Hello. My name is Abraham and I am 24 years old. Last August 2nd I got released from Department of Corrections after doing nearly 5 years for possession of a firearm by a felon (which I wasn’t), battery by prisoner (self-defense) and attempted armed robbery. I was released on bracelet because I was supposedly high risk. I was released to my mother’s house. I obtained employment giving out gov. phones and working with BNB moving and cleaning and misc. My PO told me I had to quit both jobs soon after she found out that I was getting paid cash.
Trying to see my son
I was on a 8 to 2 curfew. I have a 5 year old son so I asked my PO how was I to find my son and a job on a 8 am to 2 pm curfew. So she put me in a cognitive thinking program with no way of getting there.
After missing a group my PO steady pressed me harder. My mom kicked me out one night at 9 pm for not calling the police because I heard gunshots. So here I am homeless with a bracelet box with nowhere to go. My PO approves me to move in on a couch in a horrible neighborhood on the Southside. I asked her for a TLP placement or halfway house. She told me I would have to be locked up and wait for that so I decided to stay on the outside so I could see my son.
My cousin left me at Wal-Mart one day and I missed my curfew cause I had to walk from South 27th St. Wal-Mart all the way to [ ]. Once I got there my cousin was passed out drunk and I was mad, demanding an explanation. He woke up and his girlfriend kicked me out with my bracelet box.
Sent back to MSDF for running
I slept at a friend’s that night, missed a call from my PO. Once I called her back she told me I was getting locked up. I never showed and went on the run. I got caught and I did a 90 day sanction and got released on bracelet.
No foodstamps
As soon as I got out I asked my PO for resources like a good will stipend because I had nothing and again I was sleeping on somebody’s couch on the bracelet. MY PO told me that they didn’t provide any resource services, no Goodwill stipends, nothing. I contacted ED from the Alma Center and we go to the free clothing places and they tell me they need some type of paper from my PO or ED. ED paid out of his pocket for clothes for me at Goodwill (of course after getting it okayed by his boss).
So I go and try to sign up for food stamps and my PO didn’t take me out of the system as absconding, so I wasn’t able to get food stamps. So now I’m not eating at where I live because they think I’m lying about not being able to get food stamps. I call my PO and tell her about the food stamp situation and she tells me I have to wait and that it’s a process.
Finding work, living on bracelet
So I get a job at Staffing Partners working for [ ] and I started working. I inform my PO of my hours, 1st shift. I got to be at Staffing Partners at 4 am they bring us to [] at 6 am and I get off at 2:30 pm. She told me okay. I work Friday, Sat., and I figure out that [] is under 35th street bridge and I lived on [ ], so on Sunday I go right to work. I left for work at 5:45, I got there, clock in and they tell us Staffing Partners have no work today so I go home and wait until 7 a.m. for my regular out time.
I always called and texted my PO every time I left the house whether it’s my regular out time or I’m working with the moving company or []. So she calls me for a urine test. I pass. So one day I got off of work for [] and I called her and asked if I can have a new schedule for bracelet due to my work hours and she tells me I have a warrant because of my work schedule. I tell her to call up there. She does and says that they said I don’t work there.
That is the truth in my words and that is my story.
Respectfully, Abraham
closemsdf.org 