OUTSIDERS LOOKING IN
Author's Comments

Why I Wrote This Book
  By Maria Telesco, R.N., B.A. 

       Social injustice in all its ugly forms, and particularly the death penalty, have
 always been abhorrent to me. During my various careers (journalist, nurse, teacher,
 hospital administrator, investigator) I had neither time nor energy to be a crusader. A
 confluence of events changed all that.

        About the time I retired, an old friend was convicted of a crime and sent to death
 row. In short order, the son of another friend went to prison for a relatively minor crime.
 and the son of a third friend received a death sentence. They had in common that none
 were members of the so-called "criminal element," but were "nice middle class people
 from good families" who had never been in trouble with the law before. Neither they nor
 anyone they knew had ever experienced the criminal justice system. They and their
 families were emotionally devastated and financially destroyed by what was happening.

        Getting involved with their tragedies led me down new paths. I was already
 active in Death Penalty Focus, which is an abolitionist group, as well as Amnesty
 International and the Fresno Center for Nonviolence. Now I helped found a support
 group for families of prisoners, and joined Copwatch, a citizens' police oversight
 organization.

        We wrote Outsiders Looking In to help families and friends of prisoners
 understand the "system." The book touches on three general areas:
	* Personal stories about how arrest/prison has impacted the family
	* Advice: from attorneys on how to select a good one and how to dress for
   	  court; from a physician on how to obtain medical care in prison; from inmates
   	  and guards about how to get along day by day and keep out of trouble
 	* A picture of the inside, what it's like: visiting, privileges, food, racism, jargon.

      Toni and I are not "soft on crime." We believe people who commit serious crimes
 should be imprisoned, not so much to punish them but to remove them from society. We
 do not support capital punishment, as a wrongdoer can be rendered harmless by a
 sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole (LWOP).

        Politicians make political hay by being in favor of motherhood and apple pie and
 opposed to crime and criminals. This is how they get votes, even though the facts don't
 always jibe with political rhetoric:
	* most prisoners are there for nonviolent, relatively minor drug and property
   	  crimes and are not the "monsters" portrayed in political commercials
 	* humane treatment is not the same as "coddling"
 	* if prisoners are brutalized, those who were not violent will become violent
 	* 95 percent of all prisoners are ultimately released. It's preferable to have
   	  them re-enter society in a nonviolent frame of mind
	* at least 10 percent of prisoners, including death row, are factually innocent
	* our legal system criminalizes behavior (drugs, prostitution, gambling) that
   	  would be treated in other countries by rehabilitation, not prison.

        The United States imprisons more of its people than any other country, and more
 are being locked up every day. The families and friends of each of them will benefit
 from this book and find it useful.

*****

WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK
  By Toni Weymouth, Ed.D

	After working for the California Youth Authority for five years, I recently
found myself on the other side of the fence. A friend from high school called 
to tell me her son had been arrested for selling drugs. He'd been ratted on by 
his school chum, who, witnesses said, was the real drug dealer. She asked if I'd 
attend the trial with her.
 

	The biggest myth I uncloaked writing this book is the one about who goes to 
prison. For years, I believed that only those who commit crimes, who purposely 
injure the public by lying, stealing, assaulting, killing or raping receive harsh 
prison sentences. Research for Outsiders revealed a different story.


	Today, the prison population is filled with doctors, lawyers, school teachers, 
therapists, politicians, children and parents. Over 80 percent of those behind 
bars have committed non-violent crimes that in years past would have been 
taken care of by probation, drug treatment, therapy or fines. Learning this 
brought a great sadness to my heart. The life of each individual has been 
disrupted, their families torn apart, and their futures, ruined. I've witnessed, 
first hand, the destruction of professions, the attempted suicide of children, 
the breakup of marriages and the absolute despair people can go through 
while incarcerated. 


	The most difficult and painful aspect of writing Outsiders was sitting in the 
court room, supporting parents, while their son or daughter was sentenced to 
years in state or federal prison. There is absolutely nothing in this world to 
describe the look of dawning horror etched across a motherıs face, the tears 
of sorrow in her eyes, as her child is taken away, handcuffed and shackled, to 
a place she only knows as cold and violent. The father sits, mute, unable to 
speak. His hand shakes, his smile falters and his words come out in a whisper. 
The sibling cries. He bolts to the front of the courtroom, wanting to say good-bye, 
but is restrained by a guard.


	Weeks later, we see the family in town. They are quiet. When they do speak, 
they are full of guilt: If only I had been a better parent, if only I had done 
this or that. They carry shame on their back like a cross and wonder why it 
happened to such a good boy or girl. After all, they were middle class citizens, 
respected in the community. Now attorney fees have taken their house, their 
savings and their future. They will move to a smaller home. The sibling states, 
matter of factly, heıll kill every cop he sees and then some.


	I wrote this book so that each person arrested, their families and loved ones, 
would have better tools to fight "the system." As a therapist, I realize we can 
only be responsible for one person, and that person is our self. Whatever we 
do has repercussions on others. Even if the act is not intentional, it resonates 
in the lives of our families and those around us.


	Outsiders Looking In:
*  provides the family with an overview of the criminal prosecution and 
    detention system
*  tells each family they are not alone
*  empowers loved ones to take action
*  gives support and encouragement
*  identifies support groups and prisonersı rights organizations  

	I have been touched, in a special way, by the courage I've witnessed in the 
courtroom as families pull together, united in their fight to battle for their 
childıs life. Mothers and wives who for the most part stand alone show amazing 
resilience when cornered. They will not be deterred in their quest for justice. 
Outsiders Looking In is a tribute to them all.
 	

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