White Collar journal: One month in
A Forum for Incarceration, Justice and Redemption
Reflections after three weeks, eight posts, and the beginning of a conversation.
When I launched White-Collar Journal just a few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure who would read these posts—memoir fragments, lyrical reflections, and essays on incarceration and justice. But I believe that my story mattered, and Substack a viable platform to tell it.
So far, I’ve shared three narrative accounts from my time in federal prison—Prison Camp, parallel threads from my memoir-in-progress, A Prison of My Own—along with two entries from Notes from Exisle, my morning log/verse written from inside. I’ve also posted two Justice Notes essays: one reflecting on the limits of sentencing reform when policymakers haven’t lived what they legislate, and another on the challenges of reentering the community after incarceration.
The response has been encouraging. Three thousand people have opened these posts. Many have shared them. Some have written to say that the words hit close to home. For a writer, especially one whose work begins in exile, that kind of connection is everything.
If you’ve been reading, thank you. If you’ve been thinking of sharing these pieces, please do. And if you’re new here, welcome. Here's what to expect going forward:
Sundays – Prison Camp, reflections, and parallel threads from my memoir-in-progress, A Prison of My Own.
Wednesdays – WCJ Justice Notes, essays on the criminal justice system and the people it impacts
Thursdays – Notes from Exile, log/verse fragments written from my bunk during my incarceration.
I’m grateful for your time and attention. There’s more to come.
We’re just getting started.
—John DiMenna