Prison Inmate Talk

While I was still getting acquainted with the other inmates around my area, I heard this loud shout, “count time”. What’s that I though, then I saw everyone moving and someone told me that I was to go stand in line by my bunk number. At 4 o’clock everyday all the inmates were counted. We stood by this three inch yellow line with the number of each persons bunk painted on the floor. Everyone was to be quiet as two officers would come along and count each inmate. One officer had a booklet with everyone’s picture. When the count was clear everyone raced out the door. I quickly realized that it was also dinner time after count.

After dinner I walked around the dormitory to see where everything was. There was a private shower area, private toilets and an open area with sinks. There was a laundry room with 4 washers, 4 dryers, and ice machine. The dormitory had three TV rooms, one exercise room, and a big TV in the main area by the various offices. Thank God it was air conditioned. Basically it was a large open building with bunk beds and lockers.

Outside was something I didn’t expect to see. There was a concrete walking tract, baseball field, basketball court, handball courts, soccer field and a football field. That’s right and all the equipment to go along with it. Baseball and basketball were the most played.

I then wanted to see what was in the building adjacent to the dormitory. It was also part of the kitchen. These rooms were available to all the inmates for their use. There was an art room, a barber shop, a library, a law library, classrooms for GED plus other general teachings, and a chapel with plenty of religious and spiritual materials to watch and listen.

Basically the camp looked comfortable and a far cry from a cell with bars. I had a place to sleep, plenty to eat, place to exercise, a library to learn and a chapel to worship. God was there for me because He quickly showed me that this was no longer a federal prison camp but a bible camp to study His living word. Praise God!

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Ok, the officer just left and there I was alone with a mesh bag full of toiletries, bedding and clothing. I remember everybody looking and staring at me because I was the new inmate in the dorm. A very uncomfortable feeling to say the least but with God’s peace upon me I soon dismissed it and started putting my things away in the locker assigned to me.

As I was making my bed, I was approached by a Hispanic who thought I was Hispanic because of my black hair and dark skin. He started speaking in Spanish to me but he soon realized that I was not Hispanic and he asked me what nationality I was, “I am an American Indian” I told him and he calmly walked away. I later found out that he was the leader of a Hispanic group in the camp and wanted to recruit me into his little gang.

Then God provided me a friend. Jaime, a short Hispanic who was not associated with the gang but a family man of four children. He had the bunk next to me. He took the time to explain and answer many question I had regarding the prison camp and about the rules, he had already been there about 8 months before I arrived.

Praise God! I knew then that God would protect me with the assurance of providing a friend to help me adapt to my new surroundings. His blessing continued as the eyes that were once looking at me became handshakes and friendly introductions. I then realized that I was being welcomed into a family who understood what I was going through and they were very helpful as I adjusted to my new surroundings.

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I have received many questions regarding self surrender to a federal prison camp and how it is on the first day. So I figured it would be a good idea to give you my personal account of what I experienced in a 3 part series.

At 2:00 pm on a Tuesday afternoon I remember the cold words said to my wife from the case manager who checked me in, “You can go now”, occurring just a few minute after we arrived at the federal prison camp. I removed my watch, my wedding ring and handed them to my wife. I hugged and kissed her good bye and told her that I would call her as soon as I had the chance.

Returning to my seat I then handed the case manager my driver’s license and bible. I watched as he placed my license in the file folder he created. He thumbed through my bible and then handed it back to me.I notice that the case manager and correctional officer who came in while the paper work was being finalized never smiled. I remember smiling and trying to strike up a conversation with them but they wouldn’t have it. It was just questions, answers and explanation of rules. I still found the situation funny somehow and I believe it was God’s peace saying that He was with me.

Another officer came in and took me to another room in the building. This was a time of humiliation. Stepping into the room I saw another officer waiting with a medium size box. “Take off your clothes and put them in the box” he says. That’s right I had to remove every piece of clothing. Here I was standing naked as they looked at me. “Turn around and spread your cheeks” he says, I did what he wanted and quickly realized that I am no longer a free man but now a prison inmate. When I turned around he handed me some underwear, an oversized jumpsuit and a pair of slip on shoes. After I finish dressing myself, the processing continued with finger printing and photos.

I was then taken to a waiting area and told that someone else would take me to the camp. After about 30 minutes or so and me dosing off, someone finally came in and guided me to another room. This was the laundry room where all the clothes, linens and supplies were kept for the prison camp. I was issued 3 sets of clothes, work boots, bed linens, a pillow, towels and toiletries. I was glad to get rid of that loose jumpsuit for a uniform of dark teal pants and shirt. I was also thankful to see that the uniforms were not orange.

Now that I was complete with all my prison issue and supplies, the officer on duty escorted me to the camp dormitory and assigned me a top bunk and I quickly realized that this was where I would spend the next two years of my life.

