Never Underestimate the Power of the Pen...

The La Crosse (Wisconsin) County Jail has been publishing an inmate newsletter called Building Blocks for the past year and a half. The inmates from both the male and female jails have had the opportunity to submit their creative writing pieces with the intention of sharing them with their peers.

Articles submitted range from personal life journeys to poetry and from jokes to current events and holiday histories and traditions. Past themes have included summer time, new beginnings, fishing stories, places in Wisconsin that would be fun to visit, and memories.

The idea of the newsletter was prompted by the ABE English classes offered in the Jail Outreach Program offered through Western Technical College. With the support and approval of Captain Doris Daggett, the help of volunteers and the county printing department, the newsletter has become a permanent publication in our jail.

by: Willa MacKenzie Western Technical College