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>> WELCOME TO "MINORITY MATTERS". I AM YOUR HOST
SYLVESTER SMITH. CRIME AFFECTS ALL OF US. PEOPLE AND
COMMUNITY ARE IMPACTED IN A VARIETY OF
WAYS. ONE GROUP WHO IS OFTEN OVER LOOKED IN THE DISCUSSIONS
OF CRIME ARE THE CHILDREN WITH LOVED ONES THAT ARE
INCARCERATED AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THEIR
PERSPECTIVE AND THE PEOPLE THAT CARE FOR THEM. TODAY WE HAVE
DEE ANN NEWELL FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ARKANSAS
VOICES AND BRENDA OLIVE SUPPORT GROUP LEADER OF ARKANSAS VOICES
AND ALEXIS BEAVERS A CHILD OF A INCARCERATED PARENT. LADIES I
WANT TO THANK YOU YOU SO MUCH TO
TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT BUT UNDER DISCUSSED TOPIC. I THINK
YOU ALL AGREE THAT WE DON'T HEAR
MUCH ABOUT THIS TOPIC. AS WE BEGIN THE DISCUSSION I WANT TO
START WITH YOU MS. NEWELL. YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR
25 YEARS SO TELL US YOUR STORY AND
HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT.
>> IT'S PRETTY AMAZING. 25 YEARS AGO IN OUR STATE PRISON
SYSTEM IN ARKANSAS THERE WERE ONLY 200 WOMEN IN PRISON AND
THEY ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AT THAT TIME IF
THEY COULD HAVE PARENTING CLASSING
AND A GROUP OF WENT DOWN TO PINE
BLUFF AND TEACHING PARENTING AND
IN THE CHICKEN COOP AND THE MOTHERS TOLD US PLEASE GO LOOK
AT OUR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN. THEY'RE BARELY HOLDING ON WITH
THEIR FINGERNAILS AND WE WERE FUNDED AND WE INTERVIEWED THE
FAMILY OF EVERY MOTHER IN THAT SYSTEM WHO HAD A MINOR AGE
CHILD AND THE MOMS WERE CORRECT.
THESE WERE FAMILIES HOLDING ON, NOT ONLY ECONOMICALLY AND
EMOTIONALLY AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER WAYS AND WE WERE THE
THIRD ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY TO
EVER TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THESE CHILDREN, AND BY 1998 THE
NUMBER OF WOMEN IN PRISON HAD TRIP
EPED ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING IN
ARKANSAS AND A NUMBER OF MEN IN PRISON HAD DOUBLED IN THAT ONE
DECADE IN THE 90'S SO WE WERE IN
THE USUAL PERCH OF WITNESSING THE RISE OF INCARCERATED MEN
AND WOMEN AND CONSEQUENTLY THE
CHILDREN AND THOSE THAT WE INCARCERATE THOSE HAVE CHILDREN
AND IN ARKANSAS IT'S YOUNGER CHILDREN AND NATIONALLY THE
AVERAGE AGE IS EIGHT AND OURS IS
FIVE. WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR IT BUT IT IS
TRUE THESE ARE MAINLY FAMILIES OF POVERTY. THESE ARE FAMILIES
OF LOW EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AS
YOU MIGHT EXPECT AND ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE PARTS OF
INNER-GENERATIONAL CYCLES SO WHEN I STARTED TEACHING MY MENS
CLASSES FOR DADS AT WRIGHTVILLE AND DIMES I WOULD FIND
GRANDFATHER, FATHER AND SON IN PRISON AT THE SAME TIME AND IT
WAS A WAKE UP CALL THAT WE NEED TO INTERVENE, NOT ONLY FOR THE
SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THESE CHILDREN BECAUSE THERE IS A
LACK OF STABILITY IN THESE FAMILIES
DUE TO THE POVERTY THAT THEY LIVE IN AND DUE TO THE FACT
THEY'RE INVISIBLE AND IT'S PROGRAMS LIKE YOURS THAT HAVE
