Real Story

Dear Friends of the Prison Society,

My time was coming up and I knew it. I was supposed to be released from SCI-Camphill in December of 2021 and was looking forward to coming home. But the new year came and went and I was still in jail. I had it added up in my head. I should have been out and I wasn’t. Then, I was told I was being transferred to a new facility. I knew something was wrong and told the people at the prison I was past my max. No one listened. On the inside, you can’t resolve anything. 

My mom tried to help but it seemed like everyone she talked to was confused. She made phone calls and wrote letters, but kept on hitting dead ends. She kept hearing “the state will figure it out.”

I arrived at SCI-Fayette in early 2022. I told them I was over serving but I didn’t have any pull to do anything. I was stuck and I felt crazy. 

By the time I found out about the Prison Society from my cellmate it was already April of 2022. My cellie was a guy doing life (I shouldn't have been with lifers) but he knew exactly what to do when you’re wrongfully in jail. He said the Prison Society could help, “just listen to whatever they say and they’ll be able to get this straightened out.” And he was right.

I asked my mom to call the Prison Society for me. A few days later, a Prison Society volunteer named Greg came to visit. I knew he was going to be able to help because it was count time and I was still allowed to visit with him. They don’t usually let you out at count time. Greg was a good listener. I told him what was going on and he said he had never seen anything like this before. 

Greg took action right away and requested the prison look into the matter. Sure enough, they discovered there were problems with my credited time. Greg also contacted the sentencing judge. The next thing I knew, I was pulled from a class at the prison and was immediately released. They put me right on the bus and got me out of there. 

They hurried once Greg got involved. Without the Prison Society, I would still be there. 

“Greg helped bring my son home. He stuck with it. I never knew somebody so kind and caring like him before. He helped us a lot.” Lydia, Ken’s Mom

Ken

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