Prison 101 By Edward Charles

Prison 101
By Edward Charles

What you need to know before you go to prison.

Chapter One - About Prison
As long as this country has existed, and even before, there has been a need to incarcerate certain individuals for the safety and protection of others. Prisons have evolved from public stocks and crude structures to today’s modern institutions.

Public opinion concerning the treatment of inmates has fluctuated from the "Bread and Water" mind-set to the rehabilitation approach, each with little or no benefit except that the actual incarceration prevents the inmate for committing crimes outside the prison. Public opinion has moved back and forth like a pendulum on a clock since the beginning. There was a time when locking an inmate in a room with nothing but a Bible, corporal punishment, and hard and often dangerous labor was the acceptable and desirable approach. Eventually, as public opinion shifted, the approach was focused on rehabilitation, realizing that these criminals were also citizens, somebody’s spouse, brother, sister, son, daughter, or parent.

Currently, public opinion is shifting again towards the punishment approach. This is due to rampant crime, the growing and often violent drug trade, and the growing expense of our prison systems. This is not good for today’s inmates. The government is compelled to take action, many legislators have gained office by promising to fight crime and criminals. This triggers a "knee jerk" reaction that is often unfair to the inmates. Many feel that the inmates deserve what they get, especially in these modern times, but some believe that they should be treated fairly, that inmates should be protected from the "example" approach. Anytime that the government is involved in administering anything, the clinical "on paper" approach presides, leaving the "common sense" angle out of the picture. This results in a disparity in the treatment of two identical inmates in reference to their treatment, and their actual time served. The system is actually a non-system, but it is all we have. Today’s inmate must learn to make the most of this situation.

While incarcerated individuals are protected by the constitution, the public opinion is changing the official approach to prison, and public officials who want to stay in office are playing along.

As a result, it appears that the next ten years or so will not be good ones for those incarcerated. To the logical mind, these facts would seem to have a deterrent affect on criminals; although it should be recognized that the average criminal doesn’t expect to get caught. This returns us to the "we’re safe as long as we keep them locked up" approach. Progress?

Chapter Two - Preparing For Prison
Almost every inmate has an opportunity to make preparations for their incarceration, even though some cannot make bail and have to do it from the county jail. If you are awaiting trial and expect to avoid prison, it is wise to take precautions just in case. If you catch time although you expected to avoid it, you will be in a state of shock and not in the correct mental state to be making decisions that will affect your family and their assets.

The most important thing is to take a realistic look at the amount of time that you will actually serve. If the Prosecutor or your attorney tells you that you will only do a certain amount of time, ignore that and prepare for the worst. While it is believed that American prisons have revolving doors, this is partially media hype, and your door may not revolve for you. The prosecutors frequently use this as a tool to get plea agreements and conserve court time. If you have a paid attorney and he loses, he might tell you this to make you feel better. If you have a court appointed attorney, consider this: A paid attorney might get $750.00 and up for your defense, a court appointed attorney in some states get as little as $100.00 for the same job. Try to arrange for you family to survive while you complete your entire sentence, and if you return earlier, that is all the better for all involved.

I believe that one should make peace with every member of his family and with his employer prior to being incarcerated. Everything that is your responsibility, even the smallest task will now fall to others. Realize that your incarceration places stress and inconvenience on others, not just you.

If you realize that your people cannot possibly keep up the payments, and maintenance on your house or vehicle, sell it immediately, while a profit can be realized. Use the equity wisely to support your family and yourself. You have nothing to gain except worry, by losing your assets through foreclosure. You can always start over later. You should ask your family members to stick together and help each other through this trying time. Inmates often tell me that they did not realize how strong their family was until they got locked up. They are often very sorry for the way they treated said family members and resolve to make it up to them. They especially regret not being there for their children, even the hardest convict has a soft spot in his heart for children, even the hardest convict has a soft spot in his heart for children. ( A few exceptions exist).

Remember that you will need money while in prison. Ten dollars a week is enough for toiletries, snacks, stamps, etc. If you are a smoker and intend to continue to smoke, you will need more. Most prison systems have a welfare type of program to supply toiletries and a limited number of stamps for indigent inmates, however from my experience it is barely enough; and most states have discontinued providing inmates with rolling tobacco, so this may be a consideration.

Prepare yourself mentally for prison. The earlier that you begin this process, the better off you will be. Prison is often a violent and stressful place. You will suffer blows to your dignity, such as strip searches, indifference, threats and you will be treated as if you don’t have enough sense to blow your nose without being told. You will be told when to sleep, when to rise, when to eat, and what to wear. All of the little things that you took for granted are now privileges and subject to suspension. You must prepare your mind to deal with these things. It is important that you are not shocked or traumatized by it, this takes you out of the thinking mode. You must not resist or refuse, this makes you appear a trouble maker, and then you will be subjected to remedial training. There is very little that is positive in a correctional environment, so you must prepare for this and survive it with the least amount of trouble. (More about behavior later in another chapter).

