"The first day I walked onto a federal USP yard came with a range of emotions. I had heard the rumors behind the notoriety of Victorville USP, but nothing is more real than the actual feelings that came with it.
There was the process of reception, then the long walk to the unit and introductions. I had a vision of unemotional mythical figures welding knives and being completely detached, but what I experienced was different. Yes, there was violence. Yes, there was chaos. But what was beneath the surface was something surprising.
After years of being around these people, you realize how human we all are. We all bleed the same color. We all face fears of the unknown. Pain from lost love. But most of all, that deep, unwavering, unconditional love for our children and the need to know they’re okay.
The system as a whole has always been viewed through public perceptions of cold-hearted criminals without feeling. The reality is we all feel the same in our loneliest moments and the same joy in our most connected ones. You cannot stare through the lens of stigma and gain a true understanding. You have to humanize the system and know that even though choices have separated paths, there is still the same instinctual love that connects us all."
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