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

[Shadowrun]

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I actually met some guys a few nights ago who know you in Champaign. I don't think I got their names, but one of them had a twin and was a little chubby with black hair. He could've been Italian.

How would a Persian like me be treated in prison?? My skin tone is lighter than most white people. Technically, I am Caucasian.

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really? people who know me? Not ringing a bell, but a definite possibilty. I don't get around town much anymore.

About the only people that know me are guys who shoot pool at Jillian's, some PhD students, and people that give me the odd look because I'm the guy watching the portable DVD player while doing cardio workouts at [b]CIRCE[b/].

If your skin tone is faint enough, you'd just fit in with the white guys.

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hopefully they will be finished with the construction on impe before im done here.

[Victor]

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MT2R,

awesome trip report, thanks for writing all this down.

Is it possible to get protection in the max if you pay the right guy(s)? Or does begging for help immediately mark you as a weak spot?

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well...it turns out I was sort of protected by being around Cali all the time, though I didn't fully realize it at the time. No one wanted to cross him and I was considered his in a way.

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why were you hanging around cali all the time? why did you talk back to him?

[HitHard69]

MT2R-

You said never making eye contact and keeping your mouth shut are really important. What happens if you walk past a couple random guys and just nod and say "Hows it going?" and keep walking? Ass kicking time? Or just seen as a guy trying to be friendly?

[TylerD]

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MT2R,

awesome trip report, thanks for writing all this down.

Is it possible to get protection in the max if you pay the right guy(s)? Or does begging for help immediately mark you as a weak spot?

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well...it turns out I was sort of protected by being around Cali all the time, though I didn't fully realize it at the time. No one wanted to cross him and I was considered his in a way.

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why were you hanging around cali all the time? why did you talk back to him?

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Did you read the OP?

[Ricky_Bobby]

One more question.

Everyone knows what it's like to have a really good dream and wake up to reality and feel a little depressed that it didn't really happen/have a really bad dream and wake up ecstatic that it didn't really happen. Did you experience this often in prison and if so how did you feel when you woke up in Joliet? Did you ever wake up and think you were at home in your bed and then realize you were in prison?

And great thread btw.

[pokerclack]

This is a huge thread now and is the best TR. Great job to OP for keeping up with questions. I'm glad things are working out for you now

[cardsharkk04]

I noticed in your original post that you didn't elaborate on "One of the Greatest moments of my life was on one of her visits" when talking about your girlfriend. Care to elaborate?

Also Gabe's Place apartments suck. I'm in one now.

[Rick305]

You will be paid to go back to Joliet for 1 month, starting tomorrow.

How much is the minimum you would take?

great TR

[IlliniLou]

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Great post MT2R.

I'm glad that you have taken this experience as rolling over a speed bump instead of running into a brick wall.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this thread.

As a current UofI student, I have not run into anyone using illegal drugs (besides weed, of course). I do not hang out in social circles that use drugs recreationally, so I'm not familiar with all of the different types of drugs, what the effects are, etc.

When you were here, did you notice a trend of hard-drug usage among certain groups of people (i.e. Greek houses or other campus organizations) or was it scattered randomly throughout campus? I've heard rumors of certain houses who incorporate hard drugs into initiations and the like.

Also, just for kicks, what APT. complex did you live in before and after your prison term?

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It is really random where drugs take hold on campus. If you aren't around the drug scene, you won't even notice most of it other than weed here and there and, possibly, ecstasy. Those that smoke and buy alot of weed will come across things. Some of it is in the frats. Some was in the student-athletes. Some was with the non-greeks. Some was with the townies. It really cut across all spectrums. One frat lost its charter at UofI over an event where they smoked 8-balls and got naked with some ladies on the quad. Another frat had a problem with using E at a pledge event. Hard drug use was really an individual or small group thing and not an institutional matter. Most drug use should be unseen, even though it's happening all over campus. It's not good to make yourself known. I personally never interacted with campus, champaign, or urbana police ever. Only my close friends knew of my use. When I was on G at a bar, most just assumed I was drunk. I confined other drug use to safe environs.
Let's see, pre-prison, I lived in the following places:
Hopkins Hall
48 E John (CPM apt complex at the corner of locust and john--this was where I lived when busted)
102(?) Gregory (Gabe's place apt building at the corner of first and gregory)

since:
Forbes Hall
a house on Wright just north of White--I forget the address
305 E Green (apt building by where Burger King used to be, across from Gully's)
48 E John (again)-much different vibe the second time around
806 W Oregon- house

I now live just off the corner of Lincoln and Oregon in a Gabe's Place apartment building

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(OT) What are your thoughts on Ron Zook? Prediction for next years football team? I've sat through 13 games in my 1.5 years here and well...it's mostly miserable (exception OSU this year).

Again, thanks for doing this. Great thread.

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I'm real excited about Illini football. Zook is a recruiting machine. It seems very likely they will be bringing in a marginal top10 recruiting class to Champaign this year. The young guys are going to get lots of experience on the field as they did this year. Experience on the field counts big time. With that talent getting playtime, Illinois will be a top20 team within 2 years.

Unfortunately, Zook isn't the greatest game coach. His clock management sucks. He is excellent at developing the defense (which is his baby). Locksley is a good OC and a great playcaller. I am concerned that Locksley will be on to either a head coaching job or pro coordinator job in the near future.

The Illini schedule gets tougher next year, which sucks. The crazy thing is Illinois should've been a bowl team this year. They outplayed Ohio, Indiana, Penn St, Wisconsin, and were in great shape verse Purdue. The fumble issues, inexperience, punting game, and weakness at left tackle really hurt. All of these things should improve. Hopefully, Zook will have a good kick returner back the whole year instead of just the last few games. With the number of big play potential guys the Illini are bringing in, the return game should be huge.

I expect a low bowl game next year and competing for the Big10 crown (but falling short) in two years. The future is bright and I think Zook is going to make it big at Illinois do to his recruiting and strength at developing the defense, despite his below average game coaching.

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I didnt realize you still live on campus.Ive actually been to some of the places that you have lived at. Great thread btw. My uncle served time in the min security prison at Vienna. He was in for drug possession and selling (i believe it was almost every drug there was). I visited him once there when i was younger, the place didnt seem too bad at all. My question is, in regards to preparing for life after prison, what would you have done differently?

[illini43]

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Also Gabe's Place apartments suck. I'm in one now.

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The one on 1st and Gregory always looks dirty and run-down. I do like the out-of-use Mountain Dew vending machine on the side of the building however. I hope the rent there is dirt cheap.