Ever since I was a little girl my dad has always been the moon to my stars. He and my mother were High School sweethearts and both had me when they were only 17 years old. I was about 4 years old when my parents relationship came to a complete end but it was until I got a little older that I realized exactly why it became that way. My father was 21 years old and was sentenced 15 years in jail for impersonating police officers along with other members of their gang called "Latin Syndicate". "Latin Syndicate" is the largest and most violent gang in Miami, Florida also known as "1219" and have been around since the early 1990's. He was also caught with many weapons and the selling of many drugs, especially cocaine. "Cocaine is a bitter, addictive pain blocker that is extracted from the leaves of "Erythroxylon Coca". It is the most powerful stimulant of natural origin(MNT Ltd 2004-2013)." Even though my dad was involved in the selling of these drugs he was never a smoker or drinker and didn't consume any of his products.
At the time I wasn't mature enough to understand where my dad was and why he was there so I thought everything was normal. Talking to him on the phone for only 15 minutes on certain limited days became the only time I would get to hear from him. Every phone call felt like it wasn't enough and more time was needed. Driving 8 to 15 hour road trips was my savior in finally knowing what my "Dad" actually looked like, since I was so little when he was taken away I couldn't really remember any of his features. The very first moment we locked eyes was strange at first, but then came so natural that it didn't feel like I was staring at a stranger at all. As we sat and talked face to face I noticed that many of the guards kept their eyes on him, watching his every move. As said in an article about Visitation Rights, " During visitation, family members will often times be allowed to bring certain items to prisoners. However, the items that are allowed will be restricted." He wasn't allowed to get up unless letting one of the guards know and wasn't able to sit close to me incase I could've been passing him drugs, weapons, or any other danger to himself, other prisoners, and the guards. Because of this reasoning being around him felt so uptight and uncomfortable, everything was monitored so I had to watch the things I said and did. When it was time for him to leave the fact that he had to be handcuffed by his hands and feet wasn't easy to take in, being that my first time seeing him was behind bars, with chains, and tamed by strict controlling men.
New Life
He served his time and got out when he was 35 years old, which was about two years ago. Struggling with trying to survive in a life he doesn't know well is difficult. My dad only knew the streets of his time and the prison life. How would someone think a person will do well when being thrown back into society 15 years later with new rules, changed government, no stable home, and no job? "In the United States-which has the highest incarceration population in the world-700,000 people are released from prison each year. Many of these parolees are thrust back into society with very few resources and no family support (empower editors)." A study by the Pew center on the states that looked recidivism in more than 40 states revealed that some four in ten offenders, who served in state prisons, returned within three years of their release". Stress became the warrior who defeated my fathers mind and it wasn't healthy. My grandfather, who at the time of my fathers arrest spent thousands of dollars trying to fight his case, took him in and let him stay in his apartment. Trying to find a job when your a convicted felon isn't easy. "In a 2010 survey by the society for Human Resources Management, almost 90% of the companies surveyed, most of them large employers, said they conducted criminal background checks on some or all job candidates. Advocates for workers say that the indiscriminate use of background checks by companies has made finding employment extremely difficult for millions of Americans (Goode)." But being the changed and mature man that my dad is today, he found a way to seek for a different positive direction in his life. He was set with a job as a personal trainer for a local gym in Miami, Florida but with his little pay it still wasn't enough to provide for himself on his own. Being a man who has always been dominant, it's hard to be taken care of like a baby all over again.
It seems once your in the system it's hard to stay out of the system. What stresses him the most is that he can't continue to live a normal life because he constantly has to follow up with probation officers, meetings/classes, and people who arrange all the money he owes to child support from his other son and daughter. He has to be urine tested once a week, attend his classes every Friday and Saturday, present himself to the court once a month to make sure he hasn't left Florida, and has to keep up with collectors about his debts. All this alone takes up most of his time and doesn't give him any open space to be able to build a new life on his own and meet new positive people.
