Learning the hard way

I saw the funniest thing I’ve seen since I’ve been in prison today. This morning I woke up early, made my bed and went outside to get in the canteen line.

When I got to the canteen line, I turned around and there was an inmate with his bed in the middle of the yard.

Literally his whole bed.

It turns out he didn’t make his bed right, so the COs made him drag his bed rack outside and made him make and remake his bed over and over for two hours straight. It was so funny. On top of that, it looked like it was going to rain all morning, but lucky for him it didn’t.

A trip to the dentist

Every institution I’ve been to, I’ve had to go to the dentist about my two back teeth and every dentist I’ve seen says I’m fine and my teeth don’t need any work done.

Well last week I decided to try to talk to the dentist here at Lancaster with the hope that I’ll finally come across a dentist that actually knows what they’re doing.

Today I got called to the dentist and when I got there, I walked in, sat down and they took x-rays of my two back teeth. I fully expected that just like all the other dentists, they would say my teeth are fine even though they hurt.

When the dentist called me back in, she said, “You do have a cavity, but I don’t think that’s what your problem is. From what I can see, your wisdom tooth is coming in at an angle and pushing the tooth in front of it.”

I couldn’t believe she actually admitted there was something wrong with my teeth. So right then, she gave me two [temporary] fillings for my cavities and told me that if my pain was bothering me in a few days, to fill out another dental call out and they’ll have to ship me back to Lake Butler to cut my wisdom tooth out. I’m just glad something is finally being done.

Ted has been in a lot of pain since he wrote this entry. He’s trying to put it off as long as possible because he really doesn’t want to go to Lake Butler, even if it’s just for a few days. There’s no way he’ll be able to avoid it though.

Funny punishment

Here at Lancaster work camp, they have an inside ground work crew and their job is to walk around and pick up trash, cigarette butts and pretty much whatever it takes to keep the compound looking nice.

Well yesterday, the sergeant sent eight people around to pick up trash during recreation. Out of those eight people, seven went and sat on the bleachers and decided they weren’t going to do anything and just hoped that the COs wouldn’t notice. Well they did.

Now normally, the COs would make them do push-ups, jumping jacks and other physical training, but instead, the sergeant made those seven people get in a circle and hold hands and walk around in circles (just like ring-around-the-rosie) for about an hour.

Every one of those seven did it with his head down. They were all so ashamed that they couldn’t even look at all the people laughing at them. I have to admit – I was laughing too.

Christmas 1993

New blog entries from Ted will be posted starting tomorrow.

This Christmas video is a year later when Teddy was 4½. His great-grandmother had just died two and a half weeks earlier on December 8th. He had been very close to her. Consequently, that particular Christmas was not a very happy one.

Teddy and his Daddy

I visited Ted on Friday (Christmas Day), Saturday and Sunday. Because none of the motels in the Trenton area have Internet access, there was a delay posting blog entries.

This is a video clip of Teddy at age 3 with his Daddy on Christmas Day, 1992.

When I returned home, I found several blog posts from Ted had come in the mail.

Teddy at age 3 on Christmas Day 1992

Nothing gets Ted to send blog entries quicker than posting videos of him when he was little!

Here’s a video of him on Christmas Day, 1992 when he was 3½ years old. In a couple of places, the camera is shaking – that’s due to me laughing while filming it off of the VCR!

If you can't view the video, you can see it on YouTube here.

Lodging near Lancaster

I’m waiting on more entries to arrive from Ted. Meanwhile…

Visitation at Lancaster work camp is on Saturday and Sunday (and major holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lancaster C.I. is located in Trenton, about 10 minutes from Chiefland, Florida.

There are three small motels in Fanning Springs, six miles from the prison: Suwannee River Inn, Park Inn and Crystal Inn. In Chiefland, there are two hotels: Holiday Inn Express and Best Western Suwannee Valley Inn.

I first stayed at the Suwannee River Inn and the nightly rate is $49. The room includes a air-conditioning/heating unit, a refrigerator and microwave and two queen beds. Unfortunately, there were also six cockroaches in the room with me – two dead and four live ones.

The next time, I stayed at the Park Inn. The sign out front advertised a rate of $32. The rate with tax was $35. The woman who checked me in was friendly. Two weeks later, I again decided to stay at the Park Inn. The proprietor, an older Indian man, informed me the rate was $45. When I informed him that was a $10 difference from the previous time, he brought the rate down to $40. When I went back outside, I noticed the former rate of $32 was no longer advertised on the sign in front. The Park Inn also has an air-conditioning/heating unit, a refrigerator and microwave and two queen beds, and thankfully, no bugs were in evidence.

The third motel, the Crystal Inn, is for sale. There is an unheated pool out front and a Chinese restaurant right next to the motel. I called for the rates and found out that a single room is $38 and a double is $42.

All three motels have showers only, no bathtubs. They also have cable TV, but no Internet access.

The rates in Chiefland are much higher, but the amenities are better. Chiefland is about 13 miles from the prison. The rates for the Holiday Inn vary from $75 - $110. The Best Western Rates range from $71 - $93. Book through the Internet to get cheaper rates for both hotels.

Park Inn
17850 NW Us Highway 19
Fanning Springs, FL 32693
352-463-2069

Suwannee River Motel
17210 NW Us Highway 19
Fanning Springs, FL 32693
352-463-7563

Crystal Inn
16951 NW Us Highway 19
Fanning Springs, FL 32693
352-463-7214

Best Western Suwannee Valley Inn
1125 N. Young Blvd, Chiefland, FL 32626
352-493-0663
Pool, satellite TV with Starz movie channels, microwaves and refrigerators in every room, with free continental breakfast.

