Prison gadgets

Being in prison, you will come across some of the craziest homemade gadgets that you’d never in a million years think of making or could make.

A lot of things I’ve never seen, but heard plenty of stories about. But some of the things I have seen are:

- Tattoo guns made out of electric razors and other electronic devices

- Ashtrays made with bars of soap

- A thing which people use to cut hair – made out of a comb and razor (people do that so they don’t have to get all their hair cut off at the barber)

- Fishing line which is a long piece of string with a weight attached to the end and it’s used to slide normal contraband from one cell to another.

- Speakers – which is really just a cone made out of paper with radio headphone inside (the cone amplifies the sound).

People also light cigarettes off the overhead light in their cell or from two batteries, a lock and a razor blade.

I’ve seen chess pieces made out of paper mache, and the last thing I’ve seen is a screwdriver made out of rubber cement and something else. There’s probably more I can’t think of!

For more prison inventions, check out WebUrbanist.

Gangs on compound

OK, I know I only spent a little bit of time on the compound before coming to the box, but in that little time I got a good picture of how things are here. At least I think I do.

This compound is run by gangs. I've been in a gang for a long time, but I've never seen anything like this.

You've got Bloods, Crips, Folks, MS13, Latin Kings, Zoe and a few others. In my opinion though, there's no real Zoe's here, but whatever.

Anyway, from what I can see, Bloods run the compound for the most part.

Also the gangs here are pretty well organized. I haven't really seen anything to make me think that, but I can see it when I talk to people in gangs about gangs.

Other than that, I'm still scoping things out, but it's kinda hard - being in the box and all.

Being transferred

Before I was transferred here to Brevard, I spent exactly three weeks at Lake Butler. I didn't even think I'd be leaving for at least another week or two. Out of nowhere at 3 a.m., the CO came and woke me up and told me I was being transferred.

I got dressed and packed my stuff. Then after waiting 20 minutes, the CO opened my cell and I went downstairs to eat breakfast. After that, I was led to the transfer and receiving room to sign papers and get a nice pair of ankle bracelets called shackles.

I was led to a big white bus. I got on. I thought I was going to my main camp, but it turns out they were just bringing me to the Central Florida Reception Center (C.F.R.C.) in Orlando.

I only spent two days there until I was transferred again, but this time I was going to my main camp: Brevard Correctional Institution.

Photo: Central Florida Reception Center, Orlando

Showering in the box

One thing about being in the box is you never get to leave your room, except to go to the shower.

Even when you go to the shower, you have to be escorted there in handcuffs.

The shower is like a big cell with a metal door. Once you’re in the shower, the door is shut and locked behind you. Then they open a little flap that you stick your hands out and they uncuff you.

I’m probably locked in there for about 20 minutes, so at least I get to take a long shower.

After my shower, I turn around with my back facing the door and stick my hands out the door. I’m handcuffed again, then led back to my room where I don’t get to do anything but count the hairs on my legs.

Going to the box

The cobwebs finally cleared from the mailbox!

I'm no longer at Lake Butler. I'm currently being held at Brevard Correctional Institution in Cocoa, FL.

After only two days of being here, I ended up in the box. I didn't get in any trouble, but I can't really talk about why I'm in here until I get out. All I can say is there was 6 - 7 people that wanted to jump me pretty much because I'm white. It's not that I was scared or anything, it's just that I refuse to get sucked back into gangs or violence.

After ending up in the box, though, I regret coming here. There's nothing to do all day, and there's no telling how long I'm going to be here.

I can still buy canteen, get mail, send mail, and receive books at least. Other than that, I'm stuck looking at the same four walls.

I'm in a two-man cell again, except this time I'm the 3rd person in the room, so I have to sleep on the floor. It's so over-crowded. This dorm only holds 80 people, but they got 116 people crammed in here.

Anyway, hopefully I will get out of the box in about three weeks. I hope.

Photo: solitary confinement cells in a CA prison

Last letter from Orlando reception center

October 14th

Mom,

I’m going to make this quick. Last night I wrote you a five-page letter. I’m not going to send it out yet because I was transferred to Orlando reception center and I only have one envelope left.

