Today I am posting another guest essay by Tim, a fellow I know who was just a juvenile when he was first incarcerated. I wrote about Tim in the post titled 16 and Forever. In that post you can find his previous essay Rehabilitation and Corrections, where he presents incarceration from the viewpoint of a boy who has grown up in This World. It’s a view that’s both darkness and light, hopeful and cautious.

Tim goes home in under a year from now. His long and difficult journey is almost over. He has been incarcerated for 12 years. Over this time I’ve come to know Tim as a strong and hopeful man. He has spent all of his time pursuing constructive paths, and he has prepared himself for the day when he returns home. You can read his latest essay here.

I’ve often wondered why society is so quick to throw our children away, sweep them into the adult world of incarceration. On the scale of justice, Lady Justice wears a blind fold. I can’t help but think that it represents “see no evil,” but there are those who argue otherwise. I beg to differ.

I leave you today with this image of a cross drawn by one of the men here for you.

He’s serving a 35 year sentence for aggravated murder, and through his arts and crafts he finds peace and comfort. This is just one example of his work.

*Many juveniles are incarcerated in the United States, and I’ve met a number of them. Locking them up and throwing away the key is rarely the solution. For more about Tim read my post 16 & Forever in the category “Children In Prison.” When you finish, read about Alex, a juvenile I mentored many years ago. His story is found in Watching Children Grow Up In Prison, from the same category as 16 & Forever. If these posts move you, please share them with everyone.

—Christopher—