Prison Economy 101 – Cost of Living
Cost of living, you know, if you’re alone in prison, it’s sad, truly it is. When you see someone have yet you yourself have nothing, it’s sad. When you need to write your family but ...
Lucy
Portrait of Ce-cee on HandkerchiefI like spending time with my niece. She is my little sister’s daughter. Her name is Camila Crystal Esparza, but I call her Ce-cee, short for her full name. As a ...
The Great Debate about Virtues
By Ray Eric Esparza and Iris YimEditor’s note: This is taken directly from our correspondence, an exchange of values, beliefs and virtues, during which I was quite blunt in refuting Ray’s beliefs. But he took ...
Relationship with a Gangster – It’s Complicated
Editor’s notes: Ray once told me you can’t be a full time gangster and have long-term relationships. So I asked him to write about gangsters and relationships. What he wrote about relationships is pretty sad. ...
Have You Ever Been to War with Ants?
Well, can you answer my question? Please don’t judge; the kid is like I’m living outside here – 12 building/E-pod/42 cell. When I first got to this cell, I’m thinking, hell yeah, no roaches/ants/spiders, hell ...
Lockdown in Prison
The entire prison system in Texas is currently under lockdown which started on Sept. 6, 2023, to address drug-related violence. We have all gone through lockdowns in some shape or form during the pandemic. But ...
Either You Die in the Street or Die in Prison
James V. Allred UnitChristopher Walker/Time Record NewsEditor’s notes: When Ray was first convicted in 2012, he served time in the James V. Allred unit in North Iowa Park, TX and was later transferred to another ...
Truth be Told
“There is an expression that says truth hurts. What do you think, fam? Will truth hurt the kid? Will truth hurt you? The old me would say it’s just a word, fam, ‘F*** the truth.’ ...
From Villain to Freedom: A Midnight Tale of Escape from the Enemy
Hey, am I a bad guy? In our world, the police is the enemy. Who likes the police? When you see a loved one taken away from you in handcuffs, they are against everything you ...
Chasing Shadows: A Street Tale of Survival and Rebellion
So, am I the bad guy? It would seem…maybe the kid just wanted to have fun. Maybe he was lost. Maybe the streets corrupted his heart and mind…so many maybes. Well, a villain he is. ...