Teen in Jail: 2010

Friday, October 22, 2010

October update on Ted Braden (Teen in Jail)

Ted was released from the Largo Residential Reentry Center on August 13, 2010.

Since that time, he has been doing quite well. He went to get a one-time shot to stop smoking on August 26, 2010. (For further information, visit www.stopsmokingamerica.com. It is located in Tampa.) The one-time shot and follow up one-week anti-anxiety medication cost $462, but it was well worth it. According to the iPhone app “Quit It,” he has been smoke-free for one month and 26 days. He’s saved $342.47 by NOT smoking 1,142 cigarettes in that time (at one pack a day).

He also had oral surgery on his wisdom tooth at a discount dental center run by the University of Florida in St. Petersburg. Ted could have had this done for free in prison, but he would have had to leave the work release center to go back to a “real” prison to have the dental work done and it might’ve taken weeks for him to get back to the Center - if at all. The tooth was cut out by a dentist for $342. It would have cost upwards of $750 or more with an oral surgeon. His face was swollen for days.

Ted did go on a trip with me for six days during the Labor Day holiday. One day, he and I just decided to get in the car and drive! We traveled through Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Lousiana and back to Florida. (More on that trip later.)

Ted was paid $300 by his former job at Discount Energy as a settlement. He was owed upward of $750. Ted wrote a blog entry about his dealings with Discount Energy which I will be posting soon.

One person left a comment that Ted had been re-arrested for possession of marijuana and probation violation. This is not the case.

First of all, Ted was not put on probation after his prison sentence. Secondly, Ted has studiously avoided contact with all of his former “friends,” all of whom have no clue where he is living. Ted is living with another family (out of the old neighborhood) and babysits a two-year girl for eight hours a day, five days a week. He is surprisingly very good with children. He is not taking drugs of any kind and not smoking.

Ted does not currently have a computer where he is living. We are working to remedy that. One blog reader was looking into getting him a laptop. Ted is also not sure what to write on the Teen in Jail blog now. He says it was a blog about jail and prison, and since he is no longer in either, is not sure where to take it from here. We’ve discussed starting some other type of web site, but haven’t hit upon the perfect idea yet. Any suggestions of a new site would be welcomed. You can still send emails to teeninjail@yahoo.com.

Photo: Ted smiling (finally!) at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans on September 4, 2010.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

An employee's nightmare

The whole time I was in work release I worked at telemarketing jobs. It’s not that I wanted to [work at telemarketing], but I did it because I thought it was a way to save money and also it would keep me from going back to prison. Well as it turns out all it did was keep me from going back to prison.

The telemarketing place I was working for (Discount Energy in Dunedin) kept giving me bad checks. Every time I turned in a check from there it would bounce. Sure for the most part I always ended up getting paid even though it was never the right amount. Somehow even though I worked eight hours a day, five – sometimes six – days a week, I rarely ever saw a weekly paycheck over $200. It was always closer to $150 – much less than minimum wage. Now that’s while I was in work release, but now that I’m out I still haven’t gotten paid. I figured out that with everything they owe me for the last couple weeks and including one past check that bounced - they owe me $782.

Now get this – the owner of Discount Energy, Doug, told me he won’t give me my last two checks he owes me because another check he gave me bounced at Amscot. LIKE THAT’S MY FAULT!!!!!! I’m not the only person he’s done this to. It’s just that everybody who works there is from a work release program and nobody will say anything because they need the job or they’ll go back to prison.

Currently I’m taking all necessary legal actions to get what I’m owed and also that the guy who runs this crooked place pays for what he is doing.

The Largo Residential Reentry Center is fully aware that the residents’ paychecks keep bouncing. The financial person at the Center was supposed to get back to Ted a week and a half ago to let him know the total number of his paychecks that have bounced, but has not yet returned the call. Another released inmate (from the female Center) also has not received the pay owed her. Yet Goodwill continues to have their work release residents work at this place. Ted has hired a private investigator to investigate the owners and will be pursuing further action with the state.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Bay News 9 Report on Teen in Jail

In addition to the Pinellas County Jail, Ted also spent part of the last two years in four Florida prisons, a prison work release camp, and a prison work release center. Ted did not have a pc in jail or prison. He wrote his experiences in letters to a blogger, who posted them online for him.

Young man blogs from jail and hopes to help others

View video here.

