Dear Father Drinan, I am in a mixed up position and ask you to give me any assistance you can.

As you know from my previous letters I had been in good spirits and pleased with my job etc. I was doing my best with the job given me and considered myself fortunate to be in a position which would enable me to further my education. I have obeyed all the rules and never been reprimanded, there are no strict rules. Every Sunday I have gone to Chapel and have done my best to make a good record for myself. There was only one problem and that was the close living in the 8 man cells I had hoped to adapt myself to it. The majority of the men are doing short sentences and quite a few are repeaters. I believe statistics will prove that. Most of these men are just killing time and there is a continual idle chatter on sex, cars, money etc. To go with this is a continual game of cards, dominoes or checkers. I am no angel but as you know Ive got a twenty year sentence and I know if I dont help myself and put this to good use I will have no future. I can only help myself by an education and forming good habits and a sensible outlook on life. I have tried my best to read in the cell but cant do it because of the distraction. I have asked for a little quietness and could see it made for hard feelings. If I complain it would only end up in a fight and then isolation with no reading, mail, etc. I tried to put up with it and said nothing and kept holding everything in. I wrote out a request slip for a single cell and the answer was: your name has been put on the list but there will be a two or three year wait. Again I waited till every little thing started bothering me. I wrote in again and explained and asked them to make an exception but got no answer. I felt very nervous Wed (24th) and saw the parole officer and explained my situation to him. He said he was sorry but couldnt help me. I then saw the Psych Dr. and explained that I couldnt stand the 8 man cell and if only one of them bothered me any more I wasnt going to hold back anything. Then my nerves were all shot and I kept myself out of trouble by hoping they would help me out of there. At the present Im in the Psych Ward. Ive been here a couple of days. Im in a single cell and kept in it 24 hours a day. From here the Dr. is putting me in A.W.B. Its complete isolation. This is their answer and their solution to my problem. Would you please see if I have any legal right to a Penit. transfer, any legal rights at all. This is my first time in any prison. Please explain to my brother Bill for me and in turn he can explain to the family and my girl. Im not writing any more letters; although I dislike the present situation its a shade better than the 8 man cell. Either way I cant accomplish any study. Well Father Drinan, thats about it and its the true story seen through my eyes. I still think Im right. Write me as soon as possible. James J. Bulger 77607

Respectfully yours, Jim