Local 鈥楤ridges to Life鈥� program aims to increase inmate accountability, reduce recidivism
Inmates who are participating in the 鈥淏ridges to Life鈥� program at the State Correctional Institution at Fayette in Luzerne Township said the 14-week program is helping them understand the impact of their crime. (Photo by Alyssa Choiniere)
Karynn Davis of Youngwood, a student at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, spoke to SCI-Fayette prisoners Thursday about the abuse and neglect she survived as a child. Her discussion was a part of the 鈥淏ridges to Life鈥� program at the prison, a 14-week course designed to reduce recidivism and increase accountability among inmates. (Photo by Alyssa Choiniere)
Editor鈥檚 note: SCI-Fayette policy prohibits reporting on inmate crimes, their last names or photographing their faces out of respect for the victims and their families.
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A 26-year-old survivor of life-threatening abuse and neglect told a group of SCI-Fayette inmates Thursday about the 鈥渘ever-ending cycle of violence鈥� she faced beginning in infancy.
Karynn Davis, a Penn State Fayette student from Youngwood, told her story as a part of 鈥淏ridges to Life,鈥� a national program designed to reduce recidivism by increasing accountability among prisoners. Students at the university volunteer to participate in the 14-week program, led by Administration of Justice Professor LaVarr McBride. Victims share their stories with the prisoners, many of whom are serving life sentences.
鈥淚鈥檓 here to show you we can get through the worst time in our life and still stay standing,鈥� Davis said.
Davis spent her early elementary school years collecting rainwater to bathe, finding hiding spots for herself and her younger brothers and stealing baby supplies and food to survive. She was bullied at school for having dirty clothes and labeled even by teachers as 鈥渨hite trash,鈥� she said.
鈥淏ut all that mattered to me was my brothers and keeping them safe,鈥� she said.
Her protective spirit and will to survive permeated her story. When the beloved family dog was being abused, she snuck it to a nearby gas station and told the attendant she saw it running loose so the woman would care for it. She learned Spanish, the language of some of her parents鈥� friends, so she could pick up on threats she may otherwise miss. When she was 12 and the violence between her parents escalated, she called 911, told a dispatcher her parents were killing each other and that she wanted to go back to foster care.
鈥淎 neighbor ripped the phone out of my hand and said, 鈥榃hat the hell are you doing?鈥� And I said, with a straight face, 鈥楨scaping.'鈥�
She and her brothers were sent into the foster care system. The trauma followed her, but she said she was able to break the cycle of abuse with a support system of friends, her fianc茅 and other trusted adults.
鈥淣ot everyone has an advocate,鈥� Davis told the prisoners. 鈥淪o I dare you to be one.鈥�
Prisoners and students split into groups after Davis spoke, and a prisoner from each group shared their own story. Don, who is serving a life sentence, spoke about his upbringing as an 鈥淎rmy brat,鈥� his own military service, his crime, and a series of traumas he 鈥渃ompartmentalized and suppressed.鈥�
The program has been implemented at prisons throughout the country, but this was the first time it had been conducted at the Luzerne Township state prison, said Superintendent Eric Armel. He plans to bring the program back in the fall.
Armel said the sessions have allowed prisoners to understand the full impact of their crimes.
Many of the prisoners said they had never shared their stories, and writing and sharing allowed them to reflect on themselves, their lives and their crimes.
Lamon, an inmate, said the process made him realize the ripple effect of his crime, and Angelo noted the empathetic approach has helped him to grow as a person.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an enlightening experience that someone is willing to come in and hear our side of things and spend time getting to know us as people,鈥� Angelo said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e human beings, and we want to be treated as human beings.鈥�
Another inmate, Kevin, said he hopes he can share his story in the future as a mentor.
鈥淚f I could stop one little boy or girl from going down that road and saying, 鈥楾here鈥檚 nothing good down there,鈥� that would mean a lot,鈥� he said.
The Penn State Fayette students who are part of the initial cohort were chosen through an application process.
Hailie Rusko of Uniontown is a senior criminal justice major with a minor in psychology who plans to work as a corrections officer and pursue a master鈥檚 degree in conflict resolution.
鈥淣ot many college students can say that they have sat in a circle with incarcerated people once a week and facilitated a conversation with them on a theme, like accountability. The tools that I learn from Bridges to Life will be beneficial in anything that I decide to do in my life,鈥� said Rusko. 鈥淓veryone has a story, and all stories deserve to be heard.鈥