Stay tuned to meet
some cutting-edge folks
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that I met up with while at ASI.
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My name is Yvonne Lewis
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and you're
watching Urban Report.
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Hello and
welcome to Urban Report.
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Recently, I was at ASI
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and connected with some folks
that you need to know about.
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My first guest is
Terry Moreland take a look.
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It is so great to be here at ASI
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and to have seen one
of my Adventist heroes
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and I call him that
because he has been so active
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in working with
Prison Ministries
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and just doing some things that
are... just such a blessing...
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welcome... Terry Moreland...
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Brother Terry
Moreland... so good to have you.
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Thank you...
it's nice to be here.
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You have been involved
in work with the prisons
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for how many years?
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Twenty-five years.
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Yvonne:
Twenty-five years... tell us...
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first of all tell us
how you got involved.
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Well, I have to
say, first of all,
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I have not been actively
involved in the last five years
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in the Prison
System and I got involved
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with Mr. Richard Bland,
United Prison Ministries,
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he's been a friend forever
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and he took me
to a lot of prisons
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in Europe, Russia, US,
and that's when I began to
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be interested in
the Prison System.
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What did you see
when you went with him?
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I saw that the prison...
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no matter where
you are in prison...
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it's a different world.
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It's like a
country within a country
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and although there
are some differences
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in how incarceration is handled,
the overall theme is the same
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and it has the same results
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no matter where it is
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whether it's South
America or Russia or here,
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it has the same
results because of the way
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that inmates are handled.
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What's the overall theme?
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I think the overall theme is
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incarceration has
become an industry...
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it's become something that
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is not bricks and
mortars to make money
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but it's... it's a type
of... it's all about that...
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people make money
off of human misery.
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That is so...
see... you know Brother,
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I don't think that
enough people know what goes on
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with that whole system
because if you're, basically...
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a law-abiding person,
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you never come into
contact with that System
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but when you make it
either part of your ministry
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or you've gotten in
trouble, you are then...
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you have a bird's-eye
view of what's going on
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within that System...
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and just like you
said, it is an industry...
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it is an
industry... so, what was it...
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were there some things
specifically that you saw
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that made you say,
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"Oh, I've got to get
involved with this... "
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and what did you do?
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No, actually, it's not something
that you want to get involved in
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it's something that you're
compelled to get involved in
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because I think if a
person is a Christian
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and trying to be Christ-like
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and trying to help
the people around you,
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you recognize that if
you don't help these people,
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they're going to hurt you
and they're going to hurt you,
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they may have come into
prison... stealing a car,
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going on a
joyride with a friend...
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maybe getting drunk
and getting into trouble...
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now, I realize
there are worse offenses,
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but I'm just going to
take those for example
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and some kid ends
up in prison for a year
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and he's raped every day,
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now that kid, when
he comes out of prison,
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he's going to get
even with somebody
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and that kind of conduct...
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that kind of "prison
mentality" and operation
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is something that
is hurting Society,
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it's not helping
Society, they think...
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I used to think that
people get in trouble...
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they go to
prison... they deserve it,
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they go serve their
time... they get out,
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but it's not that way,
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once they enter into
the... it's a different world,
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so you've got all the gangs...
all the different gangs...
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and you... in order
to protect yourself,
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normally will get involved
with a gang... to protect you
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and that's just a real
sad commentary on our System
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and it starts with the people
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that have the
responsibility for incarceration
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and if nothing is
done on that level,
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then the recidivism...
returning to prison
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is going to remain the same,
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the money that's
being made by the System
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is going to
continue being made...
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and the public
is going to continue
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suffering the consequences
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and when you get an
inmate that gets out
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he goes and does the
same thing... re-offense,
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people don't look
beyond the offender.
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Hmmm... hmmm...
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They don't look where he's
been and what he's been through,
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and they only see
what he's doing now,
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and so, you can't
correct it by looking at that,
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you've got to correct it by
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getting involved in
the Prison System itself,
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to have kind of a total cure
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for the problem that
you're trying to address
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and not to say that everybody
can be hailed the same,
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but we certainly can
reduce what goes on in Society
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with these people
after they get out
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by transforming the way
they're treated when they're in
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and I'm not saying
"baby these people. "
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Right, right, what are you
saying then with the treatment?
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Compare the treatment...
what... because again...
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many people don't even
know how inmates are treated
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how are they treated and then...
what should be different?
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Well, inmates are
treated as low life
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and some of them have some
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grievous crimes
that they've committed,
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others are drug related...
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not involved in crimes
that hurt somebody physically,
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and so, if you... if everybody
is treated in a horrible way,
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where they've got
to protect each other,
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then you've got a
problem with the inmate...
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you can't learn anything...
you can't better yourself...
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when you're trying to protect
yourself physically all the time
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and we opened the Maranatha
Prison...up on the High Desert,
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all of our
employees were trained...
