Category: The Beat Without

by Harry Goodall Jr., San Quentin State Prison, CA I have no idea what TV and movie writers had up their sleeve. It was a lot of movies that came out and validated dying young. I guess it can be said that these movies glamorized this ideology. At the same time, gangsta rap was taking off. It was the battle of the East Coast versus the West Coast rap styles. It was a situation of most urban or ghetto areas visualized the police as enemies. The thought left people feeling it was, “me against the world.” Our ears were filled

by Frederick Mason, United States Penitentiary Tucson  in Tucson, Arizona (The Flaws of the Administrative Remedy In Prisons) In prisons, there are venues for inmates who have been abused or treated unfairly or inhumanely. When things like this happen, an inmate has a right to sue, if he can get his case to court. The problem is that because of PLRA (Prison Litigation Reform Act), it is much more difficult for an inmate, even if he is right, to get his case to court. In essence, PLRA requires inmates to first exhaust the Administrative Remedy Procedure…or a grievance procedure. In

by Jon D Goldberg, San Quentin State Prison, CA A good deed is when you can be there for someone when they are at their lowest low. Sometimes that could just mean an ear to listen, while they unload all their emotions and feelings.  Just recently a friend that needed to talk came to my cell. He just needed someone to listen to him. I sat and took in all he had to say. He had just been found suitable for parole a couple months before and was anxious about support that was promised to him.  I first sought to

by Robert Guerra, Salinas Valley State Prison, Soledad, CA Hello Beat Within readers! I hope this finds you all well and in good health! I was just sitting here thinking to myself on all the positive things I want to do in life! One thing I would like to do is write a book on self-help so I can help others do better in life.  Yeah, we all have done some type of wrong in life, but have you ever thought about how you’re going to pay society back for the wrong you have done or maybe paying it forward?

by Mr. Francisco “Frank” Gonzalez, RJ Donovan State Prison, San Diego, CA “It is never the wrong time to do the right thing.”- MLK The other day, I was sitting in my anger management group wondering how do you cram 27 years of an incarcerated life into a few hours of a BPH (Board). Then I looked up to see the above quote. I then realized, I have to sincerely apologize to everybody for the harm I have caused and for the gathering I doubt people were jumping out of bed for, and for that I truly was sorry. As

by Dorrance Lockhart, San Quentin State Prison, CA When I was 25 years old the most worse thing that could happened to me. I lost all confidence and patience with life because I lost my best friend. Now on Mother’s Day of 2005 my mother was killed. Then on top of this situation my lady who was carrying my first child lost it a week later.  That year before I knew it I became so bitter and self-destructive because within three days I found my mother’s ex-boyfriend who killed her and killed him. I was sent to prison after I

by Truth N Poetry, San Quentin State Prison, CA The decision to not be silent about the Physical Mental and emotional abuse and my brothers and mother suffered at the hands of it. My step-father has been mentally and emotionally healing, when I speak of the pretty lies and ugly truths that come with child abuse Domestic Violence. I am allowing myself to acknowledge the underserving scars of my story yesterday and give myself permission to embrace or welcome if you will a tomorrow of my own creation. When I write poetry I speak “My Truth” without fear or apology.

by Leo Cardez, Dixon Correctional Center in Dixon, Illinois Has anyone ever given you a slew of compliments and one criticism? What stands out to you? What do you remember? The compliments or the sole fault? Yeah, me too. It’s normal.  Human beings through eons of evolution are hardwired to notice and remember the bad shhh. We are constantly walking around with our cups half full no matter how much we may try otherwise. It is the result of thousands of years of survival instinct. It is so common it already has a name in social science circles. They call

by Harry Goodall, San Quentin State Prison, CA I remember there was a time I was looking for acceptance. There was a lack of after school programs at the time. The government had just removed funding for those type of things. It was tough because they had even cut welfare, implementing a work for relief program. I idolized the movies I was watching on TV and on the big screen. These were movies like Boys In The Hood and Menace to Society. These movies promoted Black on Black crimes and the drug life. It showed young people drinking 40 ounce beers

by Efren Bullard, Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, CA Hello to all the youngsters who find themselves locked up. It has been a while since I last sat down and spoke to you guys. I have been trying to free myself from prison.  On November 6th, 2022. I will have been incarcerated for 29 years. At the time of my incarceration I was eighteen years old. I will be 48 on November 19th. I was sentenced to double life without parole plus 22 years for the murders of David Happas and Scott Evans.  Now, even though I would love to