October 13, 2016
I received my Graduation Certificate for the spring 2016 Roots of Success program here at Stafford Creek this morning. I have been waiting to write you until it was “official”. I’d been hesitating because I wasn’t yet sure that I had not been dreaming it all along. I have been incarcerated for over 25 years, and it is extremely rare to have such an extensive and valuable program available, much less supported by the institution. I’ve participated in dozens of “programs” over these years and Roots of Success is certainly the finest program supported and provided under DOC auspices that I have been afforded the opportunity to participate. It’s also in the top three of all “programming” I have gone through, and the other two were also outside sponsored, but without the backing from the Department that you have been able to muster. Congratulations on “breaking that barrier”. We need all of that type of support we can get. It was a pleasure to participate. Approaching in the near future, I will be afforded an Elderly Parole Eligibility hearing. I yearn to impress the Board that my time behind bars has not been wasted, and that I am a changed and better man for it. Thank you.
Respectfully,
K.N.
Washington Department of Corrections