Holiday Inn Express
809 NW 21st Avenue, Chiefland, FL 32626
352-493-9400
Pool, whirlpool, continental breakfast, high-speed Internet, laundry facility, coffeemaker and hairdryer in each room.

Photos: Park Inn, Park Inn room, Suwannee River Motel, Crystal Inn

First phone call from prison

Yesterday I received my first phone call from Ted since he went to prison on September 22nd. Hey, it only took three months!

Our phone company, Bright House, blocked any calls from prisons. Previously, I mentioned that an account needed to be set up with Correctional Billing Services to be able to receive calls. Correctional Billing Services said there were several ways to pay: by Western Union, credit card, direct billing through the phone company (for an additional fee) or direct billing through Correction Billing Services (via a credit check, but no additional fee). You can only receive collect calls from a prison on a home phone - no cell phones are allowed.

I had previously chosen to be direct billed on my phone bill, but Ted tried to call Tuesday and Friday and was unable to get through. I luckily visited him on Saturday and Sunday (more on that later) and he told me the calls wouldn’t connect.

When I got back home, I called Correctional Billing Services (the only service Florida allows) and made a prepaid account for $50. The representative advised me that for each call, there was a connect fee of $1.20 and each minute would be .04. Since Ted can only make one 15 minute call per day, this would buy 27 calls.

It was so wonderful to hear his voice – especially during this holiday week. He called again tonight. Ted recently experienced a stressful situation at Lancaster. Like so much of what goes on inside, he’s not able to write about it at this time.

He should be eligible to go to a work release camp soon. He will be able to pick two work release camps and will choose two close to home. The closest ones are in Largo, St. Petersburg and Tampa. Apparently, inmates at work release camps go to real jobs for eight hours and return to the camps in the evenings.

First week at Lancaster work camp

I have now been here at the work camp a week and I’m starting to get settled in.

This place is way better than any of the other institutions I’ve been to. Even though it’s a pretty laid back camp, I spent my last week observing my surroundings. It’s a habit I’ve formed from being transferred a lot in the last several months.

Anyway, one thing I’ve noticed is there is still gang activity, but not much. They pretty much stick to themselves because it’s too sweet here and they don’t want to leave. Of course, there are a few of them though that don’t seem to care and I can just tell that they won’t last long.

I’m hoping that for me, though, these last seven months will fly by without incidents, but this is still prison and you just never know.

Photo: Entrance to Lancaster work camp

Moved to Lancaster work camp

After two weeks being in orientation here at Lancaster, I was finally moved across the street to the work camp. It feels so good to be here and off the main compound.

Here at the work camp, we get to go to rec (recreation) three times a day, and not many people here do anything stupid to get in trouble because everybody wants to stay here.

I’ve already been assigned a job. I work in the kitchen, the job a lot of people want because you get to eat all day. I got really lucky with that job. I’m not sure when I start yet, but I hope it’s soon. I can’t wait.

Another good thing is you can buy canteen (commissary) every day. That’s good considering that your stuff may be stolen if you don’t have a lock for your locker. So far, nothing’s been stolen from me since I’ve been at Lancaster, but hey, this is prison.

Overall though, I’m happy I finally made it to the work camp and now the days should start to fly by.

Photo: Google Earth aerial photo of Lancaster work camp (Click to enlarge)

A time bomb waiting to happen

A little while ago, I wrote about a fight that was four bunks away from me in the orientation dorm. It was the one where a guy had someone else pinned down while he just kept hitting him in the face until they were both gassed.

Well, anyway on my last day in the dorm, both people who were involved moved back into the same dorm at the same time. Not only that, they were assigned bunks literally right next to each other! I couldn’t believe it. I would have thought that they would have wanted to keep them as far apart from each other as possible, but instead, they couldn’t have moved them any closer together than they are now. I just don’t understand why they’d do that.

Already the guy who got beat up is looking like he wants revenge and just like last time, I’m just going to sit back and watch.

Time

I keep telling myself I only have eight more months, but sometimes it seems like it’s never going to get here.

At other times, it seems like time is flying, but the pages of my calendar don’t turn over fast enough.

I heard a lot of people ask me how much time I had. I’d tell them I got 24 months, but I have about eight months left. And then they’d say, “Oh you’re practically home.” Sure it makes me feel good to hear that, but I don’t feel close to going home.

Hey, I guess it could be worse. I could have 4 – 5 years to do or 15 – Life. At least I’ll be home next year. Sure it’s not that soon, but it’s not that long either.

The Holidays

I’ve got to say – holidays are the worst when you’re incarcerated. It’s not just the day that sucks. It’s the whole week or two leading up to the holiday.

I can’t help but think about how I’m missing being able to be with my family. I wonder what everybody ate on Thanksgiving or if they set off fireworks and had a barbeque on the 4th of July.

Christmas is always the worst for me. All the COs start getting in the Christmas spirit. I see ads in the newspaper for Christmas bargains, and worst of all, I have to spend Christmas and every other holiday with a bunch of people I don’t really care about.

I’ve spent too many holidays locked up and I can’t take it anymore. From now on, I’m going to be out to spend holidays with my family.

Why I write

I feel like I need to make my intentions clear. I don’t write because the prison system is messed up and the COs mistreat inmates on a daily basis – although it’s true. I write because I want to help anyone who may be following my same path.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t agree with the way the prisons are run, and I think something should be done, and hey, if I succeed at doing that, even if it’s a small change, then great.

But the main reason I write about things I see in prison is so that others who haven’t been here yet will realize that this place is not where they want to end up. That’s the main reason I continue to write.

Sign language

Here in prison, there are going to be times when you’re unable to talk. For instance, if you’re in class or walking in line, whatever. Another form of communication that I’m working on learning during times like that is sign language. It’s not complete sign language, but just the letters of the alphabet, but that could still come in handy for me.