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months before
we actually opened.
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Inmates were to be called,
"Sir... " no matter what.
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Hmmm...
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No matter what...
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Now I think... and I just
want to back up for one second
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you're saying that
you opened a prison.
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It's a private prison
for the State of California
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it's... there
was a bidding process
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with... at that time...
Wackenhut... it's now GEO
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several other entities and
we won one of the contracts
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until we built the
prison and had 500 inmates.
00:08:16.86\00:08:19.63
You saw what was going on
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and you decided
to open a prison,
00:08:21.66\00:08:24.27
tell us about the prison...
what... so you're saying
00:08:24.30\00:08:27.20
your staff was
trained... months in advance,
00:08:27.24\00:08:30.91
they had to call
every inmate, "Sir... "
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Terry: All the time.
Yvonne: All the time.
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So you were giving
them back some dignity.
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Well, yeah, we
wanted them to recognize
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the fact that we
recognized their legitimacy
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to being an equal human being,
00:08:49.12\00:08:53.29
knowing that
they're going to be out...
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you know, when they come to us
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they have... at the
most... a year left,
00:08:56.93\00:08:58.47
that they're
going to be out again
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and so, we try to do
things like change their diet,
00:09:00.34\00:09:04.41
try to get the
drugs out of their system,
00:09:04.44\00:09:07.01
they do get drugs in prison
00:09:07.04\00:09:08.38
and we looked at
their spiritual life...
00:09:08.44\00:09:14.02
we had virtually every
church within a 50-mile radius
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that had access to our prison,
00:09:18.15\00:09:20.26
more than any major
prison in California
00:09:20.29\00:09:23.02
and so we had all
these religious programs
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that helped them from
a spiritual standpoint
00:09:25.63\00:09:28.16
and then we had a
nutritional program
00:09:28.20\00:09:30.10
to get the drugs
out of their system
00:09:30.13\00:09:31.97
and it was basically a
vegan, vegetarian diet...
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Yvonne: Look at this...
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Terry: One in which
the State of California
00:09:37.54\00:09:39.61
told us, "They'll
never eat that stuff,
00:09:39.64\00:09:41.64
they'll burn your prison
down," there the exact words,
00:09:41.68\00:09:44.38
that they'll burn your
prison down if you do that...
00:09:44.41\00:09:46.72
but the fact is that we
had two sites in the prison,
00:09:46.75\00:09:51.59
they made us go
with the normal site,
00:09:51.62\00:09:53.52
some things they asked
us to do, we would not do
00:09:53.56\00:09:57.29
because we knew that was wrong
from a nutritional standpoint,
00:09:57.33\00:10:00.60
but the other
site was strictly vegan
00:10:00.63\00:10:03.10
and we had virtually
95 percent of the people
00:10:03.13\00:10:08.54
wanting to be on
that site. Yvonne: Hmmm...
00:10:08.57\00:10:10.21
Terry: So they
wanted to better themselves,
00:10:10.24\00:10:13.54
it's not like they
liked the vegan diet,
00:10:13.58\00:10:15.61
they liked what it did for them,
00:10:15.64\00:10:17.61
we had
physicians from Loma Linda
00:10:17.65\00:10:19.58
and around the Country
that came into the prison
00:10:19.61\00:10:22.05
and lectured them,
gave them the opportunity
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to know what
food does to people...
00:10:24.52\00:10:29.52
and what it can do
and what does for like...
00:10:29.56\00:10:34.63
positive and a
negative standpoint
00:10:34.66\00:10:36.16
so, they recognized
00:10:36.20\00:10:38.87
and this is something that
we didn't know in the beginning
00:10:38.90\00:10:41.04
till we actually got into it,
00:10:41.07\00:10:42.40
they recognized, "These people
here are trying to help us,"
00:10:42.44\00:10:44.97
you know, and so
00:10:45.01\00:10:47.28
a lot of them would
go along with things
00:10:47.31\00:10:49.24
that they normally
wouldn't go along with
00:10:49.28\00:10:51.05
because they knew we
were trying to help them
00:10:51.11\00:10:52.81
and then, when the things
that we were doing helped them,
00:10:52.85\00:10:56.05
then they began to see what
we were trying to accomplish
00:10:56.08\00:11:00.39
and so as a consequence
we had a low recidivism rate,
00:11:00.42\00:11:04.69
we had virtually no... on
the... that side of the prison,
00:11:04.73\00:11:09.06
we had no problems,
blacks, whites, Hispanics,
00:11:09.10\00:11:12.93
no gang problems, nothing,
00:11:12.97\00:11:15.40
playing basketball together
00:11:15.44\00:11:17.77
and all the things
you would never see
00:11:17.81\00:11:19.24
in a regular prison that
draws a line... you know...
00:11:19.27\00:11:21.94
like the, whites,
blacks, whatever...
00:11:21.98\00:11:23.81
and so, it was... it was
really quite an experience.
