澳彩开奖

Frances Everson was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. The home she now lives in, previously rented by her mother, was always a family affair. She鈥檚 visited frequently by her family 鈥� her three daughters, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren included. Today, her mother lives right next door.

Frances was the middle child of five. The youngest sibling was stillborn. Her second oldest brother was hit by a car and killed in 1971 when Frances was just 8. Her sister, only a year younger than she was, was shot and killed in 1981.

That鈥檚 when all of the trauma really started to set in.

鈥淢y life started spiraling out of control in the 鈥�80s,鈥� Frances, now 56, told the 澳彩开奖.

Frances said she started using drugs 鈥� cocaine, specifically. She developed a habit of taking items from department stores. It was an impulse that ultimately landed her in Alabama鈥檚 state prison system more than five times over the course of almost 20 years, starting in 1985.

She never took expensive items. One court document noted a loss of hair products at the cost of $28.84 from an Albertson鈥檚. Another mentioned two cigarette cartons at a value of $21.84 from a different grocery store.

When Frances was released from prison for the last time in 2004, she avoided shopping altogether for years.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 go to the store. If I did, it was just a little convenience store. I feared that out of habit I would pick up something. I would not go shopping with any of my children or my mother. I just would not go.鈥�

The criminal justice system tends to not, often coupled with , that should be treated similarly to other impulse disorders with support groups and professional counseling. This is despite some recent research that even nods to certain drugs, , as a potential route for treatment for kleptomania.

In Frances鈥檚 case, prosecutors in Madison County wrote her off as someone who could never change her behavior.聽

During her last term in prison in 2003, Frances wrote a letter asking for her sentence to be amended. She was charged with theft of property in the second degree in 1998 and had already served the mandatory three years for it. But she violated her probation in 2002 and was sentenced to prison again for another four years. At the time, she was one of many women transferred to South Louisiana Correctional Center in Basile, Louisiana, due to overcrowding in Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women in Alabama.

According to a memo in response to the proposal to amend her sentence, Rebekah Callahan, the prosecutor in the case, wrote to the judge, 鈥淚 have prosecuted Everson for years. She has six prior felony offenses and two cases reduced to misdemeanors. It is my opinion that keeping Ms. Everson in jail is the only way to keep her from stealing someone else鈥檚 property.鈥�

Despite the sentiment, Frances was released on probation within two years.

鈥淚t鈥檚 sad for them just to automatically assume the worst of a person no matter what. It doesn't matter how hard you try,鈥� Frances said when asked about the letter. 鈥淚 made it through the system regardless of how y鈥檃ll thought or how y鈥檃ll felt. I made it out.鈥�

While in prison, Frances received certificates for completing a six-week anger management course, a seven-week parenting course and Bible studies. She worked various jobs while at Birmingham Women鈥檚 Community Work Center. But each time she was released, nothing prepared her to settle back into her life outside.

鈥淲hen you go in the judicial system, they are supposed to help rehabilitate you. That鈥檚 what my understanding is. Well, I tell you, I ain鈥檛 got no rehabilitation. They aren鈥檛 helping transform or rearrange anyone鈥檚 thinking so that when they come back out here, they aren鈥檛 thinking with the same mentality. When you go to prison, they either make you smarter or a smarter criminal. Ain鈥檛 nothing about the Department of Corrections in the state of Alabama that鈥檚 about rehabilitation. I haven鈥檛 seen it. I see oppression. I feel oppressed even for the ones that are still there.鈥�

After Frances was released from prison for the last time in 2004, she still struggled with drug use. But eventually, her faith and a newfound community at church starting in 2009 helped her finally get away from using.

Frances is a part of the local Faith In Action congregation in Huntsville, a nonprofit described as a multifaith, multiracial grassroots organization that honors God by creating system change and opportunities for all Alabamians, with .

鈥淔aith In Action taught me how to channel my anger [at the system] and how to direct it in ways that would not only benefit me but would benefit others. There鈥檚 action being taken. There are things going on through Faith In Action where you can actually, at least for me, can feel the hope. I see the hope. I see the change.鈥�

Frances was sentenced to her first term in prison only a few short months after her second daughter was born. While she was in and out of prison, the oldest stayed with her mother and the other two stayed her youngest daughter鈥檚 father.

She wasn鈥檛 always happy with how the custody process played out, but she was still a big part of her daughters鈥� lives growing up, to the extent that she could be. She said they still came to her when big decisions needed to be made, and now they keep in touch almost every day.

Her family always remained a point of support, even in times when she was unable to support herself. In ways, she considered that her rehabilitation.

鈥淣ot everybody has that. But I had that.鈥�

Today, a photo of Frances and her three daughters, now all in their 40s and 30s, hangs proudly in her home, right next to a portrait of her mother as a younger woman.

鈥淲e made it through. I don鈥檛 care what the court system says, it doesn鈥檛 matter. They鈥檙e mine, and we鈥檙e back together again. And my mother is still here, she stays right next door to me. It hasn鈥檛 been an easy road and some days are better than others, but life is good now.鈥�

Read more profiles from the聽Beyond Bars听蝉别谤颈别蝉听here.

Photos by Edward Badham聽聽