So far, I’ve learned the alphabet. I’m just working on being able to sign and read sign language at a reasonable pace. Right now I’m still getting certain letters confused with one another. I say give me another month at the most and I’ll have the hang of it.

I think when I get out of prison I might take a class to learn how to do more than just the alphabet. I never thought sign language could be fun, but it is.

Photo: American Sign Language alphabet. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Late night fight

Right now I’m housed in an open bay dorm. So everybody sleeps in one big room. There’s about 40 – 60 people in here on average.

Anyway, last night as I was asleep, I woke up to somebody screaming “What the &%$*. Help me, Help!” So I jumped up and looked.

Four beds down from me, this big white guy had another littler guy pinned down and he just kept hitting him in the face over and over. Nobody even tried to stop him. He must of hit him at least 30 times in the face without the other guy being able to block his shots.

Finally, the CO ran in and gassed both of them. Their spray is so strong it affected EVERYBODY in the dorm. I kept choking on it.

When the guy who got beat up finally stood up, he was unrecognizable and covered from head to toe in blood. I don’t even know how he was conscious, let alone able to stand up.

I have to say that was one of the worst beatings I’ve ever seen in my life. After everything was over, nobody could figure out why he even beat the other guy up. Those two people never argued once. They actually seemed to get along.

I’m just waiting to see what will happen next.

Ted told me that at Brevard, a correctional officer told him that a kid was stabbed 22 times one day during the last week he was there. Ted hasn’t heard if the kid survived.

Finding friends

One thing I’m making sure I do is pick my friends out more carefully.

Being in prison, I’m surrounded by people who have accepted their way of living and feel like nobody can tell them what to do. I’m not one of those people.

Sure I could become their friend, but I know that would only drag me back down to their level, and I’ve been there way too many times.

So now I’ve started picking the people I hang around with more wisely. All the people I put myself around are trying to fix themselves just like I am. Too bad there aren’t more people like that, but I have found three good people to be around. We all pray for each other and we all need it.

Unfortunately, I’m the only one going to the work camp, so I’m going to have to leave them behind to find new friends and that’s the hard part. If worse comes to worse, I’ll stick to myself, but I’m sure I’ll be okay no matter what.

A long week

I’ve now been at Lancaster exactly a week. Now I know that’s not long, but it feels like I’ve been here a month. My whole body hurts from having to PT every day and marching.

The march to chow alone is about ¼ mile there and another ¼ mile back. Plus I have HUGE holes in my shoes. I might as well be marching barefoot.

On top of that we PT every day. Depending on how people in our dorm act, depends on how much we PT. Since most of the people in here have that ‘I don’t care’ attitude, we do a lot of PT.

It’s kinda funny though because the CO will tell everybody to shut up and stop talking and not more than two seconds later, people are talking again.

Also another thing I noticed. The same people that in my dorm tell everyone to be quiet are the main ones that talk. I still haven’t figured that out.

Well, only one more week to go. Hopefully!

Chances

I have to be honest. I don’t deserve any more chances.

I keep hearing people say things like “Here’s your shot at a second chance.” I’ve had so many second chances that I can’t count them all.

On my juvenile criminal record I have something like 14 felonies and 8 – 12 misdemeanors. Whenever I think about that, it seems to me that all hope is lost. But for some reason, I find myself straining and fighting, so that I don’t continue down the same path.

Even though I know it’s hard to change, I can’t help but try. I find myself reading books and looking for anything to better myself, and sometimes I don’t even realize I’m doing it.

I don’t even care if I have the worst job in the world when I get out. I just can’t stand to look in a mirror and look at myself and see nothing but a loser. I want to be able to at least say ‘I’m trying’.

A fight at the chow hall

Last night as we were getting up to put our trays up from eating, somebody from two tables away from me got up and walked calmly up to somebody at my table. He then just started punching the guy in the face and hitting him with his tray.

I immediately ran and stood along the wall because I knew the COs were coming and they were going to gas people. The gas they use is a very strong pepper spray that burns even more when you try and wash it off with water.

I guess the COs took into consideration that people were still eating, so they didn’t gas anybody, but they did throw the guy who punched the other guy onto the ground. They kicked him in the ribs a few times, then handcuffed him and put him in the box.

Orientation

Orientation here at Lancaster is physically and mentally exhausting. We wake up at 5 a.m. every morning. We get up and make our beds. There can’t be any wrinkles in the sheets or blankets. There must be an eight-inch fold at the head of the bed and at all corners of the blankets you have to have a perfect 45-degree angle.

After we make our beds, we shave and brush our teeth. Then we line up and go to breakfast. On our way to breakfast (or any other meal), we have to march in step and sound off. It’s a pain! That’s why our shoes only last a week through this two-week orientation.

After breakfast, we come back and sit quietly on the floor until the first count time. When count time comes, we all have to get up and run to the wall and quickly line up in four rows facing the wall. During this count, shift change also occurs. After count time, we go outside and PT (physical training) for about 45 minutes. It’s not so bad right now since it’s starting to get cold outside.

After PT, we go back inside and sit on the floor all morning without talking until lunch. When lunch time comes, we march just like we did at breakfast. When we come back from lunch, we go right back to sitting on the floor.

For the rest of the day, up until lights out at 9:30 p.m., all we really do is sit on the floor. The only thing that even happens in the day is about 7:30 p.m. or 8 p.m., the CO will give you a clean set of blues (uniforms) and pass out mail. Also right before lights out, we get to take showers. So for the first two weeks, you can’t do anything and it’s so boring, but after being in the box [in Brevard] where I couldn’t do anything if I wanted to, this should be easy or at least easier.

