by Melonie McCoy In this series, we share intimate stories written by the men and women living or working in our nation’s prisons. Poignant and captivating, these stories are a testament to the human spirit. They show our capacity, no matter our background, experiences or trauma, for self-compassion and ultimately, healing. Let us introduce you to Sylvester Shockley, affectionately known…

“…there’s a reason for that hyper-sensitivity.” Greetings Compassion Prison Project Staff: I just saw your ad in Prison Legal News, or I’d’ve wrote you sooner. Below I’ll answer the ACE survey, something that I’m very familiar with, as I followed the js online.com / time-to-heal series, discussing trauma-informed care, wondering why (& asking the editor so … ) no mention…

by Christopher Blackwell Christopher Blackwell is incarcerated at the Washington State Reformatory in Monroe, Washington, and is working toward publishing a book on solitary confinement. His writing has been published by The Washington Post, HuffPost, Jewish Currents, The Marshall Project, and many other publications. He is serving a 45-year sentence. Follow Chris on Twitter My first experience with the carceral…

In this series, we share intimate stories written by the men and women living or working in our nation’s prisons. Poignant and captivating, these stories are a testament to the human spirit. They show our capacity, no matter our background, experiences or trauma, for self-compassion and ultimately, healing. When I was 16 months old, my father was arrested on a…
In this series, we share intimate stories written by the men and women living or working in our nation’s prisons. Poignant and captivating, these stories are a testament to the human spirit. They show our capacity, no matter our background, experiences or trauma, for self-compassion and ultimately, healing. Wesley Purkey was executed by the US Federal Government on July 16,…