Separated by Prison Walls and Thousands of Miles: Interview with Gwen, Wife of an Inmate

Separated by thousands of miles and prison walls, Gwen tells us what it's like to be in love with a man in prison. Gwen, is from the UK, and Dirk is serving a long prison term in a Texas prison. Gwen speaks about her life, her visit to the Texas prison, and her hopes for the future. She also gives her views on prison life.

Please give us a bio of yourself

My name is Gwen, I'm 37 and work for an education charity as a researcher. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Heritage and Landscape and a year's postgraduate study in Landscape Design. I am English and still live in England at the moment. I have one teenage daughter from a relationship that lasted 17 years, and she will be starting college in September. I love rock & classical music, art, literature, all kinds of handcrafts, movies and nature. I'm pagan; I was brought up this way and simply put, I don't believe in a single deity. It has nothing to do with witchcraft, I am not a witch.

I understand your husband is currently in a Texas Prison. What was he convicted of and how many years did he receive?

My husband Dirk was convicted of first degree murder in September 2004, and received a 40 year sentence. He was 44 at the time.

Will he be eligible for parole soon?

As the law stands right now, he will be eligible for parole in 2024. His is an aggravated crime, and so he must serve half his time before the parole board will consider him.

How does he spend his prison time. Does he work, and if so what kind of work, and does he get paid?

Dirk reads a huge amount, mostly classical works when he can get them but also biographies and philosophical essays. He enjoys doing crosswords, and he is currently studying for the entrance exam to begin an Associates Degree. He writes to me every day, and he also writes to his family and some of our friends. He prefers to spend his time in his cell and not in the day room, and doesn't often go outside for rec because of the procedure for doing so. Dirk works 6 days out of 7 on an 8 hour shift, serving food in the inmate dining hall, and no he does not get paid at all for that.

Where you married to him before he went to prison, or did you meet him while he was in prison, and if so, how?