MI: Why bother with the Parole Board?

I am writing you all to express my concerns about receiving another 18-month continuance within the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). This latest continuance has led to a confirmation of my hypothesis that prisoners are being denied emancipation not due to a "lack [of] reasonable assurance that the prisoner will not become a menace to society or the public safety," but rather because of politics, ideology, fear of backlash, racism, and cultural and generational backwardness.

I was convicted in a bench trial of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, felony firearm and being a habitual offender 3rd. I was sentenced to a term of five to 10 years in state prison on the assault and habitual charges, plus two years for the firearm charge, respectively.

At the time of my offense, I was a high school dropout, active gang member, living a misanthropic and chaotic lifestyle. My only needs and concerns at that time were how much money I could make and/or take from someone, how many women I could sleep with and material things.

If the inducement to rehabilitation is emancipation, then every day past my calendar minimum-release date is based on someone's subjective and arbitrary belief that I may commit another crime. Therefore, every day I am confined past my minimum-release date, I define myself as a political prisoner. Moreover, if the judge wanted me to do more than seven years, he would have given me more time, don't you think?

One could speculate as to whether I've discontinued my barbarism, idealism and simplistic thinking, but let's look at my institutional adjustment from a holistic point of view: I have completed a university course; the GED examination; vocational, job-seeking and therapy programs; and more for a total of 20 self-help programs. The first time I went before the Parole Board I had all my RGC recommendations completed and received an 18-month continuance.

The second time I went before the Parole Board, we discussed my offense, prior criminal record, institutional adjustment, recent major-misconduct citations, RGC recommended programs and my parole plans. I received another 18-month continuance.

If the Parole Board has no intention of granting me a parole, then why put me through a sadistic and fruitless interview process? These actions by the Michigan Parole Board are mercilessly harsh and outright cruel. I would prefer to have been told from the outset that I would be doing all 12 years, rather than having my hopes up for a release, only to be told by the Parole Board: "to hell with all of your personal accomplishments and your transformation, you're a criminal and forever will remain one." If one really believes that I may commit another crime while on parole, after serving eight years in prison, then what will stop me from committing a crime after I discharge on my maximum sentence in three or four years?

It is not a wonderment to me that in 2003, 17,000 prisoners were past their first-release dates. I don't think twice about why Michigan's prison population has grown to nearly 50,000. I'm not bewildered as to why the un-reviewable decisions of 10 appointed Parole Board members added 9,000 prisoners to the system from just 1992 to 2000.

Therefore, I am formally and decisively requesting not to be interviewed by any more Parole Board members. You all, as customary, can forward my next denial(s) of parole through the U.S. Mail. May I look forward to the day of my Emancipation.

Sincerely and Wholeheartedly,

-- a Michigan Political Prisoner and Educator, 31 May, 2005