The Newsletter of North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, Inc.

NCPLS

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

ACCESS

HEPATITIS C INFECTION AND THE FACTS ABOUT TREATMENT
By Will Hawkins, Staff Medical Paralegal

Of all medical concerns within
North Carolina’s penitentiaries, one
of the most worrisome is the continually increasing number of
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
infected inmates. Each
month NCPLS receives
correspondence from
numerous HCV-infected
inmates who are concerned about their health
once they have been
diagnosed as an HCV
carrier.
An environment in which
large groups of individuals are living together in
tightly confined spaces
poses heightened risks
for the transmission of
viruses, bacteria, and
other pathogenic organisms. For the most part, infections
by bacteria, mycoplasmas, and protists can be effectively controlled
through the use of antibiotics and
antimicrobial agents. Viruses, on
the other hand, present completely
different challenges. The structure and physiology of viruses are
entirely different from the other
mentioned microbes and are not
affected by antimicrobial and antibiotic agents.
A “street” patient diagnosed with
HCV infection can become overwhelmed and emotionally devastated to learn that he or she has a

potentially life-threatening disease.
Even with the support of family,
friends, and the ability to consult
freely with clinicians about their

(protective) measures concerning the spread of HCV. However,
inmates who have been diagnosed
with HCV are too often informed
of the condition without
an adequate explanation
or information to help the
patient fully understand
or cope with the problem.
The lack of current and
complete information
regarding the inmate’s
HCV infection only adds
further confusion, fear,
and anxiety to an already
stressful situation.
For example, many
inmates cannot understand why they are not
receiving any form of
treatment once they have
been diagnosed as HCV
positive. It can be confusing when

disease, many people outside of
prison’s walls find it extremely
(Continued on Page 4)
difficult to manage the stress and
depression resulting from having a
Inside this Issue:
possibly fatal infection. The impact on an inmate can be even more
Hepatitis C Infection and the Facts
pronounced. Unlike a “street”
About Treatment
patient, the inmate lacks the immediate support of family and friends TROSA -- Triangle Residential
and thus must bear the hardship
Options for Substance Abusers
alone. An inmate’s ability to
25 Years of Service -- NCPLS
research the disease is limited, and
Anniversary Celebration a Success
available materials are often times
outdated. It seems to be the case
Participate in Politics
that DOC makes a concerted effort
to educate inmates on the mode
Analyze Details
of transmission and prophylactic

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2
3
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9

NCPLS ACCESS

Page 2
ACCESS is a publication of North
Carolina Prisoner Legal Services,
Inc. Established in 1978, NCPLS is a
non-profit, public service organization.
The program is governed by a Board
of Directors who are designated by
various organizations and institutions,
including the North Carolina Bar
Association, the North Carolina
Association of Black Lawyers, the
North Carolina Association of Women
Attorneys, and law school deans at
UNC, Duke, NCCU, Wake Forest and
Campbell.
NCPLS serves a population of more
than 33,500 prisoners and 14,000 pretrial detainees, providing information
and advice concerning legal rights and
responsibilities, discouraging frivolous
litigation, working toward administrative resolutions of legitimate problems,
and providing representation in all
State and federal courts to ensure
humane conditions of confinement and
to challenge illegal convictions and
sentences.

Board of Directors
President, Gary Presnell
Jim Blackburn
Representative Alice L. Bordsen
James A. Crouch, Esq.
Barry Nakell, Esq.
Susan Olive, Esq.
Professor Grady Jessup
Marilyn G. Ozer, Esq.
Professor Michelle Robertson
Lou Ann Vincent, C.P.A.
Fred Williams, Esq.
Professor Ronald F. Wright
Executive Director
Michael S. Hamden, Esq.
Editor
Patricia Sanders, CLA
PLEASE NOTE: ACCESS is published

four (4) times a year.