By Robert Hahn, Reporter
Last Updated: Saturday, August 14, 2010

CLEARWATER --
A local teenager used a pen and paper to get through his two-year jail sentence.

Ted Braden, 21, first entered jail at 19 for theft and drug related charges. He joined a gang and was arrested for the first time at age 13 and kept getting into trouble, including five more arrests in 2008 alone.

While in jail, Braden spent a lot of time alone in his cell where he began to write down his thoughts, eventually creating a blog called Teen in Jail.

And although now he hopes his hundreds of blog posts will help others learn from his mistakes, he didn't originally set out to write a blog.

"I started to write to get things off my mind," said Braden. "Didn't start it for a blog, didn't think of nothing like that."

The idea came after a visit from his mother. Kelly Shannon Kelly thought that people might be interested in what he had to say from his point of view.

"We got the idea to put it on the Internet and have other people read it, and it really took off," she said.

As of last count, the blog site, which includes more than 300 of Braden's blogs, has seen more than 74,000 hits. People from all over the world have been looking at his blogs.

"Hopefully other people will read it and learn from my experience," Braden said.

Braden also wrote many stories that he was unable to send out of jail because his mail was being screened. He wants to combine those with the ones that made it onto his blog into a book.

"It's better than what I was doing before," Braden said. "Just hurting people's lives, destroying lives, destroying my own life, my family's life, just time to do something different, that I can actually help somebody."

Braden's mom is hopeful that her son has turned a corner and his writing will help build his future.

"I'd just like to see him do the best he can in life and be a success," said Kelly. "It's what every parent wants for their child."

Braden is looking into going to college to pursue a degree in journalism. He also plans on taking a trip after being locked up for the past two years.

Comments

TED
2010-08-15 22:17:00 Report this post jonesy wrote:
Kay, I agree with you. I'm sick of hearing about shootings,murders etc from young people.I hope he can turn his life around and do something GOOD.

teen in jail
2010-08-15 21:12:00 Report this post hal wrote:
He hasn't changed, just learning to play the game in prison....saying and doing everything the parole board wants to see and hear, that's all! Don't be fooled!

Blogging from a jail cell
2010-08-15 18:20:00 Report this post Terri wrote:
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the young adult has had time to think about his life and change things (while in prison), but I can't believe he has such freedom as to use the internet...Am I Naive or has this been happening for a while? I know criminals/prison inmates can get a college degree in there (FREE OF COURSE MY DIME)AND THAT STINKS TOO! Just rubs ya wrongthey should be getting punishment not

Who Cares
2010-08-15 17:16:00 Report this post Sandy Ginas wrote:
You all are suckers! This criminal has nothing better to do so he's playing everyone for suckers. Wait until he has choices on how to spend his time, he'll be back to his old ways in no time. People like him have mental problems, they don't fully comprehend the difference between right and wrong. He'll be back in jail, I guarantee it.

is it true?
2010-08-15 15:14:00 Report this post cool guy wrote:
once you go black you never go back! same difference once he gets out he will be right back in hahahahahaha

I support Ted
2010-08-15 14:45:00 Report this post Kay wrote:
I'm glad Ted decided to go down a better road and do a service to others by warning them about the mistakes he made. If his blog helps just one person turn his or her life around before it's too late, then he has saved a life. Don't we want our young people to grow up, mature, and do something positive and real with their lives to help others/society? He deserves our support completely. Nice go

IN JAIL
2010-08-15 14:31:00 Report this post whitster wrote:
I don't think writing a blog addresses the problem. A year or so of counciling and a job training program would be the best avenue for rehabilation. Money won't solve anything besides the type of person you are is more important. Good luck young man.

Felon blogs
2010-08-15 14:00:00 Report this post Laurie wrote:
I think if this guy can make some good behind bars of his poor choices in life then power to him! I have had family members in jail and i know how hard it can be.However, he will have to make "big boy" decisions one day and really grow up.The rest of us have to comply to society's rules and so should he. Hopefully this experience will truly change him for the better.

yong man blog for JEFF the IDIOT
2010-08-15 13:45:00 Report this post Laurie wrote:
you no what JEFF you just need to SHUT UP AND GROW UP THAN OK leave well enough alone than ok thank you very much so and if they all do make it happen than you will look like a stupid idoit than and thank you very much so later

I am Gald..
2010-08-15 13:20:00 Report this post Josvani H wrote:
Braden As long as you are doing something good in your life

