Joel CastonPhoto: AFP / Keely SULLIVAN
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Washington’s only politician in custody, 45-year-old Joel Caston, has called for greater prisoner participation in politics. “If we are given a chance, we can participate in the political process,” Caston told the AFP news agency. Detainees could be “an asset, not a burden, to our community”. Caston is the first inmate to be elected to political office in Washington.
Caston, who grew up in Washington, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder 27 years ago. As a teenager, he shot an 18-year-old in a parking lot. Since then, he says he has been working “to prepare myself to never go back to prison”.
His daily routine therefore includes studying the Bible and business news, yoga and a self-developed mentoring program for younger prisoners. Caston speaks five languages and has authored a number of books on financial literacy.
His work as a local politician began in June when he was elected to political office as the first prisoner in the US capital. Previously, Washington’s law had changed, extending the right to vote to offenders in prison.
Caston campaigned largely on YouTube. He also uses the help of interest groups and supporters on site. And although it is always said that time is the only luxury in prison, Caston also lacks it: After setting up his official e-mail address, there were “over 600 e-mails in my inbox”.
© 2021 AFP
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