HELPED US BARELY INCREASE THE VISIBILITY. I ATTEND THE WHITE
HOUSE CONFERENCE AND HONORED FOR
MY WORK FOR 25 YEARS AND I THINK
WHEN YOU FINALLY HIT THE WHITE HOUSE YOU KNOW THEY'RE PAYING
ATTENTION BUT IT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR A CHILD TO LOSE A
CHILD TO INCARCERATION. IT BRINGS RISK FACTORS THAT ARE
DISTINCT FROM THE OTHER RISK FACTORS THAT YOU ASSOCIATE WITH
A CHILD OF POVERTY. THE STIGMA AND THE SHAME THAT THEY HAVE
AND THE SENSE OF GUILT WHERE YOU
FEEL BADLY ABOUT SOMETHING AND SHAME IS THAT YOU JUST
SHOULDN'T BE, AND CONSEQUENTLY OUR TARGET
POPULATION OF CHILDREN AND INCARCERATED PARENTS HAVE A
HIGHER RATE OF SUICIDE THAN OTHER CHILDREN AND IT'S
DIFFICULT TO COPE WITH THE STIGMATIZING THINGS THAT ARE
SAID, NOT ONLY DIRECTLY TO THE CHILDREN, BUT THERE ARE ADS ON
TELEVISION THAT MOCK IT AND I HAVE SEEN MOVIES AND TRAILERS
AND IT BREAKS MY HEART AND I KNOW THERE ARE A PAIR OF EYES
WATCHING IT THAT IT HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING TO IT, AND WE
HAVE TO REALIZE THESE CHILDREN LOVE THEIR PARENTS. THEY
UNDERSTAND THEY DID SOMETHING WRONG, BUT IT'S VERY PAINFUL
FOR THEM TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE
KIND OF STAG MATIEZING THAT HAPPENS, NOT ONLY TO THEIR
PARENT BUT TO THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY INCLUDING THEM.
>> YOU KNOW YOU PROVIDED SOME GREAT INFORMATION BUT YOU
COVERED A LOT OF GROUND AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF
THE PANEL GETS INVOLVED AND I WANT TO COME BACK TO SOMETHING
YOU SAID AND LET'S GO BACK TO THE FIRST GROUP OF STUDIES THAT
YOU DID IN THE EARLY 80'S AND --
LATE 80'S AND EARLY 90'S AND CAN
YOU TALK ABOUT THE DAT POINTS AND SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE
WOMENS' FAMILY SITUATIONS IF YOU
REMEMBER OR ELSE I WILL MOVE ON? >> THE MOST INTERESTING FINDING
WAS FOR A INCARCERATED MOTHER OPPOSED TO THE DAD IS MORE
LIKELY IT'S A MATERNAL SINGLE GRANDMOTHER TAKING CARE OF THE
CHILD, NOT THE DAD, NOT ANYBODY ELSE IN THE FAMILY BUT A SINGLE
MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER WHO IS LIVING AT OR BELOW THE LEVEL OF
POVERTY SO WHEN THAT GRANDMOTHER
BRINGS A CHILD INTO HER HOME THE
ECONOMIC RESOURCES FATHER EITHER
FURTHER AND THESE ARE TYPICALLY SENIORS OR ALMOST SENIORS WHO
ARE LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES ANYWAY SOCIETY RESOURCES --
THEY COME IN PACKAGES OF 3.ONE
PACKAGE SO IT'S NOT SMALL SO THE
RESOURCES ARE DIFFUSED OVER A LARGER NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND
THE TRUTH IS THAT WE SAW A TERRIBLE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER
OF CHILDREN THAT GOT TO VISIT THEIR PARENTS. IT COST MONEY
TO GO VISIT A PRISON, EVEN A
PRISON IN THE STATE AND ESPECIALLY THE
FEDERAL PRISON WHERE I HAVE ALSO
WORKED. WE PLACED THE PRISONS OUTSIDE OF THE MORE COMMON
AREAS WHERE THE FAMILIES COME FROM
AND THE URBAN AREAS AND WE PUT THE
PRISONS OUT IN THE BOONIES AND IT'S MORE DIFFICULT TO TRAVEL
AND VISIT. IT'S COSTLY. GASOLINE IS COSTLY. WHENEVER
GAS GOES UP IN THE SUMMER THE NUMBER OF VISITS DECLINE AND