Nevermind
2010-08-15 13:14:00 Report this post Debbie wrote:
disregard my last post. Ted is a colplete moron. You should not have a pc in jail. Send him to the chair!

young man
2010-08-15 13:12:00 Report this post Laurie wrote:
yes me nephew is also behind bars because he did about the same thing you did and he also vilade his proban also and now he has to spened 5 years behind bars and he was 19years when he went in so he will get out in 2012 i think that is when he will get out and he already got his GED and now he is learning more stuff also and i hope that it will help him also and make him a better person when he get

Ted Keep Up the good work
2010-08-15 13:02:00 Report this post Debbie wrote:
Ted worked for me or with me and I could see he was a good kid. He just made a few bad choices..I hope you keep up this up. He reminded me of My Son,who as a late teenage made some bad choices & trusted the wrong people and paid the price 5 yrs in jail for drugs. He got out got a good job But still had a hard time not letting his big heart for people rule his head and Lost His Life just over a year

Try As He Might
2010-08-15 12:11:00 Report this post Angela wrote:
Try as you might someone will always complain. He's trying and his efforts should be rewarded. Good for him to find a positive outlet.

You PEOPLE complain NO MATTER WHAT! SHUT UP!
2010-08-15 12:11:00 Report this post Jeff wrote:
but people have plenty of time to think while they are sitting in jail, and as a former Corrections Officer, I can tell you that it is NO PICNIC for anyone, the Officers or inmates alike. When your spending 10-15hrs a day in a cell, your mind wonders and you think about what your missing on the outside. SHUT UP and GROW UP!

You PEOPLE complain NO MATTER WHAT! SHUT UP!
2010-08-15 12:09:00 Report this post Jeff wrote:
The first in line with both of your hands out, not just one! You are cowards who sit behind a computer screen and spout words of hate and other things you have NO CLUE about. I dont know Ted, but not ALL people who spend a short time in jail are career criminals. Granted, Ted has spent his share of jail time, (cont)

You PEOPLE complain NO MATTER WHAT! SHUT UP!
2010-08-15 12:07:00 Report this post Jeff wrote:
It doesnt matter if a teen dies in a car accident or someone spends a day picking up trash on the side of the road, some of you ALWAYS have something negative to say! Is your life that BAD, that you always feel the need to bring others down around you? I GUARANTEE 1000%, that if you needed a handout, you would be (cont)

NO MATTER WHAT
2010-08-15 11:29:00 Report this post REAL TALK wrote:
good or bad u people complain shut up already GO TED GO

Teen Blog
2010-08-15 10:55:00 Report this post Joyce wrote:
Pay attention he is TRYING to learn from his mistakes and show others what he did wrong to HELP them to NOT do the same. Just keep throwing the rocks and I hope your GLASS house gets shattered!

Teen Blog
2010-08-15 10:52:00 Report this post Joyce wrote:
I am wondering if Yeah ok and Avenger are total cowards and morons. I've read this blog and I support what this kid is trying to do. It's idiots like you that knock kids down...

Story
2010-08-15 10:27:00 Report this post JAMES wrote:
Unlike the others, I support what he's doing. This is exactly what I want to see... someone who used to be bad, trying to become good. But how do people comment? "He'll be back in there in no time". Nice. If you've truly gone straight, don't listen to these haters.

He Wants To Take A Trip After Being Locked Up For 2 Years?
2010-08-15 10:13:00 Report this post The Avenger wrote:
Maybe he could go with obama on his next vacation.

Journalism & Jail
2010-08-15 10:10:00 Report this post The Avenger wrote:
They go together well, don't they?

Felon bloggers
2010-08-15 08:17:00 Report this post Yeah ok wrote:
He'll be back in there in no time.

Legal problems
2010-08-14 23:36:00 Report this post Limbo wrote:
unfortunatly, this state will not allow you to profit from any felony. Maybe this kids mother or one of his family members could be the author of the book. Just another hoop to jump through.Unless of coarse he runs into some money to grease the judicial system.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

ABC Action News Report about Teen in Jail

In addition to the Pinellas County Jail, Ted also spent part of the last two years in four Florida prisons, a prison work release camp, and a prison work release center.

Teen blogs about his time in jail

By: Jeff Butera
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Ted Braden has a story to tell. It's a story he wants to tell.

His story begins when Ted was 13 years old. It was the first time he was arrested, busted by Clearwater Police for breaking into another house.