Why I got into trouble

For some reason, my mom is convinced that she is somehow responsible for my behavior and bad choices I’ve made in the past.

Sure, maybe she spoiled me too much, but that’s not the reason I joined a gang or started using drugs. My mom did everything she could to keep me out of trouble and provided everything I needed to succeed, but it was my decisions that led me to where I am today.

So then what caused you to make poor decisions, join a gang and do drugs, you might ask? Well, I’ve though a lot about it and I’ve come to this conclusion: Every kid at a certain age goes through a stage where he/she doesn’t want to listen to his parents. Kids are in too much of a rush to grow up. Depending on the group of friends they have and what type of atmosphere they’re exposed to will play a big part in who they become.

Also it’s a very good idea for them to have hobbies or some kind of activity that they enjoy to help fill up their free time. That was one thing I never had. I didn’t play many sports, play an instrument, go paintballing or anything else. I had way too much free time and freedom. I was in such a rush to grow up that I wanted to do what I saw all the older kids doing. They drank, smoked cigarettes and weed, and did pretty much whatever they wanted to do without their parents telling them what to do. Eventually I started doing what they did and it made me feel more adult-like. After awhile, I stopped going to school and missed any and all opportunities that came with it. I wasn’t playing sports, I wasn’t doing chores, I really didn’t do anything. I wasn’t doing anything I was supposed to.

All I wanted to do was get high and hang out with my friends. Nothing else mattered. Well today I’m paying for all that. If I could go back and change things I would, but since I can’t, I’m trying to make the best of it.

My advice to any parents who are willing to listen is simply this – and you’ve probably heard it all before, but it couldn’t be more true. Don’t let your children get to the point where you can’t control them. Set firm rules and you can’t under any circumstances let them break those rules without punishing them. It’s up to you how you punish them, but don’t go easy, but don’t be too cruel either. Let them know you mean business. For those parents whose kids are already getting out of control, all I can tell you is make sure they get what they deserve. Let their punishment fit the crime and hopefully they’ll realize it’s not worth the trouble. If that means they have to spend a few weeks in the JDC (Juvenile Department of Corrections), then so be it. Some people just have to learn the hard way. Look at me.

The best Thanksgiving ever

OK, so I’m in prison and that sucks, but still under these circumstances, I still had the best Thanksgiving I ever had.

Today I saw my mom for the first time in person in 13 months. She just sent in the visitation forms [to Lancaster] not even two weeks ago and yesterday, the day before Thanksgiving, she was approved over the phone.

I was positive that she couldn’t come today. I was just hoping she’d be approved before Christmas. I was so surprised, I just couldn’t believe it!

We sat there in visitation for almost six hours and I had a blast. I almost forgot what it was like to hug my mom. It felt so good.

This Thanksgiving meant more to me than any other one I’ve had or probably will have. This is just one of many examples of how God can do anything.

Visitation at Lancaster

I was able to visit Ted again yesterday for three hours. He has been moved to the work camp across the street from the correctional institution at Lancaster. The work camp has its own visitation center.

All week long I had worried about Ted being cold. The visitation room at Lancaster C.I. was cold when I visited on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. The inmates’ jackets are very thin – more like Dickies long-sleeved work shirts. During that weekend, the temperature was probably in the mid-60s and he and I both shivered for most of the visits. Ted said the dormitories at the main correctional center did not have either air-conditioning or heating. I wondered how he would fare as the weather got colder.

The concrete-block-walled visitation room at the main correctional institution measured about 15’ X 30’ with five long tables. Each table had eight chairs. (Approximately 35 inmates received visits on Thanksgiving and 15 received visits on Black Friday.) Inside the room was a bookshelf with children’s books, crayons and toys for any children that came to visit and a vending machine. A trustee sat behind a caged window to sell canteen food items, photo tickets and playing cards. Two microwaves were used to heat up the frozen canteen sandwiches and pizzas. Three doors led to restrooms (one for men visitors, one for women visitors and one for inmates.) Glass doors led to a 40’ X 50’ fenced-in outside area with concrete benches and tables. We did sit outside for a bit (in a patch of sun) and watched his unit quite a distance away as they clustered around an area (to dig holes he said) and then marched off in rows of three.

This weekend, Ted's stepfather and I arrived at the work camp. It was much smaller than the main institution. A guard asked for IDs through the wire fence and disappeared inside. Through the fence, I saw groups of young men marching in platoon formation, sounding off to a CO’s drills. I noticed that those young men were wearing the same blue uniforms and BoBo’s, but had red hats.

The officer returned and we emptied our pockets. We walked through a metal detector. As before, a female CO led me inside to a separate room and I took off my shoes. She checked the insides of my shoes and the bottom of my socks and patted me down for contraband. We were handed visitor’s passes and led to a fenced-in area close by the entrance.

The work camp’s visitation area was much larger than the C.I.’s. Probably twice as big. (The room doubled as a chapel, Ted said.) There were also three restrooms and a caged canteen, microwaves and a vending machine. This room contained more tables that were three times as long as the C.I.’s visitor center. Small shelves held decks of cards, chess and checker sets and books, and a desk contained crayons, Xeroxed word searches and coloring pages for the children.

Glass windows looked out over the large outside visiting area with concrete tables and benches. The windows facing the rest of the work camp had white paper taped over it. The portion of the chain link fence outside facing the camp had white material also blocking the view of the camp. There was a small section of fence that had not been taped on the other side where I could see Ted’s dorm and even his window and bed. (He was on the top of a bunkbed.)

Ted will tell much more (I had two letters of 14 pages waiting when I returned home), but the inside of the dorms were not cold, he said. He had two blankets, two sheets and a PILLOW (which he didn’t have before).

