Making Amends

Violence was a constant in the lives of both Anthony and Theron, starting at a very young age. Once in prison, they began to question their allegiance to their gangs and their reliance on violence. What motivated that introspection and change?

For many prisoners, remorseful thoughts of their victims motivate a drive toward atonement. Terrence and Moustafa describe how their regret propels them to be better people. 

Inside of prison, finding and walking the right path is not always easy.  Cameron and Steve wanted to become different people, but had to overcome the culture of prison violence to do so.

Learning how to understand and control your own emotions is an important step toward atonement.  But that’s not so simple in the hyper-masculine world of prison. 

To recognize that one has done wrong often motivates a desire to do right.  Prisoners seeking to atone try to do good works in an environment where positivity is not usually celebrated.  

What debts do we owe after committing a crime?  How does one repair the moral fabric after a serious wrong?  The men describe the importance of repentance to them, and how they try to make that real in their everyday actions.  

To make amends requires accepting responsibility for the harm you’ve caused.  But in an adversarial legal process, how easy is it to take accountability for criminal wrongs, especially in the age of mass incarceration?    

How can convicted criminals fully appreciate the impact of their actions?  If that might involve communication with their victims, how can that occur?  Can American prisons embrace the principles of restorative justice, and help create communities where remorse can be expressed and genuine change facilitated?

What do prosecutors do? Why do they pursue prison sentences when they charge people with violent offenses?  What do they think incarceration accomplishes?

How do people come to commit violent acts?  What can prosecutors learn by listening to stories of how people ended up in prison?

What is it like to be prosecuted for a violent crime?  On the way toward getting a conviction, do you have any reason to take accountability for your actions?

In Oregon and elsewhere, many people convicted by prosecutors of a violent crime are given a long and fixed sentence.  What does it mean to go prison on such a sentence?  What can prisoners teach prosecutors about the experience of doing time?

Despite the difficult conditions of prison, many people inside find a pathway to self-improvement.  How is that possible?  Are there changes in criminal justice policy that even prosecutors could support that would make transformations inside more likely?

So, what did it mean for the prosecutors to engage in intensive conversations with prisoners?  What lessons did everyone learn?