Krysten Webber and Bridges to Life

Check in from Krysten Webber this week. In it, she details a program she has been working in prison called Bridges to Life. Female inmates listen to the stories of survivors of violent crimes. Krysten says,

"You hear it from their perspective. Just how far and wide it reaches in a persons life to be victimized. It is very moving and it brings me to tears every time."

The testimonials are given in person or recorded on DVD. The program also requires the inmates to share their own stories. They are required to report the details of their actions that brought them to prison. They also discuss their past as in childhood, adolescence and adult years pre-crime. They must answer pointed questions about their behavior and the devastation they have caused and are forced to confront their own crimes and others in the most personal way possible.

According to Krysten, it forces each participant to look at and consider things they may never have or may have chosen not to in the past. Doing so is terrifying, especially when you are listening to the stories of child killers. To hear what made that person into who they are points the finger at so many others besides the person who committed the crime. What is amazing, Krysten reports, is watching the countenance of 10 other people turn from judgemental to compassionate during the course of the program.

This program is working for her and others in her prison community. They are finding a way to resign to their fate and live a peaceful, fulfilling life inside. And yet, they are underfunded and lack volunteers.

What so many fail to realize is if we have thoughtful compassionate lifetime inmates, they work to keep others from returning. They use their experiences and newfound knowledge to counsel others on repairing their life on the outside. They change lives, sometimes ours.

Comments

Darlie Routier Texas

I was contacted by a penpal of Darlie Routier's who gave me some of the most recent advances in her case to share with you all. I began writing to Darlie in December of 2005 and she is one woman whom I will never understand how she got behind bars. Really. You know what else? With all the information ALREADY out there about this case, in addition to the newly discovered info, I think if you can't see this poor woman's innocence, you may just be an asshole. So many legal flubs, so much question and police innuendo that turned out to be nothing. So many fingers pointed and road blocks thrown up, I am surprised this case isn't used in other countries to point to the clusterfuck we call a justice system. I believe Darlie could have been released ages ago if the state had done the necessary DNA testing. Sadly, Texas has tried to stop it in every unconstitutional way they could pull out of a bull's ass. BUT- there is hope on the horizon. This from Camp Darlie ...

The Most Beautiful Girls to Ever Kill Their Own Mother

As human beings, we have trouble fathoming the idea of a young girl committing so atrocious a crime as murder. Much less, the murder of her own mother. The concept becomes even more inconceivable when it pertains to a beautiful young woman beautiful young woman with a loving family and the world at her fingertips. These girls aren't all women in prison now. Some have been released and disappeared into the mainstream. Scary, huh? Nakisha Waddell At age 14, Nakisha Waddell stabbed her mother, Vaughne Thomas, 43 times in their Virginia home. In court, she said she was tired of the years of fighting and just exploded. Her 15-year-old friend, Annie Belcher, helped her dig a grave in the backyard. The pair poured alcohol and nail polish remover on the dead woman and tried to ignite her to no avail. They eventually mixed a crude concrete mixture and poured it on top of her and finished by covering her with sticks, leaves, and yard debris. She gives n...

Brenda Andrew Execution date

Brenda Andrew is the only woman on Oklahoma death row. She is there for the murder of her husband by her and her boyfriend James Pavatt. Brenda does not answer letters. It seems she may still have a bit of that pretentious attitude left over from her days as a respected deacons wife. Those days are over, hun. There is no scheduled execution date for Brenda yet. Oklahoma lists its dates of execution for the prison she is in here . Every time I read about this case I am utterly amazed at how stupid these two people were. She may as well have advertised their guilt on a billboard in front of the house. Both Andrew's and Pavatt's appeal were systematically denied without comment in 2008. The little Scorned episode "The Sunday School Killers" at the top of this post is about Brenda and James and its only $1.99 so its worth the money. Appearance White Female; 5 ft. 3 in. tall; 110 pounds; Bro...

Woman Condemned

Search This Blog