He received ALL of the books I had sent to the various prisons when he arrived at the work camp. He is now working in the kitchen washing pots and pans. Another young man washed the dishes. Two or three more cooked the food for the 270 people at the work camp.

It was very good to see him. He had been issued used black work boots because the kitchen floor was slippery. (No more BoBos!) He also now had THREE uniforms! No photo tickets were sold this weekend, so I was unable to get a picture of his new boots.

Last Tuesday, he had sat all day in a just-issued new uniform in confinement at the correctional institution waiting on an interview with an ABC reporter. (Someone had neglected to notify the reporter of the interview date until the day before.) The reporter told me the new interview date was scheduled for December 15th and I will call the prison to make sure that they know as well.

Ted said Lancaster work camp was the best out of all the prisons where he had been.

Photo: Google Earth aerial photo of Lancaster Correctional Institution and Lancaster Work Camp (Click photo to enlarge.)

Letter from Lancaster

This letter was written before I visited Ted on Thanksgiving.

Hey Mom,

I’m ok, just so you know. I was at Orlando for one week and five days and now I’m at Lancaster. My first two weeks are like boot camp.

You’re never allowed to talk. You can’t sit on your bed during the day. You have to make your bed perfect and there’s PT training. When I’m done with this orientation, I’ll most likely be going to the work camp across the street.

I don’t have time to learn a trade since I only have about eight months [left].

Oh yea, I got some good news. The books you sent me at Brevard were forwarded here. They said when I get out of orientation, I’ll get them. They said there’re four in my property I think.

I haven’t had my own pen or pencil for the last month and a half almost, but now I do, so I can write more than I have been.

I just talked to my classification officer and I will be going to the work camp for sure. I’m not sure if it’s a different address or not because it’s only across the street.

Other than that I’m just waiting to go to my work camp. I can’t wait. I miss you a lot.

Love Teddy

P.S. Need stamps and envelopes. Who knows where the ones I had are.

During visitation, Ted told me that during orientation, all the new inmates spend the entire day sitting on the concrete floor at the foot of their beds. They only get up to go to meals (a 10 minute march to the chow hall, 10 minutes to eat and a 10 minute march back), and to do PT. The rest of the day they have to sit on the floor without talking to anyone. They get up at about 6 a.m. and go to bed at 9:30 p.m.

Ted met another kid that he knew at Brevard who came to Lancaster a week after Ted arrived. The inmates at Brevard had their pens withheld for the last two weeks that Ted was there. The day Ted left for Lancaster, all the pens were returned to the inmates. Obviously someone didn’t want Ted writing about Brevard on the blog, so everyone suffered. Ted said he will write more about this.

I sent plenty of envelopes and stamps to all four of the places Ted has been. They apparently never made it to Lancaster. I also sent a total of 11 books to Lake Butler and Brevard.

I received an email notification from the VINE notification system saying that Ted had been transferred to the Lancaster work camp on Wednesday, November 2nd. The work camp is across the street from the main correctional institution and is only for inmates with a minimum security rating who have had no violent charges. Inmates in the work camp participate on work crews that go to surrounding towns doing landscaping and other jobs that the communities need to have done.

Photo: Lancaster Work Camp

My permanent camp

Yesterday on November 18th, I was transferred to Lancaster Correctional Institution. This is the fourth prison I’ve been to. Out of these four, two of them have been Reception Centers, and now I’m at my second main camp.

For my first two weeks here I have to go through a two-week orientation. Two weeks isn’t long, but it’s horrible.

For most of my first day, I stood up on my feet and was forced to do PT (physical training). They had us outside in a sandpit running laps, doing push-ups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, and six-inch killers which were the worst.

It wasn’t so bad for the first hour, but it must have kept going for at least another hour and a half. At least two and a half hours altogether.

All I’m trying to focus on right now is finishing this orientation and then I’m eligible to go straight to the work camp across the street. From what I’m told, I’ll be going straight there. I sure hope so. All this PT is killing me.

Oh yea, I forgot to mention the best part. Right before we started to do PT, the CO told us that if we spit or throw up in the sand pit, we would have to pick it up with our hands and put it in our pocket. It’s a disgusting thought, but I have to be honest – I kinda wanted to see someone have to put vomit in their pocket, but nobody had to.

Photo: Entrance to Lancaster C.I.

Bo Bo's

When you first get to prison, you are issued everything you need. Among everything you get, a pair of shoes are included. These no-named shoes are widely known in prison as Bo Bo’s. They are the most uncomfortable and shortest-lasting shoes you will ever own.

I got a new pair of Bo Bo’s exactly one week ago and I looked at the bottom of my shoes today and I already have holes appearing in the bottom from having to march and run everywhere I go.

It will be too soon if I ever have to wear these stinking, holey and uncomfortable shoes again.

Photo: Ted at Lancaster C.I. on Thanksgiving Day. Visitors can purchase up to five photos at around $2 per photo. (Click photo to enlarge.)

Hot, Cold

At just about every prison (with the exception of the privately-owned prisons), there’s no A/C. If you live in Florida like me, you know how hot it can be most of the year.

During those months that it’s hot, there is never any real relief from the heat. Then when it finally gets cold, the prison hands out these jackets that on the streets wouldn’t even qualify as a jacket. All it really is, is a thin piece of fabric.

When it goes from being unbearably hot to freezing cold, it makes you wish it was hot again.

So far, it’s only been really cold for two or three days so it hasn’t been that bad, but November just started, so I know some really cold weather is just around the corner.

My bed at Orlando

On Friday, November 5th (I believe), I was transferred from Brevard back to the Orlando Reception Center. This time was no different from any other time I’ve been transferred. They shackled us, strip-searched us, pretty much the normal stuff.