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Serving time in a federal prison camp will become a test for any lasting relationship, it will either bring break-ups and divorce or it will build a stronger marriage and lasting friendships. It all comes down to one thing that makes the difference, a foundation of love before going in.

I have personally witness inmates in depression and fits of anger over the news of pending divorce, believe me it’s not a pretty site. On the other hand, I have also seen the love that bonded families closer with a new appreciation for what is truly important in their life.

Holding on to a lasting relationship while in prison requires a lot of work and effort. It’s about maintaining a line of communication through writing letters, making phone calls and visitation. Without these simple activities most relationships will not last.

Relationships are extremely important to every inmate. An inmate may not show his need for someone to love and care about them because of his pride but I have heard a majority of inmates always talking about their wife, girlfriend, parent, child and other family members, believe me they want a relationship and needs it.

Relationships is what gives an inmate hope, the strength to move forward and endure the next day till finally he goes home to the reality of what he dreamed of. It’s that important!

Yes, there is a sad side. There is a minority of inmates who do not receive any correspondence from loved ones, the prison camp becomes there new home and they fear going home when the date arrives for them to leave.

The great news is that any relationship that survives the prison system will be better with a deeper appreciation of what commitment really means. My wife and I are living testimonies of how great and powerful God’s love truly is when love is the cornerstone of the relationship. Love endures!

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So what happens when an inmate breaks one of the rules in the prison camp? There are a number of actions taken. They get a “shot”, put in “the hole” or in the case of serious violations an inmate looses his camp status and placed in a low or medium security prison.

The minor offense is a “shot”, it’s a term used in the prison system by the BOP personal and inmates. Basically it’s a written reprimand placed in the inmate’s file stating the rule that was broken and stays on the inmate’s file through out his time in prison. If too many shot’s are accumulated, the inmate looses his camp status. Disciplinary following the shot may be a loss in work detail, lower bunk privileges, visitation rights, commissary days and/or phone use. Example would be taking food from the kitchen or simply disobeying an order from the camp administrator or correctional officer.

The next course of action is inmates being placed in “the hole”. This is confinement in a cell for a period of time. Inmates who are put in the holding cell wait while an investigation is under way or just a cooling down time while the inmate reflects on the rule broken or his misconduct. Yes, a shot is placed in his file also. Example would be fighting or raising your voice and arguing with a camp official.

When a serious violation has taken place the inmate is put in the hole pending time of transfer to a low, medium or high security prison, as to which will be determined by the severity of the rule or regulation broken. Depending on the situation or possible crime committed may result in more prison time for the individual. Examples would be attacking an officer or inmate, stealing from BOP and/or escape attempt.

Discipline in a prison camp is easier to enforce and follow because of the privileges and certain rights inmates do receive. Another reason for its effectiveness is due to the fact that when one inmate breaks a rule, the whole camp is disciplined and punished for it. Funny but you would be amazed at how quickly discipline takes place when you take the TV away from the inmates for a week. The camp really shapes up.

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Every federal prison camp in the nation follows a written set of guidelines from the Bureau of prison (BOP). These general rules and regulations are written in detail and are posted in each prison camp library for every inmate to see.

The material is organized with code numbers, titles, sections and sub-section. It takes a while to get familiarized with the information but worth the time to look through. It will let you know about a lot of information that you may not be aware of so look through it and make notes.

Now for the rest of the story, these rules and regulations are accessible and for your information but they only serve as a foundational guide. The warden and camp administrator have the final word to override those instructions, add or subtract from them, and make decision on how they apply to each individual inmate. It’s sad but not every inmate is treated equal, discrimination comes in the form of type of crime and the inmate’s attitude toward camp officials.

In order to benefit from these guidelines handed down by the BOP is to follow what they tell you. It’s OK to ask questions about the subject you are addressing but only do it once to understand the administrations position on the subject and then follow what they say. Challenging a decision will only place you on an imaginary list of trouble makers and it will get you nowhere, stay on their good list. Yes, it does get frustrating at times but learn to live with it because the outcome is not worth it.

The best thing to do is just cooperate, do what they tell you to do with a good attitude, and trust in God to bring you into their favor.

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Whatever federal prison camp you or a loved may enter in, one thing is certain, they will have a cell mate. A cell mate is someone who shares the same area or cell with you, like a room mate sharing the same apartment. The term “celly” is the nickname all inmates use to identify their cell mates.

The unique thing about becoming a cell mate I quickly noticed is the understanding that these are your adopted brothers, you watch out for each other. There is a respect and trust that is expected from your celly regarding your personal space and thing. It’s also looking out for the benefits and the interest of each other, like keeping the area clean, sharing items of need and watching their back of rumors or potential trouble.

Yes, there are times when a celly is not adhering to the expected rules. In this case the other cell mates tell him and if he does not correct the problem he becomes an outcast and the cell mates begin ignoring him hoping he will get the message that he is not wanted and move on to another cell group. These are rare cases but they do exist and eventually every body in the camp now knows of this individual and other inmates keep their distance. It’s all about respect of others.

