Thank you all for your congratulations and warm wishes to Jace for his recent return. He is doing well, all things considered.
He met with his Parole Officer, Sloan, for the first time.
One of Jace numerous restrictions is a blanket ‘no internet’. Jace, being my son and cut from my cloth said, OK – I can use a computer OFF the internet then. Nope, he was told, nothing ‘digital’ was the way it was then presented.
Um…microwave, refrigerator, television….we gave up asking and just went with the impression that most everything is not allowed.
The quandary here is the dichotomy of the requirements.
Lets start with a basic one: get a job. OK – Jace can do that. He can go to the corner store and grab a local paper for the want ads. Oh, wait – most jobs are no longer in the paper. Most jobs are now listed online. Internet. Not allowed.
I write Sloan on my email for where Jace is supposed to look up jobs. He can’t email her himself of course. The reply is the name of three locations where Parolees can go to look up jobs online – such as the Goodwill Job Connections office. Great! Ummmm – can we get the address? He cannot look it up. And directions? He cannot look them up either. Guess what generation was not raised to know how to read a map? Not that it’s really hard – but it does require forethought, persistence, often phone calls. It’s illegal to be on the phone while driving in Oregon….
The other funny thing about directions these days is others also no longer learn how to GIVE effective directions… It used to be that I would call and make an appointment, get the address from the receptionist, and basic directions – detailed if I did not know the area. Try calling now and asking for directions? Whole different response!
He’s still working on finding a job – really not easy to do without the internet – but hoop jumping is what this part of the process is all about, so that’s what we are doing.
The Lady Justice Myth 
Way to go, Jace! Keep on keepin’ on!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jace, your story will make a difference. You have so much to offer to so many.
Even some people working in the legal system could learn some good morals from you.
LikeLike
I’m sure glad you spent that money on the internet specialist who works with the police who testified that Jace doesn’t have any signs of an issue with using the Internet for child sexual offenses. And that if he did, it would show…
LikeLike
We tried our best to do that with schooling. It can be done up to a point. In the end we were like 3-4 classes shy and they 100% required internet to go online to do the problems. No way around it. I think possible jobs would be like Amazon Warehouse, fast food and other restaurants, painting, construction, trade type jobs. But almost everything may require some digital touching. Netflix and youtube on the TV should be okay.
LikeLike
As someone that was in a very similar situation I can tell you that I as a mother had to do all the searching for a job. Please give me a call or send me an email so that I can discuss with you a little bit further. You have my information so please feel free to do so.
LikeLike
Welcome to life with ridiculous restrictions. I could write a book about the subject. As you point out, these restrictions don’t take into account the digital world we live in. They are imposed thoughtlessly without regard to the fact that one requirement for most on parole or probation is having a job. There are other rules too that he will encounter that you will struggle to find any reason for. Most who “reoffend” do so by some small infratction of these restrictions, not from any type of sexual offense. The system, in my opinion, is not a system of rehabilitation, but of continued punishment.
LikeLike