Articles, ideas and suggestions are
welcome: tsanders@ncpls.org

TROSA (Triangle Residential
Options for Substance Abusers), is
a non-profit, two-year residential
drug and alcohol treatment program located in Durham, North
Carolina. Since its inception in
1993, TROSA has offered services
to hundreds of recovering addicts.
Currently, TROSA houses approximately 300 residents, around 70 of
whom are women.
In addition to supplying residents
with the basics (food, clothing, and
shelter), TROSA’s primary functions are to provide therapy,
occupational training, and an environment that supports recovery.
Residents receive computer training, and if they did not graduate
from high school, the opportunity
to earn a high school equivalency
diploma. Residents are expected to
work during their time at the
program and are trained in one of
TROSA’s businesses (such as the
moving company, lawn care, or
catering), or in a vocational skill
(such as construction, security, or
transportation). By learning a skill
or trade, graduates of the program
who previously did not have a
career direction are better equipped
to face the future with a positive
attitude.

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

TROSA does good work. When
NCPLS relocated its office earlier this year, TROSA bid for and
won the moving contract. TROSA
employees were friendly, hardworking, and responsive to our
needs. Putting forth extra effort,
TROSA met all expectations and
did a great job.
TROSA is open to the public; however, there is a specific procedure
to follow to be accepted into the
program. Applicants are welcome
to write a letter requesting help
with their specific addiction. If
interested, a person may write to:
TROSA
Attn: Intake Department
1820 James Street
Durham, NC 27707.
The motto of TROSA, “each one,
teach one,” only hints at the support countless residents have given
and received from each other over
the years. But no one has the
power to turn someone else around
to another way of living. That
power lies within each of us. If
you truly are ready to change your
life, TROSA can give you the tools
you need to help you succeed.

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

NCPLS ACCESS

Page 3

25 YEARS OF SERVICE –
NCPLS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION A SUCCESS
On March 26th, NCPLS celebrated
25 years of service to North Carolina prisoners. The event was combined with an open house at our
new office on Wake Forest Road
in Raleigh and was attended by
NCPLS staff, members of the
Board of Directors, and many
other notable dignitaries. Illustrious guests included State
Representative (and new NCPLS
Board Member) Alice L. Bordsen, Michelle S. Cofied (Director, Public Service Activities, NC
Bar Association), LaVee Hamer
and Deborah McSwain (DOC
Office of the General Counsel),
LaFonda Jones (NC-FAMM),
Evelyn J. Studer (Research
Triangle Institute International),
Bill Hart (Office of the Attorney
General and member of the NC
Sentencing & Policy Advisory
Commission), Jane
Manning-Moore (NC
Academy of Trial Lawyers), George Hausen
(Executive Director,
Legal Aid of North
Carolina), and Raleigh
attorneys Travis Payne
and Robert J. Willis.
Visitors were given
a tour of the NCPLS
facility that included an
explanation of the structure of our organization,
a description of the way
we deliver services to our
clients, and a demonstration of the technology that allows
us to handle the work efficiently.

Guests enjoyed music provided
by “Olah’s String Quartet,” and
wonderful food catered by Lady
Fingers, a Raleigh business.
The evening’s festivities culminated in the presentation of a
plaque honoring Board Member
Barry Nakell. Mr. Nakell represented plaintiffs in the original
case that recognized the right
of prisoners to assistance in
accessing the courts. Bounds v.
Smith, 430 U.S. 817 (1977). Mr.
Nakell, who played a central role
in the creation of NCPLS, has
continuously served on the Board
of Directors since the program
was established in 1978.
Senior Attorney Richard E. Giroux
was presented a plaque in honor
of his 25 years of service to North
Carolina inmates. Also
honored were Finance
Officer Rick Lennon
and Executive Director
Michael S. Hamden. In
remarks bringing the
celebration to a close,
Mr. Hamden expressed
gratitude for the opportunity to serve inmates,
appreciation for the
strong support NCPLS
has received from
the community, and a
renewed commitment to
Senior Attoney Richard E. Giroux receiving
the program’s mission
his plaque for 25 years of services with NCPLS
– to provide legal advice
and assistance of the
highest quality to North Carolina
prisoners.

