Today I worked on commutation applications. As part of that process, I received a character reference letter for one of the men I’m assisting. I wanted to share it here because it reflects many of the values that the Prison Professors organization promotes. I’ve removed identifying information, but otherwise, I’m including the letter exactly as written.
“Inmate X is my father. He is almost 60 years old this year. In China, 60 years old is considered to be an age when one can enjoy retirement life. However, he has always been busy outside because he wants his family to live a better life. As a daughter, I feel sorry for him. It is precisely because of his sense of responsibility that he wants to give his family a better life. He was introduced by a friend that he could make more money by growing marijuana. Due to his ignorance of American laws, he embarked on the road of crime. These days, he reflects on himself every day in prison and regrets why he did not learn more about legal knowledge at the beginning. Even if he knew a little, he might not be here today. Every time he calls me on the phone, he will mention in a crying voice that he regrets and should not do illegal things. He has deeply realized the mistakes he made.
Now he has been sentenced to eight years because of violating the US law. This eight years is a bit long for us. My mother is waiting for him to come back alone. My mother will be 60 this year. Her health is not good. She has high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. It has caused me a lot of pressure in life. I am busy with work every day. After work, I have to take care of my children and my mother. It has caused me a lot of pressure both financially and mentally. I hope my father can come out early and help take care of my mother. And my sons are eight and five years old this year. So far, they don’t know that my father has committed a crime and is in prison. They often ask me when their grandfather will come back. They miss him very much. I dare not tell the children because they are still young and I am afraid that it will affect them. So I also hope that he can come out early to meet my children and accompany them well in their growth. I hope he can get a commutation of sentence.”
I know this man personally and can testify that he is a kind and humble person. His family clearly loves him and is desperate to have him back home. He received a lengthy sentence, eight years, for a nonviolent drug offense involving marijuana. Since arriving in prison, he has made the most of every opportunity to better himself, including studying English and participating in classes. He’s doing everything he can to prepare to support his family once he’s released.
Given the nature of his crime and his age, he poses virtually zero risk to public safety. He’s already served over three years of his sentence. Many would agree this is a textbook example of a case where continued incarceration serves no meaningful purpose. Yet taxpayers continue to fund the imprisonment of a man who would be better served by a little mercy and relief. If punishment is still deemed necessary, alternatives such as home confinement or work release would be far more appropriate. Unfortunately, federal sentencing guidelines remain incredibly harsh, and in cases like my friend’s, I believe they’ve moved past the point of justice and into the realm of waste and harm.
On a lighter note, I squatted 235 pounds today for sets of 6, 6, 6, and 4. I had really hoped to hit all four sets of six, but I felt pretty drained on that last set and didn’t want to push it to a full RPE 10. Still, it was solid work, and I’m thinking of giving 245 a shot on my next leg day.
