Prison is full of rules and regulations, something everyone already knows. However, you would think that strict adherence to these policies would be maintained. From time to time, a memo must be sent out to all the inmates regarding those rules that have not been followed. Of course, there is disciplinary action for those inmates … Read more
Lock downs within the prison system are a serious issue for both inmates and staff. They are the result of what the administration deems a loss of control on their part. In this instance, a group of inmates decided to gather together during recreation. This caused a scare for the system and they locked down … Read more
Prison systems love to keep inmates busy. They provide the inmates with a variety of activities, movies, books and crafting hobbies. They also have available jobs that inmates can apply to. A busy inmate keeps the administrative staff from overworking and having to keep up with all the inmates at once. Trust me, no one … Read more
It’s a great feeling to be released from prison, even if you are going into a halfway house program. The rules are different, but there is more freedom for inmates. In fact, there’s so much freedom, that there’s an agreement that each transitioning inmate must sign before being released. The agreement outlines restrictions and gives … Read more
From time to time, the executive staff of the prison will send out memos regarding current incidences. Many things can happen in prison and most of the time it’s negative. When negative events put staff and inmates in danger, lockdowns can occur. The following memo was sent out after a recent lockdown. It is supposed … Read more
Prison inmates are kept to strict standards when it comes to dress codes and recreation. However, from time to time, inmates can get off track from the guidelines and will have to be reminded of the rules. Some of the following rules are common sense. For example, if the prison staff is tasked with keeping … Read more
Inmate Dress Code Policy Dress codes are important for many places. They help keep a cohesive appearance and allow for overseeing persons to quickly identify who belongs and who doesn’t. Dress codes are also guidelines to clean, tidy and appropriate display of clothing. Not everyone wants to see a extra skin or underwear. However, within … Read more
Destroying property is never a good idea. At Herlong Prison Camp, just altering the appearance of certain items will get an inmate into trouble. They will face disciplinary action if they have clothing that are cut and sewn. They may face disciplinary action for damaging laundry bags, sheets or broomsticks. The prison also requires a … Read more
When most inmates leave prison, their number need is finances. If friends and family have been putting money into an inmates account, when the inmate is released from prison, the amount within their account is released to them. However, some will have more money in their account than the prison can give in cash. This … Read more
Structure is needed to facilitate order and prisons are full of structure. In this memo from the supervisor of recreation, a detailed system for taking and receiving prison photos is given. The document states that prisoners must wear certain clothing, refrain from obscene gestures, and use a voucher to “buy” their photos. Photo vouchers can … Read more
When starting a new job many employers give their employees a manual to read over and familiarize themselves with all rules and regulations. Prison is no different. In fact, they have an entire checklist for every inmate so that each inmate goes through every program available. Some of the programs that are required are medical … Read more
When starting a new job many employers give their employees a manual to read over and familiarize themselves with all rules and regulations. At Herlong Prison it’s no different when it comes to assigning their inmates to an orientation program. The difference between the programs is that an employer may only require one to two … Read more
Filing A Request In Prison Filing an Inmate Request to Staff form while in prison can seem like a daunting task. The form itself isn’t scary, but the thoughts of retaliation, punishment and denial can cause fear, depending on what is being requested. However, there are times it must be done regardless of the request. … Read more
Inmate Rules For Visitations SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 In a previous post I talked about the rewards of having family visit. I also discussed how important it was for visiting family to read over the rules and regulations before visiting so as not to waste time. If your loved ones don’t familiarize themselves with the rules … Read more
There’s a saying: “The early bird gets the worm.” Well, not in this case. I’ve always been taught that to be early is to be on time, but at Herlong Prison, the earliest you could leave to get to work was at 6:45 am. All inmates had to stay within their housing areas unless they … Read more
My thought process when entering prison camp was to make sure that this experience was a positive one. Although I was locked up in a place filled with rumors of gangs, sexual assaults, and a major loss of freedom, I did my best to stay on a positive path. As you read this memo, you … Read more
In order to keep the prison “safe” for all inmates and staff, when things seem to be out of control, the administration will lock down the prison camp. This means that all inmates are confined to their cells until further notice. Although the lockdown was resolved and inmates were released from their cells, the administration … Read more
Medical offices have a tight ship to run and that’s even truer when their office is located within a prison. There are certain rules that each inmate has to follow in order to see a doctor or dentist. A form called an Inmate Request to Staff Member also known as a cop-out form must be … Read more
Herlong Prison has two institutions. The first is an actual prison (Federal Correctional Institution – FCI) and the other is a prison camp which has less security and non-violent offenders. When the administration sends out a memo, it goes to both the prison and the prison camp. This memo talked about the changes on the … Read more
It’s memos like these that keep prison television shows raw. Inmates making “hooch” or other alcoholic drinks are regularly seen on TV. Shows are also portraying inmates that make various weapons. What the shows don’t show you are the interrupted routines of those that just want to get through their sentences. I had a routine … Read more
