I have composed a letter to the judge but, I don't know if sending it will even help. I feel completely lost, scared, angry and as through my son has been abandonded. If anyone knows of a better route that can bring quicker help please let me know as soon as possible.

Dear Judge Alva,

My son was sentenced to 1yr and 1 day in which sent him to prison in Florida (anything over 1yr is automatic prison). Well they also sentenced him to the same thing on a possession charge. This was supposed be congruent but, Florida's sentencing board accidentally put it in as consecutive and that put his release date as 2020. They still have not corrected it. He should be getting out some time between October and December, depending on gain time, however, they have his release date showing as December of 2019. I don't know how to help to get this corrected. The judge already acknowledged it but, Tallahassee still has not corrected it.

He is dying in there....my son is a drug addict and was just starting his recovery and was clean when he went into county for charges that were as a result of his addiction. He had and still has no problem paying for his choices but, he is being brutalized in prison. He was in county jail and clean for months. He is now in prison and completely strung out on heroin as a result of the brutalization. He is trying to self-medicate to make the pain go away.

He has told me the guards are involved in bringing in and ignoring what is happening. My son said he has lost so much weight and is afraid. He is forced to emotionally blackmail me for literally thousands of dollars which is what they are saying he owes them and he of course has no way to pay for it. I am scared to death that they will hurt or kill him. I don't know what to do.

How can there be so many drugs inside a state prison. I really thought this would be a good opportunity to get “clean” time under his belt for his start to sobriety after all, he made the choice to get clean before he went in. I feel that the FL DOC are failing him and every other young person like him. He told me it is extremely dangerous for “unaffiliated guys” inside there. If he is jumped into a gang he has no protection at all. How many times and how many ways must he be punished for his crimes? Will he come home alive? Will anyone that allowed this stand up and help him get clean again or will he come home in a body bag?

I thought about contacting the Warden however, I know there are guards involved so what will happen to him if I do that. So, then I thought about reaching out to you Judge Alva as you were the judge that sentenced him and pleading and begging if need be for you to reduce his time in prison and put him on community control but, how long would that take...months? I don’t believe he has months and I cannot continue to pay what they are demanding (to keep him “safe”)….on average of $500 to 1500 a week. How do I sit back and allow this to continue without trying to do something? he begged me to at least get him into solitary so he can be away from it and go thru withdraws and be safe but, would they even do that.

I literally feel as though my only son's life hangs in the balance of all of this. One wrong move and I could end of getting him seriously hurt or killed. He has 3 children that miss him terribly and want their father back alive and unharmed.