Persistence is Futile

[mattm04]

I watched a show on TV where they went around to several different prisons. Some of the stuff I see the inmates have(legally) amazes me. IMHO, you are in prison, this means you have been convinced of some crime. Awwww, it's hot, awwww you only get 20 TV channels etc, etc. Well normal people have jobs tht require working in severe heot or cold, long time away family, and they don't complain as much. That what I love about Sheriff Joe. Fine the court says I have to give you TV, here is the weather Channel to see how hot it will get outside in your tent.

[Kara]

O/T
did anything else ever get reported about the dog trainer and her prision lover that she smuggled out? I moved before it was concluded.

Oh, yeah, her. Thankfully that wasn't at my prison. She was convicted and got a 5 year sentence. I saw an interview with her a couple months ago on TV. She says that she's still in love with him, and if only he wasn't still in prison (serving a life sentence for murder) then they could be together. Aww....

I do feel sorry for her husband and kids though.

Now at my prison, we had the escape of 2 inmates by a former officer (this was last year, before my time). They emphasize nearly every day in training how critical it is not to let yourself be manipulated by inmates, and this dumb bitch goes and falls in love with one. She gets fired because they found out about her little romance, then she breaks them out (can't get into all the details of how this happened as the case hasn't gone to trial yet, but I can say that everything that could possibly have gone wrong that night did just that). She's still in love with the one inmate. He was just using her, she never meant anything to him.

At least that was the only escape in our facility's history (17 years). Her husband was also an officer. He still is, in fact. Poor guy...

He's definitely a guilty until proven innocent type.

While I don't believe in being outright cruel to inmates, "innocent until proven guilty" doesn't apply in prison. They've been convicted, found guilty by a court of law. I understand there are people who really are innocent. But, they aren't the ones who are likely to try to harm/kill us.

I've seen stories in the media about prisons that have things like spas, personal trainers, and HBO in every cell. We've all seen stories about lonely women who meet inmates through chat rooms and marry them. Our facilities here aren't like that. Inmates can have TV, if they've met specific requirements (incentive levels). They get 20 channels or so, and one of them is set up to only run the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" series. Inmates have to pay for their own TV's though, and if they screw up and lose their incentive level because of it, we take it away. Later, if they are good, they can buy a new one. They don't eat old bologna, but I've dared to try some of the inmate food before and I can verify that it is every bit as awful as you'd expect it to be. They can have jobs (in population), but 40% of what they earn goes to Victim's Services, and 20% goes to the prison itself. So with a minimum wage job (at one of the 2 on-site manufacturers), they get somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 a month. Plus, they can only have a predetermined amount of money in their account, so they usually wind up having to fill out paperwork to have the excess sent to family members (if they don't then it automatically goes to Victim Services).

The thing is, not all the murderers are in Segregation. There are killers, rapists, child molesters, and violent criminals walking around in Population. A good number of them wouldn't think twice about killing one or two of us. I've heard of how, in the past, inmates have hit an officer, knowing full well they'll get their ass beat and thrown in Seg for a month or so, just to brag that they're the ones who gave that officer the black eye. It's like a badge of honor, it's called "tagging." We find shanks all the time in Population. They're homemade weapons, usually stabbing or slicing instruments, although in our display cases in the Training facility where they show the confiscated weapons so everyone can see what the inmates are capable of making, there is a set of nunchuks made from a piece of rope and tape. But the tape is actually wrapped tight and thick enough that it could cave in someone's skull.

Anyway, before we get into Fratching territory here, let's just say that it's better to be overly cautious than to be dead. And that's all I have to say about that.

[Rapscallion]

Anyway, before we get into Fratching territory here, let's just say that it's better to be overly cautious than to be dead. And that's all I have to say about that.

I have to say that I can't see anything you've written above is Fratching worthy. You've described what the situation is and just how dangerous some of those in your custody are.

We've had to invisibilise some responses before it, though. Those were along the lines of why things are as they are and what should be done about it, and that's the Fratching side of things. We've also got one post we're scratching our heads over.

Rapscallion

[friendofjimmyk]

I love it when they forget they're in prison and/or confuse us with the Marriott.

Yes, criminals should expect NO preferential treatment or "room service" when in jail - they committed a crime...they have to face punishment. However....

If I had my way, we'd do things like in Tent City (an infamous Arizona prison run by the most inhumane hardass sheriff in the country - also known as my hero), and eat nothing but expired bologna twice a day.

I'm on the fence about this particular sheriff's practices. Sure, he is saving money, but there are a lot of lawsuits which is detrimental to his cause in the end.

Plus, yes, they're criminals, but 100 degree weather is Arizona heat is fairly inhumane.

The bologna sandwiches, no cigarettes, television - yeah, I agree with that. Its prison, not club med. But denying inmates medical attention (perforated ulcer inmate) and the heat - that's on the inhumane side.

Plus, where does all the money go? If he is cutting money from the prison budget, what is benefitting from it? I think money saved should go to treatment or rehabilitation efforts. It doesn't help all of them, but it could help some.

[tropicsgoddess]

I think he might have an opening in the fangirl area of his clique.

Becky,Count me in!! Glad to hear everything went well with the surgery. I love hearing your stories!! The phone fail and no brownies inmates were hilarious!

[username]

i'd like to see you make my day. wishing you another day in paradise!!!