Octavia E. Butler said, “The weak can overcome the strong if the weak persist. Persisting isn’t always safe, but it is often necessary.” Despite the strength and optimistic outlook that comes from successfully participating in and completing positive programming while confined, I quickly learned the tools I had gained and my best rehabilitative efforts would be weakened by human error and injustice.
Being placed on Intensive Supervised Release parole, I have been assigned parole agents unwilling to judge me by the content of my character or treat me with humane fairness. Instead, they’ve consistently disenfranchised me through unwarranted punitive infractions as a way to deny my rightful opportunity to successfully adjust back into society and positively contribute to both my family and community. But worst of all, since first paroling from prison in October of 2022, after serving over 11 years straight for a crime I continue to maintain I did not even commit, I found myself back in cuffs and hauled off to prison seven times now in spite of not committing any new crime, doing anything illegal, using any chemical substance, or being somewhere I’m not supposed to be.
My seven arrests are very troubling situations because they’re considered technical violations under the Intensive Supervised Release conditions, which are a set of rules that aren’t criminal or legal, but they have set them in place to reconfine parolees. All my violations deal with loss of housing, which becomes a grave injustice to human dignity and the spirit of those who are economically disadvantaged. When we can be thrown in prison here in Minnesota without committing a crime, only for simply being homeless – I don’t believe anybody should be thrown in prison for being homeless, whether they’re on intensive supervised parole or not.
I would like to say that I’m trying my best to carry on through all this, but injustice seems to be defining my future. So many unexpected losses of freedom on Intensive Supervised Release supervision has continued to turn my hopes and desires of rehabilitative redemption upside down. Intensive Supervised Release agents here in Minnesota are destroying humans and ignoring basic rights of humans whom they supervise on parole, who are looking to do more than just exist. I know for me, every time I’ve been released, thinking I can finally break free from prison inherited circumstances, I become ever the more determined to be the best, and give my best, at charting new paths toward human decency and success. I’m committed to living with a right conscience, therefore, I cannot accept injustice in silence. Me giving up on me, or the others around me suffering and encountering so many unnecessary obstacles, is not an option.
We are in a place and position where we are vulnerable and weak behind the walls of systemic injustice, yet I am persistent to speak out. I understand I’m paying the price for remaining human and civil, because I’m holding on to hope that I and others can have a fair chance to rehabilitate ourselves as productive participants in a just society. I mean, I simply don’t believe fruitless words or actions solve anything. I need you to recognize the meaningful purpose that can bring forth valuable change through my words if we act together towards progress. There is certainly a need here in Minnesota for fairness and progress as it relates to Intensive Release Supervision, particularly more oversight, accountability, internal misconduct investigation and safeguards of police legal rights.
If this commentary has compelled you as a listener to act and help highlight this issue I’m speaking about, please contact the following: the Minnesota Department of Corrections Hearing & Release Unit at 651-361-7107, Deanne Schultz, the Corrections Unit Supervisor of Intensive Supervised Release at 612-348-4227, and try to speak with someone or leave a message with them, expressing your disappointment and disapproval that they have created a loophole, under their Intensive Supervised Release conditions, to cycle innocent parolees back into the prison system for losing housing – which isn’t a crime – and no one should be in prison for being homeless.
I think that if you’re listening to this, this is something to get behind and act on as soon as possible. We can’t wait and continue to let this injustice continue to happen. I’m out for justice and truth, and I believe it’s possible. It is never too late to do the right thing. Decisions of an irrational nature that’s being made causes real consequences, and they terribly impact the life of others. So we need a dominant support system of people who are willing to stand up and fight back to make that change happen. Thank you.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
