PRISON

Johnny Cash performed several times each at Folsom Prison and San Quentin Prison.  The albums from Folsom and San Quentin are classics.  There was a recently released  remastered version of the San Quentin album that includes some of the stage talk that's worth a listen.  It gets down to who Johnny Cash is. 

Merle Haggard (I think it was) first heard Johnny Cash when he was an inmate at one of those prisons.  He said that Johnny Cash came in and talked to them like he was one of them - mostly because he was just as crazy and just as bold.  So then when he talked about the Gospel the way their mommas tried to teach them it really hit home.  I think that's cool that the Lord could use a reformed druggie wildman to go into a prison and evangelize folks who then turn their lives around not because the guy saying it was a well-educated and well-doctrined preacher who spoke from his head and from his book but because he was a madman just as crazy as the rest of them and spoke from his heart.  Merle Haggard of course went on to become quite the outlaw country star himself.  He wrote what is possibly the BEST country line ever "I turned 21 in prison doing life without parole..." in Mama Tried.

- Zurf

Okay brother, I owe you a pinch on the arm for bringing tears to my eyes today.
That was blessed...and a blessing to me.

=]
Dm

I used to work at a youth detention center and they were allowed to play instruments in the church services and during freetime at the gym where the insuments were kept under lock. They all were checked before and after each use for missing or damaged parts. Some of those kids where very talented and i wanted to join in at times but it was against the rules. Music can be a large part of changing lives for those with idle hands. It gives them better things to do than get in trouble.

An instrument would at least allow you to keep your sanity, maybe.

I guess im a little old fashioned the saying "if you cant do the time dont do the crime"comes to mind I really dont have an answer to or if rehabilitation works most incarcerated inmates learn new skills and sometimes better ways to commit crime but there are some that "see the light" and amend there ways and theres a high percentage of death row candidates who seem to find Jesus,he was there all along but when your days are numbered I guess you would be looking a little harder.

There is a difference indeed.
We (BELGIUM) DON'T HAVE THSE CATEGORIES.
I believe that once you have been in jail you must be very strong to get on with your life.
It isn't easy to judge people, and also: IS IT TRUE THAT EVEN A LITTLE CRIME STAYS IN THE RECORDS FOR GOOD? Or does it dissapear after 10 years? = once a "crook always a crook"

Billy Bragg here in the UK is spearheading a campaign to get prisoners access to music by asking for music shops/suppliers etc to donate instruments.  The idea behind this is that it may help the inmates to release some of what's inside them -tensions, anxieties, problems etc.  Could be a good thing or... a bleeding heart liberal scheme to make wrongdoers happy

I think you would find that not all prisons are so comfy.  Probably not many at all.  Yes, it might be better than freezing to death on the street, but they are overcrowded, violent, and incredibly loud as well.  If you ever want to feel more grateful for your freedom, involve yourself with some prison ministry.  Or any kind of outreach to prisoners. 

- Big D

Doing something constructive in prison should be mandatory for every prisoner.

In high school, I played drums in a dixieland band for a Christmas gig at Folsom prison. It was kinda scary.
The inmates liked us but they were allowed to come up on stage and talk to us.
This big scary guy wanted to play my drums and I was not about to say no. He sat down and put his foot on top of my bass drum and pounded 'til his hearts content. Nobody said anything to him including me. I just smiled and nodded until he got down.