Loved Ones Inside

My name is Kari Gottstein. My son, Jason, has been incarcerated for 19 years since he was 20 years old.  Jay was always a quiet, polite kid. He asked us once why we never punished him and we said because he never did anything worthy of punishment. Imagine our surprise when one day the police came to our door looking for him in connection with a shooting in rural Sullivan County - a neighbor across the street from a house we were building for our retirement.  During the trial Jay was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder, a form of bipolar disorder with hallucinations. Unknown to us, he had been having conversations with a voice in his head and on the day of the crime they were debating whether or not there is life after death. Jay went to the neighbor's house, engaged in conversation, then remembered why he was there and shot him. There were drugs involved as well and during sessions with the psychologists and psychiatrists in the prison system they determined he had been self medicating. While incarcerated he has been stabilized on various medications and realizes he will need to take them for the rest of his life. While incarcerated he became a CPS (Certified Peer Specialist), talking to others who may not need professional help but need someone to talk to. He has led groups in Anger Management, PTSD, and other mental health issues. While at Retreat he helped others getting ready for release by coordinating with outside agencies to make sure everything was set for their reentry to the community. After Retreat closed he moved to Mahanoy where he led groups in AA and other programs on the "drug block". Like so many others, he has grown tremendously throughout his adulthood and is not the same person he was when he committed his crime. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth of PA does not see fit to recognize this growth. As he tells others, "You are not a bad person, you made a bad decision." He has taught himself to play guitar and taught others. He draws different types of pictures and has recently begun painting. He reads extensively and his tastes are eclectic.  We believe everyone deserves a chance to show the Parole Board and Board of Pardons that they have changed and given the chance can live a productive life in society. Jay would like to continue work as a CPS mainly with schizophrenics. Passing the bills being introduced in Congress would give him that chance.