It seemed like the end of my life when I was sent to federal prison. My stomach turned over and I wanted to vomit all at once. Throughout our process, most of my highly compensated attorneys told me that I would get 18 months or so before coming home, but that didn’t happen. (If my “white collar” crime had not resulted in my execution, but that is another story).
It was of course a total unknown for me. As of the time of my arrest and arraignment, I had only spent 24 hours in jail, so that experience proved to be no indication of what prison life would be like. Having only seen the movies and television, all I knew was what I had seen. I was terrified.
Our search for writings on doing time on the internet and in bookstores cost us a great deal of time, but we found little insight. The contents of the report were either poorly written, including the mental ramblings of one gentleman, or silly attempts at humor with a situation that, in my opinion, was far from funny.
The thoughts that buzzed around inside my head made it difficult for me to concentrate. According to my, the following information is important to know.
1. Your safety is not at risk.
It is not necessary to be concerned about being sexually assaulted in the shower, despite what you may have seen on TV or read elsewhere. As far as I am aware, such a thing doesn’t take place in a camp setting. According to what I saw, camp is an environment where people basically live and let live. We can get along just fine if we each mind our own business.
Violence was occasionally witnessed by me: They were always started by inmates and groups of inmates who interfered in each other’s business. The punishment for fighting is solitary confinement, or as it’s called inside the “Hole”.
2. It is a myth that Club Fed exists.
A creature of this kind does not exist. Despite what has been written, there are no tennis courts, saunas, woodshops, computers, etc. Additionally, you shouldn’t count on getting an education while you’re in school. Even the high school equivalency certificates offered by other facilities weren’t available in Atlanta when I lived there.
The park has a football field, a fenced walking track, and a basketball court. At the time I was there, free weights were being removed from under an outdoor shed. If you apply yourself to an exercise routine in Federal Prisons, you will be able to improve your health. It was my experience while I was in prison.
3. Don’t expect fair treatment.
There are good and bad prison guards, counselors, and staff. Those who are fond of you will take care of you. Your everyday dealings with them may not always turn out the way you had hoped. The people she likes typically get better jobs and housing, while others are stuck with not-so-good responsibilities.
The circumstances were ideal for me. My reputation on the compound in Atlanta was pretty good, and I ended up getting the best job. I was working in the powerhouse as a clerk. During the winter and summer, I sat in the office with the guards all day and kept payroll records, and read meters. All-day, I gave them good advice on investing in real estate and kept them smiling. It was great to be able to talk to the guards and staff members. You should find it easier to communicate with them.
4. Money is not possible.
Prisoners are not allowed to have cash, though it does exist. If you are caught with it, you will be sent to solitary confinement. Despite not even knowing that I was receiving it, I narrowly escaped punishment after a friend sent me money in the mail.
A card is issued to you upon entry. The card serves as your charge card at the facility so that you can make phone calls, shop at the commissary, and use vending machines.
The amount you are paid for working is also placed on that card, as well as up to $300 per month from an outside source or family member. In terms of your monthly expenditures, I would recommend not trying to smuggle cash in. This will go much more smoothly for you.
5. Meals are decent.
I was at two facilities, and in each I found the food to be edible, and there was enough to satisfy my hunger without being excessively heavy. Three meals are served per day, and they arrive pretty early compared with other countries.
Breakfast is normally grits and eggs, toast or biscuits, sometimes sausages and bacon, and coffee at 5:30 a.m. The lunch menu changes daily at 11:00 a.m. The dinner menu changes daily as well: It includes pizza, corned beef, hamburgers and hotdogs, fish, as well as chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, and hotdogs. The commissary allows you to purchase snacks along with soft drinks and candy every week.
6. It’s loud in prison.
I had the hardest time adjusting to the noise. When fifty to a hundred men are gathered together in one big room, they can sound like a train coming down the tracks as they talk, laugh, sometimes yell, cough, snore, fart, and sing. Getting used to it can be challenging, but you’ll get there. When you are trying to sleep, you should purchase earplugs from the commissary.
7. Dental care and medical care are terrible.
When you enter the clinic, be sure to bring a list of any medications you need. At the medical dispensary, you will receive daily prescriptions for your medication. You can store pills in your locker, such as blood pressure medications.
Do your best to stay healthy while you’re there because the doctors and dentists are understaffed and generally uncaring. We will notify the hospital if you develop a medical emergency. I can’t comment on the type of care provided, but I doubt it would be award-winning.