“The
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections operates as one team, embraces
diversity, and commits to enhancing safety. We are proud of our reputation as
leaders in the correction field. Our mission is to reduce criminal behavior by
providing individualized treatment and education through accountability and
positive change.”
I
am now anxious to get into the room so that the facilitators could get the
program started. “Let’s Circle Up” would begin at 8:00 AM and end at 3:45 PM.
In
all of my programming over the past 48 years of my incarceration I can honestly
tell you that Restorative justice is one of the best programs that the
Department of Corrections has to offer.
If
you are sincere about accountability, redemption, and healing for the
communities that you will be returning to, I encourage you to get involved in
Restorative Justice Programs. One of the things that surprised me was the
number of young men participating in the program.
It
is Saturday morning and there are so many other activities that these young
brothers could be involved in, but they have turned off the TV, cancelled their
weekend activities to discuss and share personal tragedies that have occurred
in their lives with others who might be still grieving from the harm that they
have caused others.
In
listening to their stories, I became aware that many of them never had a
childhood. They grew up literally from boys to men physically, emotionally, and
mentally in dysfunctional households with families that had no idea of what it
means to be a man. Their understanding of manhood was learned from the streets.
Our communities need more long-term dedicated mentors.
-Daniel Cummings #AF4891
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