Depending on the security level of the prison, your living quarters will vary. From high security single cells to wide open dormitory style. There are countless variations, and I can only speak with first hand knowledge of a few types, but I'll cover them all using information I picked up from guys who had been in super max or other high level prisons.
Dorms.
They really aren't dorms in the usual definition. A dorm in prison is basically a big assed room with a shit load of bunk beds crammed in it. The first night you spend in one will reveal the following.
Snoring should be punishable by death. Seriously, I never realized until I went to prison just how loud people can snore. When you have 60 people crammed in a small space and 10 of them snore , count yourself lucky. In most cases it's at least double that number. Add to the snorers, the nocturnal farters, and you have yourself a moonlight serenade composed in hell. It will take you at least a week to learn to sleep through the noise and the smell going on around you. Unless you are part of Satan's orchestra, in which case you will sleep like a baby from day one, albeit a flatulent baby with sleep apnea.
Two man cells. Unless it is a particularly old prison, you wont actually be in a cell, at least not the familiar bars and sliding cell door type. Today's cell is a concrete block walled cube about 10 by 12 feet. Pretty boring in it's description, so I wont waste much time on it. Suffice to say who you get for a cell mate is a crap shoot. You have no say who shares your cell.
Supermax. I have known guys both in the joint and here in the world , who did time in high security prisons. From what I have been told and what I have read, the worst of these is the old super max in Marion Illinois. The most secure and high tech of prisons is the super max in Florence Colorado. Florence is the home of the Unabomber, Carlos Lehder, and Richard Reed the shoe bomber. I wrote about Tommy Silverstein in an earlier post here. If you havent read it, give it a look, be sure to click the link on Siverstein's name to get an idea how far the prison administrations will go to secure and isolate the worst of the worst.
Dorms.
They really aren't dorms in the usual definition. A dorm in prison is basically a big assed room with a shit load of bunk beds crammed in it. The first night you spend in one will reveal the following.
Snoring should be punishable by death. Seriously, I never realized until I went to prison just how loud people can snore. When you have 60 people crammed in a small space and 10 of them snore , count yourself lucky. In most cases it's at least double that number. Add to the snorers, the nocturnal farters, and you have yourself a moonlight serenade composed in hell. It will take you at least a week to learn to sleep through the noise and the smell going on around you. Unless you are part of Satan's orchestra, in which case you will sleep like a baby from day one, albeit a flatulent baby with sleep apnea.
Two man cells. Unless it is a particularly old prison, you wont actually be in a cell, at least not the familiar bars and sliding cell door type. Today's cell is a concrete block walled cube about 10 by 12 feet. Pretty boring in it's description, so I wont waste much time on it. Suffice to say who you get for a cell mate is a crap shoot. You have no say who shares your cell.
Supermax. I have known guys both in the joint and here in the world , who did time in high security prisons. From what I have been told and what I have read, the worst of these is the old super max in Marion Illinois. The most secure and high tech of prisons is the super max in Florence Colorado. Florence is the home of the Unabomber, Carlos Lehder, and Richard Reed the shoe bomber. I wrote about Tommy Silverstein in an earlier post here. If you havent read it, give it a look, be sure to click the link on Siverstein's name to get an idea how far the prison administrations will go to secure and isolate the worst of the worst.
On the opposite end of the spectrum , there are numerous minimum level camps scattered throughout the U.S. These camps are small, usually no more than a few hundred inmates. While some are better than others , none live up to the urban myth of Club Fed. There will always be a segment of society who believe prisons are too soft on inmates. They believe inmates are living some kind of cushy life, they think prisons should be more harsh. Believe me there is nothing further from the truth. Prison strips you of your privacy, your free will, your ability to move about freely, and rightfully so. But a cakewalk , it ain't.
The High Max I worked had a gate every 75 feet, and you were locked down 23 hours/day. We would then run showers, feed off, and rec in the cages. The prison I worked was built in 1932, so I had the bars on the front of the cells. Unless you were known to stab, throw stuff, or what not, you had a fine mesh screen over the bars or a plexi glass door in addition to your bars. And if you were really bad, you had the solis steel door with the 2 foot long tray slot.
ReplyDeleteThe newer parts of the building, K Blg for examples were of the newer designs with the electric locks and solid doors. The ventelation was better and lighting was way better. I worked the SMu in that, and that was basically a prison inside the prison.
You are right, the conditions are rough enough. We need to work on getting education back into the system. I have had to release several inmates myself that I had to actually read the release papers to due a lack of solid reading skills.
Keep up the good work. And in the odd event for your readers, look up Georgia State Prison, and then see how many suits and new rules came about because of that place. Quite the history that building has.
I am of the opinion that the prison is not scary enough place. many of the things you described happened to me in the military- dorm-style room with 100 other putzes, hazing, controlled environment,etc. where I come from prisons were in the cold-ass parts of the country where people performed hard labor i.e. cutting trees or work in uranium mines. max sentence was 15 years or death.(it's probably different now). legend was that some of these didn't even have fences-the only way in and out was by helicopter. there were no tv's, workout facilities of college education offered. just a sucky hard conditions. so prison was a semi-deterrent-it was scary. here it may not be the best place to be but for some people who are incarcerated it's not too much of a downgrade from their normal lives.
ReplyDeleteAbraham Lincoln once said, "Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally."
ReplyDeleteI think the same thought could be applied to the harshness of prisons.
Edward - Don't forget the victims of these criminals while your heart is bleeding.
ReplyDeleteSmedrock
ReplyDeleteYou should write about your time in prison. Even the employees are doing time, in their own way.
meesha
I was in minnesota, it's just like Siberia, climate wise.
travel
I think the point Edward, and I were making, is that there needs to be more than just lock em up and let em rot. Smedrock worked in prison, notice that he also mentined education and rehab rather than a heavy handed approach. the truth is the vast majority of people in prison are young, non violent offenders. toss em in an overcrowded, violent enviornment, then release them with no education and just an attitude, then you have a violent offender in the making. but your point is well taken that the victims should be considered first.
midtown
ReplyDeleteI would love to see nonviolent offenders separated from violent offenders in every way possible both to protect them and to rehabilitate them. Obviously, though, there are limitations on space and money. Things like a college education earned in prison are great, but a college education is out of reach financially for many people who have never seen the inside of a prison, yet who fund the prisons by their tax dollars. Like everything else, one hopes to find a reasonable middle ground.
but how much time did you spend working outside?
ReplyDeleteI am also for separating violent offenders
Meesha
ReplyDeleteI actually worked in the school because Im shiftless and lazy. But alot of jobs in prison are outside, especially in lower custody camps. But it isnt a siberian labor camp by any stretch. I dont think prisons are too tough as a general rule, but like I said, its a common misconception that its a walk in the park.
i love your blog!
ReplyDeleteMM, I normally wouldn't read your blog but I have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed your "Prison For Dummies" series. This post in particular had me in stitches!
ReplyDelete"Satan's orchestra"
ReplyDeleteThat's gold man. Solid gold.