Prepare yourself physically. Prisons are full of inmates who are in magnificent shape. I have never seen a prison where weight training equipment was not available. There is a reason for this. A prison is like a little community in itself. Power is often measured by brute force and not by intelligence, and respect follows. There are always exceptions, but statistics show that the average inmate is of below average intelligence. People in this category are impressed only by what they see. It is not a bad idea to get on a wok-out routine for building muscle. You will have plenty of time now and weight training is believed to be a great stress reducer. I often see inmates doing three hundred or more push ups every day. You can do push ups almost anywhere. This activity will also serve to help you fit in, as now you have something in common with many others.

Chapter Three - Settling In
Committed inmates are often picked up from the county jails unexpectedly in the early morning before dawn for transportation to prison. Corrections officials recognize the transportation of inmates as one of the most dangerous aspects of their job. They don’t usually notify inmates of the date and time that they will be transported. They often avoid obvious routes and try not to set any patterns. This helps to protect them from outside interference.

A newly committed inmate almost always will be transported to some kind of diagnostic or reception institution. These institutions are potentially hazardous because at this point a check forger may be bunked right beside a rapist or a murderer.

At such an institution, for the convenience of the prison system, inmates will be subjected to a number of tests; physical, academic, and mental profiles are compiled. This information contributes to the decision regarding the type of prison unit that the inmate will subsequently be transferred to. During this process the inmate will be interviewed and classified. The classification process usually involves some kind of mathematical point system. The points are assessed based on a number of factors, the inmate’s psychological state, attitude, length of sentence, nature of the crime, and prior convictions. The only way that an inmate can help himself here is in the attitude department. Remember, prison officials hear it from inmates many times a day that the inmate is innocent. It becomes meaningless; in fact it can actually hurt the inmate. Prison officials view this denial as a lack of remorse and as a failure to accept responsibility for the inmate’s actions. If the inmate is appealing the sentence based on his innocence, obviously they should admit guilt, but neither do they have to deny it. It is best to not comment on it unless asked.

The psychological interview is most important. Inmates should avoid the temptation to act unnaturally or the "play crazy". It is very unwise to try to mess with the doctor’s mind. Prison medical staff have found it very easy to manage inmates chemically. If they expect an inmate to be a lot of trouble, they simply drug him. Usually the inmate will welcome this as a chance to get high. Mood altering medications are nothing to play with. Once the cycle starts, it is difficult to break. Remember, prison medical staff are not like your family doctor, they get paid whether you are happy or not. You cannot just go to a different doctor. When an inmate is placed on this type of medication, their health grade is often downgraded, this disallows the inmate an opportunity to work and earn time off their sentences. It can also prevent an inmate from earning work-release privileges and other custody level promotions.

This type of institution is hazardous for a number of reasons. All types of inmates are lumped together; the prison staff is bored with the repetition, and knows that the inmate will be transferred in a short time. There is a lot of idle time on the inmate’s hands.

This is the time during the incarceration when the inmate is most likely to strike out without regard as to who their victim is.

It is important that the inmate keep a low profile during this period of time. It is wise to appear to have few friends, although it is not wise to get too close. Remember, prison is full of predators. It is easy for an inmate to find others who have things in common with himself. Good judgment is very important here, as inmates are often judged by prison staff according to who they associate with. Anytime that an inmate goes anywhere away form his sleeping area, it is wise to get someone to walk with them, groups of three or four are best. It is easy enough to schedule your trip to the prison store the dining facility or the library to coincide with the schedule of others. Predators will usually wait for an easy mark; consider this: prison officials are less likely to notice a disturbance consisting of two or three participants as opposed to a fight involving eight or more inmates. (More on this subject in another chapter). The same theory applies to any activity that takes the inmate away from the eyes of prison staff. This practice especially includes the shower and bathroom. It is not necessary to take friends along on every trip to the bathroom, but they can be nearby and watching. I often deal with inmates who are afraid to go into the shower area. Obviously, after a few days this can pose a very fragrant problem. Inmates who don’t shower will eventually be ordered to. Lack of hygiene can also trigger an assault from an ordinarily peaceful neighbor.

It is helpful to pass the idle time by writing letters. The longer the inmate is incarcerated, the more important correspondence becomes. It is healthy for the inmate to get his mind out of the prison for a while and on outside happenings.

The inmate will be told during the diagnostic process what custody level is being recommended for them, it is good to begin getting prepared for what is ahead. Prison officials usually recognize the importance of outside support, and with exceptions their policy usually allows for the inmate to be placed close to their home so that they can receive visits. If an inmate is considered an escape risk or a behavior risk, the opposite philosophy will often prevail. Eventually the inmate can earn the privilege of being incarcerated closer to home.