Like I said, they transferred me to Orlando. They tell me I’ll only be here ‘til Friday so don’t bother writing me here. Also Sunday night, I sent you five blogs then four more Tuesday night. Let me know if you get all of them. Also put money on my account the second you get this letter. If you put money on my account Friday or before, put like an extra $10 on Saturday or Sunday because it takes two weeks to get my money from one camp to another.

Tonight is Wednesday. I’ll leave on Friday, but make sure on the computer. I already know you will.

Well oh yea, in that other letter I answered every question in your letter. I’ll send it out when I get an envelope. I know stamps are expensive, but I may need more also. I’m OK for now. I’ve got about 10 left.

Love you lots. Pray for me.

Your favorite son, Teddy

P.S. I would send the other letter out with this one, but I don’t know if this will make it to you because the envelope is a little messed up.

This was the last communication I received from Ted besides the list of commissary items he sent. I never did get the other letter. I sent him 30 more envelopes, sheets of paper and three books of stamps right after I received this on 10/17.

Justin Polk

October 12, 2009

My name is Justin Polk – they call me J.P.

I’m currently incarcerated at Lake Butler, RMC – Main Unit.

My bunkie is Teddy. We are always bored. There is nothing to do in prison.

I regret the mistake I made. My charge is violation of probation/burglary to a dwelling. So the next two years of my life will be spent behind bars.

I used to live the fast life selling drugs, hitting up dope boys. So my advice for anybody breaking the law is to stop before you end up here.

These COs here have slapped me around for disobeying orders. They will beat you up and throw you in the box for about 90 days so nobody will see you.

Well if there’s any females reading this, write me. It’s boring in here. And I’m from Jacksonville, Duval County, 20 years old.

Note: Justin has since been transferred to Jackson C.I. His address is:

Polk, Justin, DC #J37665
Jackson C.I.
5563 10th Street, Malone, Florida 32445-3144

Daydreaming

This entry was also written before Ted left Lake Butler on October 16th.

You would think that because I’m in a cell with nothing to do that I’d be thinking of 100 different things to write about. Well that’s not true.

Me being in a cell gives me pretty much nothing to write about.

I could write about how me and my cellmate got so bored that we have started playing games like tic-tac-toe, hangman, rock-paper-scissors, and the box game.

What I spend most of my time doing though is daydreaming about getting out (as you can imagine). I think about what it’s going to be like doing things I’m not used to, like going to church, holding a job, going back to school, etc…

I try to imagine what a single day will be like for me where I’m not selling drugs, getting high, or just life in general not being part of a gang.

Every day I spend time reading the Bible praying for the strength to do right. I’d be lying to you if I said I don’t have my doubts and that it’ll be easy.

Every day I see people here in prison who have been here 4 – 5 times before and some people more. If all those people can’t change their lives, it shows me that the odds are against me.

While sitting in the county jail, I made a promise to do right though and I’m giving it all I’ve got this time. Plus I’ve got a lot of help from God.

Status of confinement

The correctional officer called me back at 4:30 p.m. today. She was very nice and answered all my questions.

Apparently, Ted asked to be put in solitary confinement on October 19th. She did not give any details, but said it wasn't uncommon for this to happen, and an investigation is opened whenever someone complains about fearing for their safety. Ted's investigation will take place on Wednesday, October 28th.

I haven't received a letter from Ted since he was sent to Brevard C.I. on October 16th. He wrote nine blog entries and sent them to me before leaving Lake Butler.

Brevard C.I. houses inmates ages 19-24. I've found online that numerous fights happen there all the time. I will be posting a few incidents that occurred there a number of years ago. One boy was stabbed and killing, another had his jaw broken. The officer I spoke with on the phone said that those instances are rare. Nothing like that has happened in years and with over 1,000 inmates, there are of course fights that break out.

People in solitary confinement cannot make phone calls home. (I haven't talked with Ted in over a month.) They can, however, write and receive letters and can get items from the commissary once every two weeks. Luckily I deposited money into his commissary account when he was in Lake Butler - and supposedly that was immediately transferred over to Brevard. I also deposited more money into his account yesterday, but that probably did not get to him in time. He can get extra food, long underwear and other items. I will post a blog entry of a list of some of the commissarry items that he sent to me.

