Last night I saw a prisoner on the MSNBC show Lock Up, and she was telling a few of her peers in the unit that she wasn’t really their friend, that part of her idea of rehabilitation was to sever ties with people with criminal mindsets. It came across as a bit cold, but it was a great point. It’s a huge part of the problem with many guys in here; they can’t get away from toxic relationships. Their friends value criminal behavior, and so they end up involved in it too. Friends are great, but at a certain point (such as when you are in prison), you have to ask what value they add to your life. Is it just someone you have fun with, and otherwise they get you in trouble and keep you in the criminal environment? Probably best to remove them from your life, then.

Daniel Turner
DOC #767569