00:11:23.85\00:11:27.65
How many inmates did you have?
00:11:27.68\00:11:29.55
500... 250 on each side.
00:11:29.58\00:11:31.92
See, this to me is... if
we had more prisons like this,
00:11:31.95\00:11:36.76
it would... what
you're doing was...
00:11:36.79\00:11:39.83
you were dealing with
the person holistically
00:11:39.86\00:11:43.73
from a physical,
spiritual, emotional standpoint
00:11:43.77\00:11:47.60
and so, you were
giving them something
00:11:47.64\00:11:50.11
that they weren't
getting and self-respect
00:11:50.14\00:11:53.01
and you also were
training them with a trade,
00:11:53.04\00:11:55.84
tell us about that.
00:11:55.88\00:11:57.21
Well, it's kind of a program
that we tried to recognize
00:11:57.25\00:12:02.72
all their needs...
from being in the prison,
00:12:02.78\00:12:07.36
being around each
other, getting healthy,
00:12:07.39\00:12:11.59
looking for a life
to live down the road,
00:12:11.63\00:12:15.83
most of them... at
that point... we knew...
00:12:15.86\00:12:20.04
went out of prison, back
to the drugs... back in...
00:12:20.07\00:12:23.20
and you ask them, you say,
00:12:23.24\00:12:25.81
"Listen, you're having
such a great time in here,
00:12:25.84\00:12:31.11
learning, doing things,
00:12:31.15\00:12:32.48
why would you go
back to the drugs?
00:12:32.51\00:12:36.15
And... this guy
just blew me away,
00:12:36.18\00:12:40.09
he said, "Terry... " he says...
00:12:40.12\00:12:41.92
and I let them call me "Terry"
00:12:41.96\00:12:43.66
he says, "Terry,
when I get out of here,
00:12:43.69\00:12:46.93
I got nowhere to go... I'm
going to live under a bridge
00:12:46.96\00:12:49.43
I'm not going to know
from one day to the next
00:12:49.46\00:12:53.03
whether I'm going
to be beaten or raped
00:12:53.10\00:12:54.50
and I have to have drugs because
I can't live without them
00:12:54.54\00:12:58.17
knowing what's happening to me,"
00:12:58.21\00:12:59.91
Terry is smiling sadly...
00:12:59.94\00:13:02.61
that's a gut-wrenching thing
00:13:02.64\00:13:05.55
for anybody to
have to even be thinking
00:13:05.58\00:13:07.18
"Why in the world am I
even here, I can't do this...
00:13:07.22\00:13:10.89
I mean, I can't
help these people
00:13:10.92\00:13:12.85
unless we got a program that
takes it all the way through"
00:13:12.92\00:13:15.62
and so we came up with
a program with housing...
00:13:15.66\00:13:18.03
where the County
had a lot of real estate
00:13:18.06\00:13:23.23
residential lots that
had never been developed
00:13:23.26\00:13:26.60
and they were off the tax rolls
00:13:26.63\00:13:28.20
that we could get for
free and then put together
00:13:28.24\00:13:32.24
a housing program where these
guys could build their own house
00:13:32.27\00:13:35.31
and they could help each
other and so they could have
00:13:35.34\00:13:39.08
habitation when they get out
00:13:39.11\00:13:40.82
and have something
to look forward to,
00:13:40.85\00:13:43.18
it's a very difficult process
00:13:43.22\00:13:45.59
and we were not able
to develop all of it,
00:13:45.62\00:13:48.72
prior to them shutting
us down which was like a...
00:13:48.79\00:13:55.76
seven years into our contract.
00:13:55.80\00:13:58.57
Seven years in...
and you got shut down.
00:13:58.60\00:14:01.84
That's how it happened...
00:14:01.87\00:14:03.20
See, the things
that you're doing...
00:14:03.24\00:14:04.57
the things that you...
that God called you to do
00:14:04.61\00:14:07.94
were so... you were
like a pioneer with this,
00:14:07.98\00:14:10.88
other people weren't
doing this, this is phenomenal,
00:14:10.91\00:14:14.58
what a gift... what a gift...
00:14:14.62\00:14:16.62
Well, it's not
that they can't do it,
00:14:16.65\00:14:18.72
they could do it
00:14:18.75\00:14:20.09
and if this were the norm...
00:14:20.12\00:14:22.86
in other words, if
this is what the State...
00:14:22.89\00:14:24.86
whatever State it is says,
00:14:24.89\00:14:26.23
"This is what we're going
to do to rehabilitate... "
00:14:26.26\00:14:28.36
it would be
cheaper... a lot cheaper...
00:14:28.40\00:14:30.87
I mean... a lot cheaper...
and it would protect Society
00:14:30.90\00:14:35.67
and give these
people an opportunity
00:14:35.70\00:14:37.74
but if you don't do that,
00:14:37.77\00:14:39.97
here are the results and we've
seen it over and over again.
