My name is Randy and I am 36 years old. I am currently serving a 20 year prison sentence that I have to do at least 10 year of in a California State Prison. I am in here for a number of crimes I committed against society. I was born into a single parent family where I was raised by my Mother until me, my younger sister and brother were taken away from her by C.P.S. (Child Protective Services) when I was 7 or 8 years old. I spent a year in a children�s receiving home before I was finally placed in a foster home where I was later adopted at the age of nine. I first smoked marijauna when I was in 5th grade. I had a friend who used to steal his dad�s weed and we would smoke it before, during and after school. I continued smoking weed throughout elementary school and drank my first beer in the 6th grade. Going into junior high I began to regularly smoke cigarettes and I began to steal hard alcohol from my parents bar and drink it with my friends. When I began high school in the 9th grade I was regularly attending beer keg parties and I began to sell weed and speed so I didn�t have to spend my money for them. I dropped out of high school in my 11th grade year and joined the marine Corps where I took my drinking and partying on the road. I was 17 years old and partying every night from California to Japan. I was honorably discharged in 1983 and returned home to Oakland, Calif. right in the middle of the crack cocaine epidemic. I used crack and became addicted until all my savings ran out. I went into the Army in the Spring of 1984 and was sent to Germany where I stayed drunk until I was discharged with a bad conduct discharge in 1985 and sentenced to 2 years in the stockade. I returned home in 1986 and discovered Methamphetameane. I began to use it regularly along with my smoking and drinking habit. For the next 4 years I travel the state doing a series of no where jobs and constantly using drugs and alcohol. I sold drugs to prostitutes who were also addicts and did many crimes until the law caught up with me in 1990. I was so far gone when the police arrested me that I now believe they rescued me from myself. I am sure I would be dead had I continued on the path I traveled. Prison has affected me in so many ways. First and foremost, this is where I met my Savior, Jesus Christ on my knees in the County Jail. I did not want to go on living the way I was and I asked God to change me or kill me and He has been changing me ever since. I have been drug free and alcohol free for the 8 1/2 years I have been in here for the first time in over 24 years. I feel so wonderful. My mind is clear and I can do so many things that I could not do while I was using drugs and alcohol and smoking cigarettes. I am in vocational school and I have a 3.7 G.P.A. I have a close loving relationship with my family. I regularly go out and run for 4 or 5 miles. I have peace in my heart and joy in my life even here in prison. I regularly attended church services and I really have a great time. I feel like a kid again!! I believe that I will not return to prison when I am paroled because I will not return to drug and alcohol use. I know I am 1 drink, 1 snort, 1 hit away from the life of crime that brought me here. I don�t want to hurt anyone ever again nor do I want to put my family through the heartache and shame I have caused them. I plan to leave here and go to college where I want to get a degree in Computer Science. I know that life will not be easy, but I feel I can do anything with the help of my God and a sober mind. If I can offer one piece of advice to you youngsters it is this: Don�t use drugs or alcohol. They will ruin your life. No one who offers you them is your friend. Get to know Jesus and how much he loves you and you will succeed in whatever you do. |