Chapter Four - Dealing With Prison Officials
It should be noted that every prison employee is a Correctional Officer, regardless of their actual job. It does not matter whether they are the warden, a counselor, a nurse, or a kitchen worker; they are first responsible for the care, custody, safety and accountability of the inmates. They also all have the authority to give and enforce orders, and take disciplinary action against the inmates. Often, outside supervisors such as in the case of work release supervisors and departments, also wield authority over the inmate. Such individuals are not certified correctional workers, and often have little or no training. The inmate should have a clear understanding of this situation.

I am often asked why certain officers are so hard to get along with, and why some of them are so hard and hateful. Consider this: the Chief Executive Officer of a corporation can spend years in college and the more years climbing the corporate ladder, often making personal sacrifices along the way, just to have authority over a group of people. A Correctional Officer can have the same authority with a high school diploma and a short application. New officers are often afraid that they will give an order and the inmates will not comply and embarrass them. They are surprised at how easy it is to give orders and watch them being carried out without question. This can be intoxicating. This situation creates monsters in the case of certain types of personalities. They begin to use their authority to relieve their stress and to get back for every bad thing that has ever happened to them. They begin to sue their power in a capricious or retaliatory manor. Usually, time can cure this problem, or some action by the inmates or the administration can bring the individual back to earth, but some officers can spend years in this mode. These types of officers are the least desirable from the administrations viewpoint, as they realize that enough trouble will come along naturally, without someone provoking it. New officers are sometimes eager to earn their "battle ribbons". They hear the veteran officers talking about fights and disturbances, so they provoke an inmate every chance they get. Inmates should recognize this behavior and should try to avoid contact with these individuals. They should go what they are told without delay, forget about and get on with their time. An inmate can only lose when they challenge such officers. In a case when an inmate feels that they are being mistreated, there is a remedy, but that does not relieve them from obeying the order at the time. (More about the remedy later).

Inmates will always have to turn to officers for help concerning certain things. They should use their judgment concerning which officer to approach. Rookie officers are not the answer as explained earlier. The longer that an officer works, the less they are likely to be sympathetic towards inmates and their dilemmas. Along the way, the officer is always burned by an inmate in some way and they become harder. The best officer to approach is one who falls in between these two categories. The officer chosen should be intelligent, and should appear to have good relations with their superiors. An officer who constantly complains and spreads rumors is a bad choice, as is an officer who obviously does not care about the inmate has no other option and should not be asked for help for petty or unimportant things. They should not feel like they are being used of manipulated. They should not be asked for help beyond what the prison policy allows.. Requests for help should be directed to the appropriate type of official. Corrections Officers often do not have access to the same information that a prison counselor has. It is also advisable to put requests in writing. This makes it harder to ignore.

Prison systems are set up to reward inmates for displaying positive behavior and for avoiding negative actions. It has long been realized that prisons must be run by finesse instead of force. These facts offer certain opportunities for the inmate. By avoiding trouble and displaying cooperation, the inmate can be promoted through the various custody levels and receive more privileges and opportunities. Many inmates believe that they need to get into trouble so that later the prison officials can think that they caused a change in the inmate’s behavior. This is simply not true, and it is a waste of time. An inmate who takes advantage of everything that the system can offer is the inmate who appears to be in a position to succeed upon release. The treatment of inmates is often based on the opinions of Correctional Officials. One negative act can erase many positive ones in the eyes of officials. Remember, they have spent years becoming increasingly less trusting and less optimistic.

Religious services as well as the services of Alcoholic Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous are often offered to all who wish to participate. Inmates should not thing that Bible thumping and the attendance of such programs will help them in the past that it means nothing to prison officials. The Prison chaplains are some of the hardest people in the religious society. They have to be to avoid being used and manipulated. They often wield great influence with the administration and the good ones use is judiciously. Chaplains seem to have great insight and superior judgment in their dealings and are not easily manipulated.

Due to the policies and public opinion, which prevailed during the 1980’s, most prison systems offer many educational opportunities for inmates. They include vocational and academic curriculums. In many cases, the inmate can earn actual college credits, received from accredited colleges; often there is not indication that it was earned while the individual was incarcerated. This situation offers the inmate a very lucrative opportunity to better themselves for fee. If the inmate has not finished high school, which seems to be the norm among inmates, they can receive their General Education Diploma while in prison. This is always help after release. It is also a motivator for the inmate, and can set the stage for further education. In most cases, the inmate has a lot of time on his hands to study, and the distractions that prevail on the outside are not there. Typically, inmates suffer from low self-esteem and any accomplishment can mean a great deal to them and help them to change their outlook and attitude after release. I have witnessed many a beaming, proud smile on the faces of otherwise unhappy and tormented inmates, right after they received their GED’s or grade reports. They hurry to write or call their families to tell them the good news. They renew their hope for the future and resolve to do things differently after their release. If rehabilitation occurs in prison, it is most certainly related to education. Most prison systems offer time off of the sentences of inmates who attend classes successfully. An inmate who lacks education should ask for help in this area and should apply themselves and realize the seriousness of this opportunity.