The story continued through Ted's teenage years. Those years included drugs and gangs. They ended with Ted being arrested for trafficking MDMA. He was sentennced to two years behind bars.

Ted can tell you the rest of the story. He can tell it because he's already written. While behind bars, Ted blogged about his experience.

His blog, ' Teen in Jail ,' found at www.teeninjail.com , has earned more than 75,000 visitors.

In his blog -- which his mother, Kelly, suggested he write -- Ted talks about how the horror of living behind bars. He calls it "Hell on Earth."

More so, though, he focuses his writing on the slow realization that his bad decisions during his teenage years led him to this horrible place.

He writes about his regret of joining a gang. He talks about the pain of seeing his family watch him go to prison. He tries to understand why he did what he did, and resigns himself to the fact that all he can say is he did what he did "because he could."

But perhaps the most powerful blog post comes when Ted thinks about life outside of jail, with a felony conviction attached to his name.

“Is my life over before it starts? Am I still a U.S. citizen? Where will I work? How can I ever get married and support a family? These are the things I think about every day. There’s plenty of time to think about them,” he writes.

Ted was released from jail earlier this month. He is now working and does not associate with the friends that influenced him into a life of crime.

He has vowed to never go back to jail, and hopes that his blog helps other teenagers do that as well.

Click on video below to see the report.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Say No to Drugs

Since I’ve been released from prison, all I’ve been doing is working and sitting at the house. It seems like there’s too much at risk if I go out and do anything else. So this whole week I’ve been waking up at 6 a.m., going straight to work, then coming straight home.

A few of my old friends have tried to get a hold of me on MySpace, but I just ignore them. They’ll soon figure out that I just want to be left alone.

Actually one thing I have been looking into since I got out is taking classes to become a drug and alcohol counselor. That would be perfect for me, because it’ll give me a great opportunity to help other people and also I can relate with drug addicts real well, because I too am a drug addict and I’ve been in some real bad situations myself.

I would possibly like to travel around the country and talk to kids about the dangers of drugs and my whole experience in prison – maybe speaking on behalf of an anti-drug organization.

Other than that I’m doing real well. I haven’t picked up a single drug or drink and I don’t even feel that I need to. I couldn’t ask for more.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Ted's release day

Ted was released at a little after 10 a.m. on Friday the 13th. He immediately went to the local sheriff’s office to register as a convicted felon. Afterward, Ted celebrated at a local restaurant with his mother, stepfather, father, and father’s girlfriend.

Ted’s mom did finally manage to clean out his room (which had been piled high with boxes and used for storage for the last two years). He received a welcome home present of an inflatable video-gaming chair which also converted to a recliner, lounger and bed.

Ted next went to the mall with his father on his first day out and bought some sunglasses and a new ballcap with part of his paycheck. He spent the Friday and Saturday at a new friend’s house that he met on the bus going to and from his job.

Photos (click to enlarge): Finally released from the Largo Residential Reentry Center, registering at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Ted smiling while eating lunch with his family, Ted's cleaned-out room, Ted's dog Cocoa watches for him out the window, welcome-home balloons, three photos of the LoungAir.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

D.O.C. raid

Right now I’m running on about 30 minutes sleep. I picked the wrong night to stay up late because right after I went to sleep last night, nine cars full of Department of Correction officers came and raided the compound.

They came in and made everybody get up and go outside and sit in 14 rows with 20 inmates in each row facing away from the compound. Meanwhile, other officers searched through all the rooms with K-9 units.

The whole time the rooms were being searched, the officers were going one row at a time making everybody take their clothes off to strip search them. I was sitting at the very front of all the 280 inmates, so I ended up being one of the last to get searched.

The whole time I was waiting to get searched, I kept seeing cell phones, MP3 players and other contraband flying over my head [over the balcony rails]. It seems like everybody had something!

Anyway, this whole search lasted from about 1:30 a.m. until 5:30 a.m. Nobody got any sleep last night. I know I didn’t and I still had to work the next day.

This entry was written about about two weeks ago.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Ted's home visit

Ted had his first (and last) home visit on Saturday, August 7, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Minus the transportation time, he was able to spend three hours at home.

The following video shows Ted greeting his dog Cocoa, his stepfather Doug and his grandmother Joyce, who is 100% disabled.

