2008 Woodie Awards
Apple talks about her struggle as a prisoner and mother
Laura Fogerty
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Sherrie Apple spent seven years of her life in the Danbury Federal Correctional Facility, and she is now on a mission to tell her story in hopes of changing the system.
While in prison, Apple was separated from her 5-year-old son and only saw him once each year. She spoke at Marist College on Tuesday night to promote awareness of the effects prison can have when it separates parents and children, and to promote higher education programs like the Marist degree program she benefited from at Danbury.
Apple was convicted in 1988 for conspiracy to import and export drugs. Her charge was connected to her husband's, who served 18 years, and died of cancer two years ago while he was still serving his sentence. While Apple was in prison her son, now 21, lived with family members. She waited to tell her story until today because she did not want to risk losing custody of her son.
"I am here to tell you that I came home to a 12-year-old boy who was angry that his parents got taken away from him," Apple said.
Apple said there are a lot of women like her in prison, with children on the outside. She considers herself lucky because her son was able to live with family and not in a foster home. When she got out of prison, she was ready to do whatever it took to get her son back. Apple said many women just do not have the support network to keep their families together, and their children become a part of the system.
"My son made a personal choice to grab on to the stability he felt at a young age," Apple said.
Apple's plan for changes in the system include providing a support system for mothers who are convicted felons, instead of sending them to prison, which separates them from their children. She was held in minimum custody at Danbury, and she said people like her would do better if they could do community service instead of being incarcerated.
Apple opposes the mandatory minimum sentencing law enacted of 1986, which established minimum sentencing for drug-related offenses. She works with the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM). Apple said the law was supposed to improve the quality of sentencing, but all it did was set up a scale that produces lengthy jail time.
While in prison, Apple was separated from her 5-year-old son and only saw him once each year. She spoke at Marist College on Tuesday night to promote awareness of the effects prison can have when it separates parents and children, and to promote higher education programs like the Marist degree program she benefited from at Danbury.
Apple was convicted in 1988 for conspiracy to import and export drugs. Her charge was connected to her husband's, who served 18 years, and died of cancer two years ago while he was still serving his sentence. While Apple was in prison her son, now 21, lived with family members. She waited to tell her story until today because she did not want to risk losing custody of her son.
"I am here to tell you that I came home to a 12-year-old boy who was angry that his parents got taken away from him," Apple said.
Apple said there are a lot of women like her in prison, with children on the outside. She considers herself lucky because her son was able to live with family and not in a foster home. When she got out of prison, she was ready to do whatever it took to get her son back. Apple said many women just do not have the support network to keep their families together, and their children become a part of the system.
"My son made a personal choice to grab on to the stability he felt at a young age," Apple said.
Apple's plan for changes in the system include providing a support system for mothers who are convicted felons, instead of sending them to prison, which separates them from their children. She was held in minimum custody at Danbury, and she said people like her would do better if they could do community service instead of being incarcerated.
Apple opposes the mandatory minimum sentencing law enacted of 1986, which established minimum sentencing for drug-related offenses. She works with the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM). Apple said the law was supposed to improve the quality of sentencing, but all it did was set up a scale that produces lengthy jail time.