Controlled
"More than half of those who return to prison do so within the first year after release, which is by far the highest risk period for returning to prison. A released inmate who has ten or more prior arrests is greater than six times more likely to recidivate than a released inmate with no prior arrest history other than the arrest for the current stay in prison (Smith)". One small slip up in this organized schedule that he has can send him back behind bars and as easy as mistakes can be there were no doubts that the court would show any mercy towards him. He had an interview at a higher paying job that was looking for workout teachers and he knew that it was the same day he had to meet up with his probation officer so he called her and let her know that he needed to be in this interview. Being checked up on to make sure he isn't being a harm to the community was much more important than him trying to improve his life, so she said he had to come meet up with her regardless. He made the wrong decision in not showing up and went back to jail for four more months. Thinking these people would be more understanding of his situation was the wrong mindset. He lost all hope and his stress began to arise, it seemed as if they wanted him to do wrong again.
He tries to fight for his rights even though he feels no rights can protect him from being quarantined and abused mentally because of his past mistakes. Nothing feels equal to him anymore but as he struggles, his other friends rise and he lives to admire and support these people. One particular friend is Rene Martinez also known as "Levelz". He was also a gang member of the "Latin Syndicates" and is a great friend of my dads still til this day. He was one of the only members that wasn't sentenced so much time in prison and was given a chance to change his life before he lost control of it. "Levelz" goal was to once become a professional MMA fighter and he has led his way up to that succession. As said in Francisco Alvarado's blog about Rene's accomplishments, "Rene Martinez went from gang-banging hell-raiser to a humble God-fearing MMA warrior". Watching him grow from being a delinquent to putting his heart into something that he loves and isn't harmful, was just another motivation for my father to keep trying to strive for a better life.
Set Backs
Knowing that the world is now introduced to a new future role model in MMA fighting who came from so little is inspiring but also upsetting to see that court and being a convicted felon reflects on your progress in life drastically. It's never easy for anyone, but it isn't easier for people who have a criminal record to survive in this world. My dad has put in the same amount of effort to change but is constantly kept wrapped around all these rules he has to follow and steps he has to take to stay away from being imprisoned again. Why is his main priority and focus different from others who have learned to become a new and improved person? Instead of worrying about making his appointments with his classes, court, and probation officers he should be helped to dedicate himself to a stable and healthy environment. The court has done the opposite for him and have managed to keep their past and present prisoners in check, doing what they want to be done. A person will never be freed after having a record, learning to live with it and work around it is the next big step into helping yourself.
Work Cited
Laws.com (Family) Article about "Visitation Rights At A Glance" http://family.laws.com/visitation
Medical News Today (MNT) Article about "Alcohol, Addiction, Illegal Drugs" mediLexicon Internation Ltd http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/234239.php
Film and Documentary about the "Struggles Many Face After Prison Release", written by empower editors http://www.empowermagazine.com/documentary-captures-the-struggles-many-face-after-prison-release/
Miami New Times Blogs "Rene Martinez Continues Leveling 'Em Out" by Francisco Alvarado
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2010/09/rene_martinez_continues_leveli.php
Fox43 Cetral Pennsylvania article on "released inmates back in jail" by Paul Smith http://fox43.com/2013/02/28/report-6-in-10-released-inmates-back-in-jail-or-arrested-again-within-3-years/#axzz2gWtc1ida
New York Times Article, "Internet Lets A Criminal Past Catch Up Quicker" by Erica Goode
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/us/29records.html?_r=0
This is an engaging, powerful, and important post! Thank you for sharing your story about your father. You are right--and so are your many sources--it's hard to focus on doing better in society when the rules of the society are so against those with criminal histories. Florida is a pretty harsh state, too, for convicted ex-felons.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a part 2: where is your dad now? What is he doing? Have you thought of conducting an interview and posting that here? That would be fascinating and allow your dad to have an opportunity to speak his truth.
A note on the works cited: make sure to match up each author to each entry, both in the works cited and from text to works cited. For example, you have one post "New York Times Article." But the author is Goode, so list her name first and list her name in the paragraphs. It's just a little switching around...