Prison Inmate Talk

The bureau of prison has a list of items they allow and it applies to all federal prison camps. Your ID is a must. The best thing to do in my opinion is to call the institution which you have been assigned and ask for a list of item permitted and also those that are necessary. The reason I say that is because each prison camp is under the control of a warden or a camp administrator and they have the final say in the matter with their own rules.

The first day in a prison camp is no different than going to a new school, attending college, joining the military or your first day at work. Everything is new, the people, landscape, building layout, and the atmosphere. Being the new person is a little strange because every one stares at you. That quickly changes as some of the inmates around your bunk area begin to introduce themselves to you. The introduction is usually brief to start but later they get around to talking more about who you are and where you are from.

The bureau of prison has a list of items they will not allow and this is a list they will give you when you check-in. For example, you can’t receive stamps, office supplies or hard cover books. However, the mail is unusual at times because all of it is opened prior to you receiving it. That’s right they look at your mail before you get it. The unusual part is that it is not always the same staff member who looks at your mail, therefore some things will get through and other times they will not.

Inmates in a federal prison camp come from all walks of life, men who come from different races and ethnic cultures, men from all 50 states, and men who are sons, fathers and grandfathers. They also come from every profession and skilled trade known, whether a truck driver, business owner, factory worker, accountant, defense lawyer and pastors, all men trying to earn a living for their families

There are some correctional officers who are good and will treat you with some respect and others who are just plain mean, treating you like dirt. You quickly learn from the other inmates which officers to be watchful of and the ones who will leave you alone. Few of them care about you and what you are going through. The others can care less about you. You are just another body that keeps the prison open, and all they care about is their job and their paycheck.

Food in the prison camp was actually pretty good most of the time. I compare it to the cafeteria style food I had in public school and college. It was a revolving menu from week to week with some surprises once in a while. Holidays were always full of extras, for example: Thanksgiving, there was always plenty of turkey and dressing for everyone along with pies for dessert plus much more.