Update on my son

13 years ago

Well, the bad news is he's still in prison (it makes me so heartsick to say that), but the GOOD news is that he was moved today to a minimum security facility less than 2 miles from us!!

He gets 24 visit credits per month, not sure if that's calendar or every 30 days, so we will get to see him in the next day or so. A weekday visit is one credit per person, weekends are 2 pts each, so we're hoping we can get 3 visits a week. Petunia (the name I've always called his girlfriend) and I are so far the only approved visitors, so we're going to see him first.

I spoke with the man who was his counsellor and he was very impressed with my boy, said he DOES NOT belong in prison, and he loved Jon and was very impressed that he's so close to his family. He let Jon call me from his office, he said that is something he NEVER lets happen, but he thinks the world of Jon. I think he pulled some strings to get Jon placed so close to home.

In any event, he'll be eligible to take college courses at this location, and they have a program called Inside-Out where they get to actually go out and work, so he might get that, too. This is the best news we've gotten since he's been sent in. We've also learned that the DOC can override the sentencing, so there is a good chance he might get out early...and it appears that he'll have a lot of support politically when he is released to get a pardon.

The biggest issue we've had to deal with is to keep him engaged and from sinking into depression. We talk nearly every night, and that helps him, as do the well wishes he receives (and the generous gifts). His artistic talent has garnered him some 'cred' and extra envelopes. He also gets a lot of fresh fruit for his drawings. And on occasion, he's asked to pass on a message to a loved one for other guys who don't have money on their phone accounts, and that gets him A LOT of respect.

Again, I want to thank you all for your kindness and support. Jon is an awesome kid, loved by everyone, and he's working so hard to make this a positive outcome. We're anxious to see him...I've missed him so much! We're closer, every day, to having him home, and that will be the best day of my life!

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Comments (21)

leahcate
13 years ago
Wonderful! Keep hanging in there. Things are looking up and will only get better!.
golddust
13 years ago
Wow. Yay, Pesky!! Way to make lemonade out of lemons! Great news!! It's strange how similar he is being treated to my GF's son, who really did screw up - big time!
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My husband's primary care physician has had a long time interest is holistic and nutritional medicine and he incorporates that into his Internal Medical Practice. After my husband's diagnosis, he spent countless hours educating us about how a change in diet along with other more natural remedies can work in tandem with modern medicine (to optimize the best results possible). In other words, we follow the directives of our oncologist exactly as prescribed, but use diet and holistic medicine to help control some of the side effects of the treatments like rebuilding the immune system, stomach problems, energy levels and so on. And it works! When my husband started seeing him, the doctor put him on a diet that focus's on the G-Bomb foods, restricted sugars and asked him to avoid as much animal protein as possible as it's very hard on the kidneys. He also asked him to eat as much organic food as possible (even when he eats meat) to avoid the pesticides, antibiotics and other contaminants. Fish is the preferred protein if meat is consumed but only non farmed ocean fish like Alaskan Salmon. He's also supposed to (but doesn't always) avoid flour and other processed foods. Russian black bread is my husband's weakness so that's a tough one. LOL I would say that 85% of everything we do food wise now is home made from natural and organic foods and only 5% of what he eats is an animal based product. Meat he can live without but other than switching to Organic, milk was also something where he couldn't compromise. There is famous doctor who's work our doctor was familiar with before he became popular. Even though I'm not into the hype of the popular doctor, parts of his program or his marketing stradegy, his website still has lots of articles and information about how nutrition and diet affects the body. And how it can help to keep someone from getting sick. You may have heard of him too, Dr. Joel Furhman. The problem I think is that people perceive that good diet will "cure" cancer, but that's not the case. And people think cure the cancer and it's over, but that's not the case either. Because their immune system is wiped out, many people with cancer become ill, even gravely ill with other ailments after the cancer is gone. The diet helps the body to rebuild the immune system and decrease the chance of secondary disease. From July 2012 to Mid 2013 my husband was on the strong chemo treatments and finally went into remission in June 2013. However, to keep the myeloma from returning, he was put on a mild but continuous chemo regiment for life. He started the diet shortly after starting chemo in 2012 and has not been sick with as much as a cold since 2013. If he slacks from the diet for any length of time, he says he can feel his energy drop and system weaken. G-Bombs are only part of the equation as there are lots of other foods that are are important too, Kale for example which is growing in popularity, broccoli and avacados to name a few. There's a ton of information on Dr. Fuhrman's site. As I mentioned earlier, the hype of the site was a real turn off for me but once I was able to see past that, I (we) found a great deal of information to be very helpful. Dr. Furhman
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mahatmacat1
13 years ago
WOW...2 miles away--it's a welcome blessing in such an unwelcome situation. well it sounds like that judge should get updates on the fine young man whose life she has so blithely derailed for much too long already -- and how *everyone else* who comes into contact with him realizes what a wonderful kid he is, and how he was railroaded to make a show case of him...

