# I work in a military prison. Ask me anything. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 11, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578 "2011-11-11T07:10:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/81 "2011-11-13T04:21:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What happens is a POW commits a serious crime? Let’s say for example that one POW assaulted another one. > > I’m assuming that the Army would take disciplinary action in response to something like this. Is the disciplinary system for POW-on-POW crimes run solely by the Army or do the POW’s have a voice in the outcome? > > What happens if a POW is sentenced to ten years imprisonment for a serious crime and the war ends before his sentence does? Is he sent back with the other POW’s being released or does he have to stay behind to complete his sentence? Honestly, I don’t know about POW’s. We only have one at the other facility. He was drafted into a foreign country’s army at 13 years old when he was picked up off the street, handed an AK 47 and told he was in the Army. He tried to kill an American Soldier and was taken into the confinement facility. He is done with the time he owes to his country, but he has to serve out the time he owes in prison. > [@bump](#): > > So what do YOU do on your time off duty? My aunt and uncle live in Leavenworth (uncle’s retired Army and still works for TRADOC), and there doesn’t seem to be squat to do in that town. Pretty place, and pretty post, but deathly dull. > > Do you go to Lawrence, Kansas City, or just hang around Leavenworth? I came here from Paris, Texas. If you want to talk about boring, go to Paris. I am loving Kansas City on both sides of the river. I run in 5Ks, We have seen about a dozen Royals games, we saw the Chiefs play. We have been to about 10 museums. We have not made it to the [Power and Light District](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_and_Light_District), but a lot of the young guys have. If someone is bored here, it is because they don’t really try to get out. > [@Ranchoth](#): > > This is probably verging on the “stuff you can’t talk about” category, but…do you _get_ a lot of Special Forces guys as inmates? I mean, is it especially rare, or are you as likely to get one sent to you as you are someone from any other random branch of the service? There was a period about 100 years ago, where there were a lot of Special Operations Soldiers going to prison. Now, not so much. It isn’t rare, but a small percentage of the military is Special Operations, so a small percentage of our inmates are Special Operations. I also believe that the Special Operations leaders know their Soldiers a lot better than most leaders in traditional units. The Special Operations Leaders can stop a problem before it becomes something that will end you in prison. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/82 "2011-11-13T04:58:44Z")
Everything I’ve learned about from the military and its judicial system has been from TV, mainly NCIS and Hogan’s Hero’s. Sooooooo, my burning question, Mr. Prison Dude, is WHY on NCIS the regular cops never get involved if an active duty marine (is it just marine? or all branches of the military on the show involved?) Would the guilty, if military, be charged with civilian crimes as well so they do time in a military prison then when finished with that sentance, a regular prison? Why are all the crimes solved in under one hour? Do they ever finish a cup of coffee? Does Abby age? Why doesn’t Gibbs wear a regular uniform instead of civvy’s? Mainly, the first question is my burning question. I’ve only just started this NCIS addiction and am a bit lost on the whole military thing. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/83 "2011-11-13T05:10:40Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Why are all the crimes solved in under one hour? > > Do they ever finish a cup of coffee? > > Does Abby age? > > Why doesn’t Gibbs wear a regular uniform instead of civvy’s? And what’s with all the slapping? ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/84 "2011-11-13T05:17:31Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Everything I’ve learned about from the military and its judicial system has been from TV, mainly NCIS and Hogan’s Hero’s. > > Sooooooo, my burning question, Mr. Prison Dude, is WHY on NCIS the regular cops never get involved if an active duty marine (is it just marine? or all branches of the military on the show involved?) > > Would the guilty, if military, be charged with civilian crimes as well so they do time in a military prison then when finished with that sentance, a regular prison? > > Why are all the crimes solved in under one hour? > Do they ever finish a cup of coffee? > Does Abby age? > > Why doesn’t Gibbs wear a regular uniform instead of civvy’s? > > Mainly, the first question is my burning question. I’ve only just started this NCIS addiction and am a bit lost on the whole military thing. Finally, someone who has intelligent and well thought out questions. 😉 I learned everything I know about the Army from watching M_A_S\*H, so we are on even footing. The cases are not solved in an hour. They are solved in 48 minutes to allow for commercial breaks. The agency that handles the investigation is usually whoever wants to do it, or who gets forced to do it. Sometimes the military base doesn’t have anybody who is free to do the investigation, until Gibbs and Tony show up, of course, so the local civilian sheriff’s office will do the investigation. Sometimes the local sheriff is Boss Hogg, and the Military (CID, NCIS) will investigate the crime. We each have an Abby, and she really does drink about 20 Super Big Gulps a day. She also never pees. I am waiting for the one on my post to explode. Sometimes the accused will have charges in both the civilian and the military system. Say you were General Ujest and you stole a tank. The military would want to charge and convict you. Let’s say the post you were on had no jail cells. You go to county lockup, where you create a riot and lock up one of the guards in your cell. Well, now you have a civilian charge, and when you get released from the military prison, you will go to the civilian prison to serve your time for that. Gibbs has been retired from the military for the last 15 years. We haven’t had the heart to tell him and he hasn’t noticed yet. He thinks all his uniforms are at the cleaners. McGee says he keeps losing the claim check. Next time you see NCIS, look for me. I’m not that guy. I’m the other one. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![\_Olive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/4af34b/32.png) [@\_Olive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Olive)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/85 "2011-11-13T05:51:27Z")
