Yo Bobert!

My wife Barbara worked for years with an organization called "Peace Between People." Among other things, PBP conducted Alternatives to Violence workshops both in the community and in the prisons. Barbara was one of the Alternatives to Violence facilitators, and she and a number of other facilitators (all volunteers—they didn't get paid to do this) spent a lot of time over the years in the state prisons and reformatories doing these workshops. I can't give you any statistics, but both Barbara and I know a whole batch of guys who really turned their lives around and are now out, making a living for themselves, keeping their noses clean, and living as regular contributing members of society. Interesting when you consider that some of the prison official were dubious of the whole thing, and had an attitude of "I think it's a waste of time, but its your time, so be our guests." There were, of course, two or three who went through the workshops who didn't make it, but in the main, this kind of rehabilitation effort is very effective and really pays off.

Unfortunately, this kind of program depends on groups such as Peace Between People and other "bleeding-heart liberals and do-gooders" or they just don't happen. More than one prisoner made the statement that "it really makes a difference to know that somebody really cares what happens to us." If this kind of thing was as a regular part of the prison system's rehabilitation program (if any), it could make a huge difference. But—selling something like "alternatives to violence" to a system that considers violence to be an essential part of its overall methods isn't an easy thing to do.

Don Firth