From Inside the Big House
Patrick Huseonica went behind prison walls with community leaders and outreach groups working to tackle gang violence. He writes about the experience.
With the sun glistening off the razor wire fence, solitude is soaked into the environment of the Jessup Correctional Institution (JCI) maximum-security facility in Jessup, Maryland. At the first security checkpoint identities are checked and items not permitted are stored in secure lockers. The next step was to walk through a metal detector, a full pat-down, and onto the next checkpoint as the guards signal the go-ahead. A large, thick metal door opens, leading into another containment area until a guard signals the control room to close the door and open the next metal door to yet another containing area. After more signals, a guard leads us outside to a pathway to the recreation building containing a gym and library. Outside, past the …
Val Hymes
12:22 pm on Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Good article and great comments. Proof that the community is interested in the issue. These men have built a community inside the walls and razor wire . Because of people like Jennifer, David, Art and Patrick, they are able to share their work with what they call the free world community. They hope to achieve minimum-security status one day so they may work directly with young people outside … more ›