Imagine that you’ve done some stupid stuff, made some mistakes, and now are incarcerated for your crimes. But instead of being sent to the state pen that’s in your actual state, you’re shipped 3000 miles away.
That’s the situation facing prisoners at the Saguaro Correctional Facility in Eloy, Arizona. They are all from Hawaii, which has contracted out some of its correctional functions to a private company called Corrections Corporation of America. CCA runs several facilities in and near Eloy.
Many of these men have children, and their only option to keep in touch -- and even make sure they are remembered by their kids – has been expensive phone calls home and monthly 15-minute videoconference calls.
But thanks to a federal grant, inmates can now participate in the “Fathers Bridging the Miles” program. Fathers can choose two books per month for each of their children, and read the books themselves aloud on CD. Kids can pop in the CD and read along with their father whenever they want to.
Fathers participating also are required to take a yearlong parenting class and work with a social worker at the prison. If they fulfill the requirements, they get an additional half-hour video visit each quarter.
Men with a history of domestic abuse or crimes against children are barred from participating.
Although it must be difficult for these men to be so far away from their families and never get visitors, they did the crime. Imagine how hard it must be for their innocent kids. And if anything is going to set these guys on the straight and narrow, being a better example to their children is probably it.