He can also get visits from the chaplain and request a free Bible, although I'm not sure he knows that yet. I wrote it to him in a letter. He can also get books from the prison library.

For now, as far as I know, he is safe. If he had been injured, he would have been taken to medical, so apparently he just feared that something was going to happen or was threatened.

Photo: a cell in Alcatraz

Solitary confinement for protection

I called over to Brevard C.I. at 11:30 a.m. to find out when Ted could finally call home and to get a visitation form.

The person who answered the phone said that everyone was at lunch, but when she looked up Ted's DC number, she said he had been placed in confinement. When I asked why, she said he had requested protection.

She told me to call back at 1 p.m. to find out more information.

I called back at 1 p.m. and was told that the officer was in the confinement section. They took my phone number and said it probably wouldn't be until after 4 p.m. until I got a callback.

Shake downs

Since I’ve been here nothing has been stolen from me, at least not by an inmate.

A couple of times a week, the COs come in and search through everybody’s stuff.

The first time they did it while I was here, my roommate had a Ramen noodle soup and a razor blade under his bed right next to each other. Neither was hidden.

So the COs came in and did their search – and took his Ramen noodles, but left the razor blade. I guess the CO was hungry.

Every time they do a shakedown, they take somebody’s cigarettes and food. It doesn’t seem like they’re looking for contraband because they never take the contraband out. Only food and cigarettes.

Must be nice to get free food and cigarettes whenever you want.

Gangs in prison

This is probably something I should have realized years ago, but I’m realizing it more and more in prison.

I look around and I see all these gangs in prison – wearing their clothes a certain way or having gang tattoos – but I don’t see what they can offer you.

They say they can offer protection, but to me that just puts a target on your head. They also say theirs [the name of their gang] softly in numbers. Well most of the fights I see are gang-related and there are hardly ever more than two people fighting – while the rest of their gangs just stand around and watch.

It is a little different on the street. Gangs on the street tend to be more loyal to the gang, but like I said in the beginning – they don’t have anything to offer.

Sure they’ll say you could make money and have girls, but is it worth it? I’d rather find a girl who wants nothing to do with gangs and doesn’t care if I’m rich.

Just look at what you get offered to join a gang and then look at what life has to offer you not being in a gang.

A real cut up

Last night as I was sleeping, I was awakened by someone at the other end of my wing.

He was screaming “Help…Help me!”

At first I thought it was just one of these knuckleheads trying to be funny, but I started to wake up a little more and I could tell he was in trouble.

All of a sudden the CO came running into the wing trying to figure out what was going on. He ran to the cell and handcuffed them both. He took them both somewhere where nobody could see and came back shortly afterward and started searching the cell.

I guess when the CO started coming, the guy that was trying to cut his cellmate flushed his razor blade down the toilet before the CO got to them.

Even so, he was sent to the box for who knows how long and his cellmate was put into protective custody unharmed.

I’ve only been here three weeks. I wonder what will happen next…

Showers in Lake Butler

This was written before Ted left for the Orlando reception center.

I am currently being held at Lake Butler RMC – Main. I am in I block, which is the old isolation dorm.

Here we get three showers a week – which last anywhere from 30 – 60 seconds, depending on what time we start.

Because it’s so hot in here and there’s no A/C, as soon as you get out of the shower you’re sweating again and it’s just like you never took any kind of shower in the first place.

When you get in these showers, it’s always either too hot or too cold.

The showers are two-man showers separated by bars.

It’s really hard getting used to showering with another person next to you.

I suppose it could be worse. Maybe?

Constant harassment

Every morning we wake up to go to breakfast at 4:30 and last night was no different. We woke up, went to chow, and came back. When we got back, everybody’s stuff was torn up and thrown all over the place.

That’s not really unusual, but this time a lot of people got their cigarettes taken by the CO even though we’re allowed to have them. Just as everybody was making their beds again, one of the COs came walking through smoking the inmates’ cigarettes. You might ask ‘Well how do you know that he was smoking theirs?’ I know because he said so.

He passed my room and went to the cell next to mine and asked him “What would you do for your cigarettes?” He replied, “What do you want me to do Sir?” So the CO made him sing the Barney theme song out loud, then made him sing the YMCA song – but instead of saying “Y..M..C..A,” he had to sing “Y Am I Gay!”

