Isaac’s troubled past led to 19 years in prison for carjacking and accessory to murder. Now his sister, Claire Tak, writes about Isaac’s life—inside and outside of prison—to teach others empathy and forgiveness.
Reforming Claire’s Brother Isaac
In 2018, Claire Tak’s younger brother Isaac was sentenced to 19 years in prison for carjacking and accessory to murder. It was a gut-punch to the family. After a few years, Claire became an advocate for her brother, offering him help, support, and compassion.
As Isaac sits in the California Correctional Institution, Claire writes about her brother and his troubled past. After all, he certainly lived a life worthy of a big-screen adaptation. Her Substack, Stories About My Brother, is one of the most honest, engrossing publications I’ve ever read. Claire writes about her struggles in raising her little brother, his run-ins with the law, and her desire to help him behind bars. Her goal is to convey the need for more forgiveness and empathy for people who make mistakes.
Claire believes that Isaac’s mistakes do not define him as a person. “Humans are three-dimensional creatures, capable of change and transformation,” she said.
Today, we’re going to see how Claire is fighting for her brother to realize that, yes, he can be reformed.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Crime & Compassion Substack (it’s free), or you can become a paid member to support this cause.
Claire’s Most Popular Substack Pieces
What motivates people to want to change?
Why I send care packages to my brother
The latest on my bro
The first time my brother was chased
The ticks, the bullying, and a new school
Message Claire’s Brother to Encourage Him
Sending a message is a quick, simple thing you can do to bring light to Isaac while he’s incarcerated. Claire makes it convenient for you:
Meet Claire Tak
Claire is a writer with a background in building content and editorial strategies for tech companies. Her connection to the prison system began when her younger brother Isaac was sentenced to 19 years at a Central California prison. He has been incarcerated since 2018.
She regularly writes newsletters on Stories About My Brother, a Substack dedicated to her struggles in dealing with an incarcerated loved one, and stories of her brother’s troubled past. Through Stories About My Brother, Claire hopes to convey the need for more forgiveness and empathy for people who make mistakes.
She is also working on her first memoir and documents her journey on Memoir Junkie Wannabe Author. She has previously written for Prison Journalism Project about what it’s like to have a loved one in prison from a sibling’s perspective.
When she’s not at her laptop, she enjoys snowboarding and hiking with her dog when she's not writing.
Crime & Compassion strives to shake up how we view and treat the incarcerated. Podcast host Shayla Hale asks difficult questions to gain a more compassionate understanding of those who were written off. The podcast serves as a safe space for the formerly incarcerated, currently incarcerated, their families and loved ones, and those who work with men and women in US jails and prisons. Crime & Compassion’s goals are 1) to show love and kindness toward the captives, 2) to help bring their stories and art into the world, 3) to completely flip the narrative on the US justice system by having tough conversations, 4) to educate society on why people commit the crimes they do, and 5) to reframe how people see, treat, and think about the incarcerated.
Forgiveness after a 19-Year Prison Sentence: How Claire Tak Practices Empathy for Her Brother