A large percentage of inmates will experience rule infractions and disciplinary proceedings during their incarceration. In prison, they often don’t get the benefit of the doubt, even they make an honest mistake. It has to be this way in order for prison officials to maintain order and safety. Generally infractions are divided into categories based on the seriousness of the offense, and the punishment reflects the same. Disciplinary hearing s are not like a court hearing is on the outside, and injustices sometimes occur. Once charged, the inmate is basically doomed. When the outcome of a hearing comes down to the inmates word versus the word of a prison worker, the worker’s version of the incident will usually prevail. It is seldom that the inmate will be found not guilty once charges have been filed. The punishment must fall within prescribed guidelines, but the disciplinary board often has options concerning punishment based on their discretion. Therefore it is not advisable for the inmate to exhibit a negative attitude or to provoke the board members in any way. It is best in most cases to admit making a mistake and appear humble and remorseful. There is usually available an appeal process that sends the case transcript to a higher authority for consideration. This appeal is basically useless unless some kind of procedural error can be detected. In this case, the nearing will be heard again minus the discrepancy and the outcome will be the same. The only advantage offered by appealing the decision is that it temporarily suspends punishment until the appeal is declined. The punishment is based on the severity of the infraction. In some cases an inmate can be demoted to a higher custody level and transferred. For less serious offenses, the inmate can experience a loss of privileges and/or extra work as punishment. An infraction usually puts the inmate in a suspension period which usually will prohibit the inmate from receiving any positive actions. When an inmate is being considered for a custody promotion, they must have been infraction free for a prescribed period of time prior to the action. The inmate should realize this and not do anything to jeopardize their chances for promotion and consideration for additional privileges. Anyone can make a mistake, but it is never wise to make senseless mistakes when they have such a negative effect.

It is helpful for an inmate to look at things from the officers’ point of view. One of the most important responsibilities for the prison staff is inmate accountability. They must know how many inmates they actually have. They count inmates many times a day. Although it appears that counting inmates is easy, it is not easy at all, it takes a great deal of awareness and concentration to get a count right. An officer can be dismissed from their job for counting wrong and allowing an escapee to get more of a head start. Interfering with the taking of count is considered a very serious offense in all prisons. The inmate should be where they are supposed to be for every count and should remain quiet and still during the count. It should be noted that the lower the security level the more often the inmates will be counted.

Should an inmate feel that they have been wronged or treated unfairly, there is a remedy. Every prison system has a credible grievance procedure set up and available to the inmates. The inmate should consider a grievance as a last resort, when they just cannot live with the situation that grieves them and when they have exhausted all other remedies. An inmate should never write a grievance while they are angry, and never out of retaliation. Grievances should not be filed over petty or unimportant things. Generally, a supervisor will be appointed to investigate the grievance and try to resolve it. This means a lot of work for said individual, this is why they should not be filed over petty things. Although it is obviously against policy, it is not unheard of for inmates to be punished in some way for filing petty grievances, especially when they do it just to disrupt. When an inmate has a legitimate grievance, and all attempts to resolve it have been exhausted, the inmate should time the submitting of the grievance so that it falls to the supervisor who has the best reputation for being fair. In all cases, the inmate has the option of appealing the decision about a grievance to a higher authority. This appeal process is seldom fruitful, however it can sometimes result in policy changes which benefit all inmates.

Basically the inmate should make an effort to get along with all prison staff, and should take note concerning which of them are the most respected and have credibility. Usually the best thing that a prison official will say when asked about an inmate is "well, he never gave me any trouble". It should be realized that a staff member will almost always remember the negative things about an inmate even when the positive things outweigh them. Inmates should realized that Prison Officials have a job to do, and that they are caught in the middle between the inmates and their superiors. They should understand that prison workers are not machines and that some days are better than others. Patience is probably the most important thing; when an inmate fails to get help with a problem, sometimes a solution is only a day or so away. An inmate ha nothing to gain by contributing to the disruption of the running of the prison, after all, the correctional staff did not lock them up, the judge did.

