Reverend Edward Pinkney from Benton Harbor, Michigan, now located in Marquette, Michigan penitentiary, Michigan Branch Prison, just across Lake Superior from Canada. Hundreds of years ago, our nation put these considered less than human in shackles. Less than 100 years ago, we put them to the other side of town. Today we put them in cages and throw away the key. The state of Michigan has some of the oldest inmates in the country. The Michigan population includes over 45 inmates older than 80, over 18 older than 85, 414 prisoners ages 70 to 79, more than 5000 in their 60s.
The state figure shows that there are almost 5000 people 50 and over. The state figure shows that health care costs rise sharply with age. $16,000 a year for prisoners ages 65 to 69, to $40,000 for prisoners over 80. Let me give you a list of Michigan non-violent, non-assaulted populations in the year 2013, which include 167 in prison for failure to pay child support, 377 for passing a bad check, 750 for shoplifting, 8 for prostitution, 105 for breaking and entering a coin-operated device, mashing parking meters. Drug offenses include 569 for selling marijuana, 319 for possession of less than 25 grams of narcotics, 22 for pot possession, and over 10,000 who should not be in prison at all.
The mentally ill: 20% or about 8,500 inmates have symptoms of severe mental illness, according to the University of Michigan. 65% receive no treatment at all. They really don’t care. Parole violators who served a minimum sentence, more than 2000, were returned to prison in 2013 as a result of a technical violation. According to CAP, it also found about 2,700 on probation, some for felonies were sentenced to prison on violations, being ranged from new offense to some non-criminal activity conduct, such as changes of residence without permission.
It cost $35,000 a year to house a prisoner here in Michigan in a $2 billion budget. One reform advocate said, taxpayer and politician would have to decide if they want to continue to foot the bill for this caliber of inmates. If you choose to use prisons as a last resort for people who are dangerous to the public, then you could push Michigan prison population way down. And the absence, the absence of risk to the public and fatality of the future for further efforts at rehabilitation may release elderly prisoners and medical prisoners as particular means of reducing the prison population.
We, the people, will stop this new form of slavery. In order for people to understand: here I am in prison, serving 30 months in prison for a crime that was never committed. There was no evidence at all to support that I forged one single petition. But yet and still, I’m sitting here almost two days away from my home, and it seems like the people need to know. We need to stop watching television; these Perry Mason shows, the NCSI shows, the CSI shows, Law and Order. This thing that they are tough on crime. They tough on crime doesn’t mean a whole lot to people unless you get involved with the system. We, the people, must take a stand. We must start holding these people accountable for their action. Here I am telling people the truth. Evidence does not lie, but judges, prosecutors, law enforcement and these all-white juries do. And that’s why I’m in prison today, And it’s going to get tough. I’m hoping that I get a chance to come home and see my family, because I have feelings that they’re trying to make sure that I never get out of prison again.
So, we going to need the public to help, to start doing things and making calls to Michigan Department of Corrections. And that number is 517-241-7238, and the person you want to talk to is Miss Washington, she’s the director. “We want Pinkney home, and we want him home now. We know that he’s here on trumped up charges,” and just remember, evidence does not lie. But remember this: prosecutors, judges, law enforcement, and all-white juries do. Thank you.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
