We returned yesterday after 19 days on the road. Laura and I presented seminars for about 350 men and women in several jails and prisons in Florida and Virginia. We also dropped some of our books off at correctional facilities we happened to pass in our travels so that staff there can make them available to the inmates they serve.
We had many interesting and varied experiences on this trip both inside and outside the razor wire. In addition to our “prisontations” listed below, we witnessed two launches from the Kennedy Space Center—one was the last night-time launch in the Space Program.
Our trip started one day earlier than expected to avoid the snow and ice storms in Virginia and The Carolinas. Packing so quickly to get out of town fast meant forgetting a few things, but we managed. We also missed both blizzards at home in Delaware. Fortunately we are blessed with wonderful neighbors who plowed our driveway and sidewalk so we could get inside our home.
Below are some details (in reverse order) about our experiences behind bars this month:
Mecklenburg County Jail
Boydton, Virginia (population 469)
15 February 2010
Presented 8 mini-seminars for a total of about 112 men and women. This was a unique experience, as we spoke to the inmates in a narrow hallway outside their cells through the bars. Ironically, it was well received. Much appreciation to Penny Patton and Morgan Moss, founders of the “Community Model Association of America (CMAA),” who oversee the programs at the jail and who sponsored our presentations and books for the inmates. For more details
click here to see a pdf file with an article about this jail visit.
Note: The article on Feb. 24, 2010, entitled "Library, Sheriff bring 'Chicken Soup' to prisoners" is from the South Hill Enterprise (www.southhillenterprise.com).
Baskerville Correctional Center
Baskerville, Virginia
15 February 2010
Book drop for the chaplain who will make our books available to the inmates there.
Brevard County Jail
Cocoa, Florida
10 February 2010
Book drop and met with one of their counselors who agreed to make our books available to the inmates.
Brevard Correctional Institution
Cocoa, Florida
10 February 2010
Presented a 90-minute seminar for about 100 males. This prison is designated as a Youthful Offender facility housing more than 1,000 males between the ages of 19 and 24 years old. Our group included new entries and those headed for re-entry in the next few months. They were a challenging group.
Martin Correctional Institution
Indiantown, Florida
3 February 2010
Presented an hour seminar for about 40 men and volunteers in the chapel after their Catholic Eucharistic service and blessings of throats. Our thanks to the Catholic Chaplain who funded dozens of our books for the men at this facility, as well as Okeechobee Correctional Institution.
The Palm Beach County Central Detention Center
West Palm Beach, Florida
2 February 2010
Presented a 2-hour seminar for about 100 male and female inmates in the Substance Treatment and Recovery Program (STAR), aka The Drug Farm. This is a structured, intensive, therapeutic treatment program for substance abuser. Managed by strict military discipline, the STAR Program offers a supportive clinical setting conducive to promoting a personal process of recovery for each inmate. Several times the inmates responded, "Sir, Yes, Sir." This group was one of the best we’ve experienced in more than 100 presentations behind bars. Programs like STAR should be in more facilities. Quite impressive.
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