Visiting at Prison; Talking with Inmates
by Lukas Gaffney '10

My Prison Experience Project (PEP) visit was one of the more influential events in my time at Milton. Not only did it serve as a warning, but it also inspired through the commitment of the inmates themselves. The trip successfully debunked of the media-driven stereotypes that many people have would expect to verify.

Prior to this experience, I had never had any interaction with people who were or had been incarcerated. Admittedly, my expectations were stereotypical—I expected the vast majority of inmates to be from inner city areas, for example. However the inmates with whom I spoke (who are not necessarily an accurate representation of overall inmate percentages) came from various backgrounds, including from backgrounds similar to my own. If the trip was judged solely on its ability to remove superstition and stereotypes, then it would be remarkably successful.

It not only recast preconceived notions of America’s prison system, however. The trip allowed meaningful discussion between inmates and students that otherwise would never happen. These discussions served as warnings about learning life lessons in a safer way than those the inmates chose.

Two particular elements resonated throughout all of the inmates’ discussions: their dedication to family and drug use. Nearly all of the inmates talked about how all of their friends (who had helped land them in jail) had swiftly abandoned them, whereas their families (whose advice they had mostly ignored and scorned) were as supportive as they could be throughout the process. Moreover, the fact that nearly all of the inmates had children provided hightened context and helped us focus on their imprisonment on a much more intense and personal level.

The other recurring warning was that of drug use. Even if they were not incarcerated for drug use or trafficking, the majority of the inmates I spoke had committed their crimes while under the influence of some narcotic. Perhaps most striking was the fact that nearly all of them had, at one point, only drank or only smoked weed, but had then moved on. In a more effective way then reading a Discipline Committee statement, these testimonies served as a clear warning.

In every regard, the prison visiting experience was a positive one that I will not soon forget. From the workshop prior to the trip to the discussions with inmates themselves, the trip was important, moving, and constructive, and I would recommend it to all of my classmates.

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