Negative Prison Stereotypes What is present was first in the past. The past often is used as a mirror through which the present can be interpreted. However, it provides a pathway to the future, too. In #life, whether in prison or in the community, we all make mistakes. We all got lots of faults. But we can, and seemingly notice, an error to one person or persons, and amuse or mock one another. Let us not be too quick to judge others and not even yourself. Stereotypes come in all forms, shapes and colours. Don’t get me wrong, being in prison is the lowest, painful place a person could be, because you are already there, then the officers, inmates, friends, society, even the politicians and media, paint and label us with different paint brushes. Offenders, ex-offenders, prisoners, criminals, baddies, etc., these lists are endless. And on top of that, is the hanger painted with ‘criminal record’ written on it. Thus, no job on release, no respect, and no confidence, even with all the experience, skills, and positive outlook dashed. Stereotyping us makes it even more difficult. We’ve done our time, we may have addressed the cause to our offending behavior or #lifestyle. Why make it difficult to carry on living in that learned new way, which is better than before? The government and the society as a large, needs to be educated that anyone could easily find themselves in prison, as nobody ever knows what tomorrow brings. As people, we often forget that there are a hundred and one solutions to every problem, and a hundred and one routes to each solution. The word ‘offender’ stereotype is a useless phrase to use in the present. For example: it’s used for somebody who’s done a crime, as a doing word, but I’m here now. How does my being in prison give anyone the right to call me and others an offender, thus offending. -Meaning continuous crime #lifestyle. This is my first and I declare my last. So how does that stereotypical person put me in that bracket? Again, ex-offender doesn’t sit well with me either. It should not be my logo nor my identity. The stereotyped people and society are often judgmental and name-callers. I am not what they call me, the fact is, if you expect bad things to happen to those who had fallen once, it means you are somehow extending them as an invitation. You don’t manifest them, however, you make it easier for them to enter your #life. ##poetsin #stereotyping