Chapter Five - Dealing With Inmates
Other than being separated from the family, the worse thing about being incarcerated is dealing with other inmates. Everyone knows someone in their life, from school, from work, or a neighbor or even a family member who seems to have no morals or scruples. This person does not care what others think of them, they violate all of the behavior codes, and relate to other with disrespect and indifference. They care not about the feelings of others, they are strictly self serving, often belligerent, and cruel. They are often involved in shady deals, their credibility is nil, they are the type who always take and never give. Such individuals often land in trouble with the law. The prisons are full of them. Since they are now dealing with their own kind, they have to devise better and trickier schemes to pull on each other. Once committed to prison they usually only sharpen their skills and become more brutal and less caring. People like this are right at home in a prison. These are inmates who are described as "doing life on the installment plan". Prison officials provide an inmate little protection for these predators. It is up to the individual inmate to avoid being victimized.

I could write an entire book just describing the types of games that inmates run on each other for personal gain. Here is one simple example: two inmates Dan and Rick meet while awaiting trial in the county jail. This is Rick’s first experience with jail, however Dan has been down before. During the endless hours with nothing to do, Rick tells Dan that his father is very well off financially. Both inmates are sentenced and transported to prison. Dan hires a couple of thugs to attack Rick one day and then shows up in time to prevent he worst of it and appears to fight off the attackers. Of course the whole scene has been pre-arranged. Rick experiences the deepest fear that he has ever imagined and is in a state of desperation and helplessness. At this time, Dan suggests that Rick hire himself a bodyguard and volunteers for the job. Now Rich pays Dan weekly for protection from a danger that never existed. The money comes in from Rick’s father. Dan puts the word out about this scheme and the other inmates honor the arrangement and leave Rick alone. The solution: Prevention; Rick should never have let it be known that he had access to money, he should have appeared to have very little, just enough to get by. This illustration is just a sim0le example of what goes on, actually most of the time; the schemes are ore complicated and intricate. The old saying, "Money is the root of all evil" is an understatement when it comes to the correctional environment. In prison money is power and respect. Money is the center and everything else revolves around it.

Predators in prison are after more than just money, it satisfies some of their needs, but not all. When an inmate has a lot of time behind them, the need for sexual release and satisfaction becomes unbearable. Traditional methods of self-satisfaction no longer are enough. Engaging in a sexual act is a violation of prison rules, but even the most gung-ho officer realized the need for sexual gratification and the need to keep the peace. This is not being said that they condone it, but they might not make a serious effort to catch inmates doing it. The involved inmates don’t want to get caught, which may result in separation from one another. They will always do it at a time when they know that the officers are occupied with another duty, and they will usually post a sentry to watch for the officer. This person is called a "hawk" or a "jigger". They are often paid in some way for this service. The act of watching and warning is called "hawking the man".

Obviously my advice to the average inmate is to avoid the daddy’s, the punks, and the homosexuals altogether. Avoidance is not all there is to it. A sexual predator will always victimize the weak; a person who puts up a ferocious fight every time he is threatened is not a good prospect. A person who appears to have loyal friends that stick together consistently is also a poor prospect. Going to prison officials for protection should be considered based on the attitude and philosophies of that particular prison. While working at a maximum custody prison, I heard a Correctional Lieutenant tell an inmate who asked for protection, "You have two choices, get on your knees or jump the fence because we are not going to protect you." The inmate didn’t jump the fence. Prison officials take this type of attitude only when the administration allows it. I would say that this attitude is the exception and not the rule in today’s prisons. After all Correctional Officials are sworn to protect inmates. It should also be noted that sexually transmitted diseases are of real consideration for inmates, prophylactics are sometimes allowed in prison but not always. If an inmate was to contract A.I.D.S. after being "turned out", he might consider it poetic justice to spread it around. Most prison medical departments are prohibited from making it public knowledge that an inmate is H.I.V. positive, however the good ones will drop a hint of some kind to Correctional Staff. The inmates seldom become aware of it though.

Prison gangs are found mostly in high security prisons especially Federal Penitentiaries. A constant power struggle between rival gangs is ongoing and murders are commonplace. Some gangs require new members to kill just to get in and the only way to get out is by their own death. Some of the most prominent gangs are the Aryan Brotherhood, the DC Blacks, the Mexican Mafia, and the Nuestra Family. I could probably write a book about prison gangs, their operations and activities, but for purposes of this book, I just want to make the reader aware. My advice to the inmate is to avoid involvement with gangs, it appears lucrative up front to be a big bad gang member, but eventually they will control the members and have them do their bidding without limitations. They will constantly require the members to perform tasks to prove their loyalty and this involves breaking rules or endangering themselves.

It is common belief that a lot of inmates are raped in prison. Although it can occur, it is not as prevalent as it was in past years. Technology, increased staff members, and better construction tactics have improved surveillance over the years.

