I don't know if I'll continue this or finish it or what but I had the idea and rolled with it so yeah.
Ally, as part of her ongoing charity work, works with one inmate in Miami Penitentiary every year for 45 weeks. As part of the program, she is optimized with an inmate that has no psychological connection from volunteer to crime. For example, a girl would not be paired up with someone who was convicted of raping a woman and a drug trafficker would not be paired up with someone who has a history with drugs.
Ally has seen it all. Her first year, seven years ago, she was paired up with a woman who had murdered her neighbour. To make matters worse, it was premeditated and she's in for 30 to life. Ally was only seventeen at the time and she was absolutely terrified. One year she worked with a bank robber. One year a teen gang-banger. The list goes on.
Today, she's going to retake the placement test that determines her new partner in crime. Poor choice of words. Her new charge.
Ally likes the Adopt An Inmate program because it allows the people who have made poor choices a chance to develop a relationship over an extended period of time with people who want to help others. Every year, an applicant takes the placement test that includes a series of personality questions to better identify who would be a good match for them and then undergoes a psych evaluation to ensure they are mentally stable enough to invest their time in an inmate.
Every year, Ally passes her test with flying colours, much like every test she's ever taken in her life, and this time is no exception.
"Hey, Val," she greets the receptionist on duty.
"Hey, Ally," Val replies. "Back again this year, huh?" Ally nods. "Very commendable." Theres a smile in her voice. "Are you hear to take the placement test or see your assignment?"
Ally leans casually on the desk as she signs in and gets a name tag. "I'm here to see which inmate I've adopted," she exclaims. "It's good the government pays for this as part of rehabilitation for them because there's no way I could afford doing this every year'" she says cheerfully. "It's expensive, but worth it, I think. It almost always gets it through to them that life is worth being outside these walls for. And I think that it's important."
"You're a good person, Ally," Val sighs. "Too good for these guys, if you ask me. But it's great that you're here. Don't you miss having a life?"
"I do have life," Ally replies with a grin.
"Didn't you spend your 20th birthday in here?"
"I did, but it was one of my better birthdays actually."
Val shakes her head and offers a resigned look. "If you say so, honey. You're a good kid. See you soon."
Ally waves goodbye as she trots off to the designated area. She finds a seat by the door and sets her coat down, then quickly pours herself a terrible cup of prison coffee before she sits. She looks around as she sips the beverage and sees an array of good people waiting for their charges. There's an elderly lady sitting alone, scribbling in a notebook and drinking a juice box. There's a boy who looks about the age she was when she started the program. He's cute. He flashes her a shy smile when he looks her way. She sees familiar faces too, a girl her age named Emily who only ever works with girls, and a boy named Aaron who only works with boys.
She's excited for the new year with someone and she's excited to be the one that helps someone out. Her thoughts are cut short when the program advisor, Dane, takes the stage.
"Hi everyone, welcome. And to those of you who've been with us before, welcome back," he greets. "You're here because you want to make a difference in our penitentiary. And we couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to let you do this. Years ago, in 2002, I founded the Adopt An Inmate program, and it's been such a success in the last several years. So thank you for being a part of it.
"The rules of the program are fairly simple," he continues. "You may not provide the inmate with anything that is not outlined in our information pamphlet unless it has been approved by the MPIA, the Miami Penitentiary Inmate Advisory. You can not make unscheduled visits to the Penn. You cannot make unscheduled trips outside of the Penn. You cannot leave the Penn, even with scheduled outings, unless you are supervised by a minimum of one officer. You cannot engage in prolonged, extensive or sexual contact with an inmate. You must report any and all infractions to the MPIA." Dane continues the rules and lists the programs you can opt to be a part of with your inmate. He explains that there is a required one session per week with a councillor for both the inmate and the volunteer at separate times. He tells them that any and all additional information regarding their adopted inmate will be outlined in the personnel folder they're given upon assignment.
As the presentation comes to a close, everyone is asked to find their own seat with one empty chair at each table for when their charge is brought out. Quickly and efficiently, everyone settles down. "You will now be delivered a laminated sheet with your name and ID number on it, and as we bring out the charges, we ask you to hold it high for the inmates to see them clearly.
Everyone slowly rises as the door clicks open, and the noise dies instantaneously. In matching orange jumpsuits, men and women of all shapes, sizes and ages, flood the room and start maneuvering themselves to their volunteers. Ally makes sure her card, ALLY DAWSON, ID# 20199193 is visible.
Eventually, a taller boy who looks roughly her age or a couple years older approaches her table holding a file. He offers her a forced smile and his personnel file as he takes a seat across from her. She resumes her seat and looks at him cheerily.
"Hi there," she greets. "My name is Ally Dawson and I'm going to be your friend for the next 45 weeks. I've been doing this an awfully long time and there's been no one I haven't been able to get through to, so don't try extra hard, okay? I like everyone." She opens the file when he says nothing. "How are you today..." she searches for his name in the file.
"Austin Moon," he answers for her.
"Austin Moon," she repeats. "Okay. Let's see what I'm dealing with, then." She skims the pages briefly. "Okay, so it says here that you're doing twenty years with parole for... Attempted murder. Do you care to explain or no?"
Austin shrugs. At this point, Ally has seen almost anything. So when she's actually caught off guard, it surprises herself. "I tried to kill my dad with an aluminum baseball bat because he kept beating my mom. I admitted to it, plead guilty, whatever, so my sentence was reduced. I just wished I'd succeeded."
This is definitely not a normal Adopt An Inmate.