Mother of An Incarcerated Son - Prison Life, time's almost up!

It's been a minute since I've blogged about my son as things have been pretty good and they still are. I received a letter from my son today that has me crying tears of joy and pain at the same time. He is now counting down his time in months as opposed to years and for that he is elated as am I. I went to the Florida Department of Corrections site to see his current release date, it was in October last I checked. As of today his current release date is 08/17/2014, that's a little over a year away. The time has flown by so quickly and I know it's been nothing but GOD that has kept me sane.

In the letter Dante' recently wrote he expressed how happy he was to hear from me, thankful for the pictures I'd sent and how, now as time is winding down, he didn't think he'd make it when he was shipped off to prison. He said on that ride to the prison for the 1st time he didn't know what to expect and on his 2nd day he witnessed someone lose their life by the hands of another inmate. He said he's witnessed several of these incidents while serving time. At this point the tears began to roll down my face. How does one come back from such sights? When you go to prison isn't it supposed to be a rehabilitation process? It seems prison is just an 'inside out city'. Everything that happens on the streets in the city, from murder to rape, happens on the inside of those prison walls. That's isn't rehabilitation at all.

What type of mind frame will my son have after this? I've felt locked up with him during this process but I have no idea how it truly feels to be confined to a small cell with toiletries you have to use in front of everyone, there's no privacy anywhere and you move when someone tells you to move. It's so hard to imagine the type of conditions these inmates have to deal with while in there. It's so crazy to think about how the inmates have to deal with the Corrections Officers and the treatment they give the inmate which depends on what type of day the C.O. is having or if a C.O. doesn't like you they can create hell for you during your entire sentence. I know some folk reading will say if they didn't commit a crime they wouldn't have to be there and that is so true but the fact remains they did, they are and it's STILL wrong to treat the inmates inhumanely!

The words of his letter shows so much maturity in some areas and of that I am happy. He has made it clear that he has NO other choice but to make something of himself upon his release because he has 2 beautiful daughters that need him out here more than the system (created to keep him confined) needs him. I stay in prayer for his emotional, physical and mental safety because ONLY GOD the Father can control any of it along with my son and though this letter brought about a lot of emotions viewing his current release date made it somewhat better! In a years time this will all be over and another chapter of his life will begin ... life of a convicted felon outside of prison walls!