Volunteering Together
April 19, 2019
By Rachel Friederich(e mail)

DOC Communications

SHELTON – Pamela Deacon-Joyner
sorts through piles of men’s shirts,pants, and shoes at Washington
Corrections Center (WCC) inShelton, Washington. She inspects
and inventories the apparelTuesday afternoons for thefacility's clothing closet program.
The program gives donatedclothes to those who are releasingfrom prison and returning to theircommunities.
“Volunteering is a passion I needto fill,” the 71-year-old says. “Likewhen you’re hungry and you get
something to eat.”

See video at https://youtu.be/9B2lUXEpfWw

Pamela is one of the Department of Corrections’ more than 3,600 volunteers. The department
has volunteer programs in correctional facilities, work releases, and field offices statewide.
Pamela has volunteered at three facilities since 2011 and currently volunteers three days a week.
On Thursdays, Pamela volunteers with Bridges to Life. Bridges to Life is a restorative justice program
where crime victims meet with inmates to share experiences and talk about how crime affected
their lives.
On Saturday evenings, Pamela’s husband, David Deacon-Joyner, comes with her to aid the Living
Stones Prison Congregation’s pastor lead worship services.
Additionally, David, a 62-year-old retired jazz studies professor and professional musician,volunteers Tuesday nights to teach inmates music theory and how to play instruments.

Life before Volunteering
The Deacon-Joyners’ story of what led them to volunteer in state correctional facilities is one offaith, love, and perseverance.

https://doc.wa.gov/news/2019/04192019.htm

Pamela says she has a unique perspective as a volunteer. She’s been a victim of crime and also
spent a brief period of time incarcerated. She often shares her story with inmates to foster trustand empathy.

Pamela was born in Tacoma. Like many that become incarcerated in the United States, Pamela
experienced several adverse childhood experiences.
As an adult, Pamela experienced two relationships where she became a victim of domestic violence.
After several years and attempts, Pamela ended both relationships with her violent partners.
Afterwards, she was alone, drained and searching for stable employment and housing.
“My self-worth was smashed,” Pamela said. “My life was on a trajectory. I had so many things
happen to me that were horrible and shameful.”

https://doc.wa.gov/news/2019/04192019.htm

Years of physical abuse left her body weak. Pamela says she experienced chronic pain. In 1976, aneurologist told her she wassuffering from minor strokes. Years
later, doctors diagnosed her withmultiple sclerosis, an unpredictable,
painful disease of the nervoussystem.
Doctors prescribed Pamela
medication to cope with theconstant aches. It’s what led to herincarceration.
She stole a prescription pad fromher doctor’s office and got caught
trying to fill a false prescription.
Police arrested Pamela, with her
then-4-year-old son in tow. Pamela
spent a night in the Pierce County
jail before getting released on bail.
The courts ordered her 18 monthsof probation and substance abuse
treatment.

A Spiritual Experience
Pamela said this time was one of the most difficult in her life. She turned to the church for comfort
and guidance.
In 1994, she and her daughter attended a religious event featuring evangelist Kim Clement.
Clement chose Pamela and her daughter from an audience of hundreds of people and brought heronstage.
Pamela says she felt re-energized and more determined than ever to succeed in her life, her careerand reengage with her children’s lives after hearing Clement’s words.

Getting Back on Track
That same year, Pamela got a job as an administrative assistant in Pacific Lutheran University’s(PLU) music department. This allowed her to take college classes. Pamela graduated in 1999 at theage of 51 with a bachelor’s degree in religion and a minor in sociology.

https://doc.wa.gov/news/2019/04192019.htm

Pamela worked at PLU until retiring in 2011. Her 18-year career at PLU spanned several positions.
She spent nine years as a performance and outreach manager, coordinating and overseeing oncampus music
performances. She
managed student groups
traveling abroad for music
performances. She also
spent some time as an
academic and careeradvisor and as a mediator.

said. “I knew I would volunteer when I retired.”

Pamela's daily commute
took her past Washington
Corrections Center forWomen (WCCW) in Gig
Harbor, Washington. Eachtime Pamela saw the wiretopped fences, sheremembered the obstacles
she overcame and thought
about the women who lived
there.
“I was just drawn to it and I
prayed for them,” Pamela

Giving Back
Soon after retirement, Pamela approached a woman at her church who volunteered at WCCW tosee how she too could volunteer.
Pamela began volunteering with Living Longer, Living Stronger. The program teaches inmates skills
to manage chronic health issues on a daily basis. Pamela used her experience with her own self-carewith multiple sclerosis to teach people in the program. She started volunteering with Sunday
worship services in the prison chapel. That led to volunteering with family visit weekend activities.
Soon she started volunteering for similar activities at the other women’s prison, Mission Creek
Corrections Center for Women (MCCCW).
Pamela says she enjoyed interacting with incarcerated women because she said they felt they
related to her after hearing her story of surviving domestic violence.
“It was like a kinship,” Pamela said. “It helps them become more human if they can talk to someonewho has lived it.”
The National Research Center on Justice-Involved Women (NRCJIW) compiled research on trauma
histories of incarcerated women. It cited some studies that found about half of all justice-involved
women report having experienced some type of physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime. Somestudies estimated the percentage was as high as 98 percent.
A church group invited the Deacon-Joyners to observe one of the lively weekly services of the Living
Stones Prison Congregation at WCC. A band of about a dozen inmates plays instruments, claps, and(pdf)https://doc.wa.gov/news/2019/04192019.htm

sings. Volunteers greet incarcerated attendees and shake their hands. A pastor engages inconversations with the inmates and quotes Scripture.
The Deacon-Joyners enjoyed the experience so much, they decided to make Living Stones theirregular congregation and volunteer.
“We were embracing the church and they embraced us at the same time,” Pamela said. “We
became regular fixtures there.”
When David retired from PLU in 2017, the two decided to move to a waterfront home in rural
Mason County so they could be closer to WCC.

‘Working on You’The Deacon-Joyners say what they enjoy most about volunteerism is impacting the inmates’ lives.
Pamela recalls one of the Living Stones members told her he found out his grandmother passedaway. He told Pamela his grandmother was the only person in his family with whom he still had agood relationship during his incarceration.
“’No matter what I did, she accepted me and never, ever got angry,’” he said.
When Pamela visited the inmate, she offered to pray with him.
“We prayed for his grandmother and for her spirit to be with him and that he never forget thosememories,” Pamela said. “These guys have parents, wives and children and they can’t be withthem. They’ve come to expect us every Saturday and we’ve become a ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ to so many.”
David had a similar experience with a man in his music theory class. One day he taught the inmate a
few easy music chords. He says the simple act of teaching a skill to someone can give themsomething for which they can strive.
The Deacon-Joyners know the people they serve in prison have committed a variety of crimes. But
they also know that the vast majority will complete their sentences and return to theircommunities. The Deacon-Joyners hope their many hours of service will teach incarcerated
individuals there is hope for them after they leave prison.
“They want to be kind and caring, but don’t know how yet. They’ve not been shown how. If they
don’t know how when they reenter society, they’ll be doomed to come back,” Pamela said. “I tellthem God picked you up and placed you here (in prison). Now you’ve got time to start changing
your ways and start finding your spiritual self. You can move past crimes and live joyfully. You justhave to start working on you.”https://doc.wa.gov/news/2019/04192019.htm