00:14:40.01\00:14:42.21
Yvonne: For sure...
00:14:42.24\00:14:43.58
And the answer is
not what Obama is saying,
00:14:43.61\00:14:46.08
"Turn them all
loose... " well, that's crazy...
00:14:46.11\00:14:48.82
you know, the answer is,
00:14:48.85\00:14:50.79
"Address the needs
that are out there... "
00:14:50.85\00:14:53.05
we're going to have
to spend the money anyway
00:14:53.09\00:14:55.26
and it's going to be a lot
cheaper if we do it this way...
00:14:55.29\00:14:58.06
I don't know how
you put a price tag
00:14:58.09\00:15:01.56
on somebody getting
raped when somebody gets out
00:15:01.60\00:15:03.77
because they got no place to go
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.13
and they're angry
because they've been raped
00:15:05.17\00:15:07.50
and so, we
either fix the problem
00:15:07.54\00:15:10.94
or we live with the results,
that's truly it... you know.
00:15:10.97\00:15:14.34
And we thank you for
being a part of the solution
00:15:14.38\00:15:16.61
even though that was...
that happened a few years ago,
00:15:16.64\00:15:19.25
we thank you because
you continue to work for God
00:15:19.28\00:15:23.55
and we know that you are
just a blessing, thank you.
00:15:23.59\00:15:26.99
I wish we had more time, I
can't believe our time is up.
00:15:27.02\00:15:30.39
Thank you so much.
00:15:30.43\00:15:32.06
Terry: Thank you,
the Lord's coming soon.
00:15:32.09\00:15:33.43
Yvonne: He is... and God bless
you with all that you're doing.
00:15:33.46\00:15:36.63
Terry: Thank you.
00:15:36.67\00:15:38.23
Yvonne: Thank you.
00:15:38.27\00:15:39.77
Terry Moreland is
one of my Ministry Heroes
00:15:39.80\00:15:43.41
and now, here are
some more heroes of mine.
00:15:43.47\00:15:47.04
Take a look.
00:15:47.08\00:15:48.41
It is my
pleasure to be here at ASI
00:15:48.44\00:15:52.98
and to talk to
people that we meet here
00:15:53.01\00:15:57.55
and today is really a special
day because I went to a luncheon
00:15:57.59\00:16:02.86
and at this luncheon...
00:16:02.89\00:16:04.49
our guests were
featured at this luncheon
00:16:04.53\00:16:07.03
and so, thankfully,
00:16:07.06\00:16:09.16
I was able to get them to
come here today to talk...
00:16:09.20\00:16:12.67
my guests are
Warden Willie Thomas,
00:16:12.70\00:16:17.47
I want to say... not Pastor...
00:16:17.51\00:16:20.24
but Warden Willie Thomas from
the BIBB Correctional Facility
00:16:20.28\00:16:24.78
and you are actually
00:16:24.81\00:16:26.15
a Warden 3... is that
the... that's your title?
00:16:26.18\00:16:29.12
Yes, Warden 3.
00:16:29.15\00:16:30.49
And also, Brother Richard Bland
00:16:30.52\00:16:33.19
who is the Founder and President
00:16:33.22\00:16:35.32
of United Prison
Ministries Inc. org
00:16:35.36\00:16:40.36
thank you so much... thank
you so much for being with us.
00:16:40.40\00:16:44.43
Let's talk a little bit
about prison in Alabama,
00:16:44.47\00:16:48.70
because you made a presentation
today in which you talked about
00:16:48.74\00:16:53.98
the inmates and the situation
in the Prison System in general.
00:16:54.01\00:16:59.25
Alabama's Prison System is
one of the most overcrowded
00:16:59.28\00:17:03.69
in the entire nation,
population generally was 13,000
00:17:03.72\00:17:08.06
that the prisons were built for
00:17:08.09\00:17:09.42
and now we have
more than 30,000 inmates
00:17:09.46\00:17:12.56
which is about 200
percent over capacity
00:17:12.59\00:17:15.70
for each
Facility that we operate.
00:17:15.73\00:17:17.30
So, oh... whoa... so...
00:17:17.37\00:17:21.00
the original capacity
was 13,000 and you have...?
00:17:21.04\00:17:25.97
Warden: Over 30,000.
00:17:26.01\00:17:27.44
Over 30,000 inmates... and
how many Correctional Officers
00:17:27.48\00:17:32.05
do you have... to oversee them?
00:17:32.08\00:17:33.62
At my prison, I have a
population of 1,956 men,
00:17:33.65\00:17:38.32
I'm authorized, 278 staff...
but at the present time,
00:17:38.35\00:17:43.59
I only have 82
staff to operate a prison
00:17:43.63\00:17:47.33
of almost 2,000 inmates.
00:17:47.36\00:17:48.76
So the danger for the
Officers there is real.
00:17:48.83\00:17:54.47
It's real... real
and imminent danger.
00:17:54.50\00:17:57.17
Every day... I've read so much,
00:17:57.21\00:17:59.91
I have a burden
for Prison Ministry
00:17:59.94\00:18:02.54
and I've read that there are
rapes and murders and all that
00:18:02.58\00:18:06.82
going on all the time
within the Prison System,
00:18:06.88\00:18:09.12
how does that... as a Warden...
00:18:09.15\00:18:10.59
how does that affect you
00:18:10.62\00:18:12.45
and you're a
Christian Warden as well.
00:18:12.49\00:18:14.99
Well, you think about the fact
that that's somebody's child,
00:18:15.02\00:18:17.99
you think about the fact
that, I have children of my own
00:18:18.03\00:18:21.20
and I will not want anything
to happen to my kids like that
00:18:21.23\00:18:24.37
so I take it
personally because of that fact
00:18:24.40\00:18:26.80
and of the families
00:18:26.84\00:18:28.17
and I know the pain
that they must be feeling
00:18:28.20\00:18:30.07
and for me to have to
tell a family member that
00:18:30.11\00:18:32.14
someone has
expired or has been stabbed
00:18:32.17\00:18:35.51
or something... valid
crime has been committed
00:18:35.54\00:18:38.15
against their loved ones.
00:18:38.18\00:18:39.71
Yes, yes, yes, yes...
00:18:39.75\00:18:41.18
how high is the
recidivism rate in your prison?
00:18:41.22\00:18:45.99
In... just my mind... in Alabama
over a three-year period,
00:18:46.02\00:18:50.76
the recidivism rate is
holding around 35 percent.
00:18:50.79\00:18:54.40
For those of you who don't know
00:18:54.43\00:18:56.60
what recidivism
is, tell them please.
00:18:56.63\00:18:58.90
Recidivism, basically
is... an inmate leaves prison,
00:18:58.93\00:19:02.34
he goes out, he gets re-arrested
00:19:02.40\00:19:05.34
and he comes back to
the prison which means he...
00:19:05.37\00:19:08.98
he has recidivated... he has
come back after he's gotten out.
00:19:09.04\00:19:12.05
It seems to me that if you
come from a bad environment,
00:19:12.08\00:19:19.55
an unhealthy environment where
you have limited opportunities,
00:19:19.59\00:19:23.26
you go to prison and
you come out of prison,
00:19:23.32\00:19:27.06
going back into that environment
with limited opportunities
00:19:27.10\00:19:30.87
and now... now
you can't get a job
00:19:30.90\00:19:33.57
because you have a felony
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.37
so many people
don't want to hire you
00:19:35.40\00:19:38.17
because you have a
felony, so you have a felony,
00:19:38.21\00:19:41.34
then, many times you
can't get into an apartment,
00:19:41.38\00:19:44.51
so, you're going to
go and do what you know,
00:19:44.55\00:19:47.75
you're going to do what you
did to get you in there before
00:19:47.78\00:19:51.32
because that's what you
know. Warden: Absolutely.
00:19:51.35\00:19:53.12
And if we don't
change that paradigm,
00:19:53.15\00:19:56.26
if we don't
change the trajectory
00:19:56.29\00:19:58.76
of where people
are when they come out,
00:19:58.79\00:20:01.46
if they're going back
to the same situation,
00:20:01.53\00:20:04.37
they're going to
come back to you...
00:20:04.40\00:20:06.13
Warden: Absolutely.
Yvonne: Is that correct?
00:20:06.17\00:20:07.97
Warden: That is correct.
00:20:08.00\00:20:09.34
It feels as though
00:20:09.37\00:20:11.47
we have to do something,
00:20:11.51\00:20:13.17
would you agree
with that Brother Bland?
00:20:13.21\00:20:14.91
Oh yes, in fact... it's
even worse than that, Yvonne,
00:20:14.94\00:20:17.65
let me tell you
what I've found out.
00:20:17.68\00:20:19.08
When a person goes to prison,
00:20:19.11\00:20:21.32
he may have gone
there for stealing a car,
00:20:21.38\00:20:23.95
okay, if he stayed
there for five years,
00:20:23.99\00:20:26.52
he knows how to
write bad checks,
00:20:26.55\00:20:28.36
he knows how to rob a Bank,
00:20:28.39\00:20:29.72
he knows how to do
all those kinds of things
00:20:29.76\00:20:31.09
so he now has a five-year
education in Criminology,
00:20:31.13\00:20:34.00
unless he finds
Christ because...
00:20:34.06\00:20:37.63
see they're going to do
something with their time,
00:20:37.67\00:20:39.37
it is going to be
Christ or Crime...
