Carmelo Anthony Shines The Light On Corrupt Prison System
Carmelo Anthony visits Rikers Island’s young inmates. | Photo via VICE
“I know it’s a prison but a prison should be more like a rehabilitation,” states Red Hook, Brooklyn-born, New York Knicks power forward, Carmelo Anthony, in his fourth episode of Stay Melo.

Anthony, along with the VICE Sports crew, took a trip out to Rikers Island — New York City’s main jail complex — to meet with a few of the younger inmates, ages 18-21. The complex that currently consists of ten jails and houses local offenders who are awaiting trial and cannot afford, obtain or were denied bail from a judge, has been the topic of major headlines as of recent. Among the headlines just this month, the city has agreed to pay over $5 million dollars to families of inmates that died while in custody of the prison complex.

“The family of Jason Echevarria, a 25-year-old inmate who died in 2012 after swallowing a toxic soap packet and, a federal jury found, being ignored by jail staff for hours as he pleaded for help, will receive $3.8 million,” the NY Times reports. “Mr. Echevarria was one of several Rikers inmates with mental illness to die in recent years, and his case helped draw the attention to abuse and dysfunction at city jails.”

Anthony, whose had close friends and family jailed on Rikers Island, had a goal of observing the disorder firsthand. “Rikers is a place that we’ve all heard of. I was amazed to find out that it’s the largest penal colony in the world. Recently, we’ve heard and read a lot about abuse and violence there. I wanted to see the situation there for myself, as a New Yorker,” Anthony tells VICE.

Back in July, President Barack Obama — who is calling for major criminal justice reform — became the first sitting President to ever visit a federal prison.

“I think we have a tendency sometimes to almost take for granted or think it’s normal that so many young people end up in our criminal justice system. It’s not normal. It’s not what happens in other countries. What is normal is teenagers doing stupid things,” Obama said after touring El Reno Correctional Institution in El Reno, Oklahoma and visiting with the six male inmates.

Anthony specifically chose to meet with a few incarcerated youth, particularly to hear their personal stories of how they got to this place, try to encourage them and possibly change what would be their post-incarceration outlook.If you have unexpectedly observed that you are trailing numerous lean muscle reckon, then it is recommended to consume it with a glass of water. 100 mg of the medicine is not showing the result you’ll be able to recover. cialis prices more helpful tabs

“This is not the end…It’s hard to look at the big picture when you’re going through this,” says Anthony.

Both President Obama and Carmelo Anthony are forcing people to look at the world inside of lock up, a place that is supposed to be controlled but is totally out of control.

A change is coming!

Watch the enlightening episode below: