The human stories behind mass incarceration | Eve Abrams

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

I have never been arrested,

我從來沒有被逮捕過，

never spent a night in jail,

從來沒有在監獄過夜，

never had a loved one thrown into the back of a squad car

我所愛的人從來沒有被丟到警車後座

or behind bars,

或坐牢，

or be at the mercy of a scary, confusing system

或任由駭人、讓人困惑的體制擺佈，

that at best sees them with indifference,

而這體制最多能做到冷眼旁觀，

and at worst as monstrous.

把他們視為醜惡的。

The United States of America locks up more people than any other nation

美國監禁的人數比 地球上任何一個國家

on the planet,

都要多。

and Louisiana is our biggest incarcerator.

路易斯安那州則是我們最大的監禁地。

Most of you are probably like me --

大多數人應該都像我一樣──

lucky.

是幸運的。

The closest we get to crime and punishment is likely what we see on TV.

我們對犯罪及懲罰的 了解應該都來自電視。

While making "Unprisoned,"

在製作《出獄》時，

I met a woman who used to be like us --

我遇見了一位 以前和我們一樣的女性，

Sheila Phipps.

席菈費普斯。

(Recording) Sheila Phipps: Before my son went to jail,

（錄音）席菈費普斯： 在我兒子去坐牢之前，

I used to see people be on television,

我看過人們在電視上捍衛著，

fighting, saying, "Oh, this person didn't do it and this person is innocent."

說：「喔，不是這個人做的， 這個人是無辜的。」

And you know, you snub them or you dismiss them,

你常常對他們嗤之以鼻，

and like, "Yeah, whatever."

說：「好啦，無所謂。」

Don't get me wrong,

但，別誤會我的意思，

there's a lot of people who deserve to be in prison.

有很多人應該要入獄。

There's a lot of criminals out here.

社會中有很多罪犯。

But there are a lot of innocent people that's in jail.

但，監獄中也有許多無辜的人。

EA: Sheila's son, McKinley, is one of those innocent people.

講者：席菈的兒子麥金利 就是無辜的人之一。

He served 17 years of a 30-year sentence on a manslaughter charge.

他被控以過失殺人罪，判刑三十年， 坐了十七年牢。

He had no previous convictions,

他以前沒有犯罪記錄，

there was no forensic evidence in the case.

這個案件沒有法醫證據。

He was convicted solely on the basis of eyewitness testimony,

他被定罪，僅因目擊者的片面之詞。

and decades of research have shown

數十年的研究顯示，

that eyewitness testimony isn't as reliable

目擊證人的證詞並不可靠，

as we once believed it to be.

不是我們以前相信的那樣。

Scientists say that memory isn't precise.

科學家說，記憶並不精確。

It's less like playing back a video,

它不太像倒帶重播影片，

and more like putting together a puzzle.

而更像是拼拼圖。

Since 1989, when DNA testing was first used to free innocent people,

自從 1989 年，當 DNA 檢測 初次被用來釋放無辜的人，

over 70 percent of overturned convictions were based on eyewitness testimony.

被推翻的定罪當中，有七成是 根據目擊證人的證詞而定罪的。

Last year,

去年，

the district attorney whose office prosecuted McKinley's case

起訴麥金利的地方檢察官 辦公室中有一位檢察官

was convicted of unrelated corruption charges.

被判了一個不相關的貪汙罪。

When this district attorney of 30 years stepped down,

當這位任職三十年的 地方檢察官引咎辭職，

the eyewitnesses from McKinley's case came forward

麥金利案件的目擊證人站了出來，

and said that they had been pressured into testifying by the district attorneys,

說他們被地方檢察官強迫作證，

pressure which included the threat of jail time.

強迫的方式包括威脅讓他們坐牢。

Despite this, McKinley is still in prison.

儘管如此，麥金利仍然在獄中。

(Recording) SP: Before this happened,

（錄音）席菈：在這發生之前，

I never would've thought it.

我從來沒有想過這種事。

And well, I guess it's hard for me to imagine

我想，我很難去想像

that these things is going on, you know,

有這類事情發生，你知道的，

until this happened to my son.

直到它發生在我兒子身上。

It really opened my eyes.

它真的讓我開了眼界。

It really, really opened my eyes.

它真的真的讓我開了眼界，

I ain't gonna lie to you.