TRULY WE HAVE RESEARCH DATA THAT
SHOWS THAT CHILDREN DO BETTER IF
THE PARENT IS INCARCERATED IF THEY SEE THE PARENT UNLESS THE
PARENT EVER HARMED THEM AND THAT
HAPPENS LESS AND LESS AND WE HAVE TO REALIZE MAINTAINING
PARENT WITH THE INSIDE AND THAT IS IN THE
NEWS AND WE'RE TRYING TO LOWER THE COST OF A TELEPHONE CALL
AND I KNOW FROM MY CALLS THEY'RE
EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. LAWYERS KNOW THAT TOO AS WELL AS FAMILY
MEMBERS AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A RELATIONSHIP AND
THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
THAT GO TO PRISON ARE NOT GOING TO
BE THERE FOREVER AND EVER AND
ALEXIS' MOM HAS BEEN CONVICTED FOR LIFE AND WE NEED TO FIND
WAYS TO KEEP THEM CONNECTED. >>I THINK WE CAN AGREE KEEPING
PEOPLE CONNECTED IS IMPORTANT AND IMPORTANT FOR THE CHILDREN.
I IMAGINE AND I DON'T HAVE THE
DATA TO BEAR THIS OUT BUT I IMAGINE THERE ARE STUDIES OUT
THERE THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE INMATES PROBABLY BEHAVE A
LITTLE BETTER IF THEY HAVE THAT INCENTIVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH
THE FAMILY AND I'M GOING TO PUT THIS QUESTION OUT TO ALL OF
YOU, AND I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES
WITH TRAVEL, BUT WHAT DO YOU ALL SAY
TO PEOPLE THAT WOULD ARGUE SOME OF THE FOLKS ARE DANGEROUS AND
WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE KEPT IN
URBAN AREAS AND WE PUT THEM OUT IN REALLY RURAL AREAS AND FAR
AWAY FROM SOCIETY FOR A REASON BECAUSE IF SOMETHING HAPPENS
AND THEY GET OUT WE WANT THEM TO
TRAVEL A LONG WAYS TO DO SOMETHING TO SOMEONE. WHAT DO
YOU ALL SAY TO THAT? >> WELL, I CAN UNDERSTAND
TRYING TO PUT IT IN A REMOTE AREA BUT
IT WOULD SEEM AS THOUGH WHEN THEY COULD HAVE A PLACE CLOSER
IF THEY'RE ON GOOD BEHAVIOR. LIKE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN WORK
TO GET TO WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR AND
YOU COULD BE CLOSER TO YOUR FAMILY, AND THAT I THINK WOULD
BE IDEAL BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THE
CHILDREN -- THE MOTHER OR FATHER
IS GONE THE CHILDREN STILL LOVE THEIR MOTHER AND FATHER AND
THEY MISS THEM. IT'S LIKE A PART OF
THE PUZZLE THAT'S GONE. >> WELL, AND YOU HAVE AN
INTERESTING STORY YOURSELF BECAUSE CORRECT ME IF I AM
WRONG, BUT YOU WOWRZ AT ONE POINT WERE INCARCERATED.
>> TRUE. >> AND NOW YOUR SON IS
INCARCERATED SERVING A LONG-TERM
SENTENCE AND YOU'RE CARING FOR HIS CHILD SO YOU HAVE BEEN THE
INCARCERATED AND THEN THE PARENT
AND WHY DON'T YOU SHARE THIS STORY AND HOW THESE THINGS
HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE. >> OKAY. I WENT TO PRISON
YEARS AGO, 1982. WHAT HAPPENED WAS
-- IT JUST HAPPENED SO FAST. ON
NOVEMBER 10 WHICH MY ADOPTED MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY MY HUSBAND
CALLED AND SAID THEY WERE GOING TO KEEP HIM IN THE HOSPITAL AND
HE WENT IN THE HOSPITAL AND MY DAUGHTER WENT IN THE HOSPITAL
AND HE CALLED AND TELL DENNIS IT'S GOING TO BE A RACE WHO
GETS OUT FIRST AND HE DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT HE WAS SAYING, BUT IT HAPPENED LIKE IT WAS A RACE.
