-Jimmy Lee Bozeman II, Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville, New York
To those who take time to read this inscription of a chapter within a book I am currently composing while incarcerated inside a United State’s Federal Correctional Institution. This is concerning The United State’s Justice System, black criminal justice, the African American community and portions of my life as it relates to the three.
At this time, I am serving a twelve and a half year sentence for the crime of unarmed bank robbery. My hometown is Kansas City, Missouri. Within the fifty years inside the criminal justice system, I find there are no regards or respect for the basic needs to those of us whom are confined.
Although at times, (as sad as it may sound) I sincerely do understand as to why. Reason being the crimes some have committed as well as have been found guilty of, yet is enough reason, but may not be the sole reason. Not to mention the type of individuals who are under lock and key.
There are various acts that are committed from A-Z with myself being somewhere in the midst of it all. However, we will revisit that subject on a much more broader note inside this brief commentary, yet on an even more broader perspective inside the actual documentary(book).
To some surprise and amazement, there are certain individuals (man, woman and youth) who are completely alone without human contact. They have remained in this position for as long as ten solid years without a single soul to communicate with via postal service, email, telephone, contact visits or video chat. Only because there are those who believe inmates are not worthy of attention due to their distinct situation and status in America.
The next statement may be difficult to fathom yet due to the COVID pandemic, the telephone calls are free of charge within the prison system. However, family and friends will deliberately ignore the call when recognizing the institutional number upon the caller ID. It appears after one is locked away, they are purposely forgotten in every way possible.
This in fact leads to self-destruction through institutionalization in the worse form by allowing one’s self to be consumed by any and every negative vice prison has to offer. If one were not a hard core calculated criminal before incarceration, they most certainly will be one after their release. This all depends on how much time is being served and where it is served towards the debt to society. That is if one has an actual outdate applied to the sentence, e.g. (life without parole, the death sentence or both).
The words and accounts I share with you are from a personal experience. I have resided in some of the most dirtiest, nastiest, hottest, smelliest and most dangerous prisons in the United States. To my demise, I have allowed each and every negative force one can think of have it’s way with me. It has affected my mental and physical state starting at a young age to the point of no return. Some events were so horrible (still are till this day) that I dare not share or breathe a word of it to another soul. I will take them to my final resting place, as one can imagine.
Since my initial incarceration period at the age of fourteen, every single day is and has been a struggle. I cannot count how many times I have awoken from my sleep screaming as though I was burning in hell. I’m, again, at the point of no return once arrived at that state of mind. No doubt, I could be wrong concerning my opinion.
I have been wrong many times before, however, I must be convinced of that inconsistency while actually living inside this vicious cycle. Nevertheless I hold out faith one day there will rise a small special band of individuals who will take notice and interest in those of us whom are incarcerated to no longer be discarded as trash or even as dollars signs alone.
On certain accounts there are those who remain in contact with inmates who are of themselves (family), from fear of the situation I go on to explain in the actual book, yet they are few and far. To my knowledge, the only one who takes special interest in those whom are confined as a whole on a consistent and persistent basis are little frail catholic nuns; from the age of approximately fifety-five to mid nineties.
They are the ones who the prison administration allows to deeply venture inside the bowels of the entire compound, rain, sleet or snow. This includes places of various people of stature are not allowed to approach, let alone the public. For example: solitary confinement and the death chambers where some have remained for ten years straight (solitary) or even thirty years straight (death row) without a break or sunlight.
The administration realizes the sisters mean no harm when it comes to the security of the prison while doing God’s work by spreading His word. However, I must admit even Nuns fall from grace and out of harmony when becoming aroused from the site of the adulterated convict from weakness through nature. Nevertheless they tend to stand peering through the bars; spinning the gambit with those who are willing to talk, listen or ask questions.
We are a relevant minority who need a lot more than what little is offered. The majority of us are ill yet we know it not, as well as society seems not to realize it. The symptoms and behaviors are experimented, tried and treated by the psychological department. There are counselors, psychologist and psychiatrist that do not have a clue as to what feeds one’s inner most criminal desire and behavior.
Yet they tend to communicate poorly; conveying such with an abundance of aggression, hostility and animosity to the point whereas malice develops it becomes deeply rooted in one’s heart (seat of emotion, affection, intelligence and intellect).
I learned all of this after various structured classes. What does that malice lead to after one’s release? Murder, robbery, assault, kidnapping, rape, arson, burglary and an entire host of other crimes of violence. That is the main reason as to why the violent crime rate has reached an all time high in every major city across the United States.
I am willing to bet my very existence, for every violent crime that is committed, they are the direct result of an ex-felon ninety percent of the time. Not only that, I am willing to bet my soul on the average person who commit a murder has committed more than one murder, maybe even several before being apprehended, if apprehended at all!
What we have is a failure to communicate, as one would say.