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If you are working on an APWA-related project, please let us know how you plan to utilize the Archive. We hope to share information about your work with our readers and, whenever possible, with relevant APWA authors.

The APWA is an open access archive. We encourage use of the writings for research, course planning, and projects engaged in examination of the criminal legal system. Reproduction of essays in their entirety infringes on author copyright without their explicit consent from the writers. Please contact us if you plan to reproduce entire essays; we will do our best to put you in contact with the authors for consent, and their compensation for any project that is profit making.

*At this point in the Archive’s growth, it’s important to revisit actions taken to protect privacy when the APWA had fewer resources. For this reason, we are temporarily pulling all essays and poetry under pseudonyms and anonymity to quality check and ensure all identity protecting redactions have been thoroughly applied. The privacy of the writers in the APWA is a top priority, and so is displaying their writing as they wish it to be displayed. We will restore all pieces as soon as we can confirm the highest quality privacy protections.

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The * operator replaces zero or more characters, so searching for w*ess would match “wilderness”, “witness”, “WordPress” and also “wess”.

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Relevanssi uses + and – for the operators: cats -dogs and cats +kittens.

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Put phrase in quotation marks, e.g., “just as complicit”.

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To be or not to be a fundamentally fair republic
May 20, 2023

To be or not to be a fundamentally fair republic

#[ID number]/A Fundamentally Fair Republic for Re: Death and Life Sentences in Pennsylvania To Be or Not To Be A Fundamentally Fair Republic from Bert Hudson, #[ID number] [address] or You may send me a...
Hudson, BertNot Available
I am wakened by a shrill
2023

I am wakened by a shrill

Guss, JamesNot Available
Before I start hopefully all is well
October 16, 2022

Before I start hopefully all is well

Jones, RaynonNot Available
Prison as experiance
August 31, 2022

Prison as experiance

Nibbs, Larry N.Not Available
The topics health care
August 7, 2022

The topics health care

Jones, RaynonNot Available
I've been called a statistic among other derogitory terms
March 14, 2022

I've been called a statistic among other derogitory terms

Maxton, Aaron C.Not Available
Paradox of their and us
October 7, 2021

Paradox of their and us

Maloney, Erik S.Not Available
Why prisons need more help?
October 7, 2021

Why prisons need more help?

Pipe, EdwardNot Available
Now on this day I'm at work standing by the freeze
September 26, 2021

Now on this day I'm at work standing by the freeze

Jones, RaynonNot Available
What work, what doesn't work and why
July 7, 2021

What work, what doesn't work and why

Jones, RaynonNot Available
Hello world
January 24, 2021

Hello world

Jones, RaynonNot Available
The choice for beauty
2021

The choice for beauty

The Choice for Beauty an essay by Ashley Morrison It's a common enough phrase,"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." such a simple set up ofwords, but do we ever stop to ponder the...
Morrison, AshleyNot Available
Thank you for reading my portfolio
2021

Thank you for reading my portfolio

Thank you for reading my portfolio, I'm completely honored and humbled for the opportunity to reach out to my peers to help assist me in my pursuit for true justice, which has failed me dramatically....
Maes, MichaelNot Available
The person you become
2021

The person you become

The Person You Become By: Ryan Hankemeier The Michigan Department of Corrections policy directive states that all prisoners in segregation shall be provided with one hour of out of cell activity five days a week...
Hankemeier, RyanNot Available
The use of solitary confinement (segregation)
August 18, 2020

The use of solitary confinement (segregation)

"Notice" Subject: The use of Solitary Confinement (Segregation) To: The American Prison Writing Archive (APWA) From: Paul R. Miller, Inmate - Ky. Date: 8-18-2020 Hello; It is believed that the use of solitary confinement (segregation)...
Miller, Paul R.Not Available
Prison security (wing-hopping)
July 6, 2020

Prison security (wing-hopping)

"Notice" Subject: Prison Security (Wing-Hopping) To: The American Prison Writing Archive (APWA) From: Paul R. Miller, Inmate - LLCC, Ky. Date: 7-6-2020 Hello: Something that has been allowed in some of Kentucky's prisons is wing-hopping...
Miller, Paul R.Not Available
When I saw my parole officer in Oct. 2015 he gave me a paper to sign
June 29, 2020

When I saw my parole officer in Oct. 2015 he gave me a paper to sign

"Notice" To: The American Prison Writing Archive (APWA) From: Paul R. Miller, Inmate - LLCC, Ky. Date: 6-29-2020 Hello; When I saw my parole officer in Oct. 2015 He gave me a paper to sign...
Miller, Paul R.Not Available
Notice
April 20, 2020

Notice

"Notice" To: Hamilton College – NY From: Paul R. Miller, Inmate – LLCC, Ky. Date: 4-20-2020 Hello; If the Coronavirus-19 gets into the prison system of the U.S. they could have the possibility of becoming...
Miller, Paul R.Not Available
This prison system is made to make the rich richer
February 2, 2020

This prison system is made to make the rich richer

2-2-20 Page 1 Start - This prison system is made to make the rich richer. The poor more needy. This is a mental genocide. How is a life sentence, death row, life without parole. All...
EarlNot Available
My personal experience
January 29, 2020

My personal experience

My Personal Experience 1 I am serving a twenty-year sentence in federal custody. I started my sentence at a medium- level security prison in West Virginia. At this level I had to deal with politics,...
Real TimeNot Available
Prison is a cold place to be
January 16, 2020

Prison is a cold place to be

1-16-20 page 1 Hey. Prison is a cold place to be. I hate myself for coming here. I pray God give me a brake. I will never do what I did to come again. This...
EarlNot Available
With the humblest of mind and heart
2020

With the humblest of mind and heart

Dear Readers, With the humblest of mind and heart, I relay this informative plea of facts of occurence. As human obligation requires, I bring to your attention a violation of basic human rights, that me...
Maes, MichaelNot Available
If I (Jason D.G.) were in charge of prison
July 28, 2019

If I (Jason D.G.) were in charge of prison

If I (Jason D.G.) were in charge of prison I'd change how GLBT are tortured by solitary confinement under P.R.E.A. Todays 7-28-19. I've been in B.O.P since 7-20-12. 9-21-18 Mark Adair made the Houston Chronicle...
Gandy, Jason D.Not Available
Corrections: An exercise in futility
June 28, 2019

Corrections: An exercise in futility

Alice Bingner [address redacted] Phone: [redacted] Category: Personal Essay Word Count: 2,246 Corrections: an Exercise in Futility Currently, in the United States, it costs upwards of $50,000,000,000 plus a year to incarcerate more than 2,000,000...
Bingner, Alice G.Not Available
My introduction to district court
2019

My introduction to district court

Alice Bingner [address redacted] Category: Essay Word Count: 1,414 My Introduction to District Court I made my way to court that first of many trips with knees of silly putty. I knew my son deserved...
Bingner, Alice G.Not Available
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If you are working on an APWA-related project, please let us know how you plan to utilize the Archive. We hope to share information about your work with our readers and, whenever possible, with relevant APWA authors.

APWA is an open access archive. We encourage use of the writings for research, course planning, and projects engaged in examination of the criminal legal system. Reproduction of essays in their entirety infringes on author copyright without their explicit consent from the writers. Please contact us if you plan to reproduce entire essays; we will do our best to put you in contact with the authors for consent, and their compensation for any project that is profit making.

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