After spending the past year and a half socially distancing, millions around the country will be coming together to celebrate the holidays this year with a renewed appreciation for seeing and being with loved ones. For those who are locked away in prisons and jails, however, the dehumanizing separation from family, friends, and community will continue. Having spent 44 years as a political prisoner, TRNN Executive Producer Eddie Conway has an intimate knowledge of just how painful the holidays are for incarcerated people and why suicides, violence, and depression spike for prisoners this time of year. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, Conway and TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez have an open and emotional discussion about what it’s like to be locked up during the holidays and about the importance of doing what we can to help prisoners maintain contact with the outside world.
Read the transcript of this interview: https://therealnews.com/why-the-holidays-are-the-most-painful-time-of-the-year-for-prisoners

Pre-Production/Studio/Post Production: Cameron Granadino
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** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
So what! They should have not done what they have done. BoooHooi
Moral of the story. Don't commit crime.
Conway sums up the feeling perfectly (of course from experience), and yes, this time of the year is the worst psychologically. Of course in the U.S., much incarceration is about big business, it would be too long for me to write here, all the ways and industries make profits from inmates. Investors depend on recidivism, too … and promote it during shareholder meetings, so they don't want to reform, or care about our communities, they are in this for profits of services and human necessities sold to prisoners and their families, and free labour.
i spent one christmas in prison…
eventhough it is no fun to spend this holliday without your family, at least in my country they have a nice meal for the prisoners, all gathered at a long table.
prison in the Netherlands is not as bad as prison in the US.
Hey everyone!
Here's some free advice.
…
…
DON'T DO THE CRIME IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THE TIME!
Your welcome.
Discalimer: i love this channel and a big majority of the awareness it brings to police misconduct and all around injustices. That being said, with the exception of the small percentage who are actually innocent i feel as tho most of these prisoners need to go thru this in the hopes that it’ll change their ways! Maybe instead do a story on how their victims holidays have been impacted? IMO. And before anyone tries to check me….i did nickel straight after YEARS of being in and out of jail and it was the best thing that ever happened to me because i changed my entire life as a result! Nobody put me in prison but ME.
It's called punishment .🙄🙄
This goes for all people who are alone. People who's spouse has died. Poor people. People living in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya…
This is a terrible time for the FAMILIES of those incarcerated also.
Yes, hollidays may be extremely painful for those incarcerated for drug related offenses.. for all the other prisoners… hollidays are extremely painful for their victims too…
Thanks Eddie and Max.
Prison. Been there..done that. Every holiday, even my childrens birthdays.
I only have one word for you.
Helpless…
Nobody cares bro
If they had personal visits, it would put the guards out of the drug business.
They should think about that before the crime. I worked with criminals in a inresidential drug treatment program and they whined there as well. We gave them Christmas with all the trimmings. They had visits from their families. They wish for an illusion when they could have created a wonderful reality for themselves. When they were running amok, they were abusing their families. They were NOT home for Christmas. It was just another day of crime for them. That is probably something the public is not thinking about and that picture is not in their awareness. The best Christmas present the prisoners could give themselves is recovery. They have to be their own Santa. There are plenty of people who would reach out and give a helping hand. The prisoners need a willingness to change before we can help them. And that kind of help is out there if they want to make a change.
Well if they want to be home for Christmas maybe they shouldn't be committing crimes some criminals belong Behind Bars forever.
Too bad America cares more about lining the pockets of people who runs prisons. Instead of actual recidivism so prisoners can get rehabilitated get out & be with their families at Christmas. 👨ðŸ¿â€âš–ï¸
I like Finland’s ethics on prisoners, it’s all about rehabilitation and families being a priority. Their reoffending numbers are very low.
It’s unfortunate that the real news that we are working for & funding our own demise! Just stop 🛑 & things may change rapidly.
Don’t do the Crime if you can’t do the time.