Redemption

For the 30 years I was a criminal defense attorney, I wished the rest of the world could meet my clients – women and men who may have committed terrible acts in the past and were in prison for decades, or even the rest of their lives, but who were also thoughtful, compassionate and hard-working. I believe that if judges, prosecutors and legislators could see lifers as real individuals, they would rethink the policies that lock them away forever.

Over 10 years ago, I began photographing several women with life sentences who had spent decades in New York State’s maximum security prison for women. During their incarcerations, they learned trades, earned college degrees and had excellent disciplinary records – but often were denied parole repeatedly because of the “nature” of their crimes. And once they were finally paroled, they came home to a society that had moved along without them and made re-entry difficult because of the many hurdles placed in their way.

As formerly incarcerated women, they were required to attend state-mandated programmes, barred from inexpensive public housing and banned from many types of employment. In addition, they faced travel limitations and curfews that made visiting family and working more difficult. When they eventually become eligible to be released from parole, they were often denied this without explanation. Despite all the hardships they face, these women tell me that they appreciate their freedom every single day. I have spent hundreds of hours with these women, at work, in their homes and with their friends and family. Watching them go about rebuilding their lives with dignity and patience is eye-opening and inspiring. I would like their stories to remind us of the countless people still in prison who deserve that same chance to build a life on the outside, and I want us to ask, “what do we do with a redeemed life?”