My book has a way of changing my direction in life.
On September 21, 2026, I was taken to the “DOG PROGRAM” yard, Steiner unit, in the Lewis complex. I was appropriately reclassed by Central Office for Medium custody. I and four other men unpacked our belongings off of the van and prepared to enter—to where I walked with Rey around the yard, where I felt my first dog paw in over 30 years, where I wrote my essay to become a part of the Marley Mutts/One Love Arizona dog rescue program.
My book spoke my heart…
The gate starts to open. A young lady correctional officer comes out: “WHO’S FLOWERS?”
I say, “I am.”
She says, “YOU CAN’T GO ON THE YARD…YOU’RE GOING BACK TO BUCKLEY AGAIN.”
I’m thinking, I am a Medium custody reclass approved by Central Office. Everyone of the guys brought with me are like, what is this…? People are visually angry. It’s “THE BOOK”—my words. (763 people so far have read these words.)
They all helped me load my belongings back onto the van. We all embrace in hugs. I jump back into the van, and the officer closes the door to the van. (This van has oddly appeared out of the hot Arizona air.) Now, I’m on my way, headed back to the Close Custody yard…
When I arrived back to the Close yard, everyone acts dumbfounded, like, why? I was told, not to unpack, the Deputy arden is working on getting you sent back to your appropriately, placing by Central Office to Medium custody. Deputy Warden Hudson and CO IV Levels DENIED me to enter the “DOG PROGRAM” Medium custody yard because of “THE BOOK.”
The Deputy Warden from the Close Custody yard is moving righteously according to policy and procedures. He knows I’ve been a Medium custody at 3/4 for 2 years. He knows I have not been found guilty of a violent write up in 5 years in October—or ANY OTHER WRITE UP, for that matter, in the same amount of time. He knows I’ve worked all my jobs with excellent ratings, even a maintenance job at the Close yard for 11 straight months.
“THE BOOK” is what makes E. Jay Flowers unable to be treated like all other incarcerated individuals that are “similarly situated.” The Deputy Warden of Buckley unit, he knows this and sends me back against Deputy Warden Hudson and CO IV Levels request for me to remain in Close custody for the remainder of my NATURAL LIFE.
Now, I’m heading back. Same process: load all my belongs into this van. We drive back to Steiner “DOG PROGRAM UNIT.” I noticed the delay at the gate before we enter. I’m in the van with four different people this time. Same result: “Flowers, they refuse to take you under the LEWIS COMPLEX WARDEN’S direction this time.”
I smile, pray, and now we’re heading back to the CLOSE CUSTODY YARD.
I’ve come to find out that Deputy Warden Hudson from the DOG PROGRAM UNIT has made a call to the Central Office, pleading her case that E. Jay Flowers—you know, “the one who wrote THE BOOK”—shouldn’t EVER be allowed to step foot on this yard again. They further speak: you know, he can be violent, he’s also a writer, they’re scared of him around here, etc…
Not once did anybody mention he’s a Juvenile Life With Out Parole (JLWOP) recipient who’s a human being that shouldn’t be retaliated against because he wrote “THE BOOK,” or because he has violence in his past, or, plainly speaking, stripping all covers away, because he is a product of a Juvenile Life With Out Parole sentence.
The way the system is set up is to strip people of their basic constitutional rights, based in theory on security concerns of the institution, because I’ve written “THE BOOK”? Because I have been violent in my past?… Now they can say I’m a security risk and type it into their computer like it’s TRUTH.
This is done to keep me in CLOSE CUSTODY for the rest of my NATURAL LIFE?
Is what PAWS FOR REDEMPTION is all about?
If this is their truth, we believe different.
REDEMPTION is the key word. I TRULY MEAN IT when I speak my TRUTH.
One Love (I really mean this too),
E. Jay Flowers.
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