When I got to Orlando, they gave me a bed roll with my sheets and blanket and assigned me a cell.

I went to my cell and when I walked in, I looked at my mat and it looked like somebody was stabbed to death on it. I mean the whole mat is covered in what looks like dried blood. It’s so gross. I can’t think of anything else it might be, but all I know is I stay awake thinking about it. Ehhh.

A Thanksgiving surprise

I called Lancaster C.I. on Tuesday, November 24th and asked if they had received my visitation form yet. They hadn’t. I had mailed a form to Brevard on November 3rd and another to Lancaster on November 20th. Visitation forms could take up to 30 days to process.

The next day, I phoned Lancaster again at 11 a.m., hoping that they received my form and I might be able to visit Ted on Thanksgiving. I prayed a lot for that over the past week! They told me to call back at 1 p.m.

I called again at 1 p.m. I pretty much had given up hope that I’d be able to visit Ted on Thanksgiving, but thought I might get to visit him on Christmas.

I was transferred to Ted’s classification officer. She was extremely nice. She told me she had received the form and took the time to process it and to conduct the background check right over the phone! I now would be able to visit Ted on Thanksgiving Day!

I hurriedly packed. Before leaving, I checked the mail and found a letter from Ted. He had enclosed four more visitation forms. I knew he would have no clue whatsoever that I was coming!

I reserved a room at a small motel outside of Trenton and drove the six miles to Lancaster to make sure I could find it in the morning.

I was up very early the next day and got to the prison promptly at 9 a.m. Visitation hours were 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., although visitors could arrive at 8:15. I soon found out why someone would want to get there early. It took 45 minutes to process the initial visitation and 15 minutes more for Ted to arrive at the visitation room.

I finally saw Ted in person for the first time in 13 months! (At the county jail, we visited on a video monitor and even then, the last video visitation was on September 9th.)

Boy was he surprised! We were allowed to hug once at the start of the visit and once at the end of the visit. I stayed from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Ted asked if I could come the next day too, so I got another room at a different motel (which was cheaper and nicer) and arrived the next day at 8:15 a.m. We visited on Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

We talked for 11 hours over those two days! I found out a lot of information and heard some pretty horrific stories, which Ted will write about.

Both of us feel a whole lot better now.

A bad week for someone else too

Here at the Orlando Reception Center, I’m not the only one watching his back this week. (See previous entry.)

In my pod, there is one guy that supposedly snitched on a gang member at another camp. As it turns out, somebody recognized him.

Ever since certain people found out, they’ve been discussing what they should do. After a day of contemplating, they decided to poke him up (stab him). They made a shank and all.

I’m not sure when they’re going to do this, but supposedly it’s a for sure thing. The only fact I know for certain is they made a shank for just that purpose.

All I can do for him is pray. He thinks he might leave on the same bus as me and for his sake, I do too.

A lot of people have 10 years or more and wouldn’t mind doing the job.

Please pray for him also.

It turns out the young man did not leave on the same bus as Ted. At this time, it’s not known what happened to him.

Photo: A collection of confiscated prison shanks (Click photo to enlarge.)

A bad week

Today is November 17th and I’m here at the Orlando Reception Center a week longer than I thought I’d be. I guess the prison didn’t do transfers last Wednesday because of Veteran’s Day, so hopefully I’ll be leaving in the morning.

This last week has been one of the worst weeks so far. As it turns out, somebody found out that I used to be in a gang, so immediately I had a target on my head.

I was approached by five or six Blood gang members and they questioned me about my status. I told them that I folded my flag, but that made them even more mad. Then they told me to spit my knowledge, so I did. I’m not sure why, but they got angry. I think because I know more than them. I’m just guessing though.

Their questioning ended with them telling me they were going to jump me with locks in socks. So of course I got worried, but I still stuck around. I figured I’d be better off than if I ran and told a CO. So for the last week, I’ve been watching behind me more than in front of me.

After a week though, I’ve come to the conclusion that they’re not about that. I showed them I wasn’t scared of them, so I think I’m going to be okay.

Plus I’ll be leaving in the morning most likely, so I’m done worrying about it.

Letter dated November 5, 2009

Hiya Mom,

Sorry I haven’t written you in two weeks, but I haven’t had a pen.

This morning I was transferred back to Orlando and next week I’ll be going to Lake Butler for a week or two until I go to another camp. I’ll probably be going to either Lancaster or Lake City. Both are up in North Florida.

You said in your last letter that somebody was stabbed at Brevard in 2003. Well that may be true, but there has been a lot more since then also. It’s nothing but gang violence everywhere.

So even though Lancaster and Lake City are farther away, it’s safer. Plus I want to try to go to the work camp at Lancaster. It’ll be more laid back there and nobody is trying to get in trouble.

Right now I have 20 stamped envelopes left. I somehow lost 15 on my way here. Just so you know.

Also, I am sending five blogs I wrote before I went in the box and another I wrote in the box, so you should get 10 blogs altogether. I’m also sending a visitation form. It’s from Brevard, so I don’t know if it’s any good. If you can, try to call Lake Butler and find out. I wouldn’t see why it’s not any good. They all have to go to Tallahassee anyway. I’ll get more at my next main camp just in case.

Oh yea, my classification officer said to have you make copies of the visitation form. She said that’s okay.

Last but not least, I’m working on my phone list, but I can’t turn it in until I get my telephone pin number. I’m going to try to do that at Lake Butler. Ahhh, it’s so hard to get things done.

Anyway, I’m going to answer all those questions you asked me when I get to my next main camp.

Love you and miss you and I hope I can see you soon.

Love Teddy

P.S. I never did get those books and probably won’t.

