# If Trump does go to prison, what would it be like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [October 27, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554 "2019-10-27T17:02:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/61 "2023-08-20T19:55:16Z")
I realize that my opinion is affected by the fact that it’s trump that we’re talking about, but if his age didn’t stop him from committing the crime, it shouldn’t stop him from doing the time. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/62 "2023-08-20T19:55:24Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > This expert pointed out that we have lots of experience creating prison housing for “special” convicts—we’ve imprisoned governors, senators, etc. To use an international example, South Korea somehow found a way to put an ex-president in the slammer. He likewise pointed out that accommodating Trump’s SS protection would be trivially easy. This is true. I’m reminded of [Spandau Prison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spandau_Prison) where Rudolf Hess was the only prisoner from 1966-1987. It seems like Trump has already milked the US taxpayer for quite a pretty penny in modifying Mar-A-Lago as his official residence, as well as making acommodations for his secret service detail to reside there. I can think of one very good way for the federal government to recoup that investment. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/63 "2023-08-20T20:32:56Z")
No, I think I speak for the majority of Berliners when I say we don’t want him here. But if it is the only option, we’ll bite the bullet for the team. And if need be, we would gild the prison bars and even the toilet. And when he finally passes over we would smash the gilded bits to pieces and sell them for a profit, like we did with the remains of The Wall. > [@Velocity](#): > > I assume he would have no access to Twitter, no means to communicate except maybe JPay and handwritten letters. […] And presumably there’d be Secret Service agents assigned to him 24/7 too. Hand written by tanTrump? The Secret Service would likely take dictation. He is a functional analphabet. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2023, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/64 "2023-08-20T20:43:25Z")
The Spandau option is probably the best one. Create a special unit within an existing prison that would keep Trump isolated from all the other prisoners. There already are units that keep prisoners physically separated from each other but those units have prisoners in close enough proximity that they can talk to each other and try to pass things from cell to cell. I would speculate that with a prisoner as high profile as Trump the government would seek to avoid even that minimal amount of interaction. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/65 "2023-08-20T21:06:30Z")
If Federal, would Trump be housed in a minimum, low, medium, high, or administrative security prison? If Georgia, would Trump be housed in a minimum, close, medium, or special mission level prison? (If I have the correct classifications). > **[Close, Medium, and Special Mission Level Prisons In Georgia](https://www.prisonsinfo.com/close-medium-and-special-mission-level-prisons-in-georgia/)** > > What are the different levels of prisons in the State of Georgia? We have listed different Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 which are often described as Close, Medium, special mission level prisons. What about Trump’s co-defendants? Would they be housed in the same facility? Would Trump be able to socialize with them? I imagine a special unit with secret servicemen in an adjoining cell, where screened visitors and convicts could interact with the ex-President if he wished. As an aside, here’s a link to a set of fake AI images of Trump’s arrest, originally posted to twitter in March 2023 by investigative journalist Eliot Higgins of Bellingcat: > **[Thread by @EliotHiggins on Thread Reader App](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1637927681734987777.html)** > > @EliotHiggins: Making pictures of Trump getting arrested while waiting for Trump's arrest. This blew up etc, so donate to Bellingcat so we can catch bad guys and make scenes like this real bellingcat.com/donate/ Mea...… ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2023, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/66 "2023-08-20T21:13:45Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > If Federal, would Trump be housed in a minimum, low, medium, high, or administrative security prison? If Georgia, would Trump be housed in a minimum, close, medium, or special mission level prison? (If I have the correct classifications). > [https://www.prisonsinfo.com/close-medium-and-special-mission-level-prisons-in-georgia/](https://www.prisonsinfo.com/close-medium-and-special-mission-level-prisons-in-georgia/) I think the chances of the Supreme Court freeing him are high enough that he wouldn’t be ordered into prison before exhausting appeals. So we are talking about a quite elderly man. Hospital prison. But what if he is jailed for contempt of court? I guess regular jail. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2023, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/67 "2023-08-24T20:35:47Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, I saw comment somewhere the other day that if he were to end up in jail, the right would suddenly have a problem with how shitty our jail system is. Was it me? I said on the 15th: “One maybe potential positive thing- if all these soft, well-off buttholes got put away, there would be the first real effort at prison reform in decades.” ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2023, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/68 "2023-08-25T00:32:19Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, I saw comment somewhere the other day that if he were to end up in jail, the right would suddenly have a problem with how shitty our jail system is. I also give this a thumbs up. It is the biggest conceivable plus I see to having him jailed (given that punishment usually fails to do anything good). Watergate figure Chuck Colson [showed the way](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Colson): > [@](#): > > After his release from prison, Colson founded Prison Fellowship in 1976, which today is “the nation’s largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families”. Colson worked to promote prisoner rehabilitation and reform of the prison system in the United States, citing his disdain for what he called the “lock 'em and leave 'em” warehousing approach to criminal justice. I don’t see Trump personally following in those footsteps. That’s especially true because of the bad idea of the Secret Service following him into prison, almost guaranteeing him special treatment and isolating him from the general low-security prison population. But maybe one of the other alleged conspirators will do a Colson. ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/69 "2024-01-23T03:46:42Z")