Upon arriving in the prison camp, you really don’t have a choice of who your cell mates will be but it does not have to stay that way. Each inmate may request to move to another cell or living area as they become available if they choose to do so. There are a number of reasons inmates move, area to noisy, to much light, to much foot traffic, want to be with other inmates of like mind and interest or to get away from someone you don’t like.

The end goal is to be as comfortable as possible and finding the perfect cell mates is a step in the right direction. Once you find the inmates who respect you, honor their word, and share the same interest it becomes easier to endure the time because you now have a few friends who are like family and the place is peaceful and more secure in your mind.

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By definition a spectator is a person or in this case an inmate who looks on or watches but I want to expand on that definition by telling you about three different spectators in a federal prison camp.

First is the sport’s spectator, this inmate enjoys watching a game on TV or in real life like the tournament games played by the inmates. Weather it’s a fun game of basketball, teams playing baseball or just the skilled game of dominos, this spectator just watches for the enjoyment. Like any spectators, he yells and roots for the team he wants to win and congratulates those who make good plays.

Second is the informant spectator, this inmate looks on and watches every activity inmates do in order to tell or rat on fellow inmates to better his gain. As you can probably conclude for yourself that this inmate is not very well liked and rightly so. What’s unique about this spectator is that he comes in two forms, either he is very good and conceals it well or extremely bad by the way he boasts about his gains. Now once this inmate or informant is found out, every inmate knows due to the great gossip network and they begin to watch and keep a close eye on this individual which in turn makes him ineffective.

Third is the wise spectator, this inmate observes everything that goes on around him. He is quick to listen and at times will walk away from things he does not want to hear. He also looks on but will turn away or close his eyes to the things he wants no involvement with. He studies the behaviors of inmates, correctional officers and camp administrators alike and makes a mental note for future reference to which is trustworthy and those he will stay far away from. He is usually the one who keeps to himself and stays busy with something. He is also the one who all the other inmates show respect to because of his wisdom of saying nothing about any inmates.

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Besides watching TV, playing dominos and a card game known as spades is the next favorite among the inmates to pass the time away. These 2 games are played every night and finding partners and other inmates to play is no problem.

When it comes to which game is most favored and popular by the inmates, well there is no debate and dominos is always the winner. I have seen people play dominos from the time they wake up between breakfast and work details, playing during their lunch break and every other opportunity that comes available. Yes, it’s that addicting.

As a kid I always thought of dominos as a wooden toy block you just stood next to each other and watch them fall down. What an education I received in the prison camp. The energy and enthusiasm that surrounds this simple game is one of the most challenging as inmates show their skills as well as pride of winning. The competition is that fierce, even to the point of some inmates leaving the table filled with anger but not at the other inmate’s but of themselves for making a bad play.

Now spades is more on the relaxed side of playing and usually only played in the evening before bedtime. It’s a time inmate’s play to get to know each other, similar to people going to friends houses to fellowship. For a brief couple of hours or so inmates escape the prison life, with snacks and laughter surrounding the table they would enjoy each others company without a thought of their circumstances. Praise God, for a time of peace.

Another exciting thing about these two popular games was during the holidays. It was a time when the inmates with the support of the BOP recreation department would organize tournaments. This friendly competition brought every inmate out of their shell, players and spectators. Inmates would pair up for the first time making new friendship and the trust of others for a chance to win the prize provided by the BOP recreation department which was usually items from the commissary. So with the sound of shuffling cards, the rattle and drop of dominos the games were played to all hours of the day and evening then ultimately the winners prevailed.

Playing these two easy games was like a ray of hope and by waiting for the next opportunity also brought them closer to their release dates, which was the ultimate prize where every body was a winner.

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I was impressed with a number of inmates who did not let the bonds of prison stop them from pursuing their innocents and wrongful injustice with appeals and other legal work. It was actually encouraging to me for my own case, especially to here of some inmates going home earlier with sentence reduction and others having their restitutions reduced.

The law library was satisfactory equipped for research and studying of law cases. It also provided the basic needs to make copies, typing letters and mailing documents, sort of like a temporary field office that would get the job done.

There was always conversation regarding the latest court cases handed down by the Supreme, Circuit and District Courts. All inmates were interested to hear breaking news but the problem with all those conversations was that it would begin to get distorted and before you know it rumors developed. The caution was being sure to see it in writing, hear it from a reliable source or have it confirmed by a loved one back home with a little research.

Most inmates who did not appeal their case still have a chance to do so while incarcerated. However this ray of hope needs to take place within the first year of prison time. It’s called a 2255, a form that inmates fill out stating any wrongs that may have taken place in their trial. The response to this document varies with the different court in the United States, some get answered quickly and some are never heard of or seen again.

Legal work of all sorts, whether it be an appeal or law suit the process is alive in the prison system. Again, it was encouraging to witnesses it first hand and sometimes justice prevailed for the innocent.

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