Page 4

NCPLS ACCESS

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

HEPATITIS C
(CONTINUED)

(Continued from Page 1)

such a patient sees a fellow inmate
with HIV (AIDS virus) receive a
steady antiviral regimen for his
condition, while the Hepatitis C
patient does not. It can be especially disconcerting that one inmate
infected with HCV may be given
treatment, while others may not.
This article is intended to provide
information about the effectiveness
of treatment for HCV infection,
and statistics that help explain why
treatment is provided in some
cases, but not in others.
AZT and other antiviral “cocktails”
(several medications given together) have proved to be very
effective for HIV/AIDS patients. In
HIV-infected pregnant mothers, for
example, the use of antiviral drug
regimens can actually prevent the
transmission of HIV to unborn children. Today, a diagnosis of HIV is
not a “death sentence” as it was in
the early to mid-1980’s. People
infected with HIV can now live
fairly normal, long lives by taking
their antiviral medications. The
cost of those medications has been
significantly reduced as a result of
advocacy efforts, pressures brought
by the U.S. government, and concessions made by U.S. pharmaceutical companies. Consequently,
HIV/AIDS medications are cheaper
and available to patients who
would not have been able to afford
the drugs 10-15 years ago.
With the success of newer HIV
medications, why hasn’t the HCV
patient reaped similar benefits and

outcomes? The answer is simple;
the HIV medications are more
effective and less costly.
The Hepatitis C Virus has at least
six different genotypes. In the past,
transmission most commonly
occurred through blood transfusions. Recently, transmission
trends have shifted. Over 50% of
new cases are being attributed to
patient histories of intravenous
drug use. Intranasal cocaine (snorting) and body piercing produce a
significant number of new HCV
cases each year, but sexual transmission and mother-to-infant
transmission rates remain low.
However, having multiple sex partners remains a significant risk for
contracting the virus. Transmission
during bloody altercations (fights)
has also been reported in several
patients, but the way transmission
occurs is unknown.
In the U.S., it is believed that there
are approximately 2.7 million HCV
carriers. But 1.3 million previously
infected patients have actually
cleared the virus from their bodies.
The incubation period of HCV (the
time it takes for the virus to cause a
response from the body) is usually
6-7 weeks. The initial infection is
very mild and may produce no
obvious symptoms until it progresses to a chronic stage. HCV
may contribute to other detrimental
conditions in the patient such as
pulmonary fibrosis, lymphoma, and
it can complicate Type-2 diabetes
mellitus.

Diagnosis of HCV is based on the
body’s production of antibodies
to HCV. These antibodies are not
protective against the virus, but
they can be crucial indicators of the
presence of the virus in a given
patient. There have been occasional cases of individuals that had
anti-HCV antibodies in the circulatory system but did not have the
virus. In these cases, elevated antibody counts were attributed to a
past infection of HCV.
HCV infection can be classified as
acute (the initial mild infection) or
chronic (the ongoing and established infection). At least 80% of
all patients with acute Hepatitis C
eventually progress to the chronic
stage. This is troubling since antiviral treatment is most successful
when administered during the acute
stage.
In patients older than 20 years,
20% of Hepatitis C patients experience cirrhosis (hardening) of the
liver. Increased risk is found in
patients who drink more than 50
grams of alcohol per day. There is
also an increased risk for progression to cirrhosis in patients that
acquire the virus after the age of
40.
The drugs Interferon alpha and
Ribivirin are used in combination
over a 24-week period to provide
antiviral therapy for HCV. These
drugs act to bring ALT levels (a
liver enzyme) back to normal and
(Continued on Page 5)

