REAUMEL MARSH 2/4/2021
I wrote this while the snow was falling, and I wrote it for us all.
When I look out of my window to the visible world, and when I watch TV, most everything has become drab. People no longer seem to have love for one another. The words compassion and compromise have all but been forgotten; instead being replaced with feelings of apathy and selfishness. Imprisoned by a virus, they rage against the very machine attempting to free them from their bonds. (Irony, though hath been defined.) The attitudes and personalities surrounding them are of such a negative sort that they begin to pull themselves apart at the proverbial seams, ripping themselves screaming from the embraces of rationality and of common sense.
You reach your wits end and call silently to the very Heavens themselves for relief before exploding, building up pressure both inside and out with no end in sight…
AND THEN THE SNOW FALLS
Its awe-inspiring beauty covers all that can be viewed; it renews everything. The reset button on life has been pressed, and if only for a moment, peace is restored and order returns. Slates are clean and beginnings are new. Default mode is initiated.
The only thing left to do is to make an informed decision: How will I use this do over? I subscribe whole-hearted to the Restorative Justice mantra WHAT YOU DO MATTERS. I vow to use the figurative “SNOW FALLS” given each new day to find the beauty in MY life. To look for ways to help others to find A path, not necessarily my path. I believe if given an opportunity people really wish to be good, they simply lack a forum in which to express their interests.
I challenge YOU to open your hearts and your minds to not only yourselves, but to your fellow man. Give him/her the chance to share what is in their heart and on their mind, doing so without reservation, and take the initiative to be the “SNOW FALL” for someone else.
JAMES FOOTE (196400) 2/24/2021 12:21:37 PM
#STUFFTHEBOX has been hard at work trying to figure out a way to help find a potential remedy to solve Wisconsin’s mass incarceration. Since the implementation of Wisconsin’s ‘TRUTH IN SENTENCE’ LAW, there has been a huge spike in sentencing disparities and those who were sentenced among the first “TIS” law were subject to the harshest sentence of all. With this Act called “The S.C.O.R.E Act” – “Second. Chance. Offender. Re. Entry”, it can solve that issue. Furthermore studies show that the release of older, long term incarcerated individuals are less likely to re-offend than their counterparts.
The S.C.O.R.E Act
S.Second
C.Chance
O.Offender
R.Re
E.Entry
This Act is for the release of “ALL” felony offenders who meet the following;
Whomever is a first time offender serving his/her first incarceration in Wisconsin’s state prison system, has served 15 years or more, has been sentenced to 30 years or more of incarceration time, has served at least 1/2 of his/her incarceration portion of his/her sentence, is sentenced under Wisconsin’s bifurcated sentencing statue herein “TIS – truth in sentence” therein qualifies for “The S.C.O.R.E Act”.
Under this Act if “ANY” felony offenders meet all the above criteria and the following, shall be granted release.
1) Completion of education (H.S.E.D – G.E.D).
2) If able, taken all forms of rehabilitative programs (either mandated through the D.O.C or voluntarily).
3) Shown initiative in obtaining and maintaining employment during incarceration.
4) And to have demonstrated positive conduct.
5) This Act requires that 90 days before any felony offender reaches the requirements, the records office shall contact the social worker to begin release procedures.
6) The social worker shall do all requirements of release as if an offender has competed the full portion of his/her incarceration time.
7) The remaining portion of the offenders confinement in prison shall be suspended. Offender shall be released to community supervision. Offender shall be subject to all conditions set by both the court and D.O.C.
If a prisoner violates the conditions of community supervision, community supervision may be revoked and the individual may return to serve a period of time in prison.
FN: “This Act is for ALL offenders who meet the above criteria”
Definition: ALL…everyone. Anyone who is incarcerated in the Wisconsin D.O.C
Co-Author: James Foote #196400
Co- Author: Lyron Wilson #361406
Stanley Correctional Institution
100 Corrections Dr
Stanley, Wi 54768-6500
We are in need of someone to help sponsor, co-author and endorse this act. We are asking that our incarcerated brothers and sisters have their family-friends go online at: http://chng.it/X8kRJz9Z, there you’ll find the SCORE Act petition. We need 100 signatures in order for this petition to be heard. We are asking that State Rep. Sheila Stubbs. Lt Governor Mandela Barnes and Governor Tony Evers sponsor this Act. With enough signatures we’ll at the least be able to have the above Reps look at the Act!! #STUFFTHEBOX Soulsessions.boardhost.com
Anonymous 4/5/2021 12:11:33 AM SUBJECT: Canteen/Property Catalog Monopolization and Extortion.