Ted watched the movie 2012 with his family and ate pizza and ice cream cake before having to return to the work release center.

Ted will not get another home visit as he is scheduled to be released this coming Friday the 13th. Ted says he will not go out of the house on that day (because of the date!)

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Video of teen girl in jail being beaten

It can be argued that girls have a tougher time in jails and prisons than males. There are numerous correctional officers that feel the need to show their dominance and power over inmates.

Take, for instance, the below video on YouTube which shows a teen girl in jail in King County, Washington. The abusive deputy was caught on tape. (Press the Play button even if you don't see the video screen.)

The surveillance video shows the deputy kicking a young girl, slamming her to the cell floor and striking her repeatedly. The deputy grabs her by the hair to take her out of the room.

The deputy pled not guilty in the case. (Feb. 27, 2009)

Teen girl talks about jail-cell beating.

Update on case (July 2010): Deputy gets away with abusive behavior.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Best of Teen in Jail

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

My last few days

I’m finally down to my last 17 days in this place. It doesn’t seem like that’s any time at all, but it’s dragging by so slowly.

I try just to focus on work, but it’s hard knowing that soon when I leave my job each day, I won’t be going back to the prison release center after work. I can go back to my house.

I won’t have to be around a bunch of people I don’t want to be around. I won’t have to stand in line everyday to get a meal. I won’t have to wake up at 5:30 a.m. every morning surrounded by a bunch of other people who are just as grumpy as you because they have to get up so early.

Ah, I can’t wait. 17 days left….

Friday, July 23, 2010

After the brick wall

When I look back on the last two years, I can’t believe so much has happened.

Since before I got arrested, I knew I was headed toward a brick wall. I just didn’t care.

Now two years later, I’d like to think this whole experience made me a little wiser. Now I see the potential in my life. I know how to use my past to better my future.

Sure it’s not going to be easy now that I’m a convicted felon. Plus when I get out of this place, I’ll have to start all over again. As long as I stay focused for the first few months of getting out of prison, I should have some money saved up so I can get my license back. After that, it’ll get a little easier.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Visitation at Largo Residential Re-entry Center

Visitation at the Largo Residential Release Center takes place on weekends from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Just like at the regular prisons, visitors must successfully pass a background check.

Visitors must bring a picture ID. They can bring up to $50 to purchase food, car keys, decks of cards, cigarettes and a lighter. Cell phones are not permitted and purses and other items must be left in cars. Both visitors and the residents have a metal detecting wand run over them. They are not patted down like at the prisons. Visitors with children are allowed to also bring in diaper bags, bottles and toys.

Visitors park in an adjoining fenced-in, wood chip-covered parking lot. When it rains, visitors must wade through water (with floating wood chips) that is often ankle deep. If it rains hard, the water comes up to the knees.

Visitors meet with their loved ones in an L-shaped, high-walled outdoor courtyard. During the summer, the temperature reached 98 degrees and upward. Up until last week, there were three awnings that shaded approximately six round tables. The rest of the tables were in the sun. Last weekend, they added three more awnings. A number of tables remain in the sun.

When it rains, visitors are allowed to sit inside the air-conditioned cafeteria after the Center's residents have eaten lunch. Before the summer heat became unbearable, elderly relatives visited, but they haven’t been seen for awhile - undoubtably from the intense heat. There are approximately 15 round tables and three picnic tables crowded into the visitation area. Most of the tables are placed on crushed white shells. A concrete-floored section contains a small smoking area, two water fountains and a Coke machine. Two security cameras are mounted on the sides of the adjoining building.

Ted's mom and dad used to stay and visit with him at the Center for three hours or more, but the extreme temperature now makes it impossible to stay for more than an hour and a half at the most.

After 1:30 p.m., the last residents have finished eating lunch and the cafeteria is opened for visitors to purchase food. The food is actually very good and usually baked chicken, two types of pizza, and hamburgers are offered with sides of French fries, vegetables and potatoes. Sometimes they have other specialty items such as steak or Mexican dishes. Desserts consist of gourmet pieces of banana cream cheesecake, chocolate cream cake and baked cookies. The food is quite inexpensive and an entire meal can be purchased for $3.50. Bottled and can drinks are sold, as well as packaged ice cream. A long counter holds microwaves and free condiments such as ketchup, salt and pepper. (Prison inmates have to purchase condiments in small packets.) Some of the residents work permanently in the food preparation and service area instead of holding outside jobs.