HE DIED FOUR DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
AND SHE WAS NINE WHEN SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER SO HE --
AND THEY SAID AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS NOTHING MORE THEY COULD
DO FOR HER SO SHE WAS LIKE "MOMMA I WANT TO GO HOME. I
WANT TO DIE IN YOUR BED" SO MY HUSBAND IS GONE AND A SINGLE
MOTHER WITH FOUR CHILDREN AND WORKING BUT THE CHILD IS DYING
AND NOTHING ELSE WE CAN DO, SO I
DID HER WISH AND I BROUGHT HER HOME TO DIE. MEANWHILE NO
FUNDS, NO HELP. I AM ADOPTED. THE FAMILY ISN'T HERE BUT THE
FAMILY IS HERE AND I TRIED TO SELL DRUGS TO KEEP THINGS GOING
AND THE FIRST DAD AND SHE WANTED
A GUITAR FOR CHRISTMAS. IT DIDN'T MATTER TO HIM BUT I WAS
DETERMINED SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE
IT AND SHE GOT IT AND IT WAS THE
LAST THING SHE PLAYED WITH. I LEFT TO GO TO THE STORE AND I
FOLLOWED THE AMBULANCE BACK INTO
MY HOUSE AND I KNEW THAT'S WHERE
IT WAS GOING AND IT WAS AND SHE DIED AND MY DAUGHTER SAID --
SHE GOT UP AND PLAYED WITH THE
GUITAR AND SAID "YOU CAN PUT ME BACK IN MOMMA'S BED" AND SHE'S
DYING. >> OH MY
GOODNESS. >> AND I DIDN'T HAVE A RECORD
AND THEY HAVE A PLAN THAT YOU CAN GET OUT AND AFTER SIX
MONTHS AFTER BEING ON PAROLE YOUR
RECORD IS EXPUNGED AND I DID THAT AND MY PAROLE OFFICER WAS
SO HAPPY AND THEY TOLD US TO ASK
IF WE WANTED TO DO ANYTHING AND I DID AND SHE'S LIKE "OKAY YOU
CAN DO THAT" SO I WAS EXPUNGED AND THAT LAW ISN'T IN PLACE
ANYMORE AND SINCE THE 80'S I'M NOT IN THE SYSTEM AND I CAN
WORK. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHECK THE
BOX. >> NO.
>> AND CHECK THE BOX WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A JOB. LET ME ASK
YOU THIS YOUR SON ENDED UP
INCARCERATED WHAT WAS HE INCARCERATED FOR?
>> HE WAS INCARCERATED FOR *** AND IT WAS LIKE SOME
KIDS IN A DRIVE BY AND THE BOY SAID
THIS WAS THE DRUG HOUSE WHEN REALLY IT WAS HIS GRANDMOTHER'S
HOUSE AND A BULLET WENT THROUGH THE WALL AND HEADBOARD AND
KILLED HER, BUT NOBODY REALLY IS
INCARCERATED BUT HIM BECAUSE HE WON'T SAY WHO WAS WITH HIM
(INAUDIBLE) HOW HE DO AND HE THERE AND HE GOT 50 YEARS, AND
TWO KIDS AND TWO DIFFERENT MOMS.
I TOOK THE 14 -- THE LITTLE BOY THAT I RAISED HIS MOTHER WAS
LIKE 14 -- 15 WHEN HE WAS BORN SO I TOOK BOTH OF THEM AND SHE
LEFT HIM SO I HAD HIM SINCE HE IS TWO WEEKS OLD AND NOW I AM
HAPPY TO SAY UCA HAS HIM. >> GOING BACK TO YOUR SON DO
YOU BELIEVE YOUR TIME DEALING WITH
DRUGS AND INCARCERATED CONTRIBUTED TO THE LIFESTYLE HE
CHOSE? >> NO I DON'T THINK IT REALLY D
I THINK HE JUST -- HE WAS THE ONLY BOY IN OUR FAMILY WITH SIX
GIRLS AND HE JUST GOT CAUGHT UP WITH THE WRONG GROUP AND HE
WENT THROUGH, BUT HE NEVER TOLD
ANYBODY ELSE. HE JUST TOOK IT BECAUSE IT WAS HIS CAR.