Late to the party, just discovered this thread. Assuming he’s convicted in the DC insurrection trial (95+% chance, given DOJ history), his lawyers then file an appeal. Per DOJ rules, if Chutkan decides his appeal is weak, he is immediately remanded to custody, while awaiting the resolution of his appeal. If she decides his appeal has merit, then he is free on bond pending appeal. Given his defense aired so far, and his substandard lawyers, his appeal will definitely be weak. So… off to prison he goes. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/70 "2024-01-23T18:27:24Z")
> [@kay1864](#): > > So… off to prison he goes. I don’t think “custody” necessarily means “prison”. I think he sits around in Mar-A-Lago with an ankle bracelet he will gripe about being inhumane and hurting his bone spurs. ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/71 "2024-01-23T19:00:34Z")
‘Custody’ means starting whatever sentence he’s been given by the jury. For attempting to overthrow the government, I doubt he’ll get house arrest. More like 10+ years. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/72 "2024-01-23T19:09:56Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I think he sits around in Mar-A-Lago with an ankle bracelet he will gripe about being inhumane and hurting his bone spurs. No. It won’t be Mar-A-Lago, or any other house arrest scheme. It will be a federally-controlled facility. Even if they have to build a dedicated prison for him – which I don’t think they will – custodial and security concerns at someplace like Mar-A-Lago are huge. By comparison, the costs will be much reduced at a federal prison. The Feds know how to house high profile criminals. Trump will be such a one. He may end up in administrative segregation (ad seg) for his own protection in a regular federal prison, or he may end up in a facility specially built to house him that takes into account the needs of his Secret Service detail. But he won’t be going “home.” I’ll bet there are already people within the federal prison system who are already grappling with this issue and have some pretty good ideas about where Trump will be housed. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/73 "2024-01-23T19:17:47Z")
> [@kay1864](#): > > ‘Custody’ means starting whatever sentence he’s been given by the jury. Nitpick. The judge sets the sentence in Federal Court (and most states). But I agree, it probably would not be home confinement. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/74 "2024-01-23T19:30:35Z")
I’m glad then if he does do time in an actual prison, even if it’s a Martha Stewart kind of place, where it’s not really pleasant but far from “hard time”. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/75 "2024-01-23T19:37:58Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > or he may end up in a facility specially built to house him that takes into account the needs of his Secret Service detail. But he won’t be going “home.” Well, Camp David is already pretty secure. Build him a cottage out of bare concrete with built in steel furniture, and we’re done. Maybe add a fenced-in yard where, when Biden’s grandchildren come by, we can shock Trump until he comes out, and the kids can throw peanuts at him. ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/76 "2024-01-23T20:01:10Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > The judge sets the sentence in Federal Court (and most states). But I agree, it probably would not be home confinement. Ah, even better! I had read that Chutkan was unlikely to give anything less than 10+ years prison time, that it would send the wrong message to get house arrest for insurrection. But I also read that it was a jury trial. Thanks for clarifying who determines the sentence! ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/77 "2024-01-23T20:04:57Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > He may end up in administrative segregation (ad seg) for his own protection in a regular federal prison, [/quote] > > A.k.a. solitary confinement > > [quote=“Aspenglow, post:72, topic:842554”] or he may end up in a facility specially built to house him that takes into account the needs of his Secret Service detail. One option I saw floated was an abandoned naval base in Jacksonville. He’d have his choice of bunks! 😁 ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/78 "2024-01-23T20:17:09Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I’m glad then if he does do time in an actual prison, even if it’s a Martha Stewart kind of place, where it’s not really pleasant but far from “hard time”. This possibly sheds some light: > **[White Collar 'Country Club' Prisons? Not So Much](https://www.cnbc.com/id/49506680)** > > While many people believe convicted white collar criminals are condemned to nothing worse than being locked up in a “country club,” the fact is that there really is no such thing, CNBC's Scott Cohn reports. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/79 "2024-01-23T20:21:27Z")
> [@kay1864](#): > > This possibly sheds some light: That’s why I said it wouldn’t be pleasant. The US doesn’t have comfy prisons. I mentioned Martha Stewart because I had read about where she served time. It wasn’t the harsh prison that comes to mind when people think about jail, but it’s also not like a vacation place. I’d hate to serve time there. As your article suggests, it might depend on the sentence. I am not a lawyer or any kind of expert but I doubt Trump is facing over 100 years like Bernie Madoff (though for the severity of what he’s charged with I think it would be appropriate, just my opinion). ---
**Author:** ![kay1864](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kay1864/32/16024_2.png) [@kay1864](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kay1864)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554/80 "2024-01-23T20:30:58Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > The US doesn’t have comfy prisons. Agreed. If you’ve seen Orange is the New Black, that’s what some minimum security prisons are like. That’s where Michael Cohen was. He recounted rows of “cot cubicles”, but the bathrooms are separate, like in a college dorm. Average to crappy food. Frequent prisoner counts. Obviously he would have his own cubicle, away from gen pop. I foresee the Secret Service agent on duty bringing him a tray from the cafeteria three times a day. No more McDonald’s hamberders. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-trump-does-go-to-prison-what-would-it-be-like/842554.md?page=5)