It sounds like he is growing through this adversity, though. I'd love to read anything he draws or writes about his experience.

...can you e-mail me his current address if you have the energy? Do you know if he likes the Decemberists? I have been assembling a few articles on their recent album for him, and one on their performance, too, but I haven't sent them yet...
deegw
13 years ago
I am so glad to hear this.

Even though this has been a horrible experience, I have a feeling that it will be a catalyst for something bigger and better for your son than either of you ever imagined.
User
13 years ago
That is such encouraging news! I have been thinking about Jon and your family, and praying that something good would happen for him. I hope he stays in good spirits, and am so happy that you'll be able to visit.
bestyears
13 years ago
Glad to hear that there is some light at the end of the tunnel... hang in there.
theroselvr
13 years ago
Glad to see a positive update & I hope that he'll be let out soon.
tinam61
13 years ago
So glad to hear you're going to see him soon. Hoping this will all be over soon!

tina
amysrq
13 years ago
Thanks for the news, Pesky. So glad to hear thing are looking better.
neetsiepie
Original Author
13 years ago
I think my elation may have been premature. He was sent to Oregon State Peneteniary, the BAD guys prison. On the website they had the "Pen" and the minimum campus, which used to be the womens until they opened the new womens prison. The minimum campus fit all the criteria noted for him, what his counsellor told me.

So Petunia and I went tonight to go visit and found out that no...indeed, we were wrong. The minimum has closed a couple of months ago, and now they're housing them at two others nearby. Still ok...we go back to my house to double check where he might be, it still says OSP. So I FINALLY am able to get through to a person who can't confirm he's there (but he didn't confirm he's NOT there-winkwink). I asked why he'd be there...he's rated at a level 2...death row is 5, and 1 is those with less than 6 months till release. 2 is minimum! Well, he explains to me that at the Pen ALL levels are housed there, only segregated population is death row, and they're all mixed in. GOD, my heart is in my throat!!

I've been doing what research I can, which, of course, is limited now that it's after 5 on a Friday. His level is still minimum, so he'll get more 'concessions', but his yard time is now mixed with hundreds of more people, so less time to get to the phone to call home. I'm not sure when we can visit, I can't call those people until Monday. So I'm a wreck all over again. I am feeling so guilty because I thought I knew where he was and that we could see him today, so I spent the day out bebopping and shopping. I tried making calls to the section that I believed he was in, only to have trouble getting my calls to go thru. Now I know why...the minimum housing was closed down! I hate that I have to wait 2 more days to find out anything, I just pray he calls home soon.

So, now I have to take a Xanax as my heart is racing and I'm on the verge of tears again. I hate this roller coaster and I just want my boy home and SAFE.
mitchdesj
13 years ago
oh gosh, that's too bad; you definitely are on such a roller coaster of emotions,
hang in there.
sarahmakes6
13 years ago
pesky, forgive me for jumping in. I'm a regular, long-time lurker around here. I live in Oregon and have been following your son's story and discussing it with my DH.

Will OSP not tell you where your son is incarcerated? It sounds like you have to play a guessing game to figure out where he is? Doesn't his attorney know? I'm not questioning you at all, I'm just confused!
golddust
13 years ago
This is crazy and makes no sense at all. Are you SURE about his conviction?
neetsiepie
Original Author
13 years ago
I know, believe me, this whole thing is a horrible nightmare.

He was at an intake location, where all convicted go to be 'processed', essentially determine where they'll serve their sentence. If they have a death penalty conviction they automatically go to the Pen, everyone else has to be assessed.

There is a level, 1-5 that they're assigned. It's based on length of sentence, crime, previous convictions, drug/alcohol, etc. Jon ranked at a 2, he'd be a 1, but he was sent in for probation violation (which is being appealed, because he DID comply with all his terms of probation). Anyway, so he's level 2, minimum security. Most of the minimum security prisons in Oregon are located in Salem, as is the Pen.

I am not sure why he's at the Pen, which is multiple security now, I always thought it was only maximum security, but was told by the staff there it was multiple.

I went today to see if I could visit him, but was told I was not approved yet. WTF?? Jon told me the last time I was able to speak to him that he'd gotten his GF and I on his visitor list. Apparently, it's not yet approved. And no phone calls yet because, again...his phone list has not been approved, even though he'd been able to call us any time he had day room use up until middle of last week. Since then he's been moved and we can't contact him. I broke down several times today because I FEEL his sadness. He has been cut off from us for nearly a week, this is exactly OPPOSITE of what his counsellor said was needed for him.

