It is not the kind of statement you would expect from someone who just finished visiting a person in prison. John has been a volunteer with Open Circle for two years and was moving on so he could dedicate more time to other things. He voiced his comment as I spent some time debriefing with him, asking what his experience with Open Circle was like. His comment was not voiced in a negative light. To the contrary. He felt everyone should have an opportunity to "go to prison" so

We settled into our seats at the local coffee shop to catch up on the latest news. James had seen his fair share of rough spots in life. Prison, mental health issues, struggling to hold a full time job. As we talked we were interrupted by someone sitting next to us, “Do you know how much a Timbit costs?” James and I looked at each other for a moment, “Just a few cents.” There was no verbal response from the next table, just a nod. I had not paid any attention to our neighbo

It is the hidden side of prison. The side that gets little mention in the press. The side that serves a different kind of time. I met her just as she was entering Stony Mountain Institution for the first time. She stood in the entrance to the prison, fear etched on her face. English was not her first language, her husband had just started serving a federal sentence and she was trying to drop off some personal effects. I noticed her standing there, uncertain of what to do,