Michael Watkins Jr. has been incarcerated since 2016 at the age of 16. Unfortunately he was tried as an adult for aggravated robbery even after a psychiatrist saw him unfit to be tried in an adult system. Nevertheless the state of Ohio decided it fit to go against this professional diagnosis and punish a child of 16 the same way they would a grown adult. Throughout this time in prison Michael has seen, heard, and experienced horrific things but nothing compares to what he has experienced in Lucasville at the Southern Ohio Corrections Facility.

Michael has been harassed physically, mentally, with racial slurs, sexual comments, destruction and loss of property by the correction officers here. He has had fake drug tickets pinned on him without any evidence to prove this. He has even won hearings against these tickets because Southern Ohio Corrections Facility has found camera evidence that an officer was attempting to plant drugs on him.

He has tried multiple times to get into programs to prepare for his future after prison but Southern Ohio Correction Facility does not currently offer any of these. We have however found an outside program that sends curriculum to the facility. Michael has enrolled and takes classes ultimately to obtain his paralegal license. He craves to learn and wants to be in a facility that will offer him more knowledge and guidance for when he is released. The other two level 4 prisons in Ohio do offer this for him.

We, his family, are starting this petition to get Michael out of Southern Ohio Correction Facility. We have tried everything to get him out of this negative environment, from contacting the prison and Annette Chambers-Smith to hiring lawyers. Unfortunately no one is willing to help so we are asking you to help us get our beloved son, friend, family out of a prison that does the opposite of rehabilitate. We worry for his safety and mental state. Please help us spread this petition so they can move Michael into a safer environment and safer prison.