So tomorrow I'm going to call his counsellor, his attorney and anyone else I can to get word to him that we're fighting to see or talk to him. I need answers as to why my boy is where he's at, and what the plan is for him. I can't even begin to describe how disgusted I am and feel we've been lied to (I don't think that's the case, but I'm so upset!) and I have never, ever felt so helpless in my life. I'm not used to begin completely shut off...but this is prison, and it's a major security issue, but it seems so out of context for us. Our son is being so victimized by this, and it's tearing up our family so much. I can't imagine what it would be like for the family of someone who is facing years in prison. We're at 2 1/2 months of his 13 month sentence...it feels like it's been years.

This is the link to the webpage of where he's at...it's obviously not updated, but it's been basically all the info I can get at this point.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Pen
golddust
13 years ago
Oh Pesky, hugs to you!! I haven't clicked on the link yet but I feel so bad for you! This is a nightmare. I'm off to visit The Pen while sending strength to your DS. When you have an address, I'd love to send him a book or something he would enjoy.
mahatmacat1
13 years ago
Oh my gosh, pesky...an attorney should be able to get this straight. I can't believe that a bureaucratic messup caused this whole disaster. Makes me furious and I'm just sitting here reading it.

I read this at the site: does it apply to *outgoing* calls? Can he use the phone to call you? Or just the other way around?
"Inmates in general population at OSP have access to telephones when their housing unit is called for the recreation yard. The yard is available to the inmates on a rotating basis. Yard hours are approximately from 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. to approximately 9:00 p.m. Inmates housed in A-Block have access to telephones seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 10:50 p.m. as well as those inmates housed in the Dormitory." Perhaps he can call during yard hours? Or you can call him?

I hope you're writing *everything* down about what happens, so as to keep the information straight. I feel that Oregon could stand to learn a lesson from this; damages are more than justified. Sometimes that's the only way this state learns anything, it seems. They're perfectly happy to grind people under the wheels unless someone makes enough noise, and 'policy' gets 're-examined'. Who knows -- maybe he'll be able, by making a case of it, to help other less empowered people avoid this outrageous injustice in the future.

Sending huge amounts of energy for strength and please know that people are holding Jon in the light.
mahatmacat1
13 years ago
UGH...I hate my menopausal brain...I see now that you wrote that he can't call yet. : ( I'm so sorry.

One other thought: might you want to look into a different, more aggressive attorney?
neetsiepie
Original Author
13 years ago
Ok, a bit of good(ish) news. I called the counselor and spoke with him. He said "you got lucky"...now I don't know what that means, but he kept repeating it. Then he said that Jon is at the Pen for 6 months, then he gave me the info for the counselor there at the Pen and told me to call him.

At first I was thinking that I got lucky because I reached him on the phone, then I thought it was because Jon has a good counselor at the Pen. Then I remembered he stressed 6 months. Soooo, I did some digging and found that after 6 months of incarceration, Jon is eligible to meet with the Parole Board to see if he can serve the rest of his sentence OUT OF PRISON!! It's supervised, but he'd be home!

So, realizing they can't give me specifics, they give enough info that if you're clever you can read between the lines. I PRAY this is the case!! Jons new counselor does not work on Mondays, but I left him a voice mail. I just need to get word to Jon that we're trying to reach him, and get a status update. The first counselor told me that if there was ANYTHING wrong, we'd get a call, so by not hearing anything, all is ok (as it can be).

I hope his counselor calls me, I mentioned the old counselor spoke highly of him, and did some general flattery...never hurts to add some sugar, IYKWIM. I'm a beaurocrat, I know which calls get returned the fastest! Hoping I have good news to report tomorrow.
dixiedo
13 years ago
Oh Pesky!!! I am praying, praying, praying for you all! Sounds like some *really* encouraging news!!!!
golddust
13 years ago
Me too. This is the craziest story I have ever heard. I see a book in your DS's future!
theroselvr
13 years ago
I had to go back & reread your original post. I'm glad to hear that it sounds like he finally knows how long he'll be there. Is he allowed to do any blogging in there? What about writing in a journal? I agree about some kind of book; even if it's just for him or for him to help other teens like he was when this happened.

The link to the original post is below for anyone needing a refresher. This was for putting stickers on telephone poles; 5 years ago; everyone else got off.

I hate when they make examples of people. The same thing was done to my son with air softing. We were told we needed to keep our mouths shut or they would come down hard on him. I don't doubt they'd do something like that to your boy :(

Here is a link that might be useful: In dire need of hugs & prayers 1/16/2011

Update on my son

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