Those in Prison

By Susan Zalatan

We want them to be responsible
So we take away all responsibility

We want them to be positive and constructive
So we degrade them and make them useless

We want them to be trustworthy
So we put them where there is no trust

We want them to be nonviolent
So we surround them with violence

We want them to be kind and loving
So we subject them to hatred and cruelty

We want them to quit being the “tough guy”
So we put them where only the “tough guy” survives

We want them to quit exploiting us
So we cage them where they exploit each other

We want them to take control of their lives
So we make them dependent on us

We want them to be a part of our community
So we separate them from our community

You want us to have self-worth
So you destroy our self-worth
And you call it “corrections”