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

NCPLS ACCESS

Page 5

HEPATITIS C
(Continued on Page 5)

to decrease inflammation of the
liver in up to 50% of the patients
that receive the
regimen. An individual who does
not have cirrhosis
of the liver has a
greater chance for
a successful outcome. But patients
with compensated
cirrhosis (a hardening liver that continues to function
fairly well) should
not be excluded
from receiving
antiviral treatment.
After the 24-week
regimen has been
completed, only
30-50% of the
treated patients
that responded to
the medication will
actually maintain improvement.
Simply put, at best, only half of the
treated patients actually respond
positively to the antiviral medications. Of that half, 50-70% suffer a
relapse and develop HCV complications. Black HCV patients tend
to have a lower response rate to
treatment than white patients due to
the prevalence of genotype 1 HCV
found in black populations.
A 24-week treatment regimen of
Interferon alpha and Ribivirin costs
about $8000 and has several side

(CONTINUED)

effects, ranging from flu-like
symptoms to psychiatric disease

and depression. In patients with
decompensated cirrhosis (a hardening liver with impaired function),
Interferon cannot be used. In
patients over 65 years old, Ribivirin should be avoided due to effects
on the blood that may lead to
angina or stroke.
Given the limited effectiveness of
existing medications in treating
HCV, and in light of the cost and
the serious side-effects these medications can produce, it seems clear
that HCV antiviral treatment should

not be prescribed in every case.
Indeed, a comparatively small
number of those
who have HCV can
expect to benefit
from antiviral treatment. However,
the Interferon
alpha and Ribivirin
combination is the
best treatment the
can be offered, at
present, and it does
offer some hope to
a limited number of
patients.
Prevention is still
the best way to
fight the health consequences of HCV
infection. Study
the guidelines for
preventing the
spread of bloodborne pathogens
and avoid behaviors that increase
the risk of infection,
especially if you are a carrier.
Questions about HCV infection and
treatment may be directed to health
care professionals at your facility,
and you can write to the National
Institutes of Health, Building 1,
1 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD
20892 (NIH Consensus Statement:
116. Management of Hepatitis C
– Final Statement 9/12/2002)
(reflecting an assessment of medical knowledge available at the time
the statement was written).

Page 6

PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS

Through the electoral process,
citizens choose their political representatives and shape governmental
policy on a broad range of issues.
Voting is perhaps the single most
important responsibility of citizenship.
This November, voters will elect
the next United States President
and choose representatives at every
level of government, including
Congress, state legislatures, and
local government. Elected officials
will pass laws and set policies that
will affect virtually every aspect of
our lives, including the enactment
of new criminal laws, the refinement of correctional policy, and a
host of other matters.
The opinion of every citizen matters. As you may recall, the last
presidential contest was ultimately
decided on a margin of a few hundred votes.
Obviously, it is important to educate yourself about the candidates
and the issues. You can affect the
outcome of elections by sharing
your views with family members,
friends, policy-makers and elected
officials, by contributing (even
modest sums) to political campaigns, and, if you are eligible, by
voting.
Barriers to Participation
Eligibility to vote is a matter of
state law, and most states deny the
right to people who are serving
time for felony convictions.
(Maine and Vermont are the only
exceptions.) Indeed, many states
disenfranchise people who have

NCPLS ACCESS

been convicted of a felony, even
after they have served their time
and have been released from
prison. Twelve states impose a
life-long prohibition on convicted
felons. Such policies have a devastating impact on democracy and
representative government.
Presently, the United States has
the highest rate of incarceration in
the world. America has a prison
population of more than two million people. But laws that bar
convicted felons from voting also
affect an estimated 2.5 million
people who have served their time.
In total, about 4.5 million people,
or 2% of the electorate, are prohibited from voting by law.
Because the prison population is
disproportionately comprised of
African Americans, the impact
is greatest on the minority community. It is estimated that 13%
of African American males have
felony convictions and are ineligible to vote.
Laws that disenfranchise so many
of our citizens deprive our nation
of the views and experience of a
significant segment of our population, skewing election results and
undermining the development of
sound public policies on a wide
range of issues, including most
especially criminal justice policies.
Reasons for Hope?
A 1998 report by the Sentencing
Project and Human Rights Watch
brought these issues to national
attention. A broad coalition of
advocates and organizations came