00:20:39.40\00:20:41.80
so that's what I'm finding out
so that's why it's so important
00:20:41.84\00:20:45.07
to have, number
one... a Christian Warden
00:20:45.11\00:20:47.54
who emphasizes as much as he can
00:20:47.58\00:20:50.18
to have
spirituality in his prison,
00:20:50.21\00:20:52.71
number two, it's very important
for the public to realize
00:20:52.75\00:20:55.78
that we need
material and things in there
00:20:55.82\00:20:58.15
and need their help as
volunteers to go in there
00:20:58.19\00:21:00.29
so that they can
talk to these people
00:21:00.32\00:21:01.72
so therefore, they can
change them from Crime to Christ
00:21:01.76\00:21:04.39
because the Word of God does it.
00:21:04.43\00:21:06.09
See, you made some great points,
00:21:06.16\00:21:07.76
it's not just
about... the first thing is...
00:21:07.80\00:21:10.03
we have to know what
the problems are, right?
00:21:10.07\00:21:12.23
Warden: Absolutely.
00:21:12.30\00:21:13.64
And thank God we
have Wardens like you
00:21:13.67\00:21:16.24
that... that have a burden for
bringing Christ into the prisons
00:21:16.30\00:21:21.71
thank... thank the Lord
we have wardens like you
00:21:21.74\00:21:24.05
because that means you care
about what's going on in there
00:21:24.08\00:21:28.25
and you are setting things
up, programs within your prison
00:21:28.28\00:21:32.45
to make a difference
00:21:32.49\00:21:33.82
and I'm going to come
back to that in a second,
00:21:33.86\00:21:35.72
the other thing I want to
say about what you just said is,
00:21:35.76\00:21:38.13
we need people to volunteer,
00:21:38.16\00:21:40.13
we need people to... not
just volunteer their time
00:21:40.16\00:21:43.57
but to support
financially what's going on
00:21:43.60\00:21:47.60
to get these materials in...
00:21:47.64\00:21:49.07
everybody benefits from this...
00:21:49.10\00:21:50.97
this is not just a thing
where the inmate benefits,
00:21:51.01\00:21:54.98
Society as a
whole benefits from this
00:21:55.01\00:21:57.18
because if that
person knows about Christ,
00:21:57.25\00:21:59.98
their values are
changed, they're new people,
00:22:00.02\00:22:02.72
different from when they
went in... they're different...
00:22:02.75\00:22:05.35
they're not studying at the
00:22:05.39\00:22:07.36
University of Crime
anymore necessarily,
00:22:07.39\00:22:09.46
they're sitting at the
feet of Jesus, right...
00:22:09.49\00:22:11.36
Warden: Absolutely.
00:22:11.39\00:22:12.73
Mr. Bland: If you take
his prison, for example,
00:22:12.76\00:22:14.26
we go... I'm so happy
United Prison Ministries
00:22:14.30\00:22:15.80
goes to his prison once a week,
we take in there, on average,
00:22:15.83\00:22:19.30
between $3,000 and
$5,000 worth of materials...
00:22:19.33\00:22:21.50
each week to his prison.
00:22:21.54\00:22:22.87
Yvonne: Every week...
Mr. Bland: Every week...
00:22:22.90\00:22:24.24
$3,000 to $5,000
worth of material.
00:22:24.27\00:22:27.08
And the reason for that is
we take "The Desire of Ages,"
00:22:27.11\00:22:30.05
we take, "Bible
Questions Answered"
00:22:30.08\00:22:32.38
we take Bible
lessons and all that...
00:22:32.41\00:22:34.68
so... and the men... take it...
00:22:34.72\00:22:36.45
because see, the
thing about it...
00:22:36.48\00:22:38.25
and many lives
have been changed.
00:22:38.29\00:22:39.95
If you think about
how important it is...
00:22:39.99\00:22:41.96
just say, if you got a child...
and your child is bad, right?
00:22:41.99\00:22:45.33
Just one child...
he's got 300 criminals
00:22:45.36\00:22:48.63
where only officer is
walking around in there
00:22:48.66\00:22:52.03
with 300 criminals
trying to change him
00:22:52.07\00:22:53.67
because the other
person is in the cubicle,
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.30
so, it's only one... has to
stay in the cubicle for safety
00:22:55.34\00:22:59.01
and one is out there with
300 guys.. can you imagine that?
00:22:59.07\00:23:01.38
So if you can't
take care of one,
00:23:02.41\00:23:04.05
how can... it's just
impossible, it's impossible,
00:23:04.08\00:23:06.55
Yvonne: It is...
Warden: It needs to change...
00:23:06.58\00:23:08.12
Yvonne: It sets you up...
Mr. Bland: It's incredible...
00:23:08.15\00:23:09.98
Yvonne: Yeah...
Warden: For failure...
00:23:10.02\00:23:11.89
Yvonne: For
failure... that is... that is...