I mailed visitation forms back to Brevard on November 3th and to Lancaster on November 20th. I haven't yet been approved for visitation. I guess I won't be seeing Ted on Thanksgiving.

What I miss the most

Being incarcerated makes a person realize all the things they took for granted on the outside.

I miss some of the littlest things – like being able to use the bathroom without other people in the room or being able to get up whenever I want and go to the refrigerator. I also miss just sitting in the house on a rainy day playing cards or a board game with my family.

Really what I miss the most is not having someone tell me when to eat, sleep and go outside.

Even though I miss being out of prison, I thank God that I only have nine months left. There’s a lot of people in her that won’t ever be seeing the streets again.

So everything that I miss on the outside will still be there waiting for me.

To my family: “I’ll be home soon.”

Getting things done

Since I first got to prison at the end of September, I’ve been trying to get two request forms, but it seems like everywhere I’ve been, they’re all out. I haven’t seen one since I’ve been here.

I need to fill out a request form to Classification so they can give me a visitation application form to send to my family. I also need a request form so I can see the dentist and get my wisdom tooth pulled. It’s killing me.

I just don’t understand how I’ve been here a month, but haven’t been able to fill out a request form to save my life.

I wouldn’t be that concerned about it, but the longer it takes me to get the visitation form, the longer it will be until I see my family.

Once I finally get the visitation form filled out by my mom, it could still take a couple of months to get approved. It takes forever to get anything done.

Update: Ted visited a prison doctor who refused to pull his wisdom tooth, saying it was not necessary. Brevard did finally send me visitation forms and I saved one. I made a copy and sent it to Lancaster already last week. But I probably won’t see Ted until after Thanksgiving and Christmas are over. I last saw Ted on September 9, 2009 at the Pinellas County Jail over a video visitation phone. The last time I saw Ted in person was October 30, 2008.

Teen in Jail has a new web URL

Ted is no longer a teen and is no longer in jail. He turned 20 and is now in prison.

But since "Teen in Jail" is easy to remember - and because he wants to reach other teens - the site name will remain the same. I've purchased a custom URL - www.teeninjail.com. The other URL, www.teeninjail.blogspot.com also still works.

Ted can only write about a small percentage of his experiences while he's in prison, but plans to write a book when he gets out. His release date could be as early as July 2010 or he could remain in prison until October 2010.

Ted has much more to write about his experiences while he was a teen in juvie, drug rehab and jail.

Teen in Jail is also looking for advertising sponsors through Google AdSense or PayPerPost.com.

The Orlando Reception Center

The Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando is a lot bigger than Lake Butler, but in my opinion, Lake Butler was way nicer. There we get canteen almost every day, but here we don’t. I’ve only been here a day, but I know we don’t get canteen much.

Also at Lake Butler, people were allowed to smoke, but you can’t here, unless you’re on the Adult side. Right now they’ve got me with 18 – 24 year olds. Everybody in that range is consider a Youthful Offender.

The thing I hate most about this place is they make us march. They did that at Lake Butler too, but here they go overboard with it. I can’t wait to leave here.

Our cells aren’t bars like Lake Butler either. There are doors controlled with an electronic lock.

At least there’s a dayroom here. At Lake Butler there wasn’t. They dayroom here sucks though. There isn’t enough room for everybody to sit and the only channel they watch is the Spanish Channel. Nobody here is even Spanish!

Just like Lake Butler, it’s always hot. There isn’t any A/C. We’ve got a window in the room though. I’m not sure what purpose it serves because you can’t see out of it.

I’m still learning about this place. I just got here yesterday, but I won’t learn too much because I’m leaving tomorrow.

Ted was sent to Brevard for a few weeks and returned to the Orlando Reception Center for two more weeks before being sent to Lancaster.

The bus ride

After the guards got their guns from the front gate, we left Lake Butler. We took a bunch of side roads until we got onto the interstate. A lot of people were smoking cigarettes the whole time.

I spent my time looking out the window watching the cars. It had been a year since I got to watch traffic go by. On my last bus ride, we couldn’t see much of anything because it was night.

The whole time I just watched the cars. The trip took about three hours I think.

I noticed that when we got there, it wasn’t a permanent camp. It was another reception center.

We got off the bus, walked through some gates and were strip searched. After that, we went inside and were given a bed roll. Then they took us to our dorm.

This place [CFRC- Main in Orlando] is so much worse than the last place. I’m glad I’ll only be here for two days. I’ll be going to my permanent camp on Friday.

It turned out Brevard was even worse.

Another transfer

This is the transfer from Lake Butler to the CFRC in Orlando before Ted was sent to Brevard. I’ve just recently received letters from Ted that were written weeks ago.

Last night, a CO woke me up to tell me that I was being transferred. I thought I was going to go to my permanent camp. It was kinda odd because I had only been in prison three weeks and it normally takes four to six weeks to go to your permanent camp. Anyway, I packed my stuff up and waited in my cell for about another 15 minutes until the CO came and got me.

I was led downstairs and got in a line with everybody else who was getting transferred. There were 52 of us in all. We walked to the chow hall and ate breakfast. For some reason, we sat there about 30 minutes. We lined up again and walked to the transfer and receiving part where people go when they first come in. We all sat down and were called one by one to sign some papers. When when everybody was done, we were led to a long hallway with a bench that stretched all the way down the hall.

This part was kinda weird. Just as I was walking out the door to the hallway, a CO grabbed me and asked me if my last name was Braden, and I said yes. He said, “You’re from Pinellas, right?” and I said yes. He said, “I thought that was you. I know your dad.” I still don’t know who he is, so I just kept walking out the door.

After everybody lined up in the hallway, they made everyone roll up their pant legs and kneel on the bench. They shackled us one by one. After we were all shackled, we walked down the hallway to a large garage with no cars – just an empty space with two big doors.

