by KennethUnlimited

This is the third story in a Project Unlimited series titled: “Why do people wind up in prison?” Each story is written by an inmate at Tomoka Correctional Institution, not to justify or excuse behaviors, but for the purpose of educating and increasing awareness. You’re welcomed and encouraged to send questions for consideration for the Unlimited men to answer throughout this series. To learn more about Project Unlimited click here.

Why do people wind up in prison?

This question is not difficult to answer. But, it is one with many answers. Most can agree that prison is full of people who made poor decisions. But what prison do you want me to explain? 

The prison people find themselves in because of their own thoughts and past experiences? 

Or the prison that separates us from society?

Interior Prison

The prison we find ourselves in because of our own thoughts and past experiences is one that creates fear—a fear of reliving traumatic and emotional episodes. For example, I knew a guy who decided he wanted to go out with his best friend and have a good time. They both had too much to drink, so they decided it was enough partying for the night and got in their car to head home. On the way home however, they got into an accident. The guy woke up in a hospital with a brace around his neck and cuffed to the bed. Officers approached him later that day, reading him his Miranda rights, and telling him he was being charged with DUI manslaughter of his best friend.

Tragic, right?! But now, how does the guy move past his guilt? How?

Exterior Prison

And that leads me to the prison that separates us from society. Honestly, no one intends to make it a goal to wind up in prison. People like me, grew up in urban areas where poverty and violence were the norm. We heard, “If you don’t get it together, you will wind up in jail or dead!”

I was raised in Chicago. As a kid I was picked on, but one day I got tired of it, so I decided to defend myself. Sadly, I made a promise to myself that I would never let anyone hurt me. An attitude meant to be positive led me to violence. If anyone would raise their tone or even act like they were going to be aggressive, I would get defensive. I could not stand for anyone to approach me inappropriately because I would think they were trying to hurt me. It did not help that I was a kid who had to fight and switch my routes to and from school because of the violence. My parents tried their best to keep me out of this loop, but they struggled to make ends meet. Survival became my only option. 

Early Adulthood

At 13, I made a poor decision to become an adult. My mother had a spouse I did not get along with, so I stayed away from home and eventually just left. The people I stayed with worked and owned a towing company. The money I earned wasn’t enough. I needed more, so I started selling drugs, and the more I saw, the more involved I became. 

I had the mindset to protect my sisters with my life and to provide for my family by all means necessary. This meant I was willing to take risks of losing my life and becoming incarcerated. I began to live the second half of the phrase I was told growing up, “…you will wind up in jail or dead!”

Prison Policy Initiative

According to Prison Policy Initiative, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that produces research to expose the broader harm of mass criminalization, the United States has 98 federal prisons, 1,566 state prisons, 3,116 local jails, and 1,277 juvenile correctional facilities that house nearly 2 million inmates—a criminal system that is filled with people who made poor choices, some like me who chose to help provide for and protect his family. But did it the wrong way. 

I should have just been a kid. 

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Did you miss the previous short stories in this “Why do people wind up in prison?” series? If so, check them out below:

• “I Didn’t Know How to Ask for Help” by JacobUnlimited
• “Edmund: a story about drinking” by MichaelUnlimited