說實話。

EA: Estimates of how many innocent people are locked up

講者：估計無辜被關起來的人數，

range between one and four percent,

約佔了 1%~4%。

which maybe doesn't sound like a lot,

聽起來可能不多，

except that it amounts to around 87,000 people:

但換算成人數，就是八萬七千人。

mothers, fathers, sons locked up,

母親、父親、兒子被關起來，

often for decades,

一關就是數十年，

for crimes they did not commit.

只因一些他們沒有犯下的罪行。

And that's not even counting the roughly half a million people

這還沒有包括大約有五十萬人

who have been convicted of nothing --

是完全沒有犯罪的──

those presumed innocent,

他們被認為是無辜的，

but who are too poor to bail out of jail

但太貧窮了，無法保釋出獄，

and therefore sit behind bars for weeks upon months,

因此日復一日的在監獄中等待，

waiting for their case to come to trial --

等著他們的案子被審判──

or much more likely,

或更有可能，

waiting to take a plea just to get out.

等著接受認罪協議，只為了出獄。

All of those people have family on the outside.

所有在監獄的這些人 都有家人在等著他回來。

(Recording) Kortney Williams: My brother missed my high school graduation

（錄音）柯妮威廉斯：我哥哥 沒有參加我的高中畢業典禮，

因為前一晚，

because the night before,

he went to jail.

他入獄了。

My brother missed my birthday dinner

我哥哥錯過了我的生日晚餐，

because that day, actually, he went to jail.

因為就在那天，他入獄了。

My brother missed his own birthday dinner

我哥哥錯過了他自己的生日晚餐，

because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

因為他在不對的時間 出現在不對的地方。

(Recording) EA: So all these times when he ended up going to jail,

（錄音）講者：在他坐牢的這段時間，

他被控了罪名嗎？ 或是他就直接被抓去坐牢？

were charges pressed or did he just get taken to jail?

KW: The charges would be pressed

柯妮：會提出控告，

and it would have a bond posted,

會設定保證金，

then the charges will get dropped ...

然後控訴就會被撤銷，

because there was no evidence.

因為沒有證據。

講者：我去柯妮威廉斯的 大學教室與她會面，

EA: I met Kortney Williams when I went to her college classroom

to talk about "Unprisoned."

談《出獄》。

She ended up interviewing her aunt, Troylynn Robertson,

最後，她訪談了她的 姑姑特洛琳羅勃森，

for an episode.

做了一集節目。

(Recording) KW: With everything that you went through

（錄音）柯妮：你與你的孩子們

with your children,

經歷了這些事，

what is any advice that you would give me

你會給我什麼建議，

if I had any kids?

如果我有孩子的話？

(Recording) Troylynn Roberston: I would tell you when you have them,

（錄音）特洛琳：我會 告訴你，當你有孩子時，

you know the first thing that will initially come to mind is love

最先會想到的，就是愛，

and protection,

以及保護，

but I would tell you,

但我會跟你說，

even much with the protection to raise them

即使在養育他們時提供的保護，

with knowledge of the judicial system --

也要有司法體制的相關知識──

you know, we always tell our kids about the boogeyman,

你知道，我們總是告訴孩子惡巫、

the bad people, who to watch out for,

壞人，對誰要小心，

but we don't teach them how to watch out for the judicial system.

但我們卻沒教他們要小心司法體制。

EA: Because of the way our criminal legal system

講者：因為我們的刑事司法體制

disproportionately targets people of color,

不成比例地針對有色人種，

it's not uncommon for young people like Kortney to know about it.

像柯妮這類的年輕人 會知道這些也很正常。

When I started going into high schools to talk to students about "Unprisoned,"

當我開始去高中 和學生談《出獄》時，

I found that roughly one-third of the young people I spoke with

我發現和我交談的年輕人中 有大約三分之一，

had a loved one behind bars.

有所愛的人在牢裡。

(Recording) Girl: The hardest part is like finding out where he's at,

（錄音）女孩：最困難的部分 就是得知他在哪裡，

or like, when his court date is.

或，他的開庭日期是哪天。

Girl: Yeah, he went to jail on my first birthday.

女孩：是的，在我的 第一個生日，他入獄了。

Girl: My dad works as a guard.

女孩：我的爸爸是警衛。

He saw my uncle in jail.

