Share Your Story

How has mass incarceration affected your life?

 

We are seeking stories from all perspectives — those of the incarcerated, their families, legal professionals, or anyone impacted by the criminal legal system. By sharing your experiences, you help put a human face to the numbers and statistics that are easy to ignore. Stories told by real people, their challenges, and their triumphs, are impossible to ignore. Your story matters, and it has the power to inspire change.

There is a profound stigma surrounding prison that silences many voices. However, it is crucial to talk about these experiences because so many remain unaware of the harsh realities of confinement, the intricacies of the legal process, and the injustices often embedded within plea deals and prosecutorial overreach. When someone is incarcerated, their family does the time too, sharing in the struggle and pain, enduring the emotional and financial burden.

Most people convicted of a crime were victims first, often coming from abusive backgrounds and enduring trauma long before their conviction. Their stories often reveal that they grew up without means, family or community support, access to education or other social services. Your story, or the story of the person you’ve supported while incarcerated, can shed light on these important truths. Whether it’s about the harsh realities of wrongful convictions, prison rules and infractions, inadequate medical care, social isolation, the heartbreak of mail and book rejections, the solidarity among prisoners, or the complexities of relationships with cellmates, officers, and family, we want to hear it all.

Please include the state and facility if you’re comfortable. All posts will remain anonymous unless you give express permission to share your identity.

We strive to be a voice for these individuals, helping to bridge the gap between those who have experienced the criminal legal system and those who have not. This connection is how change happens — one mind and heart at a time.

Push the button below or click ‘Contact’ on the main menu and fire away.