00:23:11.92\00:23:14.09
that's very
interesting to me too,
00:23:14.12\00:23:16.32
you're set up for
failure but praise the Lord
00:23:16.36\00:23:19.59
you've got a
plan that can't lose
00:23:19.63\00:23:22.20
and we need to
back you up in that.
00:23:22.23\00:23:24.73
You're plan... you
can't lose with Jesus.
00:23:24.77\00:23:27.00
Mr. Bland: You can't...
00:23:27.04\00:23:28.50
So, we have to back
you up as Christians,
00:23:28.54\00:23:31.27
we have to back them
up and make a difference,
00:23:31.31\00:23:34.74
we can make a difference...
Mr. Bland: We can...
00:23:34.78\00:23:36.61
Yvonne: So, tell
us about the programs
00:23:36.64\00:23:39.48
that you have
coming into your prison.
00:23:39.51\00:23:41.95
I have, of course, United Prison
Ministries with Brother Bland
00:23:41.98\00:23:45.02
and I have, what we call a TM...
00:23:45.05\00:23:47.72
which is Transitional
Ministry and in that ministry,
00:23:47.76\00:23:50.43
they are taught...
00:23:50.49\00:23:51.83
not only about God but
they are taught life skills
00:23:51.86\00:23:55.10
communication
skills, writing skills,
00:23:55.13\00:23:58.43
relationship skills,
00:23:58.47\00:24:00.97
they're taught
the whole spectrum,
00:24:01.00\00:24:02.57
and of that group, I've had 299
to go through the entire program
00:24:02.60\00:24:06.47
now, only five have
come back to prison,
00:24:06.51\00:24:09.24
those who
completed the three-year...
00:24:09.28\00:24:11.95
it's a three-year
program... so I encourage it.
00:24:11.98\00:24:13.45
Wow, so is there a
spiritual component
00:24:13.48\00:24:14.82
to that Program as well?
00:24:14.85\00:24:16.18
Yes, there's a
spiritual component which is a
00:24:16.22\00:24:17.55
major component of it
because we're trying to make...
00:24:17.59\00:24:19.09
trying to... when
they perceive things
00:24:19.12\00:24:20.56
change within their hearts.
00:24:20.59\00:24:21.92
Yvonne: That's
right... that's right.
00:24:21.96\00:24:23.29
Mr. Bland: But what
I'm thinking about it is,
00:24:23.32\00:24:24.66
does everybody have
to take that program?
00:24:24.69\00:24:26.03
Warden: No.
00:24:26.06\00:24:27.40
Mr. Bland: You see,
only very few take it.
00:24:27.43\00:24:28.76
Yvonne: It's voluntary...
Warden: It's voluntary...
00:24:28.80\00:24:30.13
So, out of the 1,900...
00:24:30.17\00:24:31.50
you only have 200
that took the program,
00:24:31.53\00:24:34.17
then the other thing I
want to bring your attention to
00:24:34.20\00:24:36.74
is how important it is,
00:24:36.77\00:24:38.74
is the fact that every
day you have a staff meeting,
00:24:38.77\00:24:42.68
is that right,
Warden? Warden: Yes.
00:24:42.71\00:24:44.05
What do you do at
this staff meeting?
00:24:44.08\00:24:45.41
See, what you do is...
you come and try to find out
00:24:45.45\00:24:47.32
who has an issue,
who has a problem,
00:24:47.35\00:24:49.58
were there
activities of the night before,
00:24:49.62\00:24:51.82
did we have any violence,
00:24:51.85\00:24:53.69
everybody that comes to
that meeting is a supervisor
00:24:53.72\00:24:56.66
and brings
everything to the table,
00:24:56.69\00:24:58.03
so we have
communication on a daily basis
00:24:58.06\00:25:01.06
because in prison one
of the main things is that,
00:25:01.10\00:25:03.77
miscommunication or should
I say lack of communication...
00:25:03.80\00:25:07.50
so communication is absolutely,
very, very important.
00:25:07.54\00:25:11.17
Mr. Bland: So how do you start
your Staff Meeting every day?
00:25:11.21\00:25:13.14
Warden: And each day,
when we come to Staff Meeting,
00:25:13.17\00:25:14.81
I say, "If there are any
Atheists... you can leave,
00:25:14.84\00:25:16.44
but we start with prayer
00:25:16.48\00:25:17.81
because anything that does not
include God first, is no good. "
00:25:17.85\00:25:21.62
Yvonne: Come on...
that's it... that's it.
00:25:21.68\00:25:23.22
Warden: So, every meeting
we start it... with prayer.
00:25:23.25\00:25:25.19
Amen... how beautiful...
how beautiful is that.
00:25:25.25\00:25:27.79
What is your... what
are you planning to do
00:25:27.82\00:25:30.26
with this prison, what do you...
00:25:30.29\00:25:33.43
I know what you're doing
now, are you planning to expand,
00:25:33.46\00:25:36.13
what do you want to do with it?
