Ep. 4 Time of Angels

River's Back! I just love River Song! And to honor her awesomeness, this episode's Givebacks will focus on prisoners and correctional facilities. This is an uncomfortable topic for me, but there's a growing awareness of the prison systems in the U.S. and a push for prison reform, so I think there is a need to look at the Giveback potential regarding these things.

You, me, handcuffs. Must it always end this way?

We spend most of this episode (and the second half of the two-parter) not really knowing if River is a prisoner or not. In the course of it all, we learn that she’s working for her pardon, was in a Storm Cage (which is explained at some point in time as the highest level of security prison available…the Azkaban of Doctor Who), and is imprisoned for killing a man—a great man.  This, combined with the curiosity of whether or not she and the Doctor are married in the future, lead some viewers to wonder if she IS the Doctor in the future. Who knows, well I suppose Steven Moffat knows, but we don’t.

Now when I said this is uncomfortable for me, I meant it in the sense of mindset. I always think of prisoners as people in jail who have been convicted of a crime. I suppose that’s a fair enough definition at a basic level. But I fail to remember they are people. The nice thing with River’s character is how likeable and sassy she is, very personable. So, she doesn’t seem like a prisoner, she seems like a person…if that makes sense.

So, the Giveback Countdown is all about helping people, and so I took to the internet (per usual) to find out about how to volunteer within the prison system.

Well, it’s easy and not so easy. The prison system is complex and each county and state has their own policies and websites, all of which I’m not going to list, but can easily be found by searching for “prison volunteer” with the name of your state or county. The Federal prison system does have a central website (listed at the bottom) that explains what they do and how you can help. Prisoner rehabilitation programs can be found easily by searching “prisoner rehabilitation volunteer” and your state or community. Many prison volunteer programs are religious in base, but some are more skill based, such as addiction counseling or teaching literacy courses. Note that volunteering at a prison also requires background and security checks.

My guess is hallucinogenic lipstick
is not on the approved donations list.

There are programs out there that involve donation not volunteering. One of the main things they are looking for are books. There are tons of book donation programs throughout the country. The main types of books they are looking for are training books, Spanish to English dictionaries, GED study guides, and other educational types of books. All books must be paper back/soft cover. Each organization’s site gives the specifics on what their needs are, so make sure to read or to call.  These programs are looking for monetary donations as well to cover costs of postage and basic office costs (lights, computers, envelopes etc.).

Other donations sought after include blankets, pillows, clothing, toiletries, and cosmetics. Not every correctional facility has a need for these items, so make sure to ask what you can and cannot donate when you contact the facilities. Job training and skills as well as humane treatment can go a long way in getting an inmate readjusted into society upon release.

Useful Links:

• Federal prison volunteering: http://www.bop.gov/jobs/volunteer.jsp
• Book donation programs: http://www.prisonbookprogram.org/otherprograms.php 

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with any of these organizations nor can I attest for their accreditation. The photos I have used are not mine and I assume are licensed to the BBC. I am not profiting in any way from this blog, and all photos are used to solely to make the pages more visually exciting while reading. If you are a photo owner or part of these organizations and wish for me to take down photos or links, just let me know and I will do so promptly.