I’ve heard that they are horrible, but what is up with them? What are they made of? Do any of you guys have a picture of what they look like?
I’m rather serious by the way. I’ve been researching for a screenplay I’m going to write and I was getting into prison issue clothing, and I have read by many an inmate that the shoes are horrible (although, I’m simply ok with it for most people in jail). A picture or something would be great, thanks!
Here is one prisoner’s experience:www.realoaxaca.com/memoir/hushpuppies.html
Keep in mind that he is talking about a minimum security Federal Prison Camp.
Where’s Qadgop? He’s a doc in a maximum-security prison. I bet he’s seen plenty of shoes.
I don’t know about jails, but the maximum-security prison where I work issues two pairs of shoes: work boots, and tennis shoes. They’re basic, solid, cheap shoes which cause a lot of discomfort as people break them in. We’re in the process of changing over to a mixed work/rec shoe combo, which may engender fewer complaints.
For most people, the discomfort is not significant outside of the pain it causes. For some inmates, it is an issue if they have bunions, or diabetes with foot complications, or other problems.
Once the inmate leaves our intake and processing prison (8000 go thru a year) and reaches their permanant assignment, they can order one pair of recreational shoes from a shoe store. They must cost under $100 and be paid for from their own funds. They must be in the original packaging from the shoe store, and are subject to search by security before being issued to the ordering inmate.
Shoes are quite a status symbol in prison, as are extra mattresses, pillows, blankets, and lower bunks. I constantly have patients coming to me insisting they need special shoes. Some do. Most don’t.
From experience.
I thought the new rage in prison footwear were the Vans-like slip-on sneakers.
Well my brother got shower shoes and some kind of slip on shoes and then he got to order some more comfortable sneakers once he was out of intake.
I forget what he ordered exactly but like QtM said, he ordered them with his own funds (deposited by my mother into his prison account.) He now has a job where he gets $1/day and one day of ‘good time’ a month.