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Frequently
Asked Questions
page 1 of 3
How
did you find Becky?
I became a member of a chat room on the Internet specifically geared
to allow families, mostly wives and girlfriends of the incarcerated,
to vent their fears, anxieties, and disgust of the prison system.
Many of the women in the chat room had never had a loved one in
prison, and were full of questions. Others were seasoned professionals
in dealing with the prison system, and were able to guide the newcomers
through the labyrinth of the correctional system.
After receiving special permission to enter the chat room, I asked
the folks in the group if they were interested in being one of the
families to be documented in the film. Many of the families I contacted
received a questionaire
which helped me get a better idea of their family life.
Why
didn’t you mention Alan’s crime in the film?
At one point in the post-production phase we had two versions of
the film; one discussing his crime, the other never discussing his
crime. In the end we decided that by including the crime, we were
taking away the focus from the family. After all, the family would
still be suffering regardless of the crime Alan committed.
Why
is Alan in a New Hampshire prison?
Alan committed his crime in New Hampshire and must do his time in
New Hampshire. New Hampshire does not have a compact with Georgia
for transferring inmates between their states.
How long is Alan’s prison sentence?
Alan was initially given 1 1/2 to 3 year prison term, as long as
he took court-required rehab programs for alcoholism, anger management,
and one program specifically geared toward the nature of his crime.
Upon entering prison Alan discovered that the court could not sentence
him to an in-prison program and that the prison was not under any
obligation to cooperate with the plea agreement. Consequently, Alan
is being forced to max-out on his sentence, which means he will
serve the maximum of seven years for the non-violent crime he committed.
When
will Alan be released from prison?
Alan is scheduled to be released in 2003.
Did Alan have a previous arrest record?
No. Alan had never been arrested before.
How
long are their visits at the prison?
Three hours. They were given the early morning time slot, which
meant they had to be at the prison by 7:00 AM in order to get processed.
They were allowed into the visiting room at 8:00 AM and had to leave
by 11:00 AM.
Why didn't you go into the visiting room
with the rest of the family?
I was not allowed into the actual visiting room but was given permission
to film in the waiting room. The Public Information Officer also
allowed me to film through the glass between the waiting area and
the visiting room. Although I initially regretted not being able
to enter the actual visiting room, in retrospect I think the distance
between me and the inmate symbolizes the way the family must feel
knowing that they have a loved one in prison but aren’t always
close enough to really see or feel him.
Were you able to talk to Alan during the
filming?
Yes. I spoke with Alan a few times over the phone prior to filming
his family. About a year after the initial filming took place I
was granted permission to enter the visiting room and interview
Alan one-on-one. The previous warden had retired and the new warden
in power was more amenable to the press. Although I filmed over
three hours of interviews with Alan, I decided not to use them in
the final film.
How often does Alan write to Becky and the
boys?
Becky and the boys received anywhere between two to three letters
a week from Alan. In addition to letters, Alan would also make greeting
cards for many occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and obscure
holidays we would normally not make a big deal about on the outside.
You can see some of his artwork on the cards and envelopes Donnie
has on the bed during his interview. Alan took great pride in his
ability to draw and he loved sending the boys drawings of their
favorite cartoon characters. There was a series of drawings Alan
made for Becky where he used the candy coated shell of M&M’s
for paint. Evidently his color pencils were confiscated for some
reason.
How often do Becky and the boys write to
Alan?
Initially, Becky and the boys would write Alan at least once a week.
The frequency of their letter writing dropped considerably due to
the weekly phone call from Alan. Despite the weekly phone call Alan
continues to write the family. Becky receives a weekly ten
page letter from Alan; methodically detailing his day-to-day
activities in the prison.
Is
Alan the biological father of Donnie and Josh?
No. Alan is not the boys’ biological father. Alan came into
their lives when Donnie was 7 years old. Josh however, has only
known Alan to be his father. Alan was present in Joshua’s life
from the day he was born.
Does Alan have a job in the prison?
Yes he does. He worked full-time in the auto shop where he fixed
the cars and trucks for the correctional facility. Employees of
the prison also brought their personal vehicles into the shop for
the inmates to work on.
What is Alan’s education level?
Alan completed the 11th and 90% of the 12th grade. He’s currently
in a GED program at the prison and is receiving good grades.
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