Back in Prison

Yesterday was my first day back as a photographer in the Kentucky State Reformatory.

After spending 10 days photographing the project this past winter, I decided to return to the prison to expand on Trapped: Mental Illness in America’s Prisons. For those who have not seen the beginning of the project, you can find it here on my website. I have also decided to team up with Tim Gruber and produce another piece in prison.

And although I have never been great at blogging, I have decided to try to be consistent this summer as I hope to share stories from my experiences from a world a few get to experience and many would like to ignore. I hope to update this blog with at least one post a week.

I spent my Sunday afternoon in the prison Chapel. It was one of the most invigorating church services given its honesty and genuine nature. “We might be locked up but many on the outside are locked in,” said one of the guys giving a testimony during the service.

I chewed on that statement for awhile last night. Although they are chained in from the outside, many of them are living in freedom. While some of the men in this reformatory are convicts still trying to scheme every way possible, some of them are the most genuine people I have ever met. They have nothing to hide from anymore and no longer want to play this act that many on the outside feel they need to play.

Related posts:

1. Trapped: Mental Illness in America’s Prisons
2. Trapped – Mental Illness in America’s Prison
3. Trapped: Questions Answered.
4. Back to school with advice from Sam Abell’s dad.