Keepin' It Real:

Let's just be honest. Inmates have problems. Some worse then others. But regardless, inmates have problems. There is no denying that. Our programming options to get help for crime specific issues is highly limited. Like anger management. Did you know that while your in prison you cannot take anger management? Why not? 
Whatever the reasoning is (which seems to be all about money) it's not good enough. As inmates some of us legitimately want to change. Some of us work our butts off to make sure that nothing will get in our way of a bright and successful future. However, that's not because DOC is doing us any favors. Quite the opposite in fact. If we have anger problems, we can't even get formal help for that. We have to figure it out on our own. Which some of us are more than happy to put in that work. No problem, watch me.
But, some guys don't even know where to start. I just simply refused to lay down and die in this place without using the time to correct my deviant behavior, whatever that may or may not be. I have taken the time to figure out what to work on. What about the guys that don't know where to start? What about the guys that want to change, but don't know how. Many guys in here have no idea what kind of work it takes to have real change, mainly becuase no one has ever taught them. 
So when we as inmates realize that we don't want to be a bad person anymore and then realize that DOC isn't going to help us in that, we try to do it on our own. Which those of us that really want it, do it. With the understanding of what it is going to take to effect change in ourselves, we are armed with that knowledge of self-empowerment. We know what to do becuase we just did it. So now we can help others do it too.
So when we put in proposals to create free programs to help change those around us, those who want it (no one forces you to take these types of programs) that is. DOC, much to our dismay, stop them. They won't allow 90% of the programs we need. Why? Excellent question indeed.
For months I have been just begging DOC to allow me to create a LGBT peer support and education group to offer support to the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS community here. This would allow us to identify and address our plethora of issues and help direct each other into the appropriate ways to fix those issues as they are discovered. What's wrong with that? Why would my Superintendent just flat out ignore me? What does that solve. Or how about the guys who want anger management so they ahve went out of their ways to discover low or no cost programs that they are willing to train in and find volunteers to run the program, but those too get shot down. Replaced instead with silence. 
Please help us. We are desperate for change, we dont want to come back here and many of us have those tools to stop and won't come back. But what if just 10% of us can stop someone else, out of 17,000 inmates that's preventing 1,700 less victims each year. 1700, that's an amazing number. We want that, at least some of us do. Perhaps DOC is using you as much as we were. Don't be another victim, help us change.

Please write to find out how to help or continue to chekc daily for new blog updates, im not letting this go.

Jeff Utnage 823469
h3-a-20-u
Stafford Creek Correction Center
191 Constantine Way
Aberdeen, WA 98520

Or write on jpay.com find my name and DOC 823469, Jeff Utnage 

Thanks for checking and caring. With Love,

Jeff Utnage