Treatment Instead of Prison - A Cost Effective Alternative

A recent audit of Wisconsin's inmate population identified 31% of prisoners as having some form of mental illness. The Women of Block 12 are no exception. They talk openly about their depression and anxiety or family history of mental illness. Some are aware of more serious diagnoses such as bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia. Many medicate themselves with drugs and alcohol believing they are just plain losers.

The issue of undiagnosed, untreated, mental illness is a major problem for our nation's prisons and jails. Punishment of the mentally ill is inhumane and archaic. We need a more effective system of care that prevents incarceration. Communities across the country are exploring treatment alternatives that are proving to be more effective and less expensive.

In a June 26th article from the Albany Times Union, writer Paul Grondal, discusses one program for dealing with mentally ill individuals who would otherwise go to jail.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=814095&category=REGION&TextPage=1

Please visit my website: http://www.lindapischke.com

The War On Drugs

The Women of Block 12 rarely discuss their criminal cases but they readily admit to their addictions and the shame of being incarcerated. Over the past 7 years, I have learned the following:

• The women grieve the things they have lost as a result of their choices - jobs, homes, family ties, reputations, the right to care for their children.
• For many this is not their first arrest but just one stop in a seemingly endless cycle of substance abuse and incarceration. Their drugs of choice include alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines, heroin, and others.
• Many are mentally ill and take drugs to self-medicate.
• They feel helpless to change their circumstances.
• Most are non-violent offenders incarcerated for crimes related to their addiction.
• According to the Department of Justice, the Women of Block 12 belong to a growing population of over one million non-violent offenders incarcerated in prisons and jail across the United States. These offenses involve neither harm, nor threat of harm, to a victim.
• Offenders, such as these women, are hopelessly entangled in "the war on drugs" a flawed system of beliefs and policies that has failed to solve the problem of their criminal activities.
• There can be no end to the cycle of addiction and incarceration until we see clear to separate those who have social and medical needs from those who are violent offenders.

Do You Remember Me?

One evening, in the visitor's lobby of the jail, a young woman walked up to me. "Linda, do you remember me?" she asked.

I scanned my memory for recognition and before I could answer, she filled me in. "I'm Tanya from Block 12. I was in your class last year. I'm going to college now and I'm doing really good!"

She put her arm around the young girl standing next to her. "Honey, this is one of the ladies who took care of mommy when she was away."

The Tanya I remembered bore no resemblance to the beautifully groomed, self-assured young woman who stood before me. A year ago, in our jail ministry class, she looked like all the others, tired, depressed and dressed in orange. What a joy to see her on the outside!

"I came to visit a friend," she said giving me a hug. "I knew you'd be here tonight. It's Wednesday. You always came on Wednesdays. I can't thank you enough."

You're welcome, Tanya. Your success is all the thanks I need.

Women Offenders

"Women tend to commit less violent offenses and are more known for committing what are commonly referred to as female offenses: prostitution, embezzlement, forgery, and counterfeiting." (Fact Sheet, female Offenders, Terri Adams-Fuller, Institute for public Safety & Justice, 2001).

This is truly a profile of the women we meet in our Jail Ministry group on Wednesday nights. While the women do not share the details of their offenses, they admit to many of the above mentioned crimes. Over the past seven years, many of the women have shared their personal stories for my upcoming book - The Women Of Block 12: Voices From A Jail Ministry.

Read Melissa's story, now posted at http://www.thewomenofblock12.com.

Holy Ground

When I visit the county jail, on Wednesday nights, there is never a time when I feel afraid or threatened. Of course, officers in the control room watch our every move and each volunteer wears an alarm for emergencies. The alarms work very well, by the way. We tend to be careless and set them off from time to time.

But my sense of security comes from another source. Christ calls us to visit him in prison (Matthew 25:36) and I believe he is there when we answer the call.

Music At The Jail

Thirty years ago, I met a praying woman who changed the course of my life and although her name is erased from my memory, her ministry is not. She led a women's prayer group at the church I was attending and taught us how to praise God with words and music. She would offer a prayer and teach us a song (accompanied on her auto harp) - prayer, song, prayer, song until the petitions of everyone in the room were brought before the Lord. Only then would the evening end.

I saved all the copies of those songs. A few years ago, I rediscovered them while rummaging in the bottom of the piano bench, bought myself an auto harp (the new electronic one by Suzuki), practiced awhile, and took it to the jail.

Every Wednesday night we sing our little hearts out and the women tell me it's the best part of our time together. They memorize those songs and take them home to their families or on to prison, sharing them with other inmates.

THANK YOU music and worship lady - whoever you are! You have blessed hundreds with your ministry.

Our Heart's Desire

We had fifteen women in the Wednesday night group. The limit is twelve but I have a hard time saying 'no.' While passing out pencils and notebooks, I commented, to one of the regulars, that some of them might show up for the free stuff.

"Oh, no!" she said. "We discourage that in the block. I tell them not to bother coming to this group unless they want to learn something. "

We read excerpts from Joyce Meyer's new book, 100 Ways to Simplify Your Life. The topic was "Follow Your Heart." They were asked to think about their heart's desire - what God has called them to do.

All fifteen raised their hand to speak. The usual giggling and silliness stopped, for a moment as each listened to the dreams of the others.

"I want to get clean and sober and be an example for others."

" I want to be a good mother."

"I want to be a missionary."

I'd like to join the Peace Corps."

"I want to be a singer on American Idol."

"I'd like to volunteer in a NICU. My children were both preemies."

'I want to build homes for children in Africa."

The responses were both surprising and heartwarming. And while many of those dreams are unrealistic (for now) I believe God put them in their hearts to help them reach for higher goals. And if this moment of dreaming helps the women of Block 12 in their struggle toward sober living I have reached my own heart's desire for the day.