Making a good first impression is something we've all tried to do at one time or another and doing it on paper is much harder then in person. If you've ever written a resume , or letter, text to someone you are interested in, trying to find just the right words can be a real nightmare. Now just imagen if the first impression your going to make was on paper written by someone else, and that person may or may not have your best interest at heart. This is the dilemma anyone involved with the justice system faces. If you get a ticket the officer writes a report that can and will be used in court if you were to challenge that ticket. This is true in every case from a simple ticket to all other crimes where involvement of a report is required. In the case of prisoners it comes in the form of a C-file. In this file there are things like police reports of the crime sentencing transcripts and all kinds of paperwork written by interviewers, counselors, correctional officers, and free staff. If everyone writing things for this file had integrity it would be full of truths and there would be no issues. People reading it would be able to make first impression judgment's about you that were based of facts, sadly that is not the case. There are those who have an "agenda", or just a bad day who decide to write things that are not factually true or is an out right lie and by the time you find out about it its placed in your file and considered fact. You could have never drank or used drugs in your life, never had a physical altercation (fight) or not be a violent person, then just because someone decided to write that you were one of these things true or not,  because it is written in your file its considered fact and you can't change it. yes you can fight it but it dose not get removed. If your lucky you might get a new paper saying the you deny ever saying this but then it's you word against there's. When you parole this file is sent to the parole officer who gets to read all the stuff written about you true or not and they form an opinion of you based on this information, and place parole conditions according to what they have read, and all of a sudden your a drunken drug user with a violent history. 
this is but a few of the things I personally know that has happened  to others, my file was 6 inches thick by the time I was paroled after 33 years of incarseration and I can only imagen the things that were said about me over the years. It over complicates the prosses of trying to get your life back together for those trying to do the right thing and at time's seem to feel like they want you to fail. To be told you have to quit a job with no explanation, or you can't live in a place you've been living at and have to move when it was to only place you could afford all adds up to needless frustration because of the things that were written about you. Sometimes the things are true and the scrutiny is needed, but the fact remains that "paper Impression" dose not always fit the person, it's just one more thing that has to be dealt with in order to make it back to being a free citizen. Pray for those returning from prison that they make the transition and break the chains. Till next time 
​                                                                                                                 X-OFFENDER  




  

As you know the covid epidemic has effected every aspect of our lives. From shelter in place to social distancing, and the ever present masks. Our lives are filled with hand sanitizers and plastic gloves to help protect us from the virous. All these things we have have and can readily get and have access to with just a little searching on the web or at one of the many stores we are allowed to go, yet these things can't be bought by prisoners.
The worst prisons I can think of to face this exposure risk is Folsom State Prison and San Quintin State prison where the cell blocks are 5 tiers high and face a common outer wall. No isolated ventilation at all to at least slow down the coughs of other inmates, there coughs are spilled into this common area to be breathed by all the other prisoners and currently there are 231 cases of covid in Folsom as reported today by KCRA 3 in Sacramento surpassing that of San Quintin. add to this being locked in the cell 24/7 with only a minimum of  3 hours per week of exercise time and that is "if" the prison allows it. This can be terminated due to the security of the institution for any reason they deem necessary. The ones who are lucky enough to be paroled don't face it much easier, they must pass a screening before being released and then they are quarantined in a motel room for two weeks and they often go without the food and other items that are supposed to be provided. 
Being in prison is not meant to be fun, the isolation from family can be agonizing and during the covid prisoners are not allowed to visit or make call to there family's so it adds that  extra bit of, what is felt like punishment, that was not meant to be. Its not any easier on the family's who don't fully understand why there loved one is not calling or even writing like he or she use to. getting to the store for stamps if you got money is not allowed and the state only provides 5 stamped envelopes per week if you are indigent.  As we all deal with this virous and feel the sting of this new life style we are living under let's not forget the old adage of "it could be worse" because for those in prison as well as those getting out its a nightmare I thank God daily I don't have to live through and I haven't even touched on the problems they have to face finding housing and jobs. So as we hit our knees tonight giving thanks for all we have please try to say a little prayer for our Brothers and Sisters on the inside
* from now on these blogs will be published under my pseudonym X-offender *
Till next time may you all be blessed                                             X-OFFRNDER  

Let me tell you a story of just how it is getting out under covid-19. Its not my story its the story of a man just released a few weeks ago. He related to me  that CDCR calls you down to R&R (Receiving and Release) with all you property you have  in a bag or tub. you dress in what cloths you have or that that's donated to the prison, in most cases its sweats or if you were lucky cloths your family sent to you. from there one of the officers from your tier, pod, dorm, will drive you directly to a motel in your county of parole where they house you in quarantine for 14 days. During this  time you meals and basic needs are supposed to be provided. As it turns out this service is sketchy at best. There is a budget in place that is to allow you to order breakfast, lunch, and dinner. however the delivery of food is not what it should be sometimes it comes sometimes it don't and they end up having to spend there own money at a gas station on junk food or at a restaurant to make up for not getting what should be provided. They are on restriction as to leaving the motel, so going to a store is out of the question. Those on parole are most often headed to some type of program where housing is provided yet those on probation are turned out into the streets to make it on there own. All this takes place in the 14 days they are required to stay in quarantine.
This Pandemic we are going through is causing undue hardships on those paroling and placing them in danger of relapse back in to there former life style. It has turned what should be a simple process into a nightmare for those not able or knowledgeable enough to navigate this new world they are being released into, remember some of these have been in prison for a very long time decades in some cases. I bring this to your attention so if you have the time you can call CDCR, Parole and your local reps to encourage better management of those getting out. It not only helps the guys and girls getting out but makes the community safer when there is a fair chance at success.