Hello, my name is Jason W. McDonald (#1196192), and I am 42 years old. I have been incarcerated for 11 years now. I was sentenced to 26 years active imprisonment despite Virginia’s state guidelines calling for a range of only 5.5 to 12 years (these guidelines reflect the presentencing report done for everyone convicted of […]
By: Wayne Thomas Jr. […]
Unite for Second Chances with Second Look By: Taj Mahon-Haft As anywhere trauma and deprivation reign, hope is priceless and all too rare behind bars. Around here, we’re all closely following this legislative session, often with anxiety and sadness. Too many politicians followed an election season of ads demonizing us with a raft of bills […]
From Taj Mahon-Haft: I am tearfully, ragingly disgusted by what happened recently in Texas. and again in Buffalo. And in a California church the next day. And a Michigan school a few months back. And so on and so forth literally hundreds of times each recent year. I literally live amongst those judged and labeled […]
The list of offenses that are excluded from earning the newly expanded earned sentence credits are here. Any questions regarding your specific case, please consult an attorney.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q7vT0CjB-k Shakil Ali is a beautiful human being who advocates and tirelessly helps people behind bars, people who have gotten out, and their communities. I have wanted to interview him for a long time and was so happy to finally do so. He also participated in a COVID-19 Justice Coalition Virtual Town Hall last week, […]
On 3/28/20 though I never use the telephone in here because I can never hear over all the noise, I just felt like I needed to call home. I just needed to hear moms voice. My older brother answered the phone and after a few minutes of painfully awkward conversation he choked out “Marky… Mommas […]
Scott is an amazing human being who has done so much with the short time since he has been out from behind bars. He’s a great friend and a joy to talk to. Please enjoy!
Being in here during this pandemic is quite the experience. Coming into DOC I was not expecting going through anything like this. I feel helpless because I cannot help my family out in the streets with the additional income for all essentials. I also feel helpless towards my five year old son who needs me […]
May 3, 2020 As to the inquiry regarding the impact on we the incarcerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, I have passed your questions to a couple dozen of my fellows, considered their responses with my own observations and thoughts, and come away with the following summary for you. * At the top of nearly everyone’s […]