Then for the next two hours, he sat one cell over messing with that man over every little thing, so I couldn’t sleep the whole time. Then after he was finally through, he refused to turn the lights off so we could go to sleep.

These COs here just love to come to work to make you mad.

I got to be honest – he was kinda funny for the first five minutes, but he got real old, real fast.

Transferred to permanent camp

I received another letter today (the third in three days). Ted was transferred to Brevard C.I. in Cocoa, FL (near Daytona) last night. I called and he is currently in an air-conditioned dorm, but will not be staying there. He is in minimum security.

About Brevard C.I.:

Brevard only houses youthful/adult males from ages 19-24.
There's a maximum capacity of 1,032 in Minimum, Medium, Closed and Community housing.
There are two open bay housing units and 10 cell housing units.

Services offered are:

Academic Programs:
Adult Basic Education/GED
Literacy

Vocational Programs:
Air Conditioning/ Refrigeration and Heating
Architectural Drafting
Commercial Foods/ Culinary Arts
PC Support
Pipe Trade Systems Technology
Commercial Truck Driving

Wellness Education Services:
Fresh Start Smoking Cessation
Wellness Education
Sports Leagues

Library Services:
Library Program
Minor Law Collection

Substance Abuse Programs:
Tier 1- Substance Abuse Education
Tier 3- Long Term Residential Therapeutic Community (RTC)

Chaplaincy Services:
Chapel Library Program
Kairos Week-ends
Prison Fellowship Monthly
Religious Education
T.D. Jakes Satellite Location
Way Home Bridge Builders
Worship Services

Institutional Betterment Programs:
Parent and Child Together in Print

Other Ongoing Programs:
Life Skills

Sick in prison

I’ve been sick the last three days, and for the whole three days, I’ve been asking the correctional officers (COs) for Tylenol.

They keep telling me they’ll do it when they aren’t so busy, but for some reason I still ain’t got any.

I can’t see too much from my cell, but from what I can see, the correctional officers are never busy. They just sit around spitting out tobacco.

Now I know it’s their job to make us not want to come back, but the least they can do is get me some Tylenol.

My head and body won’t stop hurting and the more I complain about it, the less they come around my cell.

Also besides not being able to get medicine, the worst part about being sick in here is having to walk to and from the dining hall and having to sit out on the rec field for about two hours in the hot sun.

Letters at last

Today a bunch of blog entries arrived in the mail! Ted has been moved to the Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando. I called the prison and spoke with his occupational officer. He will be moved to his permanent facility on Monday. I was told to wait to deposit any money into his commissary account until he arrived at his permanent one. He is very sick, but does not have the swine flu, as he is in with the general pop, the officer said.

Hiya Mom,

For the last three days I’ve been so sick. It’s from one of three things. Either it’s from being hot with no A/C all day, this filthy cell, or them making us walk back from the rec field in the pouring rain. My guess is all of the above.

This is the first time in three days I’ve had enough strength to even write you.

Besides not being able to get medicine in here – the worst part about being sick is having to walk to and from chow hall and having to stay out on the rec field. They make us stay out there for two or three hours and the whole time, I just want to pass out.

Anyway, I’m still sick, but I’m starting to recover a little. I still can’t eat much, but I’m tryin'.

It’s so boring in here I can’t take it. Oh yea, they sent your books back. They've got to be from a book publisher or dealer. [They were.]

When I get to my permanent camp, I’m going to try and get my CDL license or take up carpentry. It’ll give me something to do. I’m really hoping to get my CDL though.

Anyway, even though I’ve been sleeping for three days, I’m gonna go back to sleep.

Give Cocoa a tummy rub for me. I love you and miss you.

Teddy

Car search

This entry was written back in August when Ted was still in the Pinellas County Jail.

One night as I was driving to work, I was pulled over for having a headlight out.

Anyway, the cop ran my license and everything checked out okay. When he gave me back my license, he asked me if I had anything illegal in the car. I told him no – even though I did.

He asked me if he could search my car and again I told him no.

Then he told me to step out of the car because he was going to search my car anyway. Those were his exact words.

Even though he had no right to search my car, I was still wrong ‘cause I shouldn’t have had weed in my car.

