Trip report/ask me about time in maximum (and minimum) security prison

[illeagle]

Good post. I used to be a correctional officer and I disagree with this statement however:
[ QUOTE ]
You are not a person to a guard and that should never be forgotten.

[/ QUOTE ]
Your observation on why they tend to be [censored] was pretty accurate though. Spending your days surrounded by concrete, bars and the dregs of society(not saying all convicts are lowlifes) is a horrible way to make a living. It's a thankless job and there's basically nothing positive about it.

Is smoking in Indiana prisons illegal? Did you know of prison staff muling in any contraband like drugs and alcohol?

[MyTurn2Raise]

[ QUOTE ]
Good post. I used to be a correctional officer and I disagree with this statement however:
[ QUOTE ]
You are not a person to a guard and that should never be forgotten.

[/ QUOTE ]
Your observation on why they tend to be [censored] was pretty accurate though. Spending your days surrounded by concrete, bars and the dregs of society(not saying all convicts are lowlifes) is a horrible way to make a living. It's a thankless job and there's basically nothing positive about it.

Is smoking in Indiana prisons illegal? Did you know of prison staff muling in any contraband like drugs and alcohol?

[/ QUOTE ]


Illinois prisons
when I was there, smoking was legal if you over 18. Yes, that same Chris Churchill guy was incarcerated for life as a minor in adult facilities and couldn't smoke.
Many guys rolled their own, so it could take up more of their day.

I know of no prison staff muling in contrabands. MOst of the drug use in the prisons were prescribed drugs for the psychopaths (such as Thorazine) getting among the rest of the prisoners.

I wouldn't know too much about it, though, as I avoided the trouble-making types.

From what I know, the IDOC was really cleaned up after the mid-90s videos of Richard Speck doing plates full of coke.


FWIW, I completely understand why the guards act the way they do. Better that way than to be at-risk.

I also agree about the dregs of society statement.

[tuq]

MT2R,

My bad for doubting you! Good thread, great read. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Do you agree with Robert Downey Jr.'s assessment that prisons serve nasty food to make prisoners as docile/harmless as possible? Fatten them up, if you will.

Also, if you flashed your street cred in Sports you may win more arguments out of sheer fear and respect. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Dementia]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, if you flashed your street cred in Sports you may win more arguments out of sheer fear and respect. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
I already liked him from when I rode an NHL pick of his that I would never in a million years have made myself, I don't even follow hockey, needless to say it won.

[MyTurn2Raise]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Also, if you flashed your street cred in Sports you may win more arguments out of sheer fear and respect. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
I already liked him from when I rode an NHL pick of his that I would never in a million years have made myself, I don't even follow hockey, needless to say it won.

[/ QUOTE ]

you must be lucky as my NHL picks have been pretty poor this year

[MyTurn2Raise]

[ QUOTE ]
MT2R,

My bad for doubting you! Good thread, great read. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Do you agree with Robert Downey Jr.'s assessment that prisons serve nasty food to make prisoners as docile/harmless as possible? Fatten them up, if you will.

[/ QUOTE ]
that would make sense, but might be too much of a conspiracy. Basically, they just gave us what any cafeteria does where the customers have no choice. As opposed to docile though, they did hand out koolaid that was highly anticipated/craved. Man, the stereotypes of african-americans and koolaid and milk have a large portion of truth.

The cafeteria in Joliet was this room

It's actually two rooms side by side to shuffle inmates in and out quicker. At the top corner is a gun parapet. The first shot is a warning in a fight. The second hits someone or the guard is fired. There are bullets in the walls. It's intimidating

[ QUOTE ]


Also, if you flashed your street cred in Sports you may win more arguments out of sheer fear and respect. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

LOLLERSKATES

[Case Closed]

Mt2r,

What is your initial reaction when you hear liberal types talking about how prisons are too brutal for the prisoners? Also when conservative types talk about how prisons are not strict enough on their inmates? Just some of your initial reactions when you run into these types of attitudes if this makes sense at all.

[MyTurn2Raise]

[ QUOTE ]
Mt2r,

What is your initial reaction when you hear liberal types talking about how prisons are too brutal for the prisoners? Also when conservative types talk about how prisons are not strict enough on their inmates? Just some of your initial reactions when you run into these types of attitudes if this makes sense at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

both sides are right....... and wrong

there are too many drug and drunk driving guys in prisons

however, there are some really bad people who deserve a barbaric lifestyle and lots of caging.

States should have many levels of prisons (beyond max-mid-min). Illinois does a decent job with things like supermax, but the problem is prisons are now an industry. There is no incentive to kick out guys who don't belong other than budgetary shortfalls.

I am pro-death penalty now and I wasn't before. Some guys are just more harm than they are worth.


As far as too brutal, these aren't chain gangs or anything. I was in quite an old school prison and it seemed better than one could imagine given the crimes most people had committed.

There just needs to be more work on alternatives for people expected to rejoin society again. The thieves, drug addicts, drug sellers, etc need a plan better than warehousing. The murders, rapists, etc should just be caged.

just my rambling two cents

[udbrky]

Thanks for the story, very interesting. One of the guys I work with did 7 years straight out of high school for armed robbery and shooting the guy. It's always interesting hearing stories of the real life doing time. I did 2 days a couple years ago for DUI and don't know how you could take that long of a sentence.

Does having done time make you more law-abiding now? i.e. don't want to go back?

Has having been to prison affect your gambling? Or was it more of a result of the difficulty finding a job? How long is the look-back time? My coworker was able to get an internship with Chase recently and his didn't show up.

What would you do differently if you could go back? - with regards to your time spent.

[Stagger_Lee]

Did you share cells or was it one to a cell?

What precautions could you take to avoid rape?

Did anyone warn you about protecting yourself from rape & assault or about not sharing personal details with others? (I suppose the question is - was there any sort of induction program for first-timers?)

Could your family give you other things beside $50 per month?


This is a very interesting post. Thanks for sharing and for answering these questions.