Correctional institution inmates earn father-daughter dance
By Deborah Weiner
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JESSUP, Maryland (WBAL) — This time of year, it’s a regular occurrence to see proms, spring formals and dances — things that can bring lasting memories.
For one little girl and a Maryland father, that was very much the case in a place where the events are uncommon and earned.
“I’m really excited about this, actually a little overwhelmed,” said Ryan Samuel, an inmate. “Just being able to see her, do what we do, some sense of normalcy.”
The day finally arrived. First, the new shoes with the white bows have to come off. Eva and her Uncle Roger must pass through security.
Eva lives in Virginia Beach, so she only sees her father once or twice a year. She tapped her new shoes together as she waited to see her father
“I’m going to run up and give him a big hug,” Eva Samuel said.
The other children — some younger, some older — wore their best as they embarked on the walk across the Jessup Correctional Institution for a rare father-daughter dance inside the maximum-security prison.
“Because it happened when she was so young, a lot of her current memories of him are of him being in prison,” said Roger Samuel, Eva Samuel’s uncle.
Eva’s father, Ryan Samuel, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault involving police. His 16-year sentence isn’t up until 2032.
“This is not ‘Lock them up and throw away the key,'” said Carolyn Scruggs, secretary of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. “This is, ‘Make them better than they were when they came.'”
Inside the prison gym, where the dance was held, Eva and her uncle found ways to stay busy. Nearby, the dads sported donated suits and ties — there were no prison uniforms for the dance.
There are no physical limits to the visit. It marks a difference compared to a regular visit, where just one hug is permitted.
The fathers at the dance underwent programs like anger management and crisis de-escalation and have had no serious infractions for one year — or even a minor one for half a year.
“I liked to make a lot of excuses when I was first incarcerated,” Ryan Samuel said. “‘This is why it happened,’ when the only excuse was (that) I wasn’t ready to be a member of society, and I needed this time.”
“I’m proud of you, bro, like, I’m really proud of you,” Roger Samuel told Ryan Samuel.
“He’s matured more in four years than his entire life, and that is what I want from a correctional system,” Uncle Roger said.
“Whether they are behind the wall or outside the wall, a father is a father — regardless of their situation,” said Damean Stewart, a warden.
When it came time to dance, maybe a slower dance was just about right.
“Even at the little moments when things are about to overwhelm, I have to remember what I have on the outside,” Ryan Samuel said. “I just want her to always know that she is my motivation.”
The two took their time, made up for time, and made a memory that can be sustained for a lifetime.
More than half of those incarcerated in Maryland prisons will be going back home someday, so the idea is to strengthen the family bond to help with that transition and keep them out of trouble.
Ryan Samuel is getting his college degree in prison through Bowie State. He currently has a 4.0 GPA.
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