Naturally, I was arrested and taken to jail.

Prison mail rules

The following rules apply to routine mail going to Florida prisons.

33-210.101 Routine Mail.

(1) The provisions of this section shall apply to routine mail. Routine mail is all inmate mail, except legal mail (see 33-210.102, F.A.C. privileged mail (see 33-210.103, F.A.C.) and publications (see 33-501.401, F.A.C.).

(2) Inmates will be permitted to receive only the following types of materials through routine mail:
(a) Written correspondence (no limit as to number of pages). Correspondence may be written on greeting cards, but cards containing electronic or other non-paper parts, cards which are constructed in such a way as to permit concealment of contraband, or which are larger than 8"x10" will not be permitted.
(b) Up to 5 pages of additional written materials, unless prior approval is obtained from the warden to send in an enclosure of greater than five pages.
Each page can be no larger than 8 1/2 x 14 inches in size; material can be on both sides of a page. This does not include bound publications which will be handled pursuant to Rule 33-501.401, F.A.C.
Individual newspaper or magazine articles or clippings or clippings from other publications are permissible, up to the 5 page limit.
No item can be glued, taped, stapled or otherwise affixed to a page.
Requests to send enclosures of greater than five pages shall be made to the warden or his designee prior to sending the material.
Exceptions to the five page limitation are intended for enclosures concerning legal, medical, or other significant issues, and not for material for general reading or entertainment purposes.
The warden shall advise the sender and the mail room of his approval or disapproval of the request.
(c) Photographs. Photographs will be counted toward the 5 page additional materials limitation. Nude photographs or photographs which reveal genitalia, buttocks, or the female breast will not be permitted.
Polaroid photographs will not be permitted.
Photographs will not exceed 8"x10".
(d) Self-addressed stamped envelopes. These items do not count toward the 5 page limitation for additional materials, but cannot exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 ounce) first class stamps.
(e) Blank greeting cards (no larger than 8"x10"), stationery or other blank paper or envelopes. These items do not count toward the 5 page limitation for additional materials, but cannot exceed 10 in number, with a total possession limit of 15 of each item.
(f) U.S. postage stamps. The value of the stamps cannot exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 oz.) first class stamps. These items do not count toward the 5 page limitation for additional materials.

(3) No other items may be received through incoming routine mail. If an impermissible item is found (other than items of an illegal nature, the entire correspondence will be returned to the sender pursuant to subsection (11) of this rule.
For example, the following items are not permissible for inclusion in or attachment to routine mail:
(a) Non-paper items;
(b) Items of a non-communicative nature such as lottery tickets or matchbooks;
(c) Stickers or stamps (other than postage stamps, postal service attachments, and address labels affixed to the outside of the envelope);
(d) Address labels (other than those affixed to the outside of the envelope);
(e) Laminated cards or other laminated materials.

(4) Inmates shall be responsible for informing correspondents of the regulations concerning incoming routine mail.

(5) Any routine mail sent or received may be opened, examined and read by a designated employee.
Outgoing mail shall not be sealed by the inmate sender. Incoming and outgoing mail that is properly addressed and otherwise in compliance with applicable rules shall not be held for processing for more than 48 hours of receipt by the mail room, excluding weekends and holidays.

(6) Except as provided in this section, inmates may send mail to and receive mail from any person or group they wish.

(7) Correspondence with inmates of other penal institutions shall be subject to the approval of the warden of each institution. Either warden shall withhold approval if he finds that the intended correspondence would present a substantial threat of interference with the security, order or rehabilitative objectives of his institution.

(8) Inmates may not send mail to any person who has advised the warden that he does not wish to receive mail from the inmate.
The parents or legal guardians of a person under the age of 18 may advise that mail is not to be sent to such person. Upon receipt of such advisement, the warden will cause to be prepared an acknowledgement specifying that the inmate will not be permitted to send mail to the person requesting the correspondence restriction and that such person should return any further mail received from the inmate and notify the warden of the attempt to correspond.
After the inmate is notified of the correspondence restriction, any further attempt to correspond will be considered a violation of this rule and of section 9-14 of the Rules of Prohibited Conduct, (33-601.314, F.A.C.) and will subject the inmate to disciplinary action.

