Diesel Therapy
Routine is comfort in prison, and the cops sometimes shake you up
by Ted Point “Smith,” the officer called, standing in front of cell a few doors down from mine, his voice somewhat muted in an attempt … Continue reading
Life Inside
Man Walking
Empathy for the prison guard
By James He makes his way down the third level of the narrow tier, walking slowly, his set of keys jangling at his sides. As … Continue reading
Lives in Crisis
A lifer works to save lives in an Oregon prison, which increasingly houses the mentally ill
In one Oregon prison, when a prisoner is experiencing a crisis, another prisoner may be called in to calm emotions. These crisis companions are on … Continue reading
Convicts and Cookies
The Lifers Club at Christmas
By Chris Six convicted killers locked in an industrial bakery storage room deep in a maximum-security prison are busy bagging up cookies. But their conversation … Continue reading
Married Behind Bars
To have but not to hold
You can get married twice a year, either on a Tuesday in April or a Tuesday in October. You can get married between eight and … Continue reading
A Good Week In Prison
The small things matter once you’re inside
By OMike A good week in prison? I know what you are thinking: That’s an oxymoron if you have ever heard one. To be honest, … Continue reading
Life Inside
Stories of lives lived behind bars
Less than a mile and a half from the pretty, golden-domed state Capitol building in the heart of sleepy Salem, invisible behind a 25-foot-high concrete … Continue reading
This Very Moment
How do you get help for a friend who can’t handle addiction on his own?
By Michael 2 At this very moment, I am mad at my friend “Tommy.” Two things that you should know about me: I seldom … Continue reading