Maybe Some Confidentiality Please????

Journal entry...

5-12-2011

Day 25

  While having a one on one with my social worker the other day, I was able to talk about some things that I have been trying to hold back from talking about. There are some things I feel don’t need to be “on the records” so-to-speak. To be completely honest, I feel like the information that is requested by the ERP people and my probation officer is beyond what is necessary for them to do their jobs. There should be some things I can talk about with my social worker without worrying about who else will find out. This makes me reluctant to want to share as much and very selective of the things I choose to share.

~J.Doe

Nearly Terminated

Written on May 1, 2011,

   Well, it's been a really stressful week with all of this homework. I've been getting my daily assignments done just fine, but have been neglecting my autobiography. I have been pondering whether I should be continuing this blog while in the program. There is someone else in the program who was nearly terminated from the program due to writing a blog. His blog has been linked to mine and his can be found here. (Or, if you'd rather, the URL is http://lifewps.wordpress.com though he has chosen to put his writings on hold due to unfortunate issues with in the Wisconsin Prison System he has PLENTY of content to view.  ~ "3rd Party") Now the other day a Unit Sargent asked me how she could find my blog. I was honest and told her how to find it. I don't have anything to hide really. I did sign confidentiality agreements though. So I won't be able to talk too specifically about what goes on in my group. Just about my personal experience.

   I'm in program hours Monday through Friday, from 8:00 A.M. - 11:00 A.M. and again from 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. If we aren't in group we are expected to be doing something program related. I'm hoping that after I talk to my Social Worker tomorrow about using the computers, possibly he can work out something for allowing me to type my daily logs on them as well. I'll have to find out then.

Until tomorrow...

~J. Doe

Pieces of My Life

Written on April 24, 2011,

   So when I was moved here from the ninth floor in general population, they gave me the last remaining bunk in a four-man cell. There are ten four-man cells in the unit. The other three guys in my cell are four months into their program. They're all here for OWIs too. I get along with them pretty well since they're all in their late 40's or early 50's, so they're more laid back than the majority of the younger guys I've been locked up in the past. They all warned me that the Social Worker that runs my group will be swamping me with tons of work. I have to keep reminding myself everyday that when I finish the program I'll be going home to my loving family all that much sooner.

   I'm trying to take advantage of every aspect the program has to offer. Especially when it comes to re-entering society. I'll need all the help I can get to find a job and work out transportation as well. I just hope the pieces of my life start to fit back together soon.

Until later...

~J. Doe

Moving On Up!

Written on April 23, 2011,

   Well, I actually was moved to the program floor on Monday, April 18^th. I finally started my program that day. I met everyone who was in my group and slowly, throughout the day, I met the other 30 inmates that are in other groups. There are four groups with ten inmates in each group. So far we have watched two movies in our group and had to write “Reaction Papers” on them. How we can relate to the movie. Then we wrote a three page paper on “Why we are in the Earned Release Program and what we expect to get from it”. To top it off, we also have to keep a Daily Journal. We were taught the difference between a diary and a journal and given examples of things to write about in our Journal. We also have been assigned our big assignment. An autobiography! Not just a typical, quick, run-through of our lives chronologically, but an alphabet autobiography. Basically, we have to use the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, come up with subject words that begin with each letter, and write a chapter for each letter. Our Social Worker that runs our group expects us to be thorough but wouldn't give us an exact number of pages to be it. He only said the average number of pages has been 67 pages in his past groups. I'm the second youngest member of any of the groups he has had here, so I hope he has kept this in mind. I have half the timespan to write about! I don't doubt I could write hundreds of pages about myself, but with everything else I have to do, I don't know if I have enough time. I'll write more tomorrow, I promise. The lights just went dim since it's 10:00 P.M., so it's hard to see.

Until tomorrow...

~J. Doe