We stood there for about 15 minutes, then all of a sudden, the doors opened and a bunch of buses backed up to the door.

The CO told us which bus we would get on and we lined up in that order. He called us out and everyone got on their bus. It was hard to get up the stairs on the back of the bus because of the shackles. Once we got on the bus, we were moving almost immediately. The bus stopped at the front gate for a moment for the guards to pick up their guns and then we were off.

Transferred to Lancaster

I received an email from the Florida VINE program – a service that notifies victims of inmate transfers, sometimes faster than what’s posted on the DOC site. Anyone can sign up to be notified of the transfers.

Today, Ted was sent to Lancaster Correctional Institution – a state prison in Trenton in Gilchrist County.

I also found that Lancaster’s nine youthful offender dorms are air-conditioned. They supposedly grow their own food there and the food is pretty good. I guess we’ll be hearing all about it soon from Ted.

Comments appear on Prison Talk that Lancaster has gangs, fights and abuse. There are other rumors that some of the correctional officers are members of the KKK, but another parent commented that a full investigation was conducted into those allegations and there’s supposedly no truth to them.

Here are some of the comments about Lancaster from Prison Talk. Each individual post is prefaced by a dash.

- The visiting hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 pm. Morning is not crowded at all.
Attire- I had a no sleeve blouse on which was ok but was told not to wear no sleep shirt, shorts. Dress conservatively.
Check in - I received a visitor number and enter with a hand computer system.
Fenced in/covered outdoor for smokers and indoor. The facility is fairly small but there was enough seating for all of us.

- I have learned nothing about Lancaster. I haven't heard anything from my friend since the transfer (exactly a month ago). Neither have any of his family or friends. It is really scary, and I just wish we knew he was okay. If I find anything out, I will post it here and ask you do the same. I hate Florida. :blah:

- I heard from my son today! He said it was tough there at Lancaster, that the first two weeks is "Phase 1" and it is like boot camp, all they do is p.t. He said they made them run so much and it was so hot that he started vomiting. He did say that they don't get much access to the phone, so that is about all I know. Hope you hear from your friend soon!

- I didn't get to talk to my son today but his fiancee did. He told her that they are only allowed to call on Saturdays and Sundays and have limited ability to mail during Phase 1 which he said is the first 2 weeks. He also told her it is really bad in there, that there are lots of fights!

- Hello out there! My son has been at Lancaster now for over a year. He says it is really bad there. So far he had been able to keep his nose clean but a couple of weeks ago he got 60 days in close confinement for losing his temper. He was angry because everything he owned somehow got put in the showers and got wet, and when the guards told him to face the wall at parade rest, the guards put in the DR that he was threatening them and holding his hands in closed fists while at parade rest. So he ended up with 2 DRs at 30 days each, 1 for verbal threats and the other for insubordination. He says the guards are a real bad bunch and that most everything you hear about the place is true. Right down to the knotted key chains the guards wear, but keep out of sight at visitation. They have some very crazy rules there like if an inmate is on the sidewalk and a guard comes along, the inmate must step off the sidewalk and stop at parade rest until the guard passes. Tell your sons that while they are new there the guards will intimidate them very bad, trying to make snitches out of them. My son was hit with walkie talkies, and burned with a cigarette lighter while trying to make him talk about something he said he knew nothing about. Consequently, I worry every single day because he told me that before he will let a guard touch him that way again "when being questioned", he will go off on them and probably end up with more charges or really get hurt. At this point I wish the DOC would just move him again. I wish you ladies luck and any time you would like to talk just let me know.

- visited my son at Lancaster last weekend for the first time. It wasn't so bad, the guards were cordial and not very strict during visitation. One female guard was actually NICE to us (that was a first.) My son says it isn't great there, but it is 100 times better than the reception center. He says there is one bad guard there that is constantly writing up the inmates for things they didn't even do, I have his name but I'm not sure who to contact about it without my son getting backlash from it.

- My son said there is a rumor that some of the guards are KKK and these key chains represent their membership! However, he said when you ask any of them about the keychain, they all say it represents their favorite football team; he said they say the exact same thing - word for word - like they are told what to say. But apparently the key chains are all different colors...so they can't represent a football team. Its almost like the color has some correlation to ranking or something. Has anyone else heard this?

- That is EXACTLY what I've heard, not from my friend directly, but through the grapevine. The color and the number of knots supposedly means something like ranking, and I've heard the KKK mentioned specifically. There is a website that talks about this and is where I heard it all from, I'll try to post the link here. It is really disturbing stuff. It may or may not be reliable, but with your son mentioning the same thing from inside and you actually seeing these keychains!?! I'm glad your visit went well and your son seems happier there. Maybe it's not as bad as I've feared.

- My son who spent four months at Lancaster in the fall of 2005 said that it was tough (PT especially, they use a boot camp constant PT have to memorize rules approach that is designed to increase compliance and comraderie among the inmates), that there are times when everyone gets in trouble when only specific people should, that in some blocks there is intimidation among the inmates, and there is one guard who is generally disliked by all inmates because he abuses power. The keychain issue is a very old one that was thoroughly vetted by the Inspector General including charges against guards and transfers several years back. If they wear them today (and I looked for them and never say them) they are probably just funning with the inmates. Having said that, this is rural northern florida, after all. Pretty much the only people of color many of the staff know are the other staff members and inmates who are people of color. It is easy to understand how both they and the inmates would feel misunderstood when something goes down. (BTW, when my son reported inappropriate behavior, I spoke with the warden and followed it up in writing ---advice: always complain in writing so that you can have a paper trail.) He remained very scared of retaliation, but couldn't actually describe anything that persuaded me it was retaliatory.