This originally aired on The Final Straw radio show.

I enrolled in Anger Management to get the second of two programs I need to complete in order to get out of solitary. I had already taken the Money Smart program, which indoctrinates convicted felons in the benefits and virtues of using the U.S. banking system. I got my certificate even though I included a critique of the banking system on the back of my homework, along with cartoons of masked characters with cans of gasoline around burning banks.

So, Anger Management would give me my second certificate and qualify me to get out of solitary. How it works, OSP offers a million programs you can watch on TV and mail in your answers. Thing is, none of these programs count as the two to get you out of solitary. It looks good that they offer these programs, but to get to lower security you need one of select few programs that staff teach in the unit. And thats not easy to get because there are few staff and there are only six phone booth sized cages for six prisoners to take each cycle of programs. Hundreds are waiting. Six get selected. Continue reading →