I just came across a terrific site that provides an “intimate look at my new life as a spouse of an inmate.”

The site is called “Living as a spouse of an inmate.”

The author, who goes by the name K St. John, writes that she shares her feelings of living everyday as a single parent while her spouse is in prison.

Hope you have a chance to find inspiration from her thoughts and words.

Last winter we posted an audio column from Emani Davis, who at the time had spent 24 years waiting for her father to be released from prison. He had suffered head trauma in the past, and his eyesight was deteriorating more quickly than is normal for elderly people. Davis felt helpless not being able to personally care for him–something she realized was as important as the medical care.

Now people in the elder Davis’s situation–if they are in prison in New York State– could have other options. A new state law has made inmates with chronic as well as terminal illnesses eligible for early release, as long as they don’t pose a threat to others and have served half their time.

Passed last April, the law even grants eligibility to those convicted of violent crimes including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and sex offenses, according to a report in The New York Times.

The new law coincides with a rise in aging and ill inmates serving longer sentences. Between 1999 and 2008, the number of inmates age 55 and older rose 79 percent to 74,000. The state reckons it costs $150,809 a year to care for a seriously ill inmate.

Have you had to cope with having a sick family member in prison? How has that situation made you feel? Call (646) 867-1891 to leave a voice message that we will share with others this site. Please share the phone number with others who might want to describe their experience.

Or fill out this form to share your experiences and see how others coped with the situation:

I lived most of my life in Harlem, but now live in Rochester, NY. I have been keeping myself busy by making short documentaries about social issues that usually get overlooked by mainstream America. I have 11 years of experience as a documentary filmmaker and an M.F.A. in media arts production.

I am currently working on “Solutionz,” a one-hour program meant to remind communities that the incarceration of a parent has lasting negative effects on a child. My inspiration came from seeing my son who is currently incarcerated. I would leave the prison after a visit and see the kids break down when they got to the other side of the gate. It’s just heartbreaking to see. It really stuck in my mind, the faces of the kids and how they were the victims. What was their story? What did they do to deserve the heartbreak? It touched me as a filmmaker to find out what is going on with these kids.

I am looking to interview male children between the ages of 7 and 18 who have a parent incarcerated for my documentary. If you would like for your child to participate or if you’re a child who would like to participate, please fill out this form [this information will NOT be shared with anyone else]:

My plan is to screen “Solutionz” in prisons so that currently incarcerated parents can be more aware of (and thus more prepared for) the emotional and physical status of their children. I have three young women who I have already shot some footage with in Rochester, but no boys at all. I really need males between the ages of 7 and 18. I am also looking for non-profits to sponsor the film and developing a package proposal. I need to have a fundraiser in NYC and Rochester, so I know I need some space.

Well, I put my beans on the table of what I’m doing and why I’m doing what I do. Not for the money, that’s for sure. As an artist, I love filmmaking. I love it even when I’m broke because it makes me whole. Sharing rarely heard stories with others is priceless for me.

If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section below and I’ll get back to you.

I hope to hear from you. Thank you.

Edna Ford is a grandmother of six who says she’s struggled to pay the high cost of collect phone calls ever since her son was incarcerated 13 years ago.  After racking up bills as high as $200 a month, Ford says the calls have gotten less frequent over the years.

On Wed. Jan 27 at 9 p.m. EST, I’ll be hosting Family Life Behind Bars radio, talking to Ford about the burden of collect calls and the complicated task of sustaining a relationship between her granddaughters and their father.  Ford will also talk about the difficulty of coming to terms with her son’s conviction for killing the mother of her granddaughters and the ripple effect it had on their entire family.

I’ll also be joined by Sherry Murray, president of the Coalition to Reduce Recidivism, which aims to help ex-offenders become productive members of the community.  As the mother of a son who was formerly incarcerated, Murray has also been directly affected by the high cost of collect phone calls from correctional facilities.

Listen live by calling (347) 326-9981 at showtime or listen in online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/familylifebehindbars.  You can also ask questions or speak your mind during the show by dialing (347) 326-9981 and pressing 1.

If you’ve been affected by the high costs of collect calls, take this survey.  Also, tell us what you think in the comments section below.

The New York Times has an editorial about how the New York State’s highest court has rejected  a lawsuit by families of inmates who claimed the prison system overcharged them for telephone calls from their loved ones. Nonetheless, the suit and the intense lobbying has helped reform this unfair system of charging 16 cents or more a minute with a $3 surcharge for every call. New York, along with other states, received a hefty percentage of the fees–nearly 60 percent–making prisons a revenue opportunity. Read the whole editorial here.

How much money did you spend on collect calls and what did you sacrifice? Fill out this form and we’ll post results [UPDATE: See how much people spent on collect calls and what they sacrificed]:

Interested in hearing how to tackle the job market fresh out of prison?  Check out the show to hear tips and advice on finding work after incarceration from David Koch, who was released from prison in 1980 and went on to become a pilot and CEO of his own internet company.  Hear also from Aric Coleman, who was just released from prison last month, about his experience finding a job and his advice for others in the same position.