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

together to educate lawmakers and
the public about the impact of
disenfranchisement policies and
to urge reform. As a result, some
progress has been achieved. For
example, a Harris poll conducted
in July 2002 showed that 80% of
Americans believe that voting
rights should be restored to felons
who have completed their sentences.
This initiative has also met with
some success in legislatures across
the nation. Connecticut repealed a
voting ban that prohibited felons on
probation from voting. Delaware
repealed a lifetime voting ban for
some felons, but imposed a fiveyear waiting period. Maryland
repealed a lifetime ban for most
repeat offenders after a three-year
waiting period. In Nevada, a ban
on voting for first-time nonviolent
felons was repealed. New Mexico
repealed a lifetime ban on people
convicted of felonies. Texas eliminated a two-year waiting period
before felons can vote. Virginia
made it easier for nonviolent, firsttime felons to get their voting
rights restored, and Wyoming
repealed a ban for first-time nonviolent felons, but imposed a fiveyear waiting period. In addition
to these developments, favorable
legislation is pending in a number
of other state legislatures.
Last year, the Sentencing Project
estimated that about a half a million people had their right to vote
restored.
But not all of the news is good.
For instance, Kansas expanded a
(Continued on Page 7)

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

NCPLS ACCESS

PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS
(CONTINUED)

(Continued from Page 6)

prohibition on felons’ voting rights
(ostensibly to clarify uncertainty
under state law). And two states,
Massachusetts and Utah, eliminated the right of felons to vote
while in prison.
Get Involved
Participation in national elections
among eligible voters hovers
around 50%. Recent elections
have been decided on very narrow
margins. Under these circumstances, it surpasses understanding
that a nation so deeply committed
to democracy would permit the
summary exclusion of a significant
percentage of the electorate from

participation in the electoral
process. It makes even less
sense to prohibit the participation of people who have been
marginalized by society, or
those we hope will develop a
deeper understanding of the
duties of citizenship. You
can help to bring about much
needed reform, your views are
important, and policy-makers
need to hear from you.
Educate yourself on the
candidates and the issues. In
addition to news articles and
broadcasts, information is
available from a diverse range
of political parties, including:

Democratic National Committee
430 S. Capital Street, SE
Washington, DC 20023

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003

Grassroots Party
P.O. Box 6197
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Green Party USA
P.O. Box 1134
Lawrence, MA 01642

Internet Party
P.O. Box 67
Germantown, MD 20875-0067

Libertarian Party
2600 Virginia Ave., NW
Suite 100
Washington, DC 20037

Natural Law Party
P.O. Box 1900
Fairfield, IA 52556

Prohibition Party
P.O. Box 2635
Denver, CO 80201

Reform Party
P.O. Box 9
Dallas, TX 75221

Socialist Party USA
339 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10001

U.S. Pacifist Party
52223 E. 21st Avenue #2
Denver, CO 80205

U.S. Taxpayers Party
450 Maple Avenue
East Vienna, VA 22180
(Continued on Page 8)

Page 7

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Page 8

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS
(CONTINUED)

(Continued from Page 7)

Learn more about your right to vote
by contacting the board of elections in your state. Additionally,
information is available from the
Federal Elections Commission,
999 E Street, NW, Washington, DC
20463.
Finally, share your views and opinions with family members, friends,
policy-makers and elected officials.
Even if you cannot vote at present,
your ideas can influence others and
affect public policy. Make your
voice heard.
If you are Eligible, Vote
Misdemeanants
In North Carolina, being convicted
of committing a misdemeanor does
not mean that you lose your right
to vote. You can even vote while
serving your sentence. Follow the
steps below so that you can vote in
the next election.
Step 1 - Register to Vote
* If you are not already registered
to vote, you can register by mail.
Write or call your County Board of
Elections office to request a mail-in
voter registration form.
* When completing the registration form, you can use your home
address (if you know where you
will be living after completing your
sentence) or your prison address
as your permanent address. You
should use the prison address for
your mailing address.

* You will receive information in
the mail from the County Board of
Elections telling you which precinct you will vote in and where
you can go to vote.

address where the ballot is to be
mailed. It is helpful to include
your date of birth, your near
relative=s address, and their relationship to you.

* Mail in the completed form to the
local County Board of Elections. It
must be received 25 days before
the election.

* If the Board of Elections determines that you are qualified to
vote, they will mail the ballot to
you after they receive your written
request.

Step 2 - Vote
* If you are going to complete
serving your sentence before the
election, you can vote after your
release at your assigned polling
place or by absentee ballot. If you
are going to be incarcerated on
election day, you can still vote by
absentee ballot.

* When you receive the ballot,
mark your votes and mail it back to
the County Board of Elections. In
order to be counted, your ballot
must be received in the County
Board of Elections office by 5:00
p.m. on the day before the election.

* You can register to vote and
request an absentee ballot at
the same time. If you do so,
be sure that both are mailed
early enough to arrive at the
County Board of Elections no
later than 25 days before the
election.
* To vote by absentee ballot,
you must send a signed, written
request to the County Board of
Elections beginning 50 days
before election day. Written
requests must be received in
the office no later than the
Tuesday before election day.
The request must be signed
by you or your near relative.
It must include your name
and address as they appear on
the registration records, and the
(Continued on Page 9)

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Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

Page 9

PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS
(CONTINUED)

(Continued from Page 8)

Former Felons
When people are convicted of a
felony in North Carolina, they lose
their citizenship rights, including the right to vote. However,
these rights are automatically
restored when a person convicted
of a felony completes his sentence
(including parole), is unconditionally pardoned, or completes the
terms of a conditional pardon.
If you have completed your sentence for a felony conviction or
have been pardoned, you are
eligible to vote in North Carolina.
In order to vote in North Carolina
elections, follow the steps listed
below:

You can register at any time after
completing your sentence.
* You can register by writing or
calling your County Board of Elections office to request a mail-in
voter registration form.
* For the address section of the
registration form, use your permanent home address.
* Mail in the completed form to the
local County Board of Elections at
least 25 days before the election.
* You will receive information in
the mail from the County Board of
Elections telling you which precinct you will vote in and where
you go to vote.

Step 1 - Register to Vote

Step 2 - Vote

* Former convicted felons must
register to vote even if you were
registered before your conviction.

* You can vote at your designated
polling place or by absentee ballot.

* For directions on how to vote by
absentee ballot, see Step 2 on Page
8.
Additional Information
For additional information on voter
registration, absentee ballots, or
to get the address of your County
Board of Elections, write to:
State Board of Elections
P.O. Box 27255
Raleigh, NC 27611-7255
(919) 733-7173
www.sboe.state.nc.us
You may contact NCPLS for advice
and legal assistance regarding your
right to vote, as well as any other
matters that arise in connection
with the conditions in which you
are incarcerated.

ANALYZE DETAILS

By Michael G. Santos
(Reg. No. 16377-004 - FCI Florence, Colorado)

Editor’s Note: The following articles,
“Analyze Details,” and “Never Lose
Focus,” follow a series of articles by
federal inmate Michael G. Santos.
They are republished in ACCESS by
permission of the author. Mr. Santos
was convicted of drug distribution and
sentenced to serve 45 years in federal
prison. He is scheduled for release in
2013. While in prison he has earned
Bachelors and Masters Degrees. He
has also written three books available
for review and purchase on his web
site: www.MichaelSantos.net.

Although he does not have direct
access to the internet, Mr. Santos
can be reached by email at:
info@michaelsantos.net. He can also
be reached by writing to him at the
following address: Michael G. Santos
(Reg. No. 16377-004), Federal Correctional Institution – Florence, Teller
6-212, P.O. Box 5000, Florence, CO
81266-5000.

