Donovan Buckner: Part 2

By Judy Williams

Dear Readers,

In the February edition, the Stockbridge Community News’ printed questions to and responses from Donovan Buckner, a prisoner in the Oaks Correction Facility. We felt our readers would be interested in what led him to a lengthy prison sentence and what kind of a life he is now leading in prison. Part one in the February edition prompted some negative reactions from readers. SCN hopes that this series will be read by young men and women who will then realize that their actions have consequences.

Buckner has granted permission to print his address (Donovan Buckner 981139, Oaks Correction Facility, 1500 Caberfae Hwy, Manistee, MI 49660), and he has indicated a willingness to correspond with those who have questions. Prison regulations require all correspondence to be made in black ink, blue ink, or a graphite pencil and to include contact information. Below are SCN’s questions and Buckner’s responses:

Stockbridge Community News catches up with Donovan Buckner.

My Day in Prison:

What is your living facility like? Is it a dorm style room with several men or a cell with how many others? Please describe your living conditions. A: Currently because of my level it’s a cell with only one other person. Some prisons have cube settings with six to eight inmates in a cube. The temp in my cell stays cold. Since I’ve arrived at my current facility it’s been very depressing with the living conditions. Let’s just say I’ve lived in a lot worse, and it could be a lot better.

Your letter stated, “living in prison is stressful.” Please tell us about the worries and fears? A: You never know what’s going to happen every day. This is a world all of its own. Everything you know from not being incarcerated goes out the window when you’re locked up. A fear or worry I have is that one day someone is going to kill me. I know that’s a slim chance, but it’s a fear everyone has in prison.

When do you get up and when do you go to bed? A: On an average weekday I wake up at 5 a.m. and go to bed at 11 p.m. On the weekends I wake up at 7 a.m. and go to bed at midnight. You can also get call outs. When you have a “call out” to see the doctor or get new state issue clothes, you get a sheet [of paper] with [information] on it the night before.

What is the food like? A: The food is horrible. Sometimes it has no flavor and other times it has too much flavor. The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) says as long as the food is edible, serve it. The food company contracted my MDOC is Trinity Food. The food is bottom of the line quality. Food served to us is always raw and cold. Sometimes we get moldy bread or a rotten potato in our mashed potatoes.

How is the food served? A: The food is served by other inmates in a serving line. Word of advice never upset a person on the serving line. They will spit in your food.

Do you get to select what you eat? A: You have your main dish or a substitute with no meat. Then you have restricted diet meals for Muslims, Jews, and other religions or diabetics, high blood pressure, etc.

Do you eat as much as you want or as much as they give you? A: You eat a much as they give you. Sometimes you leave the chow hall full, and other times you leave still hungry. My joke is “I just burnt more calories from coming and going to the chow hall than what I ate.”

What do you do all day? (Some people say that prisoners just sit around and watch TV all day. Is that true? A: Yes and no. That can be true depending on your security level. [Levels] (4,5) are in their room 95 percent of the day, so there’s not much to do. Level (1,2) get to move around all day other than at count time. We do get a chance to go outside every day. During the spring, summer, and fall you can play softball, basketball, and many other sports. I just go outside to exercise and hang out with a group of my “tight-knit friends” or as close to friends as they can be. I would lie if I said only one thing was the worst part of being in jail. If I had to choose, it’s being away from my children and family. The loneliness is a hard thing to deal with.

You just mentioned children. How many children do you have? Did you ever marry? A: I have four children my two oldest are twins at 4 years old this February 25. My middle child is about to turn 3 and my youngest is currently 1. No, I never married. I had plans to marry when I caught my case. I only know my oldest 2.                                                                    

Do you attend any counseling or other type of class that discusses what went wrong in your life and how to make changes for when you are released? A: I do attend counseling with a therapist about my life and how I can change my future for the good. I also see them about some past traumatic incidents also to help me overcome those barriers in my life. But yes, the parole board requires us to takes classes like advanced substance abuse treatment (ASAT) which is a cognitive/substance abuse and other classes you might be able to check out on the MDOC website.

Are you able to take classes or get any kind of training to help you get a job when you get released? A: The MDOC allows all inmates a chance at education, either GED/ABC (a vocational course) or a credited college course.   

Did you pass your GED? A: I currently do not know. They have not received the results, but I KNOW I PASSED!–not to sound arrogant.