他在監獄中看到我叔叔。

He's in there for life.

他終身監禁。

EA: According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation,

講者：根據安妮凱西基金會，

the number of young people with a father incarcerated rose 500 percent

從 1980 年到 2000 年， 父親在獄中的年輕人

人數增加了 500%。

between 1980 and 2000.

Over five million of today's children will see a parent incarcerated

現今有超過五百萬孩子，

會在童年的某個時點 看到自己的一位家長入獄。

at some point in their childhoods.

But this number disproportionately affects African American children.

但這個數字很不成比例地 影響非裔美國孩童。

By the time they reach the age of 14,

當他們十四歲時，

one in four black children will see their dad go off to prison.

四分之一的黑人小孩， 會看到他們的父親入獄。

That's compared to a rate of one in 30 for white children.

相對之下，對白人小孩， 這數字是三十分之一。

One key factor determining the future success of both inmates and their children

一個決定囚犯和他們孩子 未來成功的關鍵的因素

is whether they can maintain ties during the parent's incarceration,

是他們是否能在家長 坐牢期間保持聯結，

but prisoners' phone calls home can cost 20 to 30 times more

但囚犯打電話回家的費用， 比正常的電話費

than regular phone calls,

要高二十到三十倍，

so many families keep in touch through letters.

所以許多家庭是用信件保持聯絡。

(Recording: Letter being unfolded)

（錄音：打開摺起的信件）

Anissa Christmas: Dear big brother,

艾妮莎克里斯特馬斯：親愛的大哥，

I'm making that big 16 this year, LOL.

我今年要十六歲了，哈哈。

Guess I'm not a baby anymore.

我想我已經不再是小孩了。

You still taking me to prom?

你還要帶我去舞會嗎？

I really miss you.

我好想你。

You're the only guy that kept it real with me.

你是為一真誠對我的人。

I wish you were here so I can vent to you.

真希望你在這裡，我才能對你傾吐。

So much has happened since the last time I seen you.

我上次見到你之後發生了好多事。

(Voice breaking up) I have some good news.

（聲音斷續）我有些好消息。

I won first place in the science fair.

我在科學競賽得了第一名。

I'm a geek.

我是個怪胎。

We're going to regionals, can't you believe it?

我們要去參加地區比賽，你相信嗎？

High school is going by super fast.

高中日子過得超快。

In less than two years,

不到兩年時間，

I hope you'll be able to see me walk across the stage.

我希望你能看到 我走過畢業典禮的舞台。

I thought to write to you because I know it's boring in there.

我想寫信給你， 因為我知道牢中很無聊。

I want to put a smile on your face.

我想讓你開心。

Anissa wrote these letters to her brother

艾妮莎寫這些信給她哥哥，

when she was a sophomore in high school.

那時她高二。

She keeps the letters he writes to her tucked into the frame

她把她哥哥寫給她的信都塞在她臥房

of her bedroom mirror,

鏡子的邊框裡，

and reads them over and over again.

不斷重覆閱讀它們。

I'd like to think that there's a good reason

我希望是有個好理由

why Anissa's brother is locked up.

才讓艾妮莎的哥哥被關。

We all want the wheels of justice to properly turn,

我們都希望正義能夠妥當地被伸張，

but we're coming to understand

但我們漸漸了解到，

that the lofty ideals we learned in school look really different

我們在學校中學到的崇高理想，

與國家監獄、監牢和法庭 看起來是很不同的。

in our nation's prisons and jails and courtrooms.

(Recording) Danny Engelberg: You walk into that courtroom and you're just --

（錄音）丹尼安格柏： 你走進法庭，然後就──

我已經做這檔事好一段時間了， 但它仍然會讓人屏息。

I've been doing this for a quite a while, and it still catches your breath.

You're like, "There are so many people of color here,"

你會心想：「這裡有好多有色人種。」

and yet I know that the city is not made up of 90 percent African Americans,

我知道這個城市人口 並非九成都是非裔美國人，

so why is it that 90 percent of the people who are in orange

為什麼穿著橘色 囚犯服的人有九成都是

非裔美國人？

are African American?

(Recording) EA: Public defender Danny Engelberg isn't the only one noticing

（錄音）講者：公設辯護律師 丹尼安格柏並不是唯一注意到

how many black people are in municipal court --

市政法院中有多少黑人的人──

或任何法庭。

or in any court.

