When I was working in the prison library, the Arizona Department of Corrections librarian decided that if a book hadn’t been checked out in a year we were to pull them off the shelf, tear them in half, and throw them away. We weren’t to replace them with anything, just destroy them. There were six inmate aides present when we were told to do this. Another aide and I said that this was wrong and we wouldn’t participate. We were told that if we didn’t we would be written up for failure to comply with orders and fired from our jobs. We both walked out.
Jack is serving life without parole, and has terminal cancer. Throughout my incarceration, Jack was a positive influence. He encouraged me to keep writing, to enter short-story competitions, and we proofread for each other. Jack is seeking pen pals, so anyone interested please email me at attwood.shaun@hotmail.co.uk for his details.
Shaun Attwood
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