MARTHA STERWART – When one is incarcerated with 1,200 other inmates, it is hard to be selfish at Christmas — hard to think of Christmases past and Christmases future — that I know will be as they always were for me — beautiful!
So many of the women here in Alderson will never have the joy and wellbeing that you and I experience. Many of them have been here for years — devoid of care, devoid of love, devoid of family. I beseech you all to think about these women — to encourage the American people to ask for reforms, both in sentencing guidelines, in length of incarceration for nonviolent first-time offenders, and for those involved in drug-taking.
They would be much better served in a true rehabilitation center than in prison where there is no real help, no real programs to rehabilitate, no programs to educate, no way to be prepared for life “out there” where each person will ultimately find herself, many with no skills and no preparation for living.
I too admit being surprised by her thoughtful, intelligent words. Yes, our prisons do nothing to prevent more crime, while punishment being the only goal. Maybe Martha will become a prison activist upon release, she could do a lot of good here and reach millions in the process. Come to think ot it, she just did exactly that.