The visitor line to purchase food is usually quite long. Once visitors have bought their food, they must proceed outdoors to eat in the stifling heat - unless it rains. Then they can stay inside the cafeteria (air conditioning!) to eat at long tables. A rec room adjoins the cafeteria and residents can relax on couches to watch the selected DVD-of-the-day or sit at one of four square tables to play games. Supervisors can oversee both the cafeteria and rec room through two glass-windowed observation rooms.

Even so, cell phones have been smuggled into LRRC. Two weeks ago, a resident was taken out in shackles during visitation in full view of the visitors. He had smuggled a cell phone into the facility and was being escorted back to prison.

Ted’s classification officer initially received his home visit paperwork on June 1st. (The paperwork was mailed out on May 24th.) Today he was approved to get a home visit to his mother’s house, but not his father’s. A reason for denying his father wasn’t provided. Ted will not be able to come home this weekend, as he must submit a form a week in advance once the paperwork has been approved by the classification officer, warden and the release center. It took 51 days for the home visit paperwork to be approved by all three. (From the time the paperwork was mailed until the home visit will be 67 days.)

Ted will get his first home visit less than two weeks before his release on August 13th. The first home visit is four hours, the second home visit is six hours and additional home visits are eight hours. Home visits are either on Saturday or Sunday and begin at 10 a.m. The family member must have a land line (not cell phone) so that the facility supervisors can call to check to see if the LRRC residents are indeed at home and haven't gone anywhere else.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Teen in Jail - one year later

Ted began writing the Teen in Jail blog on July 14, 2009 while he was incarcerated in the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida. He had been arrested for drug trafficking on October 30, 2008.

Ted was subsequently convicted of drug sales of MDMA (Ecstasy). Ted had gone ahead to see if the coast was clear for a drug dealer when he was apprehended by waiting police. In exchange for him casing the scene, he was to be paid $150. The 50 pills the drug dealer was selling did not contain pure Ecstasy – some were “dummies,” otherwise Ted probably would have received more time – even though he did not have any of the pills in his own possession.

Three prior charges from previous arrests were incorporated into Ted’s sentencing – possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana and criminal mischief. He was facing 25 – 30 years of prison, so he chose to plead guilty in return for a 2-year prison term.

Two months later on December 19, 2008, the drug dealer (that Ted had cased the scene for) was also arrested for the same MDMA trafficking incident on October 30th and posted bail. The dealer was again arrested on October 5, 2009 for multiple charges of possession and sales of Oxycodone and Diazepam. Almost a month later, the dealer was again arrested for trafficking MDMA and is now serving time at RMC Work Camp. The dealer is due to be released on May 30, 2013. He received a 3 years, 9 months sentence for 12 charges, including possession and sales of Methamphetamine, marijuana and other various controlled substances.

The Teen in Jail blog chronicles Ted’s two-year incarceration in jail and various Florida prisons, a work camp and a prison reentry center – Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, the Reception and Medical Center (RMC) in Lake Butler, the Central Florida Reception Center (CFRC) in Orlando, Brevard Correctional Institution in Cocoa, Lancaster Correctional Institution and Lancaster Work Camp in Trenton, and the Largo Residential Reentry Center in Clearwater. Ted’s current release date is August 13, 2010 – less than a month from now. This release date reflects gain time for good behavior.

Ted started the Teen in Jail blog to let people know what it’s like behind bars and to keep other kids from making the same mistakes.

Ted was not allowed to write about many incidents and people (correctional officers and other inmates) during his two-year incarceration, so he plans on finding a literary agent to possibly publish his full story in a book.

Monday, July 12, 2010

My first two days out

Last night I was thinking of all the good movies I’ve missed that came out. So I decided the first day I get out, I’m going to Hollywood Video to rent like 6 – 8 movies that have come out that I’ve wanted to see, and for the next couple of day, I’ll sit at my mom’s house and watch movies.

I could probably watch them all in one day, but I’m still going to have other things I’ll need to do like register as a convicted felon at the county sheriff’s office and go to work. I’m not going to quit my job just because I got out of prison.

One very important thing that I’ll probably have to do is clean my old room out. My mom sent me pictures of what it looks like now and it looks like she turned it into a storage room.

Hollywood Video closed its doors in December 2009. Some of the movies that Ted wants to see are Slumdog Millionaire, 2012, and Ironman 2. Ted’s mom will clean out his room before he comes home (hopefully).

