Dear Editor,
When in 1998 I was incarcerated on a charge of trafficking in narcotics, what saved me from the negativity that is associated with prison life was my academic knowledge. When the inmates found out that I could read and write at a higher level than they could, I was asked to assist with their cases, or to write letters of apologies to their parents and children, on their behalf. Unlike me, many of them were incarcerated falsely, or they were on remand for long periods of time due to legal technicalities. And so, because of my slightly-above average academic capabilities, I was able both to secure a safe stint at the Tobago Prison, all the while using my academic skillsets to help my fellow inmates, as best I could.
I grew up as a truant adolescent and teenager in a broken single-parent home on Laing Avenue, in the shadows of Albouystown and East and West Ruimveldt. I saw a lot of criminality and was involved in my fair share. However, it was my short stint in prison and the realization of the needs of my fellow inmates that ignited my passion for helping with their rehabilitation. And it was while in prison that I made the promise to God that I will commit my life to the behaviour modification of those who, like me, have fallen through the societal cracks and have become deviant and truant.
I left prison and moved with my family to the USA where I studied Theology, both at the undergraduate and the graduate levels. While living in the US I also founded the Practical Christianity Ministries organization and formalized my pledge to God to work with the offender population. This is a commitment that I have kept for over 20 years. While living in the USA I became a volunteer Chaplain in the State of Indiana and I traveled all across the US, Canada, Central America, Africa and the Caribbean conducting training workshops, counselling and consulting in regards to crime and recidivism reduction.
And that is why this remarkable story of the graduation of the convicted murderer, Mr. Orwain Sandy, is so emotional to me; if only because I know the positive potential for good that can be realized. Mr. Sandy might never be released from prison, however, he can use his formal training – like I did – to assist many of his fellow inmates. As a graduate of Psychology he can assist with anger management counselling. He can assist the inmates with grief and trauma issues. At a very basic level, he can help with their foundational academic needs. The scope is vast!
Now imagine if this becomes a norm in the arena of rehabilitation in Guyana. Think of the possibilities for crime and recidivism reduction if more inmates aspire to higher learning. I am so excited I can scream
There are some who believe that prisoners need to be locked away and forgotten. Many of those who think this way have emotionally attached reasons to justify their feelings. And I understand that. However, 97% of all inmates will one day be released from prison. Mr. Sandy might one day be released. So we must ask ourselves, what kind of persons do we want leaving those prison walls? Would society not be better and our communities safer if the ex-offenders return healthier, more educated and better able to finance and manage their post incarceration lives? I think so.
In closing let me lavish a profuse thank you to all those involved in this new push to make rehabilitation of inmates more holistic and progressive. Please know that what you are doing is universally accepted best practice for prisoner rehabilitation. Prisons in the developed countries are moving away from just penal, warehousing, institutions, to more humane and commonsensical approaches to offender rehabilitation. In this regard, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Guyana Prison Service are on the right path and they should be commended and supported.
Yours faithfully,
Wendell Jeffrey, Pastor
Founder of Practical Christianity Ministries and
Green Valley Behaviour Modification Facility
