Pensive

As I was lying on my bunk today I realized that I have absolutely zero responsibility here. I could lie here all day and all night, never doing anything, and nothing would happen except an empty stomach from missing meals. Even then, the state would take care of my sickness and lazily attempt to nurse me back to health.

I don't have a job to work, rent to pay, classes to attend, events to go to, or even groceries to buy. I have to create responsibilities like reading, running, and writing letters. With luck, I'll be in college classes next month.

It scares me a bit to think that this is how the state is supposedly preparing inmates for a life after prison. If you ask me, I would say that prison should be a place for people to get their act straight and ready themselves to do better when their next chance at life outside comes. The state helps a little bit but certainly stops short of helping everyone.

Last week I had a friend, Smoke, that I think got his parole and went home. He didn't have a job here and had not taken classes except the one Bible study course offered to almost anyone. I really hope he makes it, but the state did nothing to help him prepare for his release and shock of returning to the fast-paced American life and culture. If he does come back, I believe it will be partly the state that is to blame.