00:25:36.16\00:25:37.93
We actually need three
things, we need more volunteers
00:25:38.00\00:25:41.37
and we need more
funding to keep it going
00:25:41.40\00:25:44.44
because see...
can you imagine...
00:25:44.47\00:25:45.81
in this one prison...
I'm just talking about...
00:25:45.84\00:25:47.94
because we serve
every prison in the States,
00:25:47.98\00:25:50.08
but just one prison,
00:25:50.11\00:25:51.45
I think when I was on the
program... with you before,
00:25:51.48\00:25:53.18
because I... we took $252,000
worth of material that one day
00:25:53.21\00:25:57.32
you remember that?
"The Desire of Ages"
00:25:57.35\00:25:59.82
so, we just
need people's prayer,
00:25:59.85\00:26:02.42
I think, there are
three things you need,
00:26:02.46\00:26:05.23
you need
prayer, you need workers
00:26:05.29\00:26:08.13
and you need
finance. Warden: Finance.
00:26:08.16\00:26:10.13
And give your website so that
00:26:10.17\00:26:11.50
people can send
some funds to you.
00:26:11.53\00:26:13.77
It's United Prison
Ministries International.
00:26:13.80\00:26:17.67
Website is: www. upmi. org
00:26:17.71\00:26:20.44
that's United Prison
Ministries International,
00:26:20.48\00:26:23.08
that's: upmi. org
00:26:23.11\00:26:25.58
And they can
donate right from there.
00:26:25.61\00:26:27.08
Bland: Right back there, they go
there and donate automatically.
00:26:27.12\00:26:28.95
Yvonne: Thank you so much.
00:26:28.98\00:26:30.32
Mr. Bland: Or they can call,
205-755-4744 for their donations
00:26:30.35\00:26:36.09
Yvonne: Give that
phone number again.
00:26:36.12\00:26:37.49
205-755-4744
00:26:37.53\00:26:40.86
and... like I
said... we need prayer...
00:26:40.90\00:26:43.67
prayer is the main
thing... because see,
00:26:43.70\00:26:46.67
what they don't realize is
00:26:46.70\00:26:48.04
when a prisoner
gets out of prison...
00:26:48.07\00:26:49.40
they do one of two things,
00:26:49.44\00:26:50.77
they're going to either
"look you up" or "stick you up"
00:26:50.81\00:26:52.17
that's guaranteed.
00:26:52.21\00:26:53.64
Warden: Absolutely, absolutely.
00:26:53.68\00:26:55.51
Wait... wait...
it's not funny but
00:26:55.54\00:26:57.31
but, but, but, but...
the way you put that...
00:26:57.35\00:26:59.65
that's really funny.
Warden: It's true though.
00:26:59.68\00:27:01.05
Yvonne: "They either look
you up or stick you up... "
00:27:01.08\00:27:03.75
And in Alabama, when
they get out of his prison,
00:27:03.79\00:27:05.95
if they've been
there 45 or 50 years,
00:27:05.99\00:27:08.26
they get $10...
did you hear that?
00:27:08.29\00:27:10.49
Yvonne: Ten dollars
to re-enter Society with.
00:27:10.53\00:27:12.89
Mr. Bland: That's right...
that's it... and a bus ticket.
00:27:12.93\00:27:14.46
Did you hear that?
Now this is a fact,
00:27:14.50\00:27:17.70
25 years or 30 years
in prison, they get $10...
00:27:17.73\00:27:20.17
now what are they
going to do with $10?
00:27:20.20\00:27:21.60
I'll tell you what
they're going to do,
00:27:21.64\00:27:22.97
they're going to go to
the closest liquor store,
00:27:23.00\00:27:24.81
they're encouraged to go
to other gangs and steal,
00:27:24.84\00:27:26.61
remember the night before,
00:27:26.64\00:27:28.18
they had three meals a
day before... and a bed,
00:27:28.21\00:27:31.71
now, they got $10... what
are you going to do with $10?
00:27:31.78\00:27:35.12
I ask you to pray and ask
God how much you should send
00:27:35.18\00:27:38.29
to UPMI to support
what they're doing.
00:27:38.32\00:27:41.62
This ministry is so
important, it is so critical.
00:27:41.66\00:27:46.03
Thank you so much
for being with us,
00:27:46.06\00:27:48.10
God bless you
for all that you do.
00:27:48.13\00:27:50.13
Thank you for having us.
00:27:50.17\00:27:52.03
Thank you for being with us too.
00:27:52.07\00:27:54.50
Warden Thomas... Richard Bland,
00:27:54.54\00:27:56.94
Terry Moreland...
they're all doing great things,
00:27:56.97\00:27:59.51
well, we've reached
the end of another Program,
00:27:59.54\00:28:02.04
join us next time
00:28:02.08\00:28:03.41
because it just wouldn't
be the same... without you.
00:28:03.45\00:28:06.05