Prisoners Denied Creative Writing Class

In April of 2009, author Kal Wagenheim 74, of Millburn New Jersey, published a book of poems written by inmates at the New Jersey Prison in Trenton. The book titled: “Inside/out; voices from New Jersey Prison,” is a collection of poems, short stories and essays, by 43 inmates.

Wagenheim collected these writings from the six years he spent teaching a “Creative writing class” at the prison. The prison BANNED the book from being sent into the prison. The reason given was that the writings contained descriptions of criminal offences. Wagenheim stated that about 90% of the pieces were on topics of sadness, and regret for what they had done. 

Some inmate authors of the work had been transfered to other prisons like “Rahway,” where they were allowed to have copies of the book. Wagenheim said,” He had the book published as a tribute to the writers.” He is saddened that the inmates may never get to see their work in print.

Thero Bensen, a program specialist at the California Department of Corrections, wrote,”It is hard to believe that people in such dire circumstances can create such lovely work.” He also expressed that , the writing course was ,”An excellent form of anger management for the authors, having a chance to pour out their hearts in a positive way.”  Some people seem to think that prisoners don’t have any hearts.

The prison cancelled his creative writing class in 2006, because prison officials had found cell phones and weapons in the prison. As if the class in itself was responsible for that happening. Those things go on in prisons every day. Using it as an excuse to deny inmates a form of release through creative writing, is a power and control tactic use to DEHUMANIZE and strip HOPE from those inmates.

After the other prisons heard that the books had been banned in The prison in Trenton, they also confiscated all the books that had been allowed in their prisons. Kal Wagenheim expressed that ,”It was ridiculous. What harm could there be in a book like that?” He said that the canceling of his class is what had spurred his decision to publish the book. He wanted to preserve their work for them.

Jim Gondles, executive director of the American Corrections Association, said, ‘INMATES DON’T HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO GET ANYTHING, AND EVERYTHING THEY WANT.”  I say to that, Where is our humanity when we deny people in prison to express themselves in creative writings? Who Next?