Felonism:

Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone who
has been suspected or convicted of a felony on the belief that they are inferior.

Felonism: Hating in Plain Sight

A collection of true stories and interviews with convicts, family members, parole officers and prison staff. Woven together these stories present the fabric of an institutionalized, systemic oppression against individuals suspected or convicted of a felony as well as those who love and support them

The cycle of discrimination continues when members of prison staff are concerned about losing their pensions for being “inmate friendly”, loved ones of prisoners are publicly berated, and returning citizens (people released from prison) are segregated from mainstream housing, careers and support. Confronted with documentation demonstrating a national trend of organized oppression, this book reveals a pattern of racism, dysfunctional politics, cruelty, and a network of “for-profit” companies that have become part of America’s culture.

Felonism: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone who has been suspected or convicted of a felony on the belief that they are inferior.

Problems are rarely fixed until they are given a name, so ex-con Andy Polk and retired school teacher and social worker, Linda Polk, coined the term “Felonism” to shine a light on who really benefits from this dangerous neo-classism/racism. This book provides terminology currently lacking in the national conversation about our shared prejudices and offers solutions for healing our broken criminal “justice” system.

Find out more…

How the System is Broken

Statics paint a pretty grim picture of America’s criminal “justice” system. Per capita, our government incarcerates more citizens than any other nation. About 200 convicted prisoners are exonerated each year, escaping government-imposed death penalties. There are probably many more wrongful convictions among today’s 2 million plus prisoners. These facts demonstrate a few symptoms of felonism.

It has devastated families, destroyed the lives of countless individuals, increased poverty, and polluted many of our social systems.

Untold thousands of children enter public schools holding on to the secret that someone in their family is, or has been, incarcerated, and this secret pollutes the dynamics of their relationships with teachers, administrators, peers, and themselves. Just as racism has crippled our nation in many ways, felonism is deforming America.

Get the Book!

Real Solutions

Lacking a term to identify the problem has led government officials and individuals to treat felonism with weak, inappropriate, and ineffective strategies.

Real solutions must begin in the hearts of individuals before it can honestly be addressed on the national front.

Private and public conversations that are non-shaming, open, honest, and emotionally safe must become common-place if we are to gather the energy necessary to overcome years of manipulation and intimidation by Abusers of Power. True, positive transformation of America’s “justice”, prison, and education systems will emerge as we address the core issue, felonism.

As these conversations begins, we will be amazed at how quickly solutions appear and healing begins.

Click Here

Resources

Though the name “felonism” is new, efforts to overcome this prejudice are not. Click here for a very short list of organizations who have expended great energy to obtain equality for all American Citizens.

It is our hope that these and other organizations will receive greater support and easier access to networking.

Please notify us if you would like to see other organizations added to this list. With a united effort of individual commitments, we can eliminate felonism and heal our nation.