Trip report/ask me about time in maximum (and minimum) security prison - Page 33

MyTurn2Raise · #**321** 12-18-2006, 11:10 PM

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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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I didn't talk back, but I didn't talk smartly either. I was stupid for saying anything. I violated the rule of always keeping my mouth shut. I did it because I'm dumb. It was a bad mistake.

I hung out with him, because you have to be around someone. Guys on their own don't do well.

MyTurn2Raise · #**322** 12-18-2006, 11:11 PM

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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?

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very bad idea. There is no being friendly. you'll get weird looks which will mount the ass kicking case against you.

Don't appear cheerful or smiley. It sticks out like a sore thumb.

MyTurn2Raise · #**323** 12-18-2006, 11:12 PM

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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

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ty [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]
Unfortunately, I stopped keeping up as soon as you posted this comment. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

MyTurn2Raise · #**324** 12-18-2006, 11:14 PM

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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.

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I think I included a link on the greatest moment thing.

Some Gabe's Place apartments suck. Well, most do.
Mine is actually decent, but could use a new carpet and better looking tile/cabinets in the kitchen.

MyTurn2Raise · #**325** 12-18-2006, 11:14 PM

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

How much is the minimum you would take?

great TR

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20K

MyTurn2Raise · #**326** 12-18-2006, 11:16 PM

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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?

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Yep, still on campus. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
Actually, I left for about 6 months and played live poker following the WPT circuit. All the travel wore on me and was expensive. I was looking for apartments to settle down. I was about to move to New Orleans when Katrina hit. I lived with the parents for a few months until deciding to just come back to Champaign-Urbana.

Vienna isn't too bad...overgrown daycamp.

As far as preparing for after, I would've been nicer to those who took the time to write and 'dumped' less of the bad experiences on them.

MyTurn2Raise · #**327** 12-18-2006, 11:20 PM

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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.

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my roommates g/f lives there now, the insides are crap. small and run down. rent is cheap though.we once tried to steal that vending maching to make it into a kegerator, but the cops kept driving by [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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lol...that place sucked when I lived there. It was basically a last-second grab as other roommate plans fell through. It was about $425 per month for a 2-bedroom. It was dirt cheap. Man, that place was a hole!

MyTurn2Raise · #**328** 12-18-2006, 11:22 PM

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Seems this thread has done a lot of good in a lot of ways.

If we wanted to pay you back, is there some way we could contact the parole board on your behalf, putting in a good word? Would it help much?

I know one young kid, a relative of a close family friend, who might learn a lot from reading about your experience, and I plan on making that happen...

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ty for the thought, but the parole board cares very little about outside opinions.

MyTurn2Raise · #**329** 12-18-2006, 11:25 PM

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Nice post MT2R, I go by the Joliet prison each day on my trainride home from work.

A question about on of the more basic things, how do haircuts work?

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Metra, the way to really fly

Haircuts are usually done by prisoners. In vienna, they even had classes to teach inmates to cut hair. They had to pass security clearances and were searched frequently.
Inmates have to request a few days in advance to have their hair cut. This process can be sped up by paying gifts to the barbers. I'd buy the guy an extra box of some food. I only had my hair cut once, right before leaving, as I tried to make myself unappealing in looks.

MyTurn2Raise · #**330** 12-18-2006, 11:29 PM

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MT2R,

When you refer to Joliet prison are you referring to Will County or Statesville. I've known people who are/ were in the system and most of them were processed through Statesville, which is a max prison. Just wondering. Great post and good luck to you in the future.

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I'm referring to Joliet on the East Side of the river. It got shut down a few years ago. It's the older castle looking building off of Illinois 7 IIRC.

I went through Statesville for processing on my way out. I spent one day in the red old building (which looks like an olden school house) outside of the big thick concrete square. The processing was within the prison itself. Statesville is huge, much more than 1100! I find it odd that all sorts of subdivisions are going up around it these days. I believe Statesville is now were prisoners are processed as opposed to Joliet.