(9) Outgoing or incoming mail shall be disapproved for mailing or delivery to the inmate if any part of it:
(a) Depicts or describes procedures for the construction of or use of weapons, ammunitions, bombs, chemical agents, or incendiary devices;
(b) Depicts, encourages, or describes methods of escape from correctional facilities or contains blueprints, drawings or similar descriptions of Department of Corrections facilities or institutions, or includes road maps that can facilitate escape from correctional facilities;
(c) Depicts or describes procedures for the brewing of alcoholic beverages, or the manufacture of drugs or other intoxicants;
(d) Is written in code;
(e) Depicts, describes or encourages activities which may lead to the use of physical violence or group disruption;
(f) Encourages or instructs in the commission of criminal activity;
(g) Is dangerously inflammatory in that it advocates or encourages riot, insurrection, disruption of the institution, violation of department or institution rules, the violation of which would present a serious threat to the security, order or rehabilitative objectives of the institution or the safety of any person;
(h) Threatens physical harm, blackmail or extortion;
(i) Pictorially depicts sexual conduct as defined by s. 847.001, FS, as follows:
1. Actual or simulated sexual intercourse;
2. Sexual bestiality;
3. Masturbation;
4. Sadomasochistic abuse;
5. Actual contact with a person’s unclothed genitals, pubic area, buttocks, or, if such person is a female, breast;
6. Any act or conduct which constitutes sexual battery or simulates that sexual battery is being or will be committed.
(j) Presents nudity or a lewd exhibition of the genitals in such a way as to create the appearance that sexual conduct is imminent, i.e., display of contact or intended contact with genitals, pubic area, buttocks or female breasts orally, digitally or by foreign object, or display of sexual organs in an aroused state.
(k) Contains criminal history, offender registration, or other personal information about another inmate or offender which, in the hands of an inmate, presents a threat to the security, order or rehabilitative objectives of the correctional system or to the safety of any person;
(l) Is not in compliance with incoming mail regulations set forth in subsections (2) and (3) of this rule (incoming mail only);
(m) Contains or appears to contain unknown or unidentifiable substances; or
(n) otherwise presents a threat to the security, order, or rehabilitative objectives of the Correctional System, or to the safety of any person.

(10) No inmate may establish or conduct a business through the mail during his period of incarceration.

(11) When an inmate is prohibited from sending a letter, the letter and a written and signed notice stating one of the authorized reasons for disapproval and indicating the portion or portions of the letter causing disapproval will be given to the inmate.
When an inmate is prohibited from receiving any item of mail, the inmate and the sender will be given notice in writing that the mail has been disapproved stating one of the authorized reasons for disapproval.
The Unauthorized Mail Return Receipt, Form DC2-521, will be placed in the original envelope with the correspondence and returned to the sender.
If contraband is discovered in the mail (other than contraband of an illegal nature), the contraband item and the correspondence will be returned to the sender with the Unauthorized Mail Return Receipt included.
In either case the inmate may file a grievance to be reviewed by an officer or official other than the person disapproving the mail.
Form DC2-521 is hereby incorporated by reference. Copies of the form are available from the Forms Control Administrator, Office of the General Counsel, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-2500. The effective date of this form is December 4, 2002.

(12) The address of all incoming mail must contain the inmate's committed name, identification number and institutional address.
The return address of all outgoing mail must contain only the inmate's committed name, identification number and institutional name and institutional address.
No prefix other than inmate, Mr., Ms., Miss, or Mrs. nor any suffix other than Jr., Sr. or Roman numeral such as II or III may be included as part of the committed name in the return address.
The institutional name in the return address must be spelled out completely with no abbreviations.
All outgoing routine mail will be stamped "mailed from a state correctional institution" by mail room staff.

(13) When an inmate is transferred or released, routine mail addressed to the inmate at his old institution shall be treated as follows:
(a) For 1 month after the transfer or release, all first-class and second-class mail will be returned to the post office within 10 working days of receipt with a forwarding address, if available, and a request will be made to postal authorities to forward.
All postage due is the responsibility of the inmate and must be paid in accordance with postage regulations.
At the end of the 1-month period, all first-class and second-class routine mail will be returned to the U.S. Postal Service with no attempt to have mail forwarded.