_____________________

Although I am in my 17th year of
prison, I have never felt the need

to carry a weapon. Other prisoners
do not understand how I have made
it through so many years living in
maximum-, medium-, and lowsecurity prisons without a single
altercation of violence.
The answer is quite simple. I made
a conscious choice to succeed.
Doing so does not require a knife
or a steel pipe to defend myself. It
requires me to analyze details and
(Continued on Page 10)

Page 10

(Continued from Page 9)

to consider the ramifications that
follow every step I take. Rather
than serving time, by analyzing
details, I have learned to make time
serve me.
Carnalito chose a different path.
Like me, Carnalito was arrested
and sentenced when he was 23.
He received nine years for convictions related to the distribution of
cocaine. I had over a decade of
imprisonment behind me when I
met Carnalito, and as I do with
many young prisoners, I began
working to guide him in acquiring
skills that would help him succeed
upon release.
I tutored him in preparation for the
high school equivalency exam.
Initially, Carnalito was eager to
pass the test. He expressed hopes
of enrolling in a college program
that would lead to a degree before
his release. Somewhere along the
way, however, Carnalito became
discouraged with the work. Rather
than persisting through the studies
and exercises that we had been
working on, Carnalito insisted that
he needed a break. He dropped
out. He began dawdling his days in
depthless games of dominos and
cards, looking for excitement
through gambling and immersing
himself in the prison social scene.
As frequently happens with such
choices, Carnalito found himself in
a scuffle before long. The results
of that fight led to feelings of emasculation in Carnalito. He procured
a weapon made from razor blades,
then slashed his nemesis repeat-

NCPLS ACCESS

ANALYZE DETAILS

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

(CONTINUED)

edly across the face, neck, and
shoulders. Determined to exact his
revenge, Carnalito sliced the man’s
flesh as if he were dicing tomatoes.
And as a consequence, Carnalito
was prosecuted.
Following his conviction for that
assault, my young student received
three additional years of confinement. They were tacked onto the
end of what had begun as a nineyear sentence. Now, instead of
being released in his early 30s,
Carnalito will remain in prison for
at least a few additional years.
With the choices he is making,
there may be more to come.
Like Carnalito, many prisoners
fail to appreciate the consequences
that follow their decisions. By
eliminating possibilities for parole,
and minimizing opportunities to
advance release dates through good
time or any other means, legislators have zapped any hope that
once existed inside these caged
communities of felons. Rather
than focusing on steps that would
help his eventual return to society,
Carnalito allowed the pressures of
living in prison to suck him in.
Whereas he should be preparing
himself for the future, he lost
focus. Carnalito no longer sees
how the choices he makes expose
him to disaster and even more time
in confinement. Or worse.
As a long-term prisoner, I am not
immune from the pressures and
volatility that erupts behind these
walls. My commitment to succeed,
however, helps me make choices

that enable me to evade explosive
situations that can lead to steel
shanks in the neck, or the blow of a
heavy pipe slammed to the skull.
I play no table games, participate in
no team sports, and avoid television and group activities. The
many years I have served have
given me opportunities to analyze
the details of prison living, to
understand the possibilities that
accompany every decision.
Although prisoners cannot count on
correctional administrators to
implement policies that will assist
our preparations for release, we
must expect them to implement
swift and certain punishments to
any violation of prison rules.
These barbed-wire bureaucracies
come with high-voltage tensions,
and in order to avoid their torment,
which can come with the quickness
of an electrical shock, prisoners are
wise to persist toward their goals.
Carnalito knew the course that
could have led to his success. By
deviating from it, he regressed to
patterns of behavior that inevitably
lead to failure.
The books I have written describe
how others have adjusted to confinement. Those who succeed
have mastered the art of analyzing
details. In the following article, I
describe how such prisoners keep
focus.

