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A shackled man sits in his prison cell with the Statue of Liberty in view through his barred window
Illustration by Scotty Scott

The Statue of Liberty is supposed to symbolize freedom for all American people, but the statue is an imposter. The only ones who are free in this country are the super rich. They can do whatever they want and get away with it because money buys power. Everyone I know in prison is poor. Poverty is what causes crime — it’s always been this way.

Disclaimer: The views in this article are those of the author. Prison Journalism Project has verified the writer’s identity and basic facts such as the names of institutions mentioned.

Scotty Scott is an artist incarcerated in California.