(b) From the date of transfer or release, all routine mail other than firstclass and second-class will be returned to the U.S. Postal Department for its disposition.

(14) No postage or writing materials shall be provided to inmates for routine mail except that postage and writing materials shall be provided to any inmate with insufficient funds for mailing one first class letter weighing one ounce or less each month to be used for mailing one first class letter weighing one ounce or less each month.
Local procedures may be established to require the inmate to request the free postage and writing materials or to establish a specific day of the month for the free letters to be processed.
Inmates shall be permitted to receive U.S. postage stamps in their routine mail so long as the value of the stamps does not exceed the equivalent of 20 (1 oz.) first class stamps.
Inmates may not possess more than the equivalent of 25 (1 oz.) first class stamps.
Due care shall be exercised in processing mail, however, the department shall not be responsible for any postage stamps sent through the mail.

(15) Inmates shall not utilize hand-made packages or envelopes to send out routine mail. Mail enclosed in such materials will be returned to the inmate without processing.

(16) Outgoing packages and envelopes will not bear any artwork, additional lettering or designs other than the required address and return address.

Ted's 5th birthday party

Today was Columbus Day, so there was no mail delivery - which means no new blog entries from Ted yet.

Here's a video clip of Ted's 5th birthday party - even then he was popular with the ladies. Notice the cute missing front tooth!

From everything to nothing

Since I’ve still not received any new blog entries from Ted, I will post some unpublished entries that he wrote in the Pinellas County Jail.

In the last 2½ years, I have owned three very nice cars.

The first was a Mitsubishi 3000GT, which had a VTEC engine and was very fast.

Then I sold my Mitsubishi to buy an all-custom Honda Accord with air-bag suspension, limo-tinted windows, custom paint job, and a five-foot-long sun roof that you could fit 15 people out of the roof.

Then I sold that and I bought a right-hand drive turbo Honda Civic.

Soon after buying my Civic, I got real drunk and took a bunch of pills and wrecked my car by driving into a telephone pole.

After finally wrecking my third car, I could not afford to fix it and I couldn’t sell my car for enough money to buy another decent car – so I sold my Civic and bought a bunch of marijuana to try and make enough money for a new car.

But the day after I bought the marijuana, the cops confiscated it all. I was left with nothing.

Especially over the last couple of years, I have made many bad mistakes which have caused me to go from having it all to having nothing.

I just want to say that if you want to sell and do drugs, you may have nice things for a little while, but you will end up losing everything – and I do mean Everything.

Photos: Ted at age 15 as he learns to drive in his future Mitsubishi; Low-rider with air suspension, Right-hand drive car. (Click on images to enlarge.)

No books are to be sent to the Reception and Medical Center

I called RMC – Main on Friday morning and spoke with Ted’s prison case manager. Ted had written that he was allowed to have books sent to him, so I ordered five books from book publishers on eBay. His case manager told me he was not allowed to receive books at the reception center. He had to wait until he went to his permanent facility. I asked what would happen to the five books I sent to him. She said they would go into the prison’s library. Ted doesn’t have access to the library. It must be just for permanent residents of the prison.

The case manager also said that he would be moved within five weeks. He arrived at RMC – Main on September 29th and he will be there five weeks as of November 3rd.

I also asked when he would be able to call home. He has to fill out a phone form before he can call home. Calls can’t be made to cell phones.

Extreme punishment

Raiford prison is very close to RMC Main - where Ted is.

The following article appeared in the Jacksonville news on July 6, 2009:

Florida prison sergeant gets 3 years for pouring scalding water on inmate

A former Florida Department of Corrections sergeant was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for assaulting an inmate at Raiford by pouring a bottle of scalding water on his chest.

A federal jury in Jacksonville convicted Paul Gregory Tillis of Lake Butler in January of depriving inmate Jerry Williams of his civil rights by causing second-degree burns while the prisoner laid on the floor of his cell. Tillis, 44, also failed to seek medical attention for Williams after the assault, the U.S. Justice Department said.

At the time, Tillis was working as a supervisory corrections officer at Florida State Prison in a wing for inmates who posed discipline problems. He said he poured the water through the food flap of Williams’ cell to determine whether Williams was faking an injury.