>> WELL, WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH AN ADVOCATE. AND SOMEONE WHO HAS
BEEN INCARCERATED AS A PARENT AND GRANDPARENT TAKING CARE OF
THE CHILDREN. LET'S TALK TO SOMEONE WHOSE PARENT IS
CURRENTLY INCARCERATED AND THAT IS ALEXIS. SO ALEXIS WOULD YOU
SHARE YOUR STORY WITH OUR VIEWERS.
>> WELL, MY MOTHER WENT TO PRISON WHEN I WAS ABOUT FOUR
AND SHE WENT TO PRISON FOR PRETTY
MUCH BEING AT THE WRONG PLACE AT
THE WRONG TIME WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE BUT HER CHARGES ARE
ROBBERY AND ***. SHE HAS A LIFE SENTENCE AND IT'S REALLY
BEEN HARD BUT I HAVE WONDERFUL GRANDPARENTS. IF IT WASN'T FOR
MY GRANDPARENTS I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE LIKE HONESTLY.
IT'S BEEN REALLY HARD FROM
GOING TO SCHOOL AND TELLING PEOPLE --
YEAH MY MOM IS IN THE MILITARY BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO TELL
PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, MY MOM IS IN PRISON, AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME
FOR ME -- I MEAN I WAS -- SHE WAS A PART OF MY LIFE AND MY
GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER MADE
SURE THAT I WENT TO SEE HER. I HAD PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS,
BUT AS FAR AS JUST TELLING OTHER
PEOPLE -- HOW I AM TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO
SAY "OH MY MOM IS IN PRISON." IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR ME TO
SAY "MY MOM IS IN PRISON AND SHE
HAS A LIFE SENTENCE." I USED TO
COME UP WITH STORIES AND "OH YOU
KNOW -- FIGURE OUT WAYS NOT TO TELL PEOPLE THAT MY MOM WAS IN
PRISON AND I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO
TREAT ME DIFFERENTLY AND THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T
UNDERSTAND. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND KIDS AND PEOPLE IN
PRISON AND YOU WOULDN'T KNOW BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT BE TO
TREATED DIFFERENTLY OR BE PART OF THE STATISTIC. OR "YOU'RE
GOING TO BE LIKE YOUR MOM OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIKE YOUR
DAD" AND WAS SAID THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE -- I'M SORRY.
>> YOU'RE FINE. YOU'RE FINE. >> THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT CONTINUE THE CYCLE AND I ALWAYS TELL MYSELF I DIDN'T
WANT TO BE THAT PERSON THAT
CONTINUED THE CYCLE.
>> WELL, YOU'RE DOING REAL WELL WITH YOURSELF AND YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO CONTINUE THE CYCLE. WHY DON'T WE SHIFT THIS AND
SHARE WITH THE POSITIVE THINGS AND SHARE WITH THE VIEWERS WHAT
YOU'RE DOING NOW. >> I GO TO [INAUDIBLE]. I WANT
TO BE A ORAL COMMUNICATIONS TEACHER AND NUTRITIOUS TEACHER
AND WORK WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLERS BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE
SCHOOL THAT'S WHEN IT WAS HARD FOR ME. I WAS COMING OUT OF A
PRIVATE SCHOOL GOING TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, AND IT'S A BIG
DIFFERENCE, AND I HAD A ENGLISH TEACHER AND SHE JUST MADE ME
FEEL LIKE -- YOU KNOW, MADE ME FEEL LIKE I -- AT FIRST I
[INAUDIBLE] AND WELL NO YOU NEED
TO BE A TEACHER AND THEN I GOT A
JOB AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
YEAH, I NEED TO BE A TEACHER. I
KNOW THAT IT'S PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT NEED SOMEBODY TO GO TO AND
TALK TO. GOING TO BE A TEACHER. >> WHAT IS THAT TEACHER'S NAME?
GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT.
>> MS. BAKER AT [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL.
>> THANK YOU MS. BAKER. YOU IMPACTED A LIFE. LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS AND
NORMALLY WHEN DOING THE SHOW I LIKE TO HAVE BOTH SIDES
REPRESENTED AT THE TABLE AND IN THIS CASE WE DON'T. I THINK WE
TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO YOUNG
PEOPLE AND FAMILIES THAT ARE INCARCERATED BUT I IMAGINE
SOMEWHERE OUT THERE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SAY "SHOULDN'T ANY
RESOURCE WE COME UP WITH INVESTED IN THE FAMILIES OF THE
VICTIM?" . FOR EXAMPLE MS. OLIVE YOUR SON KILLED A
LATER. THAT'S A FAMILY IMPACTED
THAT IS NOW MISSING A GRANDMOTHER SO IF THERE ARE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES
SHOULDN'T THEY GO TO THAT WOMAN'S FAMILY?
>> I THINK THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE TO HELP VICTIMS'
FAMILIES. AS A MATTER OF FACT I
KNOW THERE IS -- I CAN'T THINK OF THE ORGANIZATION NOW BUT I
HAD A BROTHER THAT WAS KILLED AND BURNED IN HIS APARTMENT AND
THEY HELPED US TO BURY HIM AND OTHER STUFF AND I KNOW THERE IS
AND I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING? PLACE AND WHEN IT
HAPPENS PEOPLE ARE NOT PREPARED AND VICTIMS FAMILY NEED
COUNSELING JUST AS WELL AS THE INMATE'S FAMILY NEEDS COUNSEL
BECAUSE IT'S A FULL CIRCLE EVENT.
>> IT IS A FULL CIRCLE EVENT BECAUSE LIKE WITH THE CHILDREN
-- LIKE I WAS FOUR AND YOU KNOW YOU LOOK AT IT AND THEY
PROBABLY HAD CHILDREN, OR EVERYBODY
NEEDS SOMEBODY TO TALK TO. IT'S NOT
JUST ABOUT -- OKAY IT'S THE ITEM
OR JUST ABOUT THE INMATE. NO, IT'S NOT THAT. IT'S EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY TO
TALK TO, AND IF THAT MEANS YOU NEED
TO GO TO COUNSELING, CHURCH, ANOTHER PERSON -- I WOULD GO
AND TO ARKANSAS VOICES. THAT WAS
MY OUTLET AND CALL MS. DEE AND
SUMMER CAMP AND ACTIVITIES AND I
KNEW I WASN'T THE ONLY PERSON GOING THROUGH WHAT I WAS GOING
THROUGH AND FEELING WHAT I WAS FEELING AND I WAS AROUND PEOPLE
FEELING WHAT I FELT GOING THROUGH WHAT I WAS GOING
THROUGH, AND LIKE I SAID I WAS BLESSED IN A LOT OF WAYS AND MY
GRANDPARENTS TAKE ME FOR MY MOM AND AS WAS
SAID PHONE CALLS AND EXPENSIVE AND THEY'RE EXPENSIVE AND $25
MINIMUM SO IT'S LIKE I'M BLESSED
AND THEN A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT.
>> AND LIKE THE YOUNG MAN THAT WAS GOING TO BE HERE WITH US
TODAY, CARTIE BRAGGS, HE WASN'T ABLE TO GET HERE. HE WENT TO
THE CAMP THIS SUMMER AND HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER
KIDS AND HE JUST OPENED UP AND HE
WANT VENTED IT AND HELPED HIM SO
MUCH. >> AND 13 CARTIE
IS 13 YEARS OLD AND HIS FATHER IS INCARCERATED AND HE'S
RAISING FUNDS.
