I’m working on completing my book about a Federal Prison Camp, and I want to make sure I don’t leave out anything important.

Please leave a comment and let me know Your Most Important Question About Federal Prison Camp for either inmates or their families.

As a special thank you for your help, the best 5 questions will receive a free copy of the book when published. (I’ll contact the winners by email.)

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Furloughs have to be requested by the inmate during their team meeting which occur about every 3 months or so, the BOP will not suggest it or plainly give it to you. Each inmate must apply for it with paperwork and the approval process begins.

Depending on the institutions policies, the camp administrator is the one who approves or disapproves the request based on the inmates conduct and convicted crime. For example, the camp in Pollock, each inmate had to wait a year before they could apply and then it was another 6 months before it was approved for the inmate to take their furlough.

The first furlough approved is for a period of 12 hours (one day). Basically the inmate has someone pick them after the BOP clears them to go and then must return 12 hours later. The second furlough is for 3 days which is closer to the inmate’s departure date.

During a furlough, certain information is needed like phone number and place you will be visiting or staying. Failure to return in the allotted time will result in the marshals looking for the inmate. Upon return to the prison camp each inmates is required to provide a urine sample before joining the rest of the prison camp population.

Another kind of furlough is a medical furlough. When an inmate requires medical attention they are brought to the hospital for treatment and sometimes are required to stay for a length of time. This type of furlough may hinder an actual furlough later because of institutional policies. Yes, it does seem unfair but then again it’s BOP policies. Go figure!

Furlough can be a hassle to apply for and may take some persistence to get but the rewards of spending time with your wife, playing with the kids or enjoying a great meal from mom’s table is truly worth it. Believe me when I say that those wonderful 12 hours remain a lasting memory for a very long time, possibly forever.

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First of all, it gives the inmate or writer a mental escape by imagining their conversation with the other person. For example, I remember one night when I wrote 40 pages to my wife. I was so caught up in an imaginative state that I really thought she was next to me listening. The wonderful thing about this time was how great I felt the next day. My thoughts were not about the place I was in but on my wife and the conversation I had with her in my writings.

Another aspect of writing is the way it occupies a lot of time that is usually reserved for boredom. I say that because usually everyone thinks that writing takes a lot of time but that is precisely the point. In taking time to write helps you focus on bettering yourself and not fall trap to the time of incarceration. Believe me, there are a lot of traps like bitterness, laziness and depression that is waiting to grab hold of an inmate but writing keeps your thoughts fresh and mind alert.

Writing is also therapeutic, by putting down your thoughts and frustration on paper helps in keeping your mind clear and focused. This form of writing is basically called journaling, writing down what took place in your day and what you learned. Writing down your frustration, hurts and concerns frees your mind from that emotional garbage. It’s just like talking with someone, let your pen and paper be your sounding board. This is also a time to set goals for when you get out, plan out on paper what you want to accomplish and begin those new practices while still in prison.

Now here is one of the benefits of writing to someone. Mail call is the highlight of every inmate’s day. Receiving letters from loved ones really lifts an inmate’s spirits and is a reminder that someone cares. Writing to and getting a letter from someone brings a different atmosphere to the life of an inmate in prison. It brings a purpose, a drive to go on and most of all it brings hope.

So learn to write, it does make a difference. If you are not accustomed to writing then begin with small letters of one to two pages. When you see and realize the benefits, motivation will come to write more and inspiration will be from the letters you receive. Remember, prison is what you make of it, make the time a productive one, write.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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