An Invitation to Prisoners Who Want to Be Heard by Wayne T. Dowdy
NOTE: Updated 10.23.2026 for clarity and to improve content with other resources. I removed Georgia from the original title to open the door for others. Read on to see how to submit your story!
- Submission Guidelines:
- 1) Submit content with no expectation of receiving payment, up to 1,500-words in the Comment section or by email to wayne@straightfromthepen.com;
- 2) Identify how you want to be publicly identified (anonymous, first name, last initial, nickname, etc.);
- 3) avoid excessive use of profanity, or inflammatory statements naming individuals, whose name or identity may be edited because of privacy concerns;
- 4) submissions added in the Comment section will not be seen by the public. Submissions will be held in moderation and considered for free publication. And if accepted, will be posted as an individual blog or on the page, WRITINGS STRAIGHT FROM THE PEN;
- 5) there is NO GUARANTEE of publication;
- 6) submissions that are accepted for publication will also be posted on https: //straightfromthepen.wordpress.com, where I use the FREE version because of financial reasons.
Before removing Georgia from the title so that this platform is available for all prisoners, I created Invitation to Georgia Prisoners Who Want to Be Heard because of the inhumane treatment of prisoners held captive inside the system, often without the necessities deemed necessary by the governing authorities. The main focus remains on the Georgia Prison System.
State of Georgia Violates the Eighth Amendment
On October 1, 2024, the following report was issued by the U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the
Northern, Middle, and Southern
Districts of Georgia
https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1371406/dl
Conclusion:
The Department has reasonable cause to believe that the State of Georgia violates the
Eighth Amendment by failing to protect incarcerated persons from violence and sexual
abuse, and by failing to provide reasonably safe conditions.
Historical Findings Against GSP Reidsville, GA
The United States Supreme Court decided decades ago that the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. The Georgia Department of Correction ignores what the law dictates, unless drastic action gets taken against prison officials, as happened in the 80’s at the Georgia State Prison in Reidsville, Georgia.
The Federal Government intervened by sending in a Federal Warden to run the prison, and created the Staff Inmate Communication Committee to ensure that the prison officials were complying with the provisions of the lawsuit. Each living unit voted for a white and black representative, who were often used to resolve racial issues without the use of violence.
If you want to know more about the historical legal battle with the Georgia State Prison, Reidsville, Georgia (Great White Elephant), read this report:
Spread the word and share this website with others.
If this website gains public support, I will add other pages for prisoners.
The following is an excerpt from another page, Writings Straight from the Pen:
Writings posted on this page are intended to help those from the inside to have a voice on the outside, by posting their writings here for all to see.
My Ears Hear Their Cries and Shouts of Joy.
Straight from the Pen
[DISCLAIMER: Views or beliefs expressed in any submission posted herein are those of the authors and not necessarily agreed with or endorsed by your host]
Approved submissions will be posted once received and time permits. If possible, please do what you can to keep this website going and continually improving and providing valuable content to gain support from those who are in positions to make a positive change behind the walls of the Georgia Department of Corrections, and other prisons across the nation.
Content from this page will also be posted on https://straightfromthepen.wordpress.com
Please support this website by donating any amount to the Fund Raiser on PayPal by clicking Here or by purchasing Books by Wayne T. Dowdy. Thank you!
Start your FREE 30-Day Trial to Amazon Prime by clicking the link below to help support this website. I will receive a small commission from any success subscription:
How can a prisoner submit content to this website to be published?
To submit, add submissions of 1,500 words or less in the Comment field to be reviewed by the moderator or to wayne@straightfromthepen.com.