Source: prismreports.org 1/28/25
Many so-called undesirables in prison fit into social categories like nerds, geeks, and weirdos. Just like on the outside, they are bullied and unaccepted
Dear Reader,
Prisons often lack humanity and are places where hope is far from abundant, and emotions are usually restrained. Lingering like a ghost in the corner, expressions of pain are often frowned upon by officers and incarcerated people alike, so trauma spreads inward and often goes unnoticed.
This reality is even more pronounced when the person experiencing the trauma is considered one of the prison’s undesirables. You might be wondering: What is an undesirable?
I’ll let Charles explain.
“I’m Charles,” said the shy, red-headed man, unable to meet my gaze. “But you already know that.”
“Tell us your story,” I invited him—always by invitation, never under any pressure. “Let everyone know why prison amplifies grief and misery.”
Charles laughed. His teeth are rotten and corroded, and his breath smells of coffee and disease. His eyes briefly meet mine, and he looks away.
He knows what I’m thinking.
“Everyone makes fun of me,” he said. “Well, everyone but you. But that’s not what we’re talking about. You want to know why everyone here hates me.”
Charles is an outcast, a pariah, a sex offender who fits the stereotypical description of a person you don’t want to meet in a dark alley or find standing in your bedroom when the lights are out. Only Charles isn’t anyone to fear.
How many CP charges are just like this man’s story. It’s almost textbook. I read that and thought, Man am I lucky. No jail time, probation and a couple of months until off registry. No matter how bad your situation may seem, someone has it worse.