This story reveals one of the many sad truths about institutionalization.
In April, Randall Lee Church was released from a Texas prison after serving 26 years for murder. After about three months in society, Church realized that he was unable to cope with how the world had changed since he got locked up. Also, he missed his old job back in jail. Seeing no other alternative, he burned down a house, was charged with arson and was sent back to prison. He referred to the act as his “Fourth of July”.
Prison is supposed to be about rehabilitation, now it seems to be more about locking people down physically and mentally. After years of incarceration, the rigors of jail become everything they know. When they’re released and find themselves uncomfortable in the real world, they commit crimes just to get back to a familiar environment. At least Church didn’t go out like Brooks in The Shawshank Redemption.
[viaGawker]
