The 2026 elections will reshape America’s prison system: tougher sentences, restored voting rights in Virginia, and new leadership in Georgia.
How America Can Actually Reduce Recidivism
Nothing reduces crime like a paycheck — and the numbers show how hard that paycheck is to get. The Prison Policy Initiative found unemployment among formerly incarcerated people above 27 percent, compared to about 5 percent for the general public, even though 93 percent of working-age formerly incarcerated people are working or actively looking for work.
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Try staying out of trouble when you have nowhere to live. It can’t be done for long, and the data proves it: the Prison Policy Initiative found formerly incarcerated people are almost 10 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general public.
Convicted Felons with Firearms in the United States: So What?
Here is what a blanket ban really does: the only people who obey it are the ones who obey the law anyway. Those who mean harm pay it no mind.
Adjusting to Society AFTER PRISON by Wayne T. Dowdy
I am doing well, though, but do not deny what I know: reintegrating is a day-by-day, step-by-step process. I am having to relearn social etiquette, such as being polite, which I did inside as well, because I refused to allow the prison experience to define me.
Quora Monetized and Cryptocurrency
I am one of the select few paid creators of Quora content, subscribers to Quora+ will be allowed to read my content free.
The Truth About Incarceration, Part I
Reposted Content: The Truth About Incarceration was originally published by PrisonLawBlog.com in November 2014, before being posted on StraightfromthePen.com. On Quora.com I posted The Truth About Incarceration, Part I, in response to a question. Then I received several positive comments, one of whom suggested I start a YouTube channel to inform the public about Life…
Out of Many
by Wayne T. Dowdy When we unite we become stronger, more intelligent, and our chance of survival as a species increases because of unity. Now with the Internet, billions of us are connected and can share intelligence and a collective conscious. In social settings, if we focus on what we have in common, it helps…
DAMAGE and PRISON
An old post ringing true after release from serving over thirty years in federal prison
GRATITUDE AND MORE by Wayne T. Dowdy
Each of us walked away feeling more grateful for the meal we had been blessed with because we had stopped for a moment to remember the less fortunate in life.
The Truth About Incarceration, Part II
Prisoners for profit, human lives a commodity? Imagine that. My life of crime made lots of politicians and investors very rich: it robbed me of life with my loved ones, including a wife and two children, not to mention the financial ruins caused by my actions. When I am released in 2019, I have to…
Happy Labor Day in the USA-2026
Pro-war, anti-war, anti-government, or whatever, in my opinion, those brave men and women deserve praise and to be honored; especially, the fallen men and women we celebrate on Memorial Day who gave their lives.
Happy Independence Day-250 Years of Freedom
Two and a half centuries ago, a group of brave individuals gathered in Philadelphia to ratify a document that declared a radical truth: that all people are created equal, endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
How I Reduce Electronic Security RISKS by Wayne T. Dowdy
I reduced my electronic security risks by consistently updating the different security apps I use for my phone and other electronic devices and platforms needed for me to participate in online activities. The YouTube video I link shows part of the process, where I recently learned to use Microsoft’s BitLocker to add passwords to external…
The Quiet Trade: Why the Sale of Prisoners’ Bodies Should Alarm Us All
by Rebecca Flynn/Justice Stride Why the Sale of Prisoners’ Bodies Should Alarm Us All In a society that claims to value human dignity, the idea that incarcerated people’s bodies can be sold after death should provoke serious discomfort. Yet in the United States, reports have surfaced over the years suggesting that remains of prisoners—often unclaimed—have…
Women’s History Month-2026
The fight continues until the day all women are treated equal. Let us remember each day to celebrate Women’s History, not just during the Month of March.
FastComet Promo by Wayne T. Dowdy
FastComet offers plans for large and small websites that includes those for single or multiple websites. StraightfromthePen.com is one of three websites hosted by FastComet.com that Wayne T. Dowdy has used for years and written multiple Five Star Reviews on Trustpilot.com.