很難不注意到。

It's hard to miss.

Who's sitting in court waiting to see the judge?

誰坐在法庭中等著見法官？

What do they look like?

他們的外表如何？

（錄音）男子：大多數是 非裔美國人，像我一樣。

(Recording) Man: Mostly African-Americans, like me.

男子：大部分， 我猜 85%，都是黑人。

Man: It's mostly, I could say, 85 percent black.

That's all you see in the orange, in the box back there, who locked up.

你看到被關起來，穿著 橘色囚犯服的人，都是黑人。

Man: Who's waiting? Mostly black.

男子：誰在等法官？多數是黑人。

I mean, there was a couple of white people in there.

我是指，那裡有少數白人。

Woman: I think it was about 85 percent African-American

女子：我想坐在那裡的大約有 85%

that was sitting there.

是非裔美國人。

EA: How does a young black person growing up in America today

講者：現今在美國長大的年輕黑人

come to understand justice?

如何能了解正義？

Another "Unprisoned" story was about a troupe of dancers

另一個《出獄》故事是舞團的故事，

who choreographed a piece called "Hoods Up,"

他們編了一部作品叫《戴上兜帽》，

which they performed in front of city council.

並在市議會前表演。

Dawonta White was in the seventh grade for that performance.

杜汪堤懷特參與 那場表演時才七年級。

(Recording) Dawonta White: We was wearing black with hoodies because Trayvon Martin,

（錄音）杜汪堤懷特：我們穿 黑色兜帽上衣是因為特雷文馬丁，

when he was wearing his hoodie, he was killed.

他被殺害的時候穿著兜帽上衣。

So we looked upon that,

我們看到這件事，

and we said we're going to wear hoodies like Trayvon Martin.

我們就說我們要 穿得和特雷文馬丁一樣。

(Recording) EA: Who came up with that idea?

（錄音）講者：誰想出的點子？

DW: The group. We all agreed on it.

杜汪堤：舞團。我們都同意。

I was a little nervous, but I had stick through it though,

我有點緊張，但還是得撐過去，

but I felt like it was a good thing so they could notice what we do.

但我覺得那是件好事， 他們會注意到我們在做什麼。

(Recording) EA: Shraivell Brown was another choreographer and dancer

（錄音）講者：夏佛布朗是 《戴上兜帽》的另一位

in "Hoods Up."

編舞家兼舞者。

他說警察會批評外表像他這樣的人。

He says the police criticize people who look like him.

He feels judged based on things other black people may have done.

他覺得他被評判 是因為其他黑人做的事情。

How would you want the police to look at you,

你希望警察怎麼看待你？

and what would you want them to think?

你希望他們怎麼想？

夏佛：不把我視為威脅。

SB: That I'm not no threat.

EA: Why would they think you're threatening?

講者：為何他們會覺得你有威脅性？

What did you say, you're 14?

你說你幾歲？十四？

SB: Yes, I'm 14, but because he said a lot of black males

夏佛：是的，我十四歲， 但他說很多黑人男性

are thugs or gangsters and all that,

都是混混或幫派分子之類的，

but I don't want them thinking that about me.

我不希望他們這樣看待我。

EA: For folks who look like me,

講者：對於外表像我的人，

the easiest and most comfortable thing to do is to not pay attention --

最容易也最舒適的做法， 就是不要注意──

to assume our criminal legal system is working.

去假設我們的刑事司法體制是有用的。

But if it's not our responsibility to question those assumptions,

但如果執疑那些假設的責任 不在我們身上，

whose responsibility is it?

那是誰的責任？

There's a synagogue here that's taken on learning about mass incarceration,

有間猶太教堂在了解大量監禁，

and many congregants have concluded

許多聚會者都有一個結論：

that because mass incarceration throws so many lives into chaos,

因為大量監禁讓 許多人的生活變得一團混亂，

it actually creates more crime --

它其實會創造出更多犯罪──

makes people less safe.

讓大家更不安全。

Congregant Teri Hunter says

聚會者泰莉杭特說

the first step towards action has to be understanding.

通往行動的第一步，一定是了解。

She says it's crucial for all of us to understand our connection to this issue

她說很重要的是我們所有人 都要了解我們和這個議題的關聯，

even if it's not immediately obvious.