Periodically, inmates receive memos from the Warden or other prison and prison camp staff about updates in policy or other warnings. This is an official memo found in the Trulincs system. The memo below tells both the prison camp and the prison that the administration is getting rid of the normal full-sized breakfast. They are … Read more
Community service allows an inmate to leave the prison or prison camp in order to serve the community in various capacities such as cleaning up public areas. The National Crime Prevention Council believes it is a way to reduce crime and encourage public spaces to be properly used again. In order for an inmate to … Read more
All inmates are waiting for the day that they can leave the prison or prison camp. Some of them, like myself, transferred to a halfway house, but the others transferred from prison to their own residences. This could be that they have completed their sentence or that they are on parole. I never had to … Read more
Every year, inmates are given a survey about the food the prison serves. It asks each inmate which food they wanted to keep and which foods they wanted to get rid of. There are a ton of conspiracy theories about the quality of the food at prison. There are also questions about who really chooses … Read more
This document is from the TRULINCS. Inmates can find this and more under “Bulletin” Every month, a new Federal Register will be placed in that section. This volume gives information about where to smoke for both administration and correctional officers. Inmates are NOT allowed to smoke. Smoking would result in major disciplinary action. For more … Read more
Below is the entire handbook the administration gives Federal Prison Camp Inmates when they first arrive at Herlong Satellite Prison Camp. https://www.pyersedandridge.com/ao.pdf
Have you ever seen the flag flown in the middle of the flagpole? If you’ve ever wondered why, the memo below may offer an explanation. It is usually flown in the middle of the flagpole on a holiday like Memorial Day. That holiday commemorates the life sacrifice that the men and women of the military … Read more
Suicide prevention is one of the most important aspects of prison control. Males have a higher rate of suicide, not just in prison, but in general. Prison can make a person even more susceptible to depression and other mental health disorders. It is up to the prison staff to be aware of the signs and … Read more
What Are Your Rights and Responsibilities As An Inmate? Most know that there a lot of liberties and privileges taken away while in jail, but which ones? When you’re arrested, the law enforcing personnel is required to “read you your rights”. This tells you what you can do and how to protect yourself from further … Read more
Staying in touch with family and/or friends is sometimes essential to an inmates psychological and emotional stability. Being able to communicate with those that love you is a reward of its own. When someone is unable to speak to their loved ones, depression and agitation can set in quickly. Fortunately, the prison has multiple ways … Read more
Staying in touch with loved ones can be challenging when you’re away at prison camp or prison. There are no cell phones allowed and if you’re caught with one then you most likely will receive a shot (disciplinary action). The phones that are available cost money and inmates aren’t the ones that pay the bill. … Read more
If you pay your cell phone bill each month then I’m sure you’ll understand how the Inmate Minute Revalidation Cycle operates. Every month your cell phone carrier allots you a certain amount of minutes to use each month (unless you have unlimited minutes). When you reach that amount within a month, you cannot make any … Read more
Oakland Halfway House is a transitional living institution for former inmates located in Oakland, California. This post is a brief recount of my stay there and how to survive your stay. Oakland Halfway House is a co-ed residency in which the women are the minority and the men are the majority. The women stayed in … Read more
Prisons are supposed to be about reforming individuals to become better citizens in society. That’s supposedly why they offer GED classes, lucrative hobbies, and prison jobs. The prison I attended had an idea to host a voluntary job fair. The only odd thing about it being voluntary was that it wasn’t; it was mandatory for … Read more
“You have to show up. There is no magic pill. You have to show up and do the work.” Per Petterson. If you’re a writer, I’m sure you’ve probably experienced setbacks and frustrations when you finally find the time to write. You have so many ideas to get out and to write down. You get … Read more
17 Ways To Survive Prison Camp Let’s be honest, prison camp or any kind of prison is stressful. You’re already tired from the drawn-out court process of being convicted and now you’ll be separated from all your friends, family and other loved ones. Those same people will also now have to get by without you. … Read more
If you are a writer or aspiring to be one, then you should know that the best part of the book is the climax. This part of the book excites your reader to the point to where they never want to stop reading. This is the part of the book that makes readers hold their … Read more
Cardio workouts are known to help people strengthen their heart and lungs. It also helps the muscles to use oxygen more efficiently. Over time, your body gets used to your fitness level and your endurance has increased! With these types of benefits, I have been trying to workout more. For some reason, as soon as … Read more
The funny thing about being here in prison is that the correctional officers (COs) think they are better than everyone else. I don’t know if it’s their job status or just because they’re COs. I wonder if it’s a superiority complex or an inferiority complex. Either way, it’s like they’re showing off their riches in … Read more
There are many ways a writer can harm their own novel. There is one type of character that, if not done properly will annoy readers like me. I’ve seen a lot of books or other literary works with poor characterization consistent with the inability to keep the audience’s attention solely because the author solicited for … Read more