The If Project

Today we have a guest blogger, Jessica Mara. She is a pretty amazing junior at a high school in Seattle, WA. She shares her personal experience regarding the benefits of rehabilitation and prevention.

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The Department of Corrections is a program based on the idea of punishment. At this point in time this system is not working. Not only are inmates being oppressed on a daily basis, but the public is being exposed to a slanted view of who we’re really locking up. Rehabilitation as oppose to punishment offers many more rewards. The Department of Corrections (DOC) does have programs to help inmates rehabilitate but there are no where near enough. The story of my grandfather comes to mind. He was a struggling alcoholic for many years. His disease forced my mother to grow up without a father, and for him to suffer from various alcohol-related illnesses. He lived in denial, not acknowledging that his drinking was what made his mistakes. In 1997 he decided to go to AA. He found his rehabilitation and has been sober 13 years as of January 21, 2010. My grandfather is a lucky man. Along with his sobriety he regained his health, dignity, and ties to the family. Unlike many struggling addicts/alcoholics he was able to get help, and he didn’t get sucked into the DOC. Since gaining sobriety my grandfather has worked with the Washington DOC through the program Concerned Lifers. My grandfather was lucky enough never to have an “if” because he got the help he needed when he needed it. What if everyone had access to such programs in and out of prison, imagine what kind of change would be made.

Jessica Mara
Seattle, WA