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Lawyer Shared A Story Of Her Client Struggling To Catch Up With Modern Technology After 30 Years In Prison
Modernity, at its core, reflects what is contemporary in our everyday life. This term is always fluctuating, as there was a time when the wheel was considered the height of achievement and planes were an unholy technical abomination. But opinions evolve with the times and modern technology is what drives societies forward—just a few decades ago, no one had dreamed of smartphones, and now we can’t leave home without them. The understanding of technology often comes gradually to us, since we live surrounded by it and when something new comes along, we have a firm foundation to stand and rely upon. But what happens when this foundation is taken from us and we are thrown right into the melting pot of technology we don’t understand and systems that no longer remember what paper documents are?
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Human rights lawyer reveals her client, who spent 30 years in prison, struggles with technology
Image credits: _MariaBurnett
Human rights lawyer Maria Burnett has a client who was released from prison after serving a 30-year sentence. After so long, it’s natural that he would have plenty of things to get used to anew, but it goes a bit deeper than that. Burnett said he was reluctant to admit he had no idea how to access the crucial documents or services he needed because they all revolved around the use of digital space.
She taught him how to use a laptop and explained different technology-related terms
Image credits: _MariaBurnett
Image credits: _MariaBurnett
“I got him a laptop and we spent a day this weekend going over everything, the difference between cell service and wifi, between texts and email, where to find which thing on a phone vs on a laptop,” said Burnett. The man spent decades outside of the technology-driven world, so it’s understandable he might be a bit behind. But the absolute lack of any information or training for people who have basically entered a whole new age with outdated knowledge can be detrimental.
The lawyer stated that society has unrealistic expectations that he would already know all this stuff
Image credits: _MariaBurnett
Image credits: _MariaBurnett
According to her, even DC social services offices automatically assumed he would know how to file online forms, send emails, scan documents, and use other services in the digital space. She admitted that even she herself didn’t think about her client being out of touch with technology, since we all naturally use it in our everyday lives with no trouble.
It took a lot of effort for the client to get the hang of modern technology
Image credits: _MariaBurnett
While prisoners have some form of email system, Corrlinks, it’s designed and run specifically for inmates to contact the outside world. When the client became a free man, three decades were quick to catch up to him, with no assistance set up by the government to help him adjust. He needed to learn everything from scratch, and with some help and determination, he got a firm grasp on at least some fundamentals, which is especially important in today’s climate, when most of the world has moved its services to a digital space.
This sparked a discussion about the need to increase inmates’ technological literacy
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What do you think ?
Martha Meyer 3 years ago
I think large parts of the US prison system are deliberately designed to prevent people from succeeding in the outside world. This just fits.
Night Owl 3 years ago (edited)
Especially the system of for-profit private prisons
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Xan A. Du 3 years ago
Beyond just inmates, this applies to older age groups as well. I know people in their mid 50's that have trouble. Very smart people. They don't understand some very basic things. It isn't only about lack of access. I think there is a level of fear about it for some people who didn't grow up with it. That needs to be addressed. There need to be more learning opportunities for them, where they don't feel embarrassed for not knowing.This is not specific to inmates though. As the post suggested for inmates, maybe a type of exit training for those returning to the world outside.
Parmeisan 3 years ago
It's worse for inmates, though. Imagine all that fear PLUS the last time you looked at a computer there was no such thing as a mouse. You might know what a word processor is but you started it up with the command line. Or maybe he's seen Windows 3.1 but certainly not a smartphone. There would be so much to learn that he doesn't even know exists, way beyond the confusion of people who are just in that age group where it's existed in their periphery but until recently they didn't need to understand it to function in their jobs.
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Aragorn II Elessar 3 years ago
This is kinda sad. Not that it matters, but I’m curious as to what he was incarcerated for.
Mewton’s Third Paw 3 years ago (edited)
He was released in Washington DC so that’s where he committed his crime. In DC every felony is a federal crime. So he could have done anything from murder or rape to selling or using drugs. Impossible to know really.
Load More Replies... Martha Meyer 3 years ago
I think large parts of the US prison system are deliberately designed to prevent people from succeeding in the outside world. This just fits.
Night Owl 3 years ago (edited)
Especially the system of for-profit private prisons
Load More Replies... Xan A. Du 3 years ago
Beyond just inmates, this applies to older age groups as well. I know people in their mid 50's that have trouble. Very smart people. They don't understand some very basic things. It isn't only about lack of access. I think there is a level of fear about it for some people who didn't grow up with it. That needs to be addressed. There need to be more learning opportunities for them, where they don't feel embarrassed for not knowing.This is not specific to inmates though. As the post suggested for inmates, maybe a type of exit training for those returning to the world outside.
Parmeisan 3 years ago
It's worse for inmates, though. Imagine all that fear PLUS the last time you looked at a computer there was no such thing as a mouse. You might know what a word processor is but you started it up with the command line. Or maybe he's seen Windows 3.1 but certainly not a smartphone. There would be so much to learn that he doesn't even know exists, way beyond the confusion of people who are just in that age group where it's existed in their periphery but until recently they didn't need to understand it to function in their jobs.
Load More Replies... Aragorn II Elessar 3 years ago
This is kinda sad. Not that it matters, but I’m curious as to what he was incarcerated for.
Mewton’s Third Paw 3 years ago (edited)
He was released in Washington DC so that’s where he committed his crime. In DC every felony is a federal crime. So he could have done anything from murder or rape to selling or using drugs. Impossible to know really.
Load More Replies...
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