As I thought about writing this first article I wanted to tell one of the stories that has influenced me the most during my time in jail. For a couple of months I bunked with Doc, an eighty-four year old, Federal pretrial, gentlemen who was awaiting to go to trial for an armed bank robbery from 2022. Doc, had just finished a fifty year incarceration (although only serving thirty-four years…) for armed bank robberies back in the late eighties. It was alleged that during Doc’s life he had robbed more banks, and escaped from more prisons that John Dillinger, the most famous bank robber in history. Doc was always the kindest, nicest, most knowledgeable person you can imagine. A slow moving, thin, medium height, white hair, grandfather figure that is so full of experience, you just want to talk to for hours. I remember a Sunday morning I asked him, “How did you do it Doc?” “How did I do what?” he responded. I said, “Well, how did you do a fifty-year bid? What did you think? How do I even grasp that? I haven’t even lived that long.” He stared at me briefly and smiled, the smirk when you know the answer, but you know the other person will not understand it. “The Truth” he finally said. “The Truth will set you free.” I was lost. I thought to myself, that’s it? This is the life changing revelation? Fifty-years of experience in some of the worst prisons in the country. This man who Netflix could easily make a docuseries about. Responded to me in one word, five letters! As we continued to talk, he explained to me that the “Truth” is the most important part of undergoing incarceration. Without it, he could have never survived through multiple decades in prison. He started by telling me about the importance of being true to myself. Knowing what you are worth, where you are going, your view of life, and your capacity to do something. Finding the truth of your own fears, anxieties, and doubts. The truth is the heart of who you are as a person, and what you have the potential to become. Most people live their life with uncomfortable truths by avoiding them, or pretending that better truths exist. The truth is hard, and the hardest truths are the ones you have to tell yourself. Then he told me about the truth in others. He explained the importance of knowing other people’s true colors, their way of acting and being. The truth in peoples character. In jail, and prison, anyone can pretend to be anything they want. Anyone can create an imaginary versions of themselves. In here we all dress, eat and look the same. We all have met the intimidating gang member who has never lived a day in the streets. Or the rich, intelligent and successful individual who cannot even afford to buy commissary. Or the jailhouse clown who earns respect by criticizing and pointing out flaws in others, but stands back for others to defend him. The more you understand the truth, the better you learn to adjust, and accept others way of being. Most times people act a certain way as a coping mechanism, as a way to be accepted, or simply because they have never been exposed to anything different. Knowing the truth in others, will help you see the person that is truly behind the mask we all wear while incarcerated. Finally he told me about the truth of the institution. Every facility he was ever housed in had something to offer, you just have to find the truth hidden within it. There is a truth behind how and why the warden or chief runs the facility a certain way. The truth behind every CO, and staff member’s professional goals, and life story. The more you show your
understanding, appreciation, and empathy towards the work they do, the better you will be treated. There is truth within the purpose of every program, activity or work position available. Is the program designed to see you succeed? Or simply to keep the institution moving? Knowing the true goal, and purpose of each facility, will help you advance further, become more trustworthy, and allow you higher levels of liberty. Doc ended by saying, “After about twenty years of being in prison. It really didn’t matter to me if I ever got out. I was so comfortable with being uncomfortable. The truth is always simple. I knew the truth withing my facility, I knew the truth in almost everyone I interacted with, and I was true to myself. I had the highest level of liberty anyone had within the prison. I was teaching classes, working in the law library, and was able to request almost anything I needed. The truth had set me free.”