1. Graterfriends ― A Publication of The Pennsylvania Prison Society ― July 2011
The Pennsylvania Prison
Society is hosting a
Our Voices
Poster THE IMPACT OF CRIME
Competition
By Daron Swann, GU-3807, SCI Frackville
One criminal act affects more people than you
could ever imagine. An act of violence not only
turns an innocent citizen into a victim, but it also
victimizes any witnesses who are nearby. The wit-
to celebrate our nesses can be traumatized for years on end. The
victims and their family members sometimes never
225th anniversary! recover from the trauma, depending on the depth of
the incident. Non-violent offenses are not exempt
when it comes to the impact of a crime! People
whose homes have been burglarized or had their
vehicles broken into feel a sense of personal viola-
Posters must be received by tion that is often hard for them to describe. Not
January 20, 2012. only is there a property loss, (sometimes irreplace-
able or sentimental) but there’s also the sense of
insecurity in their own homes or vehicles, which is
All posters will be exhibited at
the ultimate violation. These are supposed to be
Eastern State Penitentiary in the secure places/havens where people raise and
April 2012. transport families! They are supposed to be comfort
zones to enjoy personal time and space.
The competition is open to all art Guess who else suffers? The criminal and his/her
schools and art departments of family if he/she continues this behavior and is
Pennsylvania, as well as to all pris- eventually arrested and convicted. The family
structure and its natural order get severely inter-
oners in Pennsylvania. Full details of
rupted when a parent loses a child to prison, or a
the contest will be printed in this spouse loses a spouse to prison, or a child loses a
newsletter in a few months. parent to prison. A wise man once said, “One of the
greatest gifts you can give your children is your
presence, not your presents,” and we all know this
is not even an option while incarcerated. Guess
In this Issue who else gets inconvenienced? Your employer. If
you were working during the time of your arrest,
Our Voices ..............................................................3 your employer is not only going to be shorthanded,
but the daily operations of the company can be dis-
News, Birthdays ....................................................4 rupted because of your sudden absence! So, if you
Legislative Highlights ...........................................5 never knew before, now you know that when in-
Legal Chat Room ................................................6-7 dulging in crime, whether spontaneous or pre-
meditated, you are not the only one who will be
Mailroom .............................................................8-9 affected!
Pass the Word ......................................................10 After reading what you’ve just read, I hereby
Think About It .....................................................11 charge you with having knowledge of “The Impact
of Crime” and the effects that it has on you, your
Literary Corner....................................................13
loved ones, your victims, and your community!
Graterfriends Order Form ..................................14 Let’s stop this vicious cycle by contributing to the
"The Last Word" by William DiMascio ..............16 solution and not the problem! Please pass this arti-
cle along to someone who could use these words.
3
