Were there any programs to teach the inmates how to adjust to life on the outside?
Kinda, maybe, some, not really.
Lets say were that is available it is equivilent to learning how to screw your girlfriend nice and good by taking a sex ed class in high school.
Half-way houses are good for some. I have been to many. It is a good transition and I think most people should goto one. At least the indigent.
By your current standing in life and the community it appears you have been out for quite a while.
When were your experiences with “the system”?
And when/if you have encounters with the law (traffic violations/etc) do you recieve any extra scrutiny for your past?
ETA: Thanks for sharing and fighting the ignorance.
I’d say you do pretty good.
Just wanted to say congratulations for getting your life turned around and so on. Certainly makes me look at ex-cons in general differently.
One question - I know you were treated pretty shittily. Still, do you feel you were treated any better (or worse) because you were white?
I jumped to this question out of order because it made me laugh. Not at you but, well just listen.
First I don’t really know how other are treated.
For real though, as I described in the reply about plea bargaining, income is more is a factor than anything really. Once you are in jail things in Texas are about equal. You cant really do much more or less to a person because of their color in jail. Yea, maybe a bit but not really.
The racism effects people more outside of jail. Poor people get screwed in the system, not necessarily blacks or other minorities. Minorities are screwed in jail because of the proportion of poor minorities. Easy targets by cops. Once they are in jail they are stuck. There are not a bunch of wealthy minorities in jail.
It is also almost imposable for a indigent or poor person to keep on probation. They will go back.
Can you describe what was your worse day in prison? And what was a typical day like? I guess I’m wondering what filled your mind – fear? boredom? maybe hope? Your answers have been very illuminating.
What are the most and least realistic portrayals of prison life you’ve seen?
Okay I’ve GOT to ask this based on your previous post:
In regards to the “there’s not much rape there’s enough willing parties to go around” - how does that work? Do you mean there’s enough gay dudes happy to play a part in prison? I would have thought that gay guys would have a pretty crappy time of it as prison isn’t exactly seen as a progressive place, care to elaborate?
Situational homosexuality. Pretty common, in fact.
Very interesting thread. And scary.
My question: What are your ideas for prison reform? It’s clear from your posts that an ex-con can really turn his life around, but it is in no way easy. Is there something that can be changed that can make the road back to outside life not only possible but easy?
From your wording, I assume you aren’t talking about standard foul language. Could you give some examples of this social faux pas?
fifty six, your honest answers have touched me as well. I can feel the effort you’re putting into this and I’d like you to know I appreciate it. It’s very illuminating.
My question so far is for a little clarification. What did you mean by “punk.” Just the ordinary definition – defiant and smart-mouthed? Or something else?
Oh – another one. Someone asked about your typical day. Did you have access to books, television, movies? Despite being deprived of your freedom, was it “easy” to be in jail? Did you have to work? I’m pretty sure that here, inmates make license plates. Was there an industry where you were incarcerated?
Thanks again.
Thanks, fifty-six, for starting a very interesting thread. I’ve been involved in one capacity or another in the criminal justice system for 16 years now, and I think I know where you’re coming from. Almost all of the public defenders I’ve known are hard-working and really want to get the best possible outcome for their (far too many) clients, but I can understand your low regard for them. Not all PDs are created equally, and some courts make it very difficult for them to zealously represent their clients.
Kudos for trying so hard to make a better life for yourself.
I’m interested in an answer to this as well, but I’ll give my prediction on what I think it means: Bitch, scum, untouchable. The lowest rung on the social ladder. The punching bag. The wuss. That which gets owned.
fifty-six, good for you for turning your life around and staying clean. Don’t worry about your use of grammar or spelling. Considering your education and experience you do very well. Plus, you can always learn it as you go. You should be very proud of yourself.
I had heard that when teens get locked up they learn from the older, more experienced prisoners and become worse. For example, they learn different criminal skills or become more violent or anti-social. Did you see that?
Were there a lot of drugs smuggled in to the prisons?
Were sex offenders treated worse than other prisoners?
Have you ever thought about talking to high school kids about your experiences and how you turned your life around?
I don’t want to hijack this outstanding and informative thread with second hand information from a friend of mine who spend a couple of years in a max security prison in California…except for two things.
He said that American Me was by far the most realistic prison film he had seen. My friend is a Mexican American and the film is from a Mexican American perspective in a CA prison so that bias may be why it really hit home for him.
Also, the way he described his feelings are very much the same as the way fifty-six described his.
fifty-six, your writing is excellent - direct and evocative. Don’t sweat the spelling and grammar (but don’t let anyone else on the SDMB know that I said that; I have an annoying reputation to uphold).
Seriously, though, thanks for starting this thread.
Your writing is just fine. Touching and concise. The part about your family was quickly followed by what a struggle it is for you just to be average, and it made me tear up—not out of pity, but respect for your fight.
My question is this: what happened to make you decide to change? Why was your last time in jail your last time in jail?
More of a musing, not a question:
I work in workforce development and was recently at a meeting with someone who works in my state’s Dept of Corrections, in a pre-release program. She talked about a man who had been in prison for 20 years who was in pre-release and going to look for a job. He went to a supermarket, thinking that he could bag groceries or stock shelves or clean the store. He was directed to one of those self-serve, computer kiosks to complete an application.
He had no clue what to do and ended up turning around and leaving.
I know that you say that programs which teach how to live once you leave aren’t very effective, but there has to be something to make it easier.
Thanks for this thread.
Thanks, fifty-six. Very powerful thread.