Photos: Ted's room before he went to jail and prison. (Click to enlarge.)

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Saturday and Sunday

I hate sitting here at the Center on Saturday and Sunday. It’s so boring. There’s nothing to do except play cards, but for most people here, that’s all they’ve done for the last several years. There’s only three things that there are to do: watch movies, play cards or smoke cigarettes – which is something I really need to quit.

All day Saturday and Sunday, I just wait for Monday. Monday means the beginning of a new work week and it’s also one week close to getting out. I figure I’ve only got seven or eight more weeks to go. That also means 16 more Saturdays and Sundays to deal with. Agghhh…. At least I’ll have home passes soon and that’ll help out a lot.

Ted is going to try to go to work today (Saturday), if he is allowed. It's been six weeks since the paperwork for Ted's home visit was submitted to the Largo Residential Reentry Center. I spoke with Ted’s CO on the phone today. She said that approval for Ted’s home visit should be completed this week and sent to the Center – hopefully in time for his first home visit next weekend.

Photo: One of 16 commissioned paintings of dogs playing poker by artist C.M. Coolidge for cigar advertisements in 1903.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Weird guy

There’re some of the weirdest people riding on the bus. You can always tell who they are. Now I’m not saying that everybody is weird – not even a small fraction are – but every now and then you’re bound to run into one of them.

For instance, yesterday on my way home from work on the last bus I had to take, we picked up this guy who reeked of alcohol. He kept looking at people and smiling, but all he would say is “Marijuana”. Everybody on the back of the bus where I was sitting was laughing at the man. He didn’t even notice and just kept smiling.

After about 15 – 20 minutes of this, he finally got up to leave, but when he got off the bus, he went around to the front of the bus and stole somebody else’s bike and started to ride away. The whole bus saw him do it, but nobody chased him. Most of the people on the bus just laughed.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Transition manual

I just finished completing a 100-hour transition workbook. Everybody in prison has to do one to go home. (Well I guess they would let you out eventually if you didn’t do the workbook, but I’m not trying to wait.)

It asks you questions about everything: family problems you have, what you’re going to do when you get out, etc… It took me over two weeks to write the 340-something pages, but I finally finished it last night.

It’s only four days late, but at least it’s finally done. I would’ve had it done on time, but it’s hard when you’re gone to work 12 hours a day. I don’t really feel like doing anything when I get home from work except sleep.

Ted was also awakened at 3:45 a.m. three times over the past week to get a random drug test, which made him all the more tired.

Photo: Yukon Suspension Bridge over the Tutshi River, Canada - Kelly Shannon Kelly. Click to enlarge.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Home visits

I know I go home in 50 days or so, but still I can’t wait to be approved on a furlough. It’s the same thing as a home visit.

The classification officer claims she had my paperwork since June 1st, but it’s now July and she is taking her time.

I’m just really getting excited to go to my house. I haven’t been there in so long.

My first home visit is four hours, then the next one is six hours and the third one on is eight hours a week. I just can’t wait.

I’m hoping for my papers to be approved sometime this week so I can go home the following week. It’ll feel so good just to be there with family. Also I can’t wait to eat some BBQ! Mmmm…..

Monday, July 5, 2010

Close to the end

TWO MONTHS LEFT! It’s so close, but it seems like it’s never going to get here. As long as I get the rest of my gain time, I should get out on August 23, 2010. Right now my release date is September 2nd, but I still have one more month of gain time I can get in July.

It’s hard not to count days, but when you only have 56 and a wake up, it’s really difficult not to. I’ve seen so many people go home from here and I see how excited they were and I just can’t wait.

I’ve been away for 20 months and in two more months, it’ll finally be over. The only thing I’ll still have to do to put all this behind me for good is pay my court costs.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

My first job at work release

My first job since I arrived at the Largo Residential Re-entry Center was in telemarketing. At this job, about 100 people worked in one big room and an automatic dialing system dialed potential customers in various states.

Telemarketing is a job spent dealing with endless voice mail messages and answering machines (which are seldom returned), being told the decision maker isn’t there that day, getting hung-up on, disconnected numbers and angry hang-ups.

Even when you finally speak to a live person, you have to get past secretaries and then haggle with a decision maker who already has a resistence to phone sellers. After all, what busy person wants to fight with yet another telemarketer on the phone promising to save him money?

