Transcription
Date: April 3, 2011
To: Between the Bars
Writings From Behind the Bars
Where to start? Here in California our budget is such a mess. Lawmakers think they should make more money than they do, and our children's education is paying the price. The cost of living is through the roof, higher education is out of reach, yet our lawmakers still want to cut more. They cut public safety and a big part of the prison budget.
Let me say this about the prisons. They had cut CDCR last year, and it really hurt in the rehabilitation. Boy, was I wrong. The officers have been cut back, and at the same time, there go our programs. A persona cannot blame the officers because the lawmakers do all the cuts. I do know how hard it is out there in the free world, but these days, the free world is not so free.
Let me tell you something about myself. I am 51 years old from southern California. I grew up in Torrance. I enjoyed surfing, water skiing, camping, and four-wheeling. I have been following the path of Asatru/Odinist (Northern European/Old Norse religion) for five years. I made some bad choices in my past which I do take responsibility for my actions which led me to doing 25 years to life under the California Three Strikes unjust Law for "unlawful driving a vehicle without owner's consent" (joy riding) at Mule Creek State Prison. I have never blogged before nor do I really understand it. Therefore what I am going to do is write a little about my life in prison the last 13 years.
This is the third time I have been in prison. You could say I do not learn. Nevertheless, the truth is I do learn to be a better inmate. I learned to get around the cops, how to get drunk in prison, how to do all the bad things I should not do. All of my past times in prison were doing sports, card games, and telling stories, kicking it with the homeboys.
Over the last three years, I have been involved with different self-help groups: Victims Awareness Offender Program (VAOP), Criminals Gangmembers Anonymous (CGA), Veterans' Support Group (VSG). These groups offered me the tools for my recovery and the knowledge to recognize my addictions and defects in my character. And boy, do I have defects... But I believe that I can better myself and, by doing that, maybe I can better the people around me. I hopefully await your response to this new blog of mine.
Gratefully,
[signature]
Wayne Shipman, D-23057
Mule Creek State Prison (MSCP)
Housing: C-14-136L
P.O. Box 409060
Ione, California 95640
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2011 jun 11
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Replies (2)
How does a south bay boy go from the beach to the pen? I am just very curious to learn more about what exactly goes through someones mind from committing a crime, doing time, parole and then making a conscious decision to do something that will most likely land them back in prison. 25 to life is a crazy amount of time, especially for that offense. Did you know that you would most likely pick up that third strike? How has it affected your family? Where do they fit into all this? What do you plan on doing in the future?
My name is Marianne, of the same age, and living in The Netherlands.
Here in Holland everybody complains about the short times offenders have to be in prison. I personally do not think that 'the more time, the better', but when breaking the law, that there will be consequences may be clear. It can never be a one way street in my opinion.
The same in 'real life': when I am not doing my job as required, I will not be long in that job. When I treat people awfully, I cannot expect to be treated nicely. etc etc
I never met a perfect person, but more people who do not learn from mistakes or certain behavior, than those who do.
Life itself is a learning path. Every road is different, because everyone is unique. In our world of greed, glitter and glamour, things have to collaps one time.
The drive in my life is compassion: the passion for a drive in life, the com as in toghether. A simple line: Do not do to others, what you do not want to be done to you. In fact, it IS that simple. That doesn't mean it's easy from day to day.
You write, I learned to be a better inmate. That strikes me. That's not the same as a better person in my opinion...
For now, take care
Marianne
The Netherlands