Final Project: “Dear Lifers, US Prison Systems, and Society”
I am calling my project “Dear Lifers, US Prison Systems, and Society” as it addresses the different factors of the experiences of people sentenced to life in the US. First, Lifers struggle with their identity. Who were they before prison? Who are they in prison? Who are they after prison? The answers to these questions are all different creating a struggle for these individuals to answer the question: “Where do you fit into society?” The second aspect of issue is us. When we hear the word ‘criminal’ a set of preconceived stereotypes cloud or judgement. Rarely do we think of these criminals as part of society, which needs to change. The last main aspect of this issue is the prison system. As we have discussed in class, there are debates over the purpose of prisons. To reform and rehabilitate or to punish? And if it is the latter, what will happen to criminals once released on parole? These are all questions I aim to explore in my project.