I was crammed into a half-booth – calling it a cubicle would be too generous – at a small desk that didn’t really offer any privacy from the other telemarketers sitting around me. I put up with the laughter, cackle and screeching in the background as I tried to read a script without sounding like I was reading it.

And a telephone headset? Forget it. Try holding a phone up to your ear for eight hours a day, five days a week.

Some of the CSRs (customer service reps) do well in this environment and don’t become overwhelmed by the constant rejection. On the other hand, it stressed me out tremendously and I’m not sure learning to become numb to it is a good thing.

Many of those I called complained of repetitive calls from our company, sometimes two or more on the same day. One man told me he’d been called nine times in two weeks. The online computer system allows you to categorize each call (no answer, hung up, fax line, disconnected, etc…) but obviously some CSRs failed to take the time to do this in order to more quickly get to the next call. It results in significant time waste for others later calling.

Training was strange because the trainer said nothing about pay. Not even when payday was, the commission levels, nothing. You only know how much you’re paid for each week when you get your paycheck.

Some of the trainers would get on the phone and call some of us CSRs – pretending that they were customers that were going to sign up. Then they’d die laughing after they revealed that it was a joke. Not too funny when you maybe get to talk to only four or five live people in one day.

One supervisor said to tell people as little as possible and try to get an order without even quoting the price. I overheard a very successful salesman giving the impression to the person he was calling that “it’s my job to show you the savings plan” and that he was “required” to wait on hold while he or she got their last gas bill; he added that he’s paid hourly rather than on commission so he didn’t mind waiting. Of course this is false – most telemarketers are strictly on commission. I hate the fact that a lot of telemarketers often lie to get a sale.

While I now have a new telemarketing job, it’s a much different environment. There’s only a few of us working, the script is much simpler and everyone working there is like a family.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Home pass

On May 24th, I submitted paperwork so Ted could get his first home pass.

During home visits, inmates have to remain at home near a telephone land-line, so the work release center authorities can check up on them.

Inmates can get a home pass once a week (presumably on weekends, since they have jobs). The first visit home lasts four hours. The second visit lasts six hours and every visit thereafter is eight hours.

On the home pass, inmates are forbidden to consume alcohol or drugs. Someone has to personally take responsibility for the inmate and provide proof of car insurance, car registration, a copy of his or her driver’s license, two passport photos and a copy of a home phone bill. This approved person drives them from the Center to home and back again within the allotted time period. The inmate has to call in to the Center as soon as they arrive home.

I called Ted’s classification officer – who works out of the St. Pete C.I. – last week to find out the status of my home pass application. She said she received it from the work center on June 1st and it takes 4 – 6 weeks to process. A background check needs to be completed. Never mind that I already went through a background check in order to be able to visit Ted in the other four prisons. The warden, classification officer and work release center all have to approve another background check.

So I guess Ted won’t be coming home for the 4th of July after all. By the time the home visit is approved, he will have less than one month of time to go.

Talented people

One thing I’ve noticed about being in prison is that there is so much wasted talent. Some people write some of the best poems I’ve ever heard and others can take apart anything with an electric motor and make tattoo guns. I keep thinking that if inmates actually used their skills for good things, there would be a whole lot less people in prison.

Of course there are people like me, too, that had to go to prison to discover their strengths. Even though I always knew I could write pretty well, if I hadn’t gone to prison, I would have never used my writing to help people. Honestly, I probably would have never written anything at all.

So I guess even though it was hard, in some ways I’m grateful I discovered my talent. It is sad though. Nobody should have to go to prison to find out that they are good at something.

Monday, June 28, 2010

A happy birthday

Well yesterday (June 13th) was my birthday and even though I literally laid down ALL day, it was still a good day. It was a very relaxed day. I wasn’t worried about anything, I didn’t talk to many people, and I finished a pretty good book. I just can’t believe it was actually a good day.

I always used to go out and do stuff for my birthday – like go to a movie or something, but this year I was actually happy lying in bed. The only time I got up was to go eat. I didn’t even watch any of the movies that they played that day.

So all I did was read my book and eat. What really surprised me was that my room was pretty quiet. That doesn’t happen often. I just wish I could find that happiness more like I did yesterday.

(It's so loud in my room right now, it's hard to concentrate.)

Mom and Dad also visited Ted on his birthday for an hour or so sitting in the 98° hot sun in the visitation area outside.