- vast majority of sentencing is done thru plea deals. it's v common to plead guilty to something you didn't do in order to get a lighter sentence. the system cares more about assigning blame/punishment than finding out the truth
- if you reject the plea deal and go to trial, the prosecution will try to throw the book at you, i.e. charge you w a fuckton of different crimes that are really different segments of/angles on a single crime, which, when added together, can result in an extremely long sentence
- public defenders often suck/are overworked
- pre-sentencing investigations often bullshit shows
- prison is "mostly boring but punctuated with bursts of violence and drama"
- most are nonviolent drug offenders
- shitty healthcare, including mental healthcare, and shortage of healthcare professionals
- difficult to impossible to get an appt
- for-profit prisons will not send inmates to the hospital bc they have to pay for their stay
- stand up for yourself / don't be perceived as weak
- don't get in debt, stay in your lane, pay attention
- be wary of ppl giving you gifts bc they might be sexual predators
- prisoners vs. guards: never take a guard's side. prisoners work out problems amongst themselves
- prisoners don't take kindly to those they perceive as snitches (e.g. telling a guard about someone else's contraband) or who appear overly cozy w guards/admin
- restricted freedom of movement
- some guards smuggle in contraband
- contraband cell phones (and contraband in general) are common, but you can be sent to solitary if you're caught w/ one
- expensive: prison/legal fees / commissary & phones cost a lot. if others see that you have lots of $ or goods, they may try to extort you
- jail/minimum security prison can be more violent than higher-security prisons due to overcrowding/less surveillance/less regimentation
- exercise yards & personal tv sets can reduce violence
- you often don't get a pillow in jail. prison pillows are very thin
- fluorescent lighting 24/7
- jobs pay pennies on the hour
- jobs/housing after prison difficult to get
- if you're in danger from a gang, being moved to another prison does not guarantee safety as gang members can use outside contacts to track you and insiders at other prisons to keep eyes on you
- if someone really wants to fuck w/ you they could try to get your release date pushed forward (by planting contraband, provoking you to a fight, etc)
- no de jure segregation but yes de facto segregation
- some lifers are more dangerous bc of having nothing to lose, but many lifers are low-drama/calming presences
- stay clean bc disease spreads like wildfire
- bartering is common
- church can be a cover for gang meetings
- if you're up for a parole hearing, it helps to show remorse/have completed prison programming
- during bunk inspections, guards will make a mess of your stuff just for a power trip
- you can't do anything your first month as your paperwork is still going through
- "don't ask questions in prison" "unofficial rules you learn thru observation, inference, or cautious questioning of ppl you hope you can trust"
- don't ask ppl what they're in for, but ok to ask how much time they have
- jealousy is dangerous -- if you have a good thing, don't brag about it
- some guards are truly awful, others are regular ppl there to do a job. either way they can make your life hell if you get on their bad side, and there's basically nothing you can do
- if you file a grievance, it will almost always get ignored
- guards will typically not beat up prisoners (cameras) but can get another inmate to beat you up
- beatings often done w a lock inside a sock ("slock")
- lots of strip searches
- your mail may be thrown away/censored
- co positions commonly understaffed (esp to save money at for-profit prisons), corners get cut
- guards & prisoners may work together to give an impression of things being under control (e.g. guards ceding control to prison gangs and letting gang members discipline other inmates)
- morning & evening peak shower times
- prison jobs often have waitlists & you probably won't get the job you most want or are most "qualified" for
- privileges: good time (ability to get out early for good behavior), visits, phones, housing & job assignments. a co can take them away to punish you, or give extra work, or send you to the shu. but they have to be careful not to fill up the shu w minor offenders
- if you must testify at a trial in another state, be prepared to be moved around for days in buses/planes w circuitous routes & kept for weeks in dismal holding prisons w no answers to your questions
- "I might never see anything quite like this again, and immersing myself in my current situation, experiencing it, and learning everything there was to know, might be the way to live life, now and always"
- mandatory "re-entry classes" before release often bullshit shows & don't address inmates' actual concerns
- common to be assigned to a halfway house after release
may 27 2021 ∞
oct 9 2023 +