https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/how-a-former-cocaine-smuggler-became-one-of-the-countrys-most-sought-after-voices-in-prison-reform

“Look into [prisoner’s] childhood,” he tells me. “It’s probably really obvious how they got to where they are, and nobody’s ever given them any training around how to self-manage or self-regulate,” says Maull. “If you focus on that instead of focusing on punishing, demonizing or shaming people, which is what we do, you’re going to get much different results.”

My thoughts:
We all carry unseen battlefields. Trauma isn't a life sentence of bad choices; it's a nervous system trapped in survival mode, waiting for the next blow. Whether navigating a war zone, a broken home, or homelessness, an unhealed mind cannot thrive. Teaching self-regulation gives people the keys to their own prisons. It replaces shame with sovereignty, turning chaos into peace from the inside out.
This, is why teaching self-regulating techniques is important. As well as co-regulating with others when one has the capacity and energy to do so.

#article #prison #prisonreform #buddhism #meditation #mindfulness #childhoodtrauma
#mentalhealth