden Propson would like to know if I would like to take part in a Victim Impact Offender/Impact Dialogue discussion. I read the paper and the lady calls Deputy Warden Propson up on the phone and I talked with her and she tells me what the whole group is about and I found it very interesting. So I agreed to take part in this discussion. I was told the meeting would take part later that day. It was me and three other inmates that were picked to take part in this meeting. So being picked to take part in this group did raise many questions in my mind but I was honored and looked forward to it.

So for you all that may be asking yourself what the hell is victim offender/impact dialogue, well I don’t have all the answers but I will tell you what I know and what I think this was for. I think there was about 8 people in the room, all but two were ladies. The facilitator name was Jon and I’m sorry I can’t remember the rest of the people’s names. They were very kind people and they were there to listen and learn form the offenders’ side of the story on how what we did affected not only us, the offender, but our families and our overall outlook of our crimes. They had many questions, and not easy questions. I will give you a list of some of the questions I was asked.

1 What circumstances and choices led you to commit the crime(s) you did? How do you describe what you did, how you did it, and why you did it?

That was the first question and it was a rough one but I told them. It took some time telling them it all. It was not easy to talk about.

2. How has your family been affected by your crime(s) and your incarceration?

My actions hurt my family and that is a very short example of what I explained at the meeting.

3. Have you thought much about the victims or survivors in your crime, or anything you would want to say to them?

This was the one question that really sat with me the most because it is the unanswerable question, I would say. You may not understand what I mean but I truly think all them people in that meeting understand. You want to say sorry but how do you do this in my case? Sometimes “sorry” will not cut it… so what do you say? Maybe don’t say anything and just listen to them? Because that is all I could do. And yes I think of them.

4. While committing your crime(s), what do you find enjoyable or exciting? For example, drinking, drugging, the adrenaline rush, feeling a sense of power or invincibility etc.?

This was the only question I feel that didn’t apply to me. Nothing was enjoyable … I didn’t do drugs or feel a rush. I look at others who this would apply to and don’t get it. I guess I don’t fit I with the other killers in here. We are not all the same. I feel to kill or take life it has to be justifiable. Only kill if you are to be killed or will be killed. This is also a 40-year-old man talking now. Not some 26-year-old dumb ass.

5. What is the hardest part for you about being incarcerated?

The hardest part is just being a waste of a person. Meaning. being just a drain on my family and knowing I’m nothing. It was also pointed out by somebody that I’m not a waste because I’m taking part in this discussion. Good point but still I feel like a waste.

6. If your victim(s) were to request to meet face to face with you in prison, how do you think you’d feel about it?

I would be unsure of what is to come but I would meet to let them speak their minds or ask me anything they wish. It would be the least I could do!

7. What, if anything ,has been good for you about being incarcerated?

I had no good answer for this one but one of the ladies did point out that this meeting is a good thing and I would have to agree with her!

8. When you think about being released from prison, what is your greatest fear about that?

I will die in prison most likely. No fear needed knowing that. But if I was to get out at any age after the age of 70 I mean WTF would I do? I would be an old ass man with nothing or nobody. Nothing fun to think about.

Those were the main 8 questions but each question asked had a number of side question by the people in that meeting. It was sad but I hope I was able to help them. My crimes were very bad and I am sorry for what I did and if I was able to help, I hope I did. I feel by what I shared and by opening up to them that they might understand some of us in here are not the same person we were at one point in are life. I just wish I could fix everything but I can’t and even knowing my life is over and I will most likely die in prison, I still want to help others. That is just the man who I have become.

I don’t play it off as if I’m a bad ass or if I’m cool (because I’m not) I am just a sad man who took so much from so many and lost so much. I have been in prison almost 15 years now and not a day goes by in which I don’t wish I could fix what I did. I’m not talking about being in prison but I’m talking about taking a innocent person’s life for no good reason, that I still have no real answer for today. I know why I think I did it, but is that really it, I ask myself often.

Even though it was a really hard topic to talk about in front of all them people, I didn’t know it was needed and will help others, I’m sure. It was the least I could do and I only wish I could do more.

This was one of the only truly good things I have ever taken part of in prison. I think or I should say hope that this starts some kind of program for victims or offenders who would want to close that chapter in their life or get some peace.

I know my victims will never forgive me and I fully understand and get it. I don’t ask for forgiveness nor should they give it to me, but I do hope for peace in their life and that is all I want for them.

Prison didn’t make me understand what I did was wrong. Reading and getting to know who I killed made me understand I took an innocent person’s life and it’s nothing I wish on anybody. To truly know you were wrong if you are any kind of person, you would feel the same as I do.

Wrong is wrong as right is right. And in this case I was wrong on the highest level. I wish I could just forget and move on with my so-called life in prison but for some reason I just can’t let it go. Life would be easy if I didn’t have any feelings and was a psychopath. But I’m not and if anybody wanted me to suffer, well, you got your wish. Many people dislike me or even hate me over my choices and I think I would feel the same way if I was in their shoes. But please know I just want to fix what I can, or help where I can, when I can, to make up for all the wrongs I did in my past. Some people do change. Not many, but some do.

I feel this program that just took place in Waupun Correctional Institution was one of the best things that could of even happened. I hope that more programs are looked into like this to help people. Victims and offenders. I would like to thank all the people who made this possible for me to take part in and hopefully help the next person or persons down the road.

Truly, Justin Welch

If you have any questions, feel free to write me at:

Justin Welch
#00579750
Waupun Correctional Institution
200 S. Madison St.
Waupun, WI 53963