Prison Life: Same People, Different Uniform – by Joshua Williams

As I sit in my cell in prison I look at these COs and say to myself “they just like the police but without the gun on they hip”. I ask a question to the staff of every prison across the map, I ask “what make it ok to beat inmates bloody, what make it ok to kick an inmates teeth out they mouth, better yet, what make it ok to stomp a person out near death?” It’s not ok at all, these are people sons and daughters. These are humans, but you heartless pigs don’t give two fucks about that America.

If you really look at this prison thing it’s just a plantation dressed up. We get chained down to benches, chained up everytime we walk outside. We get maced like dogs and locked in cages. This is not just punishment, this is cruel and unusual punishment. Whoever had the idea for prison is a sick minded person. These COs say they here to help us but are the same people that’s putting you in the hospital on life support. They say they here to help you be a better person but paying inmates to jump on other inmates. They say they here for you but find you guilty of everything you do, so when we speak on police brutality it’s not just on the streets, it’s behind the walls of prisons too.

I didn’t know my people was being treated like this till I put myself behind bars. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. one day I was sitting in my cell, I heard a loud bang next door and a struggle, and heard an inmate yell out in pain “my head, my head, God make it stop, they beating me”. Y’all this is not a fairytale. I’m telling you this is real life yall, our people need help on the inside. Drugs are crazy infested in these prisons and it’s being brought by the very people carrying a badge and took an oath. Y’all, I seen a total of 10 overdoses since being down. 5 of em i was close to, seeing your friend getting a white sheet pulled over their head and the EMTs saying “sorry we did all we could”. Not a good feeling bro. The COs don’t care we get to live with that in our heads forever.

Mental health is a major factor in prisons. people actually lose they mind in these cells, I seen it happen. They don’t get this shit tho, why? Because they not going through this, we are. We gotta wake up every morning to the same shit. We gotta write home to our mom and loved ones. Some of us don’t even get the chance to make it back to they loved ones before they pass away. That weigh a lot on us and sometimes becomes too much to bear and they turn to the only thing that help numb the pain. Drugs is used too much and they OD but that’s the life of prison.

Joshua Williams 1292002
Potisi Correctional Center
11593 State Hwy O
Mineral Point, MO 63660

Joshua Williams is currently held captive by the state of Missouri in consequence to his participation in direct action within the Ferguson Uprising in 2014.

Source: Mongoose Distro