Having spent time in jail now (see prior posts) I have much greater sympathy for those in prisons. One fellow that was in the holding tank with me at the time was facing 5 years in prison for multiple DUIs. He showed me paper-work and tried to put a good spin on it with, "Prison ain't so bad, they feed you everyday." When we were brought our meals (Hays County, Texas - county jail were I was being held for a driving violation), this fellow asked everyone else if he could have their meals if they didn't want 'em. It saddened me very much then and now to know that this young man's life is hopelessly going nowhere - basically because, due to what seemed like a semi-normal tendency to party and be a bit rowdy, he was pulled over by a cop after he'd been drinking.
I came from Illinios and am sorry to say that Illinois is famous for its prisons, but I didn't know how famous till I came across this article. I am even more ashamed now of the state I grew up in. Almost as ashamed as I am for the infamous ways Texas law and police seem to be treating their public citizens lately. (see posts on my being thrown in jail - Yes! I am mad about it!)
Here's an interesting piece of one man's story that starts with, "On April 1st, 1969, I was sentenced to a term of from two to six years at hard labor in the Illinois State Penitentiary, for possession of marijuana. "
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