I am writing about the DOC’s current central canteen system and property catalog contracted with Union Supply. Later this year the DOC will be further restricting ( Monopolizing ) the choices of ” People In Their Care ” by dropping Marcus and Access as an option for property purchases. They have signed a canteen and property contract with Union Supply that in my opinion monopolizes and extorts PIOC’s consumer options. This is just another testament to the rapaciousness of the DOC when it comes to the charges in their care. Since going to the Union Supply contracted canteen, prices have been raised 4 times. They are increasing the prices while reducing the serving size of the items they are selling. Not only are they increasing prices, they are also lowering the quality of the items they are extorting our money for.
Items are coming from this contracted canteen expired and damaged. They are continuing to raise prices while the DOC does nothing as far as the wages of the PIOC’s. Instead of caring for their charges, they are continuing to perpetuate the monopolization and extortion of the people they are supposed to be taking care of. And because of the monetary kickbacks from their contracted canteen and property, the DOC is supplementing their obligations back on to the shoulders of the PIOC’s in their care. Instead of providing the health care they are supposed to provide, the new normalcy is to now respond to a ” Health Services Request slip ” or ” Medication Refill Request ” by saying ” available for purchase on canteen ” and forcing PIOC’s to turn to the monopolizing and extorting practices of the canteen and property contracts to seek the things that they now have to save for a month to afford to buy. Now, by going to a single property catalog solely with Union Supply, they are free to continue to raise the cost of offered sub par items to whatever they want and extort the ” People in their Care “.
MONOPOLISE, mon-op′o-līz, v.t. to obtain possession of anything so as to be the only seller or sharer of it: in engross the whole of.
EXTORT, eks-tort′, v.t. to gain or draw from by compulsion or violence.—p.adj. wrongfully obtained.—adj.
EXTOR′TION, illegal or oppressive exaction: that which is extorted.—adjs.
Anonymous 4/7/2021 11:55:33 PM
If we did not think that things could not get anymore ridiculous, recent events have wholly proved us wrong. I mean, I have seen some very unreasonable expectations coming from the DOC, in the 15 1/2 years of my incarceration (like, expecting prisoners to not fight back or defend themselves, if they are attacked by another prisoner), but some of the stuff that has transpired in the last few months should really be brought to the attention of the Secretary of DOC, Evers’ administration, and the public.
So, it is no secret that Fox Lake, like any other prison in the United States, has an ongoing issue with substance abuse. Although staff here tend to exaggerate the magnitude of the problem here at FLCI, surely it is nothing in comparison to other prisons throughout this country. Anyway, as is expected with drug use, you can expect some users to go overboard and eventually overdose. Correct?
Well answer me this? What is another human being, morally expected to do, when they are the closest to the instance, of someone exhibiting signs of an overdose? In prison, those who are condemned for having committed crimes against society, are widely branded as scumbags, less than human, psychopathic/sociopathic, etc. Yet, if you find another in distress and having an episode from overdosing…you’re expected to not try to help the individual, but alert the staff instead (which is a problem in and of itself).
If you do help the individual, guess what happens to you? You get penalized. A one way trip to seg. (the hole) being charged and likely found guilty of “aiding and abetting.” This has been rumored to have happened to people here, which is a damn shame. For doing the right thing, without trying to expose yourself to other problems. SMH!
You know, the whole “zero tolerance” policy for people caught abusing drugs is inefficient and counterproductive anyway. I mean, tons of people are in prison, sent here for reasons (directly or indirectly) related to their drug addictions. Imagine this, being sent to prison as punishment for conduct surrounding your addiction. While here, in this depressing, negative, condescending, unloving place, you continue to find ways to self medicate (get high) in order to help you cope. Except now, you have to settle for something that you otherwise would not partake in, but you need something to help ease your pain, trauma, or emptiness.
Because being in prison has not made it or your addiction disappear. So while here, you take what you can get. Punishment, by sending you to prison did not resolve these deep seeded issues right? Well then, what makes anybody believe that giving addicts longer times in seg. (than before) would solve anything? You cannot punish most (I.e. almost all) addicts out of addiction. They go and sit their time, all while nothing is done to address the psychological/neurological aspect of their issues. Only to be released back out into GP, and staff expect that the lesson is learned. SMH. Time to wake up.