Contributor ’ s
Cynthia McDonnell
CONTRIBUTORS
PRISON LIFE & BEYOND
Contributor ’ s
FAMILY FIRST India Porter Verdell Miles
YOU SHOULD KNOW Vincent Frazier Timothy J . Muise DeWayne Harris
A SLICE OF PRISON LIFE Edward Malave-Otero Terah Lawyer ( Sage ) Aminah Dorsey Brandon Bernard
US & WORLD NEWS Gerry Delano Hudson Robert Andrew Bartlett , Sr . Gerry Delano Hudson James Fayne Verdell Miles
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EDITOR ’ S WORDS
Cynthia McDonnell Editor-At-Large
You cannot change the fate , but you can control and change the destiny . It is said that destiny is set in the direct relation to how you either obey or disobey the conscience . Conscience is something on which we can most certainly work on , by choosing the proper paths of our existence , moral and behavior . The things which we cannot choose from the moments of our birth are the society and environment in which we are supposed to live . But , one thing is certain ; we can make changes in such society .
Many criminals are born into environments where crime easily becomes a lifestyle . From the moment they begin interacting outside of the home , their peers are already involved in misbehavior and illegal activities in one form or another : petty thefts , skipping school , bullying , and gang affiliation . The pressure to go along to get along is tremendous . Embracing misbehavior becomes easier by the day and , finally , a life- style . “ It ’ s what we do ! We are hustlers ! We get money by any means necessary !”
Once the criminal lifestyle has been embraced , the reality of the criminal justice system dictates that most criminals are arrested sooner or later , and the consequences can be severe , including years of incarceration , one detention to another , spending more than half of their lives in prisons , not even remorseful because arrest at this point is simply an occupational hazard .
Read this issue and find out about the motivations and the mindset of those who have chosen a criminal lifestyle , justifying it . Could they be holding scalpels in their hands , as doctors , instead of guns , as robbers ? Can society change the mindset of career criminals who believe that their destiny was set the day of their birth ?
Cynthia McDonnell