are any inmates transgender? ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/86 "2011-11-13T06:02:14Z")
> [@\_Olive](#): > > are any inmates transgender? God I hope not. [Jerry Seinfeld]Not that there is anything wrong with that[/Jerry Seinfeld]🙂 SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/87 "2011-11-13T07:27:24Z")
> [@\_Olive](#): > > are any inmates transgender? I had transgender inmates in prisons I’ve worked at. New York’s policy is binary on the issue - you’re officially either a man or a woman. Sometimes it’s a tough call to make (I recall one inmate who required three different medical examinations) but once the decision is made he or she will be officially treated like any other inmate of their gender. As a matter of real world practice, we recognize that an officially male inmate who has female characteristics may have problems so we keep an unofficial eye on them to head these problems off (like a “nobody else can use the shower room when Chantelle is taking a shower” rule). ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/88 "2011-11-13T07:35:42Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I had transgender inmates in prisons I’ve worked at. New York’s policy is binary on the issue - you’re officially either a man or a woman. Sometimes it’s a tough call to make (I recall one inmate who required three different medical examinations) but once the decision is made he or she will be officially treated like any other inmate of their gender. As a matter of real world practice, we recognize that an officially male inmate who has female characteristics may have problems so we keep an unofficial eye on them to head these problems off (like a “nobody else can use the shower room when Chantelle is taking a shower” rule). We are still at the biological status determines your gender. There are gay inmates, but none of them say that they are females inside. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/89 "2011-11-13T08:43:47Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > We are still at the biological status determines your gender. There are gay inmates, but none of them say that they are females inside. I was never involved in the decision making but I assume that biological status was a primary determinant. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/90 "2011-11-13T10:41:32Z")
What was the highest former rank of your guests that you know off. ---
**Author:** ![williambaskerville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f14d63/32.png) [@williambaskerville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williambaskerville)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/91 "2011-11-13T11:25:17Z")
Ok, forgive me if we’re wrong about this :- but my teenage daughter was doing a school project on capital punishment recently. She found what she thought was a contradiction :- you host the only Death Row in the US military justice system, correct? And you’re male only ? So what happens a female service member who’s sentenced to death ? Is this one of those things that “we’ll deal with when it happens, but it will llkely never happen ?” ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/92 "2011-11-13T23:40:01Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > What was the highest former rank of your guests that you know off. We have a Lieutenant Colonial, I have checked and the have been no higher ranks recently (as in within the last 10 years.) > [@williambaskerville](#): > > Ok, forgive me if we’re wrong about this :- but my teenage daughter was doing a school project on capital punishment recently. > > She found what she thought was a contradiction :- you host the only Death Row in the US military justice system, correct? And you’re male only ? > > So what happens a female service member who’s sentenced to death ? Is this one of those things that “we’ll deal with when it happens, but it will llkely never happen ?” The females on Death Row go to a Federal Prison. Women in Max custody are sent to San Diego. When she has exhausted all of her appeals and the warrant is signed, she will be transferred to a federal prison to finish her sentence. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/93 "2011-11-14T01:34:02Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > There are no gangs. Gang members are disqualified from enlisting. Generally, after people enlist in the Military, gangs don’t want them anymore. > > SFC Schwartz Would that this were true. Frighteningly, according to the FBI, it is not. > [@](#): > > [The FBI Announces Gangs Have Infiltrated Every Branch Of The Military](http://www.businessinsider.com/fbi-gang-assessment-us-military-2011-10) > > The report notes that while gang members have been reported in every branch of service, they are concentrated in the U.S. Army, Army Reserves, and the Army National Guard. > > _Many street gang members join the military to escape the gang lifestyle or as an alternative to incarceration, but often revert back to their gang associations once they encounter other gang members in the military. **Other gangs target the U.S. military and defense systems to expand their territory, facilitate criminal activity such as weapons and drug trafficking, or to receive weapons and combat training that they may transfer back to their gang.** Incidents of weapons theft and trafficking may have a negative impact on public safety or pose a threat to law enforcement officials._ > > The FBI points out that many gangs, especially the bikers, actively recruit members with military training and advise young members with no criminal record to join the service for weapon access and combat experience. