THE IMPACT OF INCARCERATIONPrecious Gem Spoking Words By Mr. Dollar Samuels

Jan 5, 1995, after being sentenced to 30yrs i was sent to East Jersey State Prison aka Rahway at the age of (24). When I arrived it was lunch time they held me in the rotunda. I was able to see people coming and going to and from the mess hall. Some that knew me were yelling my name, it took the edge off a bit to see familiar faces. I was then sent to (4)wing. As I entered the cell it looked like a dungeon from ancient times. I stood there in a daze thinking to myself ( wow, so this is how I'm going to spend the next (15) years of my life.) My daze was broken as the porter walked up to my cell with the linen for my bed. As he hands them to me, he says his name is Snowballs that he is the porter, wing rep, barber that he is gay, so if I wanted to do anything let him know. I tell him thanks for the info but I don't go that way. He then says that he's had, Muslims, Christians, (5) percenters it don't matter. And he keeps it to himself, so he will give me time to settle in 6 come back to me. That night I had so many thoughts running through my mind, specifically about the stories I've heard about guys befriending you only to get you comfortable enough to trust them then rape you. I didn't sleep well that night because my deepest concern was that I was going to end up in here for the rest of my life for killing somebody in here.