(Continued on Page 11)

Volume IV, Issue 2, June 2004

(Continued from Page 10)

NEVER LOSE FOCUS
An old prison maxim holds that
while serving time, men should
forget about the world outside
the fences. Those who subscribe
to such a code of living refuse to
allow free-world problems – no
matter how personal – to influence
their adjustment. Such prisoners
consider their predicament so dire
that they force themselves to live
completely within the fences,
ignoring the collateral complications of their convictions. It is a
loser’s approach to serving time.
Those who choose success understand that they cannot narcotize
themselves with music videos, soap
operas, and frivolous talk shows.
They understand that every minute
counts, and have no room in their
busy schedules for table games,
prison rackets, or hibernation.
Instead, prisoners who succeed recognize the direct relationship that
exists between the choices they
make during confinement and their
probability to prosper upon release.
For them, prison represents a viper
pit from which they struggle to
emerge. Their bodies may be confined, but the minds of successful
prisoners are constantly engaged
with strategies they can pursue to
prepare for the challenges ahead.
They are in focus.
When an ostrich is being pursued,
it buries its head in the sand and
believes itself unseen. Prisoners
should not mimic the ostrich. They
should not avoid the complications
that accompany confinement by
ignoring them. Decisions in their

NCPLS ACCESS

ANALYZE DETAILS

Page 11

(CONTINUED)

past may have contributed to the
temporary loss of liberty, but every
prisoner ought to realize that the
decisions we make today determine
the future we face tomorrow.
Prisoners, like all citizens, ignore
this reality at their peril. A better
approach is to anticipate the obstacles that are sure to follow imprisonment, and to take proactive steps
in response to them.
I am in my 17th year of this sentence. During each of the 6,000
days that I have been confined,
thoughts about the obstacles I
expect to encounter upon release
have tormented me. Comfort
wouldn’t come by burying my head
in the sand. I knew that ignoring
the obstacles would only hurt me
further. Instead, I needed to realize and accept that many people
in society would not welcome me
with open arms. I expect that many
will feel threatened by my long
prison record, that I always will
be judged for the bad decisions I
made at 23. My criminal record is
a stigma that I expect to carry with
me for the rest of my life. And I
know I cannot hide from it.
I expect that I’ll be nearly 50 when
I finish this term. No credit history
and no work experience, many of
the accoutrements most 50-yearolds take for granted, will be missing from my life. After more than
26 consecutive years of imprisonment, landlords may be reluctant
to have me as a tenant. Employers
may not want to hire me. Citizens
may not want me in their neighborhood. These are some of the obstacles that I expect to complicate my

life upon release. Acknowledging them from the beginning has
helped me keep my focus.
The anxiety that comes with my
expectations for release inspired
me to educate myself. If I am
better educated, I might succeed in
persuading others to give me a
chance despite my long history of
confinement. I also work to open a
network of support and to open
relationships with law-abiding
citizens who might provide the references I will need upon my
release. And through the years of
my confinement, I constantly look
to create opportunities that allow
me to contribute to society. Focusing on these goals, I hope, will help
me navigate around the challenges
that I expect to follow confinement.
Some think that I go overboard
with my monomaniacal focus on
the future. But I have seen too
many people finish one prison term
and return for second and third
terms in these caged communities.
After years of lounging through
confinement, they were not prepared for the obstacles and challenges that came upon release. I
became convinced that those who
fail to prepare, prepare themselves
to fail. Those who choose success,
conversely, never lose focus of the
goals they struggle to reach.
No man should resign himself to
the monotonous banalities of prison
life. The television and games and
rackets are distractions that serve
no purpose other than the wasting
of time. It is better to focus. It is
better to choose success.

THE NEWSLETTER OF NORTH CAROLINA
PRISONER LEGAL SERVICES, INC.
1110 Wake Forest Road
P.O. Box 25397
Raleigh, NC 27611
Phone: (919) 856-2200
Fax: (919) 856-2223
Email: tsanders@ncpls.org

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