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/94 "2011-11-14T01:47:51Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > They told me the same thing when I was out in recruiting. It made it a pain in the ass to put in anyone with a tattoo. I am sure some gangsters have tried to join, and there maybe a couple of gangsters in the military. I don’t think there are enough to make a difference. > > SFC Schwartz [Gang Activity in the U.S. Military](http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/a/gangs.htm) > [@](#): > > [ul] > [li]Since 2004, the FBI and El Paso Police Department have identified over 40 military-affiliated Folk Nation gang members stationed at the Fort Bliss Army Installation in Texas who have been involved in drug distribution, robberies, assaults, weapons offenses, and a homicide, both on and off the installation.[/li][li] Fort Hood, Texas, Army Installation officials have identified nearly 40 gang members on base since 2003. Military-affiliated Gangster Disciple members at Fort Hood have been responsible for robberies, assaults, theft, and burglaries on and off base.[/li][li] Nearly 130 gang and extremist group members have been identified on the Fort Lewis, Washington, Army Installation since 2005. These gang members are believed to be responsible for many of the criminal misconduct instances reported on base.[/li][/ul] Maybe they’re just not ending up in your facility so you aren’t aware of the extent to which they’ve enlisted. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/95 "2011-11-14T02:08:20Z")
Just finished reading — great thread! So here’s my question … You said that most of your inmates are there for sex crimes committed against minors. In state or federal prison, those guys are detested and treated extremely harshly. But you appear to be saying that in your facility they simply don’t get “cred.” Are they really not looked down upon? And if not, is that because most of them have the same predilection? ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/96 "2011-11-14T04:11:30Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Just finished reading — great thread! So here’s my question … > > You said that most of your inmates are there for sex crimes committed against minors. In state or federal prison, those guys are detested and treated extremely harshly. But you appear to be saying that in your facility they simply don’t get “cred.” Are they really not looked down upon? And if not, is that because most of them have the same predilection? First, the FBI has identified Juggalos as a gang, so you gotta consider the source. Next, the inmates are screened for gang membership. There was one recently who thought he would get to the USDB and pledge to the Aryan Brotherhood. He went so far as to get a swastika tattooed on his face. This inmate is now in Protective Custody because the white inmates would not even accept him. I will concede that there are some gang members in the Army, but most will be disqualified before they get in. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/97 "2011-11-14T04:16:41Z")
And to your other question, there are a lot of inmates with sex crimes. In my facility, no one is treated harshly for their crimes. The sex offenders may have longer before they are trusted, but there are so many that in some pods, they run the pods. SFC Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/98 "2011-11-14T14:49:13Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > First, the FBI has identified Juggalos as a gang, so you gotta consider the source. Next, the inmates are screened for gang membership. There was one recently who thought he would get to the USDB and pledge to the Aryan Brotherhood. He went so far as to get a swastika tattooed on his face. This inmate is now in Protective Custody because the white inmates would not even accept him. > > I will concede that there are some gang members in the Army, but most will be disqualified before they get in. > > SFC Schwartz Confessing I don’t know who the Juggalos are, but I’m glad to know that from your vantage point the data is overblown. > [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > And to your other question, there are a lot of inmates with sex crimes. In my facility, no one is treated harshly for their crimes. The sex offenders may have longer before they are trusted, but there are so many that in some pods, they run the pods. > > SFC Schwartz I can’t find words to express how that makes me feel. On the one hand, I’m glad there’s no violence you have to deal with. On the other, that these guys aren’t at least even ostracized is kind of disturbing. It makes me wonder if men like that can ever come to see such a crime as vile, themselves, and therefore “recover” and become trustworthy citizens outside the prison population. Thanks for answering and for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/99 "2011-11-14T16:53:47Z")
You mentioned that inmates are evaluated with respect to what therapy to offer. What types of therapy is offered? Is some optional, and some mandatory? Does participating in treatment give “good points” that could e.g. be used for parole/furlough eligibility or to qualify for transfer to lower security? (e.g., "Inmate Jones, you must attend “Anger Management”, and “Detox”. If you do not, you will be written up for a disciplinary violation. You are encouraged to attend “Family Dynamics”. You may receive “good time” for attending, but not doing so is not a disciplinary violation and you may not be punished for not doing so. You are eligible to participate in “Quit Smoking”, “Getting Along With Others”, and “PTSD Reduction”, but attendance or non-attendance will not affect your eligibility for any privilege.) ---
**Author:** ![BeefTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BeefTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeefTaco)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578/100 "2011-11-14T18:21:39Z")
fascinating thread. a really good read [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-work-in-a-military-prison-ask-me-anything/602578.md?page=6)