Hear my voice! Hear my voice!

Is there anyone out there? If so please listen to my voice. I was given a 38 year sentence. Is anyone out there that has a heart? Please take a moment and ” Hear my voice .” I have served 23 years of it so far. I did commit a crime and yes deserve to be punished, but not for this long.
There was a question asked if I can identify with the extra stress brought on by the budget amendment for me, my environment, my loved ones and prisoners behind the walls. My answer would be “yes.” Do you hear my voice crying out in the wilderness? We have a Crisis on Mental Health in the world today. Sad to say not just in our Society, but also behind the walls of prison as well. Hear my voice! Some of us can identify and some of us don’t know how to identify with the situation of it because we have been in denial for far too long. Hear my voice!

Before my incarceration I attempted suicide not knowing how to deal with depression. I know 23 years ago in the black communities we kept things like that on a hush-hush. We were taught to be strong and yet stay silent. Looking back almost two and a half decades ago if I would have gotten help – I believe I would not be in prison still, 23 years later.

Do you hear my voice! People that have a mental condition are being locked up for decades at a time not getting the help that they need. It seems as if they just keep you suppressed with medication after medication. What do we do? We take the medicine just to get by. I believe D.O.C. really needs Mental Health programs that would help people deal with their problems head on instead of just coping with it.

Hear my voice! Hear my voice! I’m still holding on as best as I know how. I must say prison can really work on your Psyche. Especially being incarcerated decades after decades not being able to go up for parole or even have a chance to receive Earned Sentence Credit’s which I have earned my rights to receive. Having done all I can to rehabilitate myself by completing mind changing programs offered by D.O.C. as well as getting my G.E.D. in 2013. I have also been charge free for 18 years of 23 years of my incarceration. Do you hear my voice crying out in the wilderness? Is there anyone out there that has a heart will you listen to me, please?

Here at Caroline Correction Unit #2 I have put a Peer Recovery lead group together along with other men. Learning Objectives, such as understanding Mental Health and Addiction and more. Rehabilitating ourselves. Do you hear my voice!? I have learned in my 23 years of incarceration that if you want change, you have to start from within yourself. Men and women behind the walls to ensure that we get the right people in office. We have to educate our loved ones the importance of voting on the States level because it deals with the laws that affect our everyday lives out there and in here. In my closing men and women behind the walls keep your head up change is coming soon. Hear my voice!

Written By Jerry L James

Caroline Correction Unit #2