Blog
Letters From Prison: Hope is a Scarce Commodity
An excerpt of a letter from Rick in February of 2014, when he was still in county jail, and about six months before he was moved to prison. He writes about his idea to start Adopt an Inmate. I feel as though I am the most well-taken-care-of inmate in Del Valle. Having...
“Cruel and Unusual” is Not So Unusual in Prison
From a person who has been locked up almost 30 years in the custody of the Illinois department of corrections, I would have thought that communication married to reunification with family & friends would be the foundation (next to protecting society) to their...
Prison Is a Place
Prison is a place I have been for over half my life. I was 21 years-old when I stabbed a man during a fight that I started while drunk in 2001. I am guilty, and prison is a place I have been ever since. Prison is a place where I will turn 44 this month (April of...
Bobby Bostic and the Judge who sentenced him to 241 years in prison
Our friend Bobby Bostic has a familiar name for many with an interest in prison reform, and juvenile life sentences. Locked up at 16 years old for crimes committed as a juvenile, Judge Evelyn Baker sentenced him to 241 years in 1995, believing that teens had no...
Public Testimony and Moral Support Behind the Wall
The 2023 legislative session has begun in most states. My husband, Jacob Schmitt, drafted a bill to correct an injustice for a handful of Washington state prisoners, providing public testimony on January 23, 2023. I received the below note through Washington DOC's...
Jpay to Securus Conversion
FL, TX, and WA State Adopters: If your adoptee is in TDCJ (Texas state), FDC (Florida Dept. of Corrections), or WA DOC (Washington state), be aware that for emessaging, you're going to be faced with a Jpay to Securus conversion. If you have an existing Jpay account,...
Your support makes a difference for prisoners this giving season
Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and Giving Tuesday follows quickly after. If you haven't selected a nonprofit to donate to this year, this is a perfect time to support our work. Even small amounts make a big difference to those who can't be with their families. Your support...
