Inmates at SCI Albion participated in a ‘Day of Responsibility’ event, focusing on accountability and the impact of crime on others.
The event, held on Wednesday, featured guest speakers who shared personal stories to encourage inmates to reflect on their actions and consider their future choices. Tina Fenstemaker, whose son Harrison was killed by a drunk driver, was among the speakers aiming to provide a new perspective to the inmates.
Erie County Health Dept. unveils new community health report
“I hope by hearing this story some little piece of you wants to do better, to be better,” said Tina Fenstemaker, addressing the inmates.
Carrie King, a psychological services specialist at SCI Albion, emphasized the importance of inmates hearing from victims, saying, “Being able to hear a victim speak, being able to understand their actions had a ripple effect and also understanding that they can go on to do positive things.”
The ‘Day of Responsibility’ is an annual event at SCI Albion that allows inmates to engage with guest speakers and reflect on personal responsibility. This year, several guests, including Tina Fenstemaker, shared their stories to provide inmates with a new perspective.
Amy Rozechowski, a counselor advocate from the Crime Victim Center, noted the significance of exposing inmates to different perspectives, stating, “I think a lot of times they have never been exposed to the other perspective and so being the first person to introduce that to them can be a very good step on their journey.”
Firefighters praise dog for alerting survivor of weekend Erie fire
Inmates also participated by sharing original poems and songs, finding creative outlets to express themselves. One inmate created a painting of Harrison, Tina’s son, as a gesture of connection and understanding.
The inmate who painted Harrison’s portrait expressed a sense of connection to Tina’s story, mentioning that his own son is of a similar age and he couldn’t imagine losing him. “I feel like I’m giving back, paying my debt to society,” he said.
The ‘Day of Responsibility’ at SCI Albion provided inmates with a platform to reflect on their actions and consider their impact on others, fostering a sense of accountability and hope for positive change. As Tina Fenstemaker shared her story, she hoped to inspire inmates to believe in their potential for betterment, despite the anger and pain that began her journey.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WJET/WFXP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WJET/WFXP staff before being published.