I would like to talk to you about prison life in Ohio. I have been down for five and a half years on a six year sentence. There are a lot of petty rules in this place, and regulations. But they are necessary for people who can’t follow rules.

Whittaker.

Staff here at [London Correctional Institute in London, Ohio] could use more training on how to treat people. But there are a few who care, and will help you.

There are people from all walks of life in prison, meaning inmates from murderers to traffic violations. Yes, there are drugs and alcohol in these prions; it’s no secret. We have mentally ill, the blind, alcohol and drug addicts, and a lot of others.

We all make mistakes in our lives; some were are worse than others.

Most of the inmates are here because of drugs or alcohol or mental health reasons. We should all be punished for our crimes. But these are human beings out of touch with reality because they are sick.

Some should never be let out of prison because of the nature of their crime, and they don’t want to change their ways. But some inmates really change; I have seen it. I talked to them; they are very sincere and want to start a positive life with their families, but then they get shot down by their parole board, and given more time: what does this do to the person’s self-esteem?

This can be more damaging than helpful to the man or woman depending on what prison you’re at. We need special facilities for these special needs; I believe a two-year treatment center for alcohol and drug addicts.

A treatment center so they can work every day on the outside, show them how to be responsible, send money to their families, pay their fines and restitution, and they might have all of it paid off before they leave there.

Some of these people never had a job; they need better job programs, trade school, and stuff under their belt.

I don’t know about you, but when I was younger, I got excited about my first bills when I was on my own because I worked fo rit, and earned it. And if these people don’t comply to the terms of treatments, send them to prison. End of story.

I believe it takes two years or more to clear your head and to develop positive attitudes, which create new habits.

They have programs here at LOCI that will help you; the programs changed my life. But dealing with such a negative environment, it’s tough, but can be done if you really want it.

I know what alcohol and drugs do to a person; I’m here because of a car crash that was my fault because of alcohol in 2013. That hurt people and the community, and I am truly sorry this happened.

I believe with in-house treatment and counselors who really care for others, show some empathy instead of apathy, little love can go a long way.

It is so hard to study in here because of the surroundings, watching your back all the time, and the heat here is so hot in the summer, you sweat all the time. You cannot concentrate on your homework.

A long-term treatment center would be so much better. We need therapists who will listen to our story, and who really care.

I would love to talk to someone like that about my problems. A non-profit organization would be a great thing to start in every county; I would like one in Clermont County, but I’m not that smart. I was not very good in school; I just used common sense.

The best thing for an alcoholic or drug addict is once he or she is on the right track, is getting out there to help others that are in the same boat you were in; this will make you so much stronger because you don’t want to let the person your helping down.

Just listening to someone can go a long ways, and showing caring compassion.

I am a Christian man, now since 2014. I put God first in my life, and use all of his principles to guide me and what a difference this made in my life.

Changing your thinking is the key. I want to find a church in Clermont County where I can have a group of people who are going through problems, and who just want to talk about it, but it’s not AA, and is just a great way to meet friends.

God Bless.

Danny Whittaker, originally from Amelia, is an inmate incarcerated at the London Correctional Institute in London, Ohio.

Whittaker was charged with vehicular assault and operating a motor vehicle while on alcohol or drugs in October 2014 and sentenced to six years in prison. He was eligible for release on March 30, 2019.