It’s unfortunate that George Floyd had to be brutally murdered in the public in order that the world hear Black and Brown folks cries for humanity and justice. We have a chance to heal this Country, let’s start by demanding systemic change to our “Criminal Justice System.” Ten of thousands of American Citizens are Disenfranchised by virtue of Mass Incarceration. Allow incarcerated citizens’ to vote in Federal elections; Stop warehousing (enslaving) economically deprived citizens for political and personal gains; Eliminate mandatory Life-Without-the-Possibility-of-Parole (LWOP) i.e., Death-by-Incarceration (DBI) sentences; Locking people away for the duration of their life does nothing to eradicate the Social-ills of the world; The answer has to be Fair and Humane Treatment and Equal Justice for EVERYONE, including equal economic opportunities for EVERY Citizen!; Not only must the police of the world be held accountable but, every local Government and elected official must also be held accountable for the unaddressed Social-Ills of their respective communities; the Lifers Inc., at SCI-Phoenix implore All citizens of around the world to get out to Vote! Vote Wisely! & Vote Responsibly! Hold your elected officials accountable! Make every Vote count!; If you don’t Vote, you don’t count! And if you don’t count, you will continue to see repeats of the same, if not worst, systemic and structural injustices.
I Can’t Breathe
Abstract
Narratives of Adjustment and Adaptation among Older Males with Life Sentences
by
John Taglianetti
MA, Villanova University 1990
BS, La Salle University 1970
Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Research Psychology
Walden University
December 2020
Abstract
Despite the significance of long-term inmates’ Prison life perspectives, adjustment and adaptation remain primarily unexplored in current research. According to Kovacs et al. (2019), adaptation and adjustment to the prison environment, which begin at the point of sentencing and continue throughout the entire incarceration course, are critical factors in prisoner psychology. Notwithstanding the importance of adaptation and adjustment throughout incarceration and the large populations of older individuals serving LWOP sentences in the United States, these psychological processes have received insufficient attention in extant research. Therefore, it remains unclear what causes adaptation and adjustment among members of this incarcerated population, how they experience it, and the outcomes of an effective adaptive process.
According to data from The Sentencing Project, as of 2016, almost 162,000 incarcerated individuals were serving life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) sentences in the United States (Nellis, 2017). To address this gap, this narrative exploration focuses on the interview results of 29 older male LWOPs on the adaptation and adjustment experiences. Most of the past studies focused on data collected from stakeholders and ignores the subjectivity required to ascertain the effectiveness of adaptation and adjustment. As stated in Di Lorito et al. (2018), research and studies centered around the voices of older LWOPs where they describe their incarceration experiences though limited to date, will be compelling. In the current study, the perspectives of the LWOP were analyzed as a result of observation and interview. This research project shall demonstrate the possibility of true social change and reform by providing a second chance for LWOPs.
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Introduction
There are more than 2,185,008 inmates in American prisons. Of those, 161,957 older males serve a sentence of life or life without the possibility of parole. In researching this phenomenon, it becomes evident that existing literature reveals that researchers’ descriptions vary and that they refer to this sentence by one of several names: life without the possibility of parole (LWOP), death in prison (DIP), death by incarceration (DBI), the other death penalty (ODP) and virtual life sentences. There are three primary types of sentences: (1) life without parole (LWOP) sentences, (2) life sentences with restrictive parole practices in certain jurisdictions, and (3) virtual life sentences (Henry, 2012). The terminology of men serving life sentences is meant to identify men who have been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole (LWOP), death by incarceration (DBI) virtual life, or include life in prison. (Crewe, 2015). This study will focus on older men serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison in Eastern Pennsylvania. Death sentences by any other name using all the various acronyms and descriptions add up to the same outcome the man will die in prison without ever finishing his sentence (Nellis, 2013)
While scholars have highlighted the negative consequences of mass incarceration, research has not yet documented the social, psychological, and behavioral changes that occur among older males with sentences throughout their imprisonment and, in particular, their lived experiences with adjustment and adaptation (Sliva, 2015). Kazemian and Travis (2015) identified a gap in research on the adjustment and adaptation processes during long periods of incarceration. This phenomenon is particularly important to consider among a population of those serving life and sentences, given that they spend a substantial number of years incarcerated and have more opportunities for adaptation and adjustment. For most of these inmates, significant changes may occur in their lives as they develop as human beings as they focus on developing and exhibiting a prosocial attitude.
To provide new insight into this marginalized population, the purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives of older men with life sentences and, according to Crewe (2015), correct the fact that researchers, policymakers, and the general public have overlooked this segment of the prison population. In doing so, they have ignored the potential benefits of addressing this population’s needs and did not attempt to understand the relevant ethical issues. As Tonry (2011) suggested, this issue primarily pertains to human rights and social justice. These inmates can make valuable contributions and can contribute to the development of a healthier prison climate.
As Kazemian and Travis (2015) have suggested, not all research has identified psychological deterioration in prisoners’ adjustment processes across their time incarcerated. MacKenzie and Goodstein (1985) found that those with life and sentences, who have spent long years in prison, develop coping mechanisms to adapt to the incarceration experience. This chapter offers an expanded review of the study’s purpose, relevant background, a problem statement, and the research questions I use to guide the inquiry.