In beautiful Northeast, Pennsylvania near Wilkes-Barre and Scranton lies a state prison. The nearest town shares its name, Dallas, with the facility. Situated at the top of a ridge, the free world is not visible from inside. The view includes trees and an occasional aircraft overhead. This is isolation. We are hidden from sight, where we can be forgotten. Dallas SCI was constructed in the 1960's, I'm told. With 6x10 foot cells and bars for doors, it was originally intended to house delinquent youth. Then, it was converted to Department of Corrections' use. Later, more blocks were built, and cells became double occupancy. Now the population hovers around 2100. There were recent orders to eliminate single-celling occupancy, wherever possible. This forces men together who have medical, psychiatric, and violent histories. Governor Rendell's recent parole moratorium was a temporary ban on all, parole and pre-release. The months it lasted added that many more bodies to the incarcerated ranks. We were told that all violent criminals needed to be freshly evaluated. This adds increased stress to the population, burden to the state, and at, a time when budgets are tighter and costs must be cut. The obvious loser is the inmate. While most people's take on prisoners comes from cinema and reality TV, the popular perception of felons (e.g. the movie Con Air) is inaccurate. Most folks want to be happy and secure, most of the time. That includes here behind the walls. There are a high number of lifers and long term sentences at Dallas, but the former statement remains true. My experience of prison has been an admixture of homeless shelter, psychiatric unit, military base, and dog kennel. That said, a respectable number of us try hard to improve, and treat each other with consideration. The justice system, isn't setup to reward those who achieve success and comply with the rules. It's arbitrary and protracted by a shroud of misinformation. Public disinterest allows mismanagement and abuse of power. Prison has become the landfill for all of society's unwanted. The mental patient, the homeless, the addict, and those that got to this stage in their life by being victims of abuse themselves. I'm a case in point who was sentenced "Guilty But Mentally Ill." I had been to dozens of rehabs and mental institutions during my lifetime. I was sexually abused and introduced to drugs by a teacher at my grade school. It drove me crazy and fueled my addiction to the point that I committed non-violent and non-sexual crimes. I received no real treatment for my issues, even though I was highly motivated, and a success in school here at Dallas. Correctional Institutions are best suited not to end the cycle of imprisonment and suffering, but designed and maintained to train the weak how to submit and accept life with no rights. I only ask to be allowed to earn my way back into society and contribute. My request continues to go unheard.