When an inmate is forcibly raped by a group of men, usually another uninvolved inmate will offer the raped inmate protection from gang rapes, but it carries a price. The inmate must now have sex with the protector. As bad as this sounds, it is better than being raped. The inmate has the option of "checking off", that is asking prison staff for protection. This too carries a price. Prison officials often ask the inmate to identify, and testify against his attackers. At this point, the inmate is labeled a "snitch", and his life is in further danger. This situation requires that the inmate be segregated for protection or moved repeatedly to other prisons farther and farther from home. The inmates have a communication system that is unbelievable, so sooner or later the inmate will be found out. As a result, the inmate sometimes chooses the protection route. The inmate providing the protection is called the "Daddy", and the protected inmate is called a "punk", or a "cock boy". The "Daddy" may even fall in love with the "punk", or he may grow tired of him and sell him or trade him to another inmate. He may even rent his services out to others for a fee. Because an inmate has sex with another of the same sex, he is not necessarily a homosexual, although he may begin to enjoy it, and become one. This procedure is called being "turned out". It is my belief that to be "turned out", the individual already had some homosexual tendencies prior to being subjected to this situation.

Another method of obtaining sex is through seduction, it is not unlike a person seducing one of the opposite sex. The inmate is friendly, attentive, and protective over his victim. It may take months to get the victim to succumb, however when it is done voluntarily, and not by force or rear it is akin to actually falling in love. For this reason, it is never wise for an inmate to ridicule or pick on these individuals because they are protected by a strong alliance. A man can lose all control when someone does something to his family; it is the same situation when two inmates are in love. Prison officials will often arrange for to lovers to be housed together, just to keep the peace.

True homosexuals usually have a field day in prison, after all, they are as close to a real woman that the inmates will have access to. The fact that they want to be female and are willing to act the part is very exiting to the inmates. When a new "faggot" comes into prison, there is often a power struggle that can result in violence to determine who gets him. Being a homosexual in prison usually is protection in itself; the inmates view them a woman and treat them as such. When I search a homosexual’s locker, I almost always find that it is full of goodies from the prison store although they are not seen there, nor do they have any money sent in.

Nowhere is racism more prevalent than it is among America’s inmates. Racism is an expression of ignorance and lack of culture, two things commonly found in inmates. Black people represent about 12% of America’s population, while they represent about 55% of the prison population, and as much as 75% in southern state systems. One thing that is common among black men in prison is that they carry photographs of several different women and brag about having children scattered among them. It is unlikely that a single black woman with illegitimate children will ever escape the public housing projects, a breeding ground for criminals, an environment where positive role models are scarce. Since blacks are not the minority in prison, some view this as a chance for some "get back’; they usually view the white establishment as responsible for their demise. This situation increases the hardships faced by the white inmates. With a few exceptions, the blacks run the prisons. Since prison officials often rely on each other for help, they can’t afford to be distracted by racism among themselves. Black prison workers are often instrumental in keeping the peace in a correctional environment. Inmates should avoid confrontations with members of another race, and should keep their comments concerning other races to themselves. They should avoid involvement with anyone who is willing to aggravate race relations.

There was a time when an informant or "snitch" was the lowest form of life in prisons. Due to the influx of younger inmates, mostly drug offenders, this has changed somewhat. The younger inmates are less loyal to each other and more self-serving. As long as the old school convicts exist, it will continue to be a dangerous prospect. Prison Officials, much like the Police on the streets rely heavily on information received in order to do their job. When an inmate provides information that results in an apprehension, they can receive time off of their sentences. Some Prison Officials are sloppy and may not protect the snitch’s identity properly. They have very little respect for the informant and will pressure them at times. They also believe that if the inmate will tell on inmates, they will tell on staff too. Informants are often discarded when they run out of information. Very few Prison Officials are proficient at dealing with informants, and care little about the safety of the informant. My advice to inmates is to avoid this situation completely, never tell anything on anyone, when they are asked to write a statement about something that they might have witnessed, they should refuse or write, "I do not wish to make a statement". A statement obtained under duress is of little use to Prison Officials.

Long term inmates are referred to as "convicts", and they do not want to be classified as inmates. Inmates in their opinion are those who have a chance at gong home in the reasonable near future. Convicts feel that it is their responsibility to cause as much disruption in the prison as possible. Any disruption distracts the prison staff and helps enable them to carry on with their illegal activities. Convicts are also bored and they like to have something going on for their entertainment. One of their favorite methods is to boost new arrivals into getting mad and acting up. They convince them that they were done wrong by the system and that they should strike back in some way. A good example of this happened when a famous boxer was incarcerated. He immediately began to make derogatory comments about prison staff and he wound up being charges with threatening prison officials. When these incidents occurred they gained public notice. Upon hearing of these developments all questions concerning his innocence was erased in the minds of all prudent prison officials, because he was demonstrating that he was acting like just another inmate. Obviously he was encouraged by other inmates to act up, since this was their chance to have their views aired by national media. In short, he was used. Now his prison record contains negative material that could prolong his incarceration. Inmates should guard against this sort of thing. It is never wise to strike out at the system, they can only lose.