>> WE HAVE A YOUNG MAN -- >> I KNOW BUT WE HAVE ABOUT
FOUR MINUTES LEFT AND I WOULD LIKE
TO TAKE THE TIME AND TALK ABOUT
ARKANSAS VOICES AND THE OTHER PROGRAMS AND EVERYONE IN THE
AUDIENCE IS AWARE OF THE RESOURCES AND OTHER THINGS THAT
WE CAN DO TO HELP THESE FAMILIES
AND LET ME COME BACK TO YOU MS. NEWELL.
>> RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS COMES INTO PLACE INSTEAD OF CRIMINAL
JUSTICE AND THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE VICTIM, THE
OFFENDER AND TRYING TO MEET EVERYBODY'S
NEEDS AND THAT INCLUDES THE CHILDREN, AND WE'RE TRYING TO
USE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS THE SCHOOL HOUSE TO JAIL HOUSE
PIPELINE BY DISMANDELLING THAT AND HAVE A
DIFFERENT WAY THAT HOLDS PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT STRUCK ME IN PRISON MOST OF
THE PRISONERS DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
CRIME AND THE VICTIMS WERE SAYING TO ME "DO THEY CARE? DO
THEY EVER THINK ABOUT IT OR TALK
ABOUT IT?" SO WE NEED MUCH MORE
FOCUS ON BRINGING VICTIM AND OFFENDER TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY
TALK. WE DID VIDEOS OF OFFENDERS TALKING ABOUT THEIR
CRIMES SO THAT THEIR VICTIMS WOULD KNOW THAT IS HAPPENING,
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE EVERYBODY IS A VICTIM IN ALL OF
THIS. VERY FEW TIMES IN THE HISTORIES OF INCARCERATED
INDIVIDUALS THEY USUALLY HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED AT TIMES. IT
AFFECTS EVERYBODY AND I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE NOW
IS TO -- WHAT YOU ORIGINALLY SAID IS THAT WE'VE GOT TO
CREATE MORE CARING AND CONSIDERATE
COMMUNITIES AND WE CARE FOR EACH
OTHER. WE DON'T DEMONIZE EACH OTHER OR THESE CHILDREN THAT
HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG AND WE HAVE BETTER WAYS OF RESPONDING
TO INJUSTICES THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
>> I AGREE WITH THAT. WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF.
WHAT IS THAT ?
>> THIS IS EXCITING AND "SESAME STREET" AND A PBS PROGRAM AND
HAS A MUPPET NAMED ALEX THAT HAS
A INCARCERATED DAD AND IT'S SAD THAT WE INCARERATED SO MANY
PEOPLE THAT WE NEED A MUPPET AND
THEY'RE IN THE PRISONS AND THEY'RE FREE AND IF YOU WANT
THEM FOR YOUR PROGRAM OR HEAD START PROGRAM AND GEARED
TOWARDS THE YOUNG CHILDREN AND GET IN
TOUCH AND I CAN SEND THEM OUT. (501)366-3647 AND I AM ON THE
WEB. EVERYTHING IS OUT IN CYBERSPACE. ARKANSAS VOICES
.ORG AND WE'RE WORKING HARD -- >> WE'RE ABOUT OUT OF TIME. I
HATE TO CUT YOU OFF. ALEXIS, WE'RE ABOUT TO WRAP UP. I
WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE FINAL
THOUGHT ON THIS TOPIC. >> ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS IT'S A
FULL CIRCLE. EVERYBODY NEEDS SOMEBODY AND YOU CAN SAY I PLAY
VICTIM OR THEY PLAY VICTIM. WE'RE ALL VICTIMS AND WE GOT TO
LOOK AT IT'S THE KIDS. WE'RE THE NEXT GENERATION AND IF WE
DON'T HAVE NOBODY TO HELP US AND
TALK TO US TO MAKE US SUCCESSFUL
WE CAN'T DO IT BY OURSELVES. >> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT WAY
TO CLOSE OUT THE SHOW. LADIES, I
WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND PARTICIPATING AND TALKING ABOUT
THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND TO
OUR WONDERFUL AUDIENCE THANK YOU
FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US THIS MONTH. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE
SHOW AS MUCH AS WE DID AND WITH THAT I WILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME