If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter . George Washington

FROM THE WEB MISTRESS FOR PRISON REFORM AND THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY J Bowell (Member of American Historical Association)

TO SUBMIT SEE FORM BELOW TO SHACKLED VOICES

I have been a researcher of 'Slavery and Abolition' in the South for many years now, spent many hours, which turned into years, pouring over slave narratives and plantation owners' correspondence, The real History of the South. History and social movements told by the people themselves. Then, some years ago, I looked around and said to myself so what's changed? Well, thankfully, a lot of things have changed for the better and other mentalities .? Well, they seem to be, if not as bad as before, quickly getting worse by the day ! So just what am I referring to? Well, racism is still here, alive and kicking , and  MENTALITY of racism in hate groups; as seen in slavery times, the hatred and lynching mentality that went with it is still alive too,not only alive but;is being emulated and carried over into the;prison system with th ; difference that it is now applied to other racial and social categories too . The conditions within the Prison industry; shameful  as is the stubborn, blinkered view to uphold the death penalty. There have been 972 people have been executed in The U.S.A since 1976 and almost 4.000 people sit on death rows today, the death penalty is, with my very deepest respect to the victims' memories and their families, barbaric, outdated ( LWP exists) expensive and more importantly it is FLAWED, all too often used as a political tool, it is also racist,used against minority groups and the poor, those who cannot afford attorneys, especially in the Death Belt;,and YES there are innocent people on death row; a disgrace to any civilized country.   I have been asked the question why write about these issues in times of conflict? My answer to this question is .There is no better time! "Shackled Voices" is the place where everyone is able to testify, through a first hand, eye witness account be it letters, poems, essays, discussions, whatever, to the conditions lived inside, the possible reasons leading to the incarceration and to bring about an awareness forthe need for   reforms to change this system, so that one day a point can be reached when prison includes a philosophy of ; rehabilitation and education, the true meaning of correction. The web mistress Jane Bowell

HISTORY OF THE DEATH PENALTY

FURTHER READING Jerome G. Miller AFRO AMERICAN MALES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PRINT THIS OUT AND SEND IT OUT TO THE __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ THIS IS NOT A PENPAL SITE "SHACKLED VOICES"; IS A NEW WEBSITE DEDICATED TO PUBLISHING TESTIMONIES FROM DEATH ROW &;PRISONERS AND OTHERS WITH THE INTENTION OF CREATING AN AWARENESS SURROUNDING THE DEATH PENALTY AND PRISON CONDITIONS . IT IS A PRIVILEGED PLACE WHERE INMATES WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS AND PUBLISH THEIR WORK OR ASK FOR LEGAL AID RECENT SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN IN THE FORM OF FIRST HAND TESTIMONIES OF EVERYDAY LIFE POETRY AND  ESSAYS THE WEBMISTRESS IS A RESEARCHER INTO AMERICAN HISTORY SPECIALIZING IN AFRO AMERICAN SLAVE NARRATIVES AND ORAL TESTIMONIES (AND IS CONVINCED THAT THE IMPETUS FOR SOCIAL REFORM COMES FROM THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED. YOU THE SHACKLED VOICES IF YOU HAVE A MESSAGE TO TO BE HEARD CONTACT THE WEBMISTRESS. SUBMISSION ;IS FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME YOUR WORK REMAINS YOURS OF COURSE October 2003