Prison Journalism: A tribute to those who never return home

Prison Journalism: A tribute to those who never return homeWesley Leong was incarcerated at the age of 15 in 1996 at Pollsmoor Prison. He is currently part of Restore's research and reintegration project.

by Wesley Leong

22-03-2024 08:13

in Prison Journalism

Prison yard

Image via Unsplash

Warning: The content contained within this article features imagery which readers may find disturbing.

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For all those that never get home ever! Every day, people are dying around us, whether it be due to old age, mistakes, or vehicle accidents, etc. One factor that does not get taken into consideration is the ones who pass away inside prison, the ones who never ever get to go home!

The Reality of Life Behind Bars Life inside prison raises the question: why? When you commit a crime of such horror or violence, you have to be held accountable for your actions, and sometimes you end up paying for it with your life behind prison bars. The crimes committed are so painful, and the hatred can never take it away, but we need to forgive them; they never ever get to go home!

Gang Violence Inside and Outside Inside prison, gang violence has taken so many inmates' lives that they are never taken into consideration by the world around us. Inmates are induced with gang violence whether they are involved with the number or not. Prison systems are not taking certain severity measures to ensure the safety of inmates; they never ever get to go home

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Correctional Officers and the Number Number gangs target not only inmates of opposition numbers but also correctional officers. In order for them to receive a higher rank in the number, they must kill a correctional officer. I have seen wardens who do their work and laze around and play games, not seeing it coming. They never ever get to go home!

Wrongfully Accused The justice system sometimes allows its flaws to sentence wrongfully accused inmates to prison. I have seen them either end up taking their own lives due to this or end up dying from violence due to being either extremely angry or scared. They are also never going to go home ever, due to this incompetence from the justice system.

What Life Is Really Worth Inside Prison Life is taken for granted inside and regarded as worthless when you are one inside prison; nobody cares about your safety. I have witnessed inmates lose their lives over the most senseless things ever. One morning, two inmates ended up stabbing one another with broken shards of glass. One was stabbed through his neck, and the other in his stomach. They never ever get to go home.

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At the end of it all, whether it changes inside or it does not, the moment you enter prison, you are in no man's land. No matter how severe the crime you committed or the wrong you have done, your chance of survival is very slim. If the number does not end up recruiting you or taking your life, you will find yourself involved with violent encounters. I know it is easier said than done, but we need to keep in mind that they, too, are also humans like us, sadly have made mistakes, but we need to forgive them if we are to be forgiven. We all want to end up going home. Rest in peace to all those who are losing their lives inside prison.

DISCLAIMER: Submission published as received

Should you wish to assist in the rehabilitation of former inmates and help put money into the pockets of those who have struggled to earn a living during and after incarceration, click HERE

RESTORE is an NGO based in Cape Town, South Africa, providing inmates at Pollsmoor Prison with restorative justice opportunities.

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