Convicts will always be on the lookout for something that can be used to spark a disturbance. Prison riots have been triggered by some pretty petty things. I was once called in to a prison riot in the Northeast that was sparked by the warden changing policy concerning picnicking on visiting days. The prison was partially destroyed and lives were lost and people were injured. An inmate can be in a real quandary in a situation like this. If they participate, they can later be charged for the disturbance. It is best to try to ride the fence. They should definitely not be a leader, but they should not appear to be against the other inmates. Eventually the authorities will always regain control. If they come by force, the inmate should just lay down in a fetal position and offer no resistance. They will probably still get kicked or hit, but they will have an easier time of it than if they try to fight. Face it, prison officials are equipped with protective gear as well as superior weapons and will come with superior numbers. Seldom will they bring firearms into a disturbance but they will bring gas and batons. Inmates have very little to gain by these activities, because the two things that prison officials cannot negotiate is the release of any inmate or immunity from any charges stemming from the disturbance or riot. This usually lasts only a short time and is relatively useless. The public in general does not want to know what is going on in prison, "out of sight, our of mind", is a convenient attitude. For this reason, it seldom makes headlines when inmates kill each other.

Chapter Six - Parole
Parole itself is an alternative to continued incarceration. Due to the influx of drug offenders and drug related incarcerations, more inmates than ever before are being placed on parole. All prison systems have to operate under some sort of prison population cap, legislatively imposed by either state or federal mandates. This is intended to protect inmate’s rights and to promote safety in the prison system. The prison cap or overcrowding rules forces the systems to place inmates on parole to make room in prisons. Some states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have done away with parole. Actually they still have it; they just call it something else. In order to preserve peach in prisons, there must be some way to reward inmates for good behavior. If there were truly no parole, then inmates would have little to lose and prison riots and insurrections would be commonplace. Prisons could not hire enough staff to run them. Basically, whether it is called parole or not, the inmate has a minimum and a maximum release date. The minimum date is available based on the inmate’s attitude and cooperation. The inmate can not be held beyond their max date. When an inmate remains incarcerated until their maximum release date, it is called "maxing out" or "taking it to the door". Usually, there are a number of ways to reduce the max date, either by working or through educational achievements. Generally, the max date moves at a faster rate than the minimum date does. Some systems cut the inmate’s sentence in half automatically and then the inmate can further reduce their time through various methods. For this reason, some inmates will decline probation in court and take the time, so that they will be free sooner.

Someone has the responsibility for deciding who and when to parole. Usually it is a panel or commission. This is probably not the most satisfying job in the world. These officials must release inmates to make prison space; however when a parolee commits some terrible crime, the public wants to know why he was paroled. They must make their decisions based on information provided and may never even meet the inmate.

The inmate should understand what the parole decision-makers are looking for. Usually they look at the inmates prison record, prior criminal record, psychological reports, if available, and the outside family support. They want to know where the inmate intends to live and work. They must check wit the local Sheriff, District Attorney, and Public Chief. Any objections from the victims or the community in general must be considered. Obviously they can not investigate all if these things themselves, and they must rely on a support staff to compile and provide the information for consideration. These staff members are assigned case-loads and each inmate has a Parole Analyst of some kind. They are required to keep records for each inmate and to investigate parole home plans and job plans. They must prepare an information package.

The inmate should know the name and address of their analyst and should know their parole date. This information is available through their prison counselor. When an inmate is awar4ded time off of their sentence for any reason, they should check with their counselor to make sure that the time was properly credited. They should have available their home plan and work plan at all times. They should correspond with their analyst with any information that could strengthen their case. When the analyst receives a letter from an inmate, they have to pull the inmates file to place the letter and tier response in it. This action serves to remind them about the inmate’s circumstances, it might provoke further action concerning parole consideration. These analysts are very busy and the inmate should respect that and not apply overkill to this procedure.

The inmate should have his family to contact local officials to advise them that they will soon be contacted concerning the inmate’s possible parole. They should ask them if they oppose the release of the inmate, and if not they should ask for a letter stating so. The letter along with a letter from a prospective employer should be sent to the analyst. The Sheriff and District Attorney rely on votes to remain in office and inmate’s families are voters. In the rare case where one of these officials intends to oppose the parole of the inmate, or when the victim or their family intent to oppose, the inmate should consider paroling to another county away from the opposition. It is also possible to parole to another state. It is very important that the inmate have a good place to live, with strong outside support. They should have a strong employment plan, if possible. Sometime the inmate will be paroled with the stipulation that they must gain employment within a certain time frame, and continue to work.

