The classroom on this particular Friday night was quiet, the only exception being my quavering voice as I divulged my darkest secrets. I opened up about the downward spiral that had become my life: dropping out of college, getting fired from multiple jobs, and committing increasingly destructive acts that would lead to my incarceration.
It was the first time that I’d shared my entire story, and I couldn’t get through it without shedding a few tears. I felt vulnerable and exposed, yet relieved that I was finally able to let my truth out.
This is what restorative justice looks like at MCI-Shirley, a medium security prison for men in central Massachusetts, where I’ve spent the past 12 years. Every week, a group of us sit in a circle, telling our stories and learning about our feelings. The goal is to better understand ourselves and one another. We are committed to becoming better people by contributing to our community, both here at Shirley and when we return home.
For me, restorative justice has been transformative, providing me with the tools to break down the walls of insecurity and shame that I’d built up most of my life. I can’t help but wonder what my life might have been like if I’d had access to these tools earlier. Maybe, if I’d learned how to better express my feelings and emotions as a kid, the trail of destruction that caused so much pain to my family, friends, and community could’ve been avoided…