即使這個關聯現在還不明顯。

(Recording) Teri Hunter: It's on our shoulders

（錄音）泰莉杭特：那是我們的責任，

to make sure that we're not just closing that door

去確保我們不是只把門關上，

and saying, "Well, it's not us."

然後說：「反正那又不是我們。」

And I think as Jews, you know, we've lived that history:

我想，身為猶太人， 我們走過那種歷史：

"It's not us."

「那又不是我們。」

And so if a society closes their back on one section,

所以，如果社會背棄某個階層，

we've seen what happens.

我們已見過會發生什麼。

And so it is our responsibility as Jews

所以，身為猶太人， 這是我們的責任，

and as members of this community

也是身為這個社區一員的責任，

to educate our community --

要去教育我們的社區──

at least our congregation --

至少我們的會眾──

to the extent that we're able.

盡可能去做。

EA: I've been using the pronouns "us" and "we"

講者：我一直用 「我們」這個代名詞，

because this is our criminal legal system

因為這是我們的刑事司法體制，

and our children.

我們的孩子。

We elect the district attorneys,

是我們選出了地方檢察官、

the judges and the legislators who operate these systems

法官、立法者， 他們在運作這些體制，

for we the people.

是為了我們人民。

As a society,

我們這個社會

we are more willing to risk locking up innocent people

寧可錯關無辜的人，

than we are to let guilty people go free.

而不讓有罪的人逃過。

We elect politicians who fear being labeled "soft on crime,"

我們選出的政客害怕被貼上 「對犯罪很軟弱」的標籤，

encouraging them to pass harsh legislation

使他們想要去通過嚴厲的立法，

and allocate enormous resources toward locking people up.

投入大量資源來把人民關起來。

When a crime is committed,

當有犯罪發生時，

our hunger for swift retribution has fed a police culture

我們對快速報應的渴望， 助長了一種警察文化：

bent on finding culprits fast,

下決心要快速找到犯人，

often without adequate resources to conduct thorough investigations

通常沒有妥當的資源來通盤調查，

or strict scrutiny of those investigations.

或嚴格監督那些調查。

We don't put checks on prosecutors.

我們不會去審查檢察官做的事情。

Across the country, over the last couple of decades,

在全國各地，在過去幾十年間，

as property and violent crimes have both fell,

隨著財產犯罪和暴力犯罪都下降，

the number of prosecutors employed and cases they have filed has risen.

被僱用的檢察官數目以及 他們建立的案件數目都上升了。

Prosecutors decide whether or not to take legal action

檢察官能決定要不要 針對被警察逮捕的人

against the people police arrest

採取法律行動，

and they decide what charges to file,

他們也決定要控告什麼，

directly impacting how much time a defendant potentially faces behind bars.

這會直接影響到被告可能 會面臨多少年的牢獄之災。

One check we do have on prosecutors is defense.

我們有一種方式審查檢察官：辯護。

Imagine Lady Liberty:

想像自由女神：

the blindfolded woman holding the scale

矇著眼的女子，手持天秤，

meant to symbolize the balance in our judicial system.

本該象徵我們司法體制的平衡。

Unfortunately, that scale is tipped.

不幸的是，那天秤傾斜了。

The majority of defendants in our country

在我們國內，大部分的被告

are represented by government-appointed attorneys.

都是由政府指派的律師代表。

These public defenders receive around 30 percent less funding

這些公設辯護律師得到的資金大約

比地方檢察官少三成，

than district attorneys do,

and they often have caseloads far outnumbering

但通常他們的案件負擔量遠遠超出

what the American Bar Association recommends.

美國律師協會的建議數量。

As Sheila Phipps said,

如席菈費普斯所言，

there are people who belong in prison,

有些人的確該坐牢，

but it's hard to tell the guilty from the innocent

但當所有人的結果都這麼類似時，

when everyone's outcomes are so similar.

很難分辨出有罪的人和無辜的人。

We all want justice.

我們都想要正義。

But with the process weighed so heavily against defendants,

但這個過程對被告如此不利，

justice is hard to come by.

就很難會有正義。

Our criminal legal system operates for we the people.

我們的刑事司法體制是 為了我們人民而運作的。

If we don't like what's going on,

如果我們不喜歡現在的狀況，

it is up to us to change it.

就要由我們來改變它。

Thank you very much.

非常謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）