In many cases, the inmate will be interviewed by someone prior to their case being submitted for consideration. The interviewer must prepare a report containing information concerning the inmate’s attitude, and the information provided by the inmate. As I advised before, the inmate should not deny the crime, as this is usually viewed as a lack of responsibility and remorse. Obviously, if they are being interviewed for parole, it is unlikely that they are still in court with appeals. The inmate should stress all of the positive aspects of their incarceration and future plans, and down-play the negative things. If they have had rule infractions and are asked about them, they should not try to deny wrongdoing, or waste the interviewer’s time with complicated explanations.

Once the inmate has reached their parole eligibility date, and a lot of the information has been submitted, the inmate should have their family to call the analyst once a week once a week to check the status of the case. They should be courteous and non--threatening and should appear to be just concerned and worried. Any time that the inmate’s name is put in the mind of the analyst, they remember that they must soon present the case.

The inmate should be prepared should they be denied parole, especially the first time that they are considered. If they let their temper get away, or get into some trouble, it just serves to justify the decision and may harm chances of future parole. It is not uncommon for an inmate to be denied, just to be paroled a short time later because of the lack of prison space.

Should the inmate be advised that they have been approved for parole and receive an actual release date, they should not view their last few days in prison as a chance to get back at the prison or the staff. If an inmate receives disciplinary charges, their parole can be sent back for re-consideration in some cases. The inmate should avoid telling others that there release is near, as other might be jealous and try to provoke a right, resulting in disciplinary action or injury. They should spend their last days quietly and carefully, and should not let their guard down.

Chapter Seven - A Word To The Families
It doesn’t take long for an incarcerated individual to realize the importance of their family members. Prison enables a person to slow down and think. It has unified many families. The inmate has time to reflect upon their actions, and sometimes are amazed that their families will have anything to do with them. It appears that the Mother is the most loyal, followed by the wife. It is not uncommon to see inmates led off to the execution chamber, with his Mother still believing that he is innocent. Nothing is as blind as a Mother’s love, thank God!

The friends and families should realize that the mail and phone calls can become the most important thing to an inmate. Prison Officials can do a lot of things to an inmate, but they can not deprive them of their mail it is hard for the inmate to write an interesting letter, since prison life is usually boring and uneventful. The things that do cause excitement are not things that re good to write about. The inmate can only answer letters back, based on what was in the letter which they received. They can talk about their future plans, which is nice for the families to hear. The family member should express their disappointment concerning the incarceration, but should not continue to dwell on it. An inmate has plenty of time to wrestle with their conscience.

Depending on a custody level, an inmate may not have access to the phone, or they may be allowed a limited number of calls and a time limit may be imposed for each call. As the inmate is promoted through the custody levels, they will receive more phone privileges. Usually they are only allowed to make collect calls. It is very hard for the inmate to resist calling, and the families being called should have a strict policy concerning the amount of calls received. This situation can get out of hand quickly. It may seem mean to not accept a call, but people have to stick to their budgets. Once the inmate understands this, they will usually comply, and the calls that are allowed will be much more appreciated.

As with the phone, inmates may receive visits based on their custody level and their cooperation. The movies portray the inmate talking to his family by phone through a glass partition. While this exists, it is not the norm. Most inmates are allowed contact visits under supervision. In some minimum custody levels, the family may be permitted to bring food and are allowed contact visits under supervision. In some minimum custody levels, the family may be permitted to bring food to eat with the inmate. This is a major thing to the inmate as prison food is usually bland and starchy. After visitation, the inmate will always be completely searched for contraband. This includes money, drugs, or anything that they did not have when they went out on the visit. It is important that the families resist helping the inmate to break the rules. They should not give them anything to sneak in. A visitor can be searched, detained and arrested when they are suspected of carrying contraband while on prison property. It is not an expression of love to help an inmate to break the rules, actually, it could serve to prolong his incarceration.

Family members should not be ashamed of the situation, they should hold their heads up. They should not feel like they are being looked down on by Prison Officials either. If they feel that they have been treated unfairly by Prison Staff, they should report it to the Warden or Superintendent of the institution.

Family members should write and visit as often as possible and should make phone rules early and stick to them. They should be supportive, and encourage the inmate to stay out of trouble. They should try to send money regularly, if possible, but not too much. When an inmate has too much money, it tempts them to start "loan sharking" or buying drugs and alcohol. At least one family member should be familiar with the inmate’s counselor, and should share information with the others. There will be times when the inmate gets frustrated or pressured and may lash out on family members for no reason. They should remain patient, and should not hold it against them. They should avoid arguments and saying or writing hurtful things. Once thing that is often in the inmate’s mind somewhere is suicide. Prison should not make idle promises to take effect after the inmate is released, because the inmate might be home sooner that expected. The overall attitude should be to put this behind and look to the future.

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