Florida could start sending prisoners out of state

Still no additional blog entries from Ted from prison. I have some older unposted entries that he wrote in jail and will start posting those or some video clips of him when he was younger if I don't receive anything in the mail tomorrow.

In the meantime, someone sent me the following article from the Associated Press today. Interestingly enough, Ted actually parked Governor Crist's car at a grand opening of a resort on Clearwater Beach where he worked as a valet.

MIAMI - People sentenced for a Florida crime could someday do their time thousands of miles away.

A law signed by Gov. Charlie Crist would let Florida for the first time send state inmates to out-of-state prisons. Corrections officials say they oppose joining at least eight other states who outsource some of their prison beds. But the governor and a private prison company that supported the law say it could someday be an option the state wants.

When other states have sent inmates out of state it has almost exclusively been to private facilities, though Florida's law would also allow the department to contract with other states.

Florida has the nation's third largest state prison system and topped 100,000 inmates late last year.

Letter from RMC #1

I received one letter today from Ted, but no blog entries. He said he sent them separately in case some of them are confiscated. Hopefully I'll get them tomorrow. So here are parts of his letter:

Mom,

I got your $50 that you put in. Thank you.

Right now I'm in a two-man cell and my roommate is a white kid who's my age. He's cool. We play a lot of cards. It's all there is to do.

I pretty much explained where I was in my last letter. It's just like every prison you see on TV except dirtier. Nothing works right.

Also I have a pretty decent mattress and pillow, but who can sleep when people are constantly shouting from cell to cell all night.

Some things I'm allowed to get are books from book dealers or book publishers, pictures, stamp and envelopes (I got yours Thanks), and a watch and necklace under $50 apiece.

While I'm at this camp they aren't doing anything about my wisdom teeth so I'm going to get it done at my main camp.

Well, I guess I'll tell you everything else in my blogs.

I love you a lot and miss you. Pet Cocoa for me.

Your favorite son,

Teddy

Photo: Ted's dog Cocoa

Prison movies

Still awaiting further communication from Ted at RMC-Main. In the meantime:

Here’s a list of some [supposedly great] prison movies. Below the list are the sites that listed them and some synopses of each movie.

- The Shawshank Redemption
- The Green Mile
- The Last Castle
- Cool Hand Luke
- Assault on Precinct 13
- The Rock
- Escape from Alcatraz
- The Hurricane
- Dead Man Walking
- Life
- Escape from New York
- Fortress
- Con Air
- My Cousin Vinny
- Chicago
- Alien 3
- Blood In, Blood Out (Bound by Honor)
- The Longest Yard
- Death Race
- In the Name of the Father
- And God Created Woman
- Brother, Where Art Thou?
- Hart’s War
- Hanoi Hilton
- The Count of Monte Cristo
- Banished Behind Bars
- Prison of Secrets
- Murder in the First
- Caged Heat
- There Was a Crooked Man
- Gothika
- Lock Up
- The Bridge on the River Kwai
- Reindeer Games
- The Reader
- Midnight Express
- Prison on Fire
- Death Warrant
- American History X
- Ernest Goes to Jail
- Let’s Go to Prison
- The Birdman of Alcatraz
- Bad Boys
- Papillon
- The Deer Hunter
- The Great Escape
- Chicago (2002)
- 48 Hours
- Stir Crazy
- The Life of David Gale
- 25th Hour
- 21 Grams
- Stalag 17
- Brubaker
- The Great Raid

If you have another movie to add, please send to teeninjail@yahoo.com.

For more on these movies, visit the following links:

The Top Five Prison Movies of All Time

Best Prison Movies

Amazon.com’s Best Prison Movies

The Best Prison Movies – eBaum’s World Forum

Best Prison Movies of All Time – Franks Reel Reviews

Prison life

Right now I’m in a two-man cell. It’s 23-hour lockdown and there’s no A/C, so I’m always sweating.

Every day the guards wake us up at 5 a.m. and walk us to the chow hall. Actually believe it or not, the food is better here than in the county jail, but unlike the county jail, you have at the most 5 minutes to eat. I’m still trying to learn to eat fast.

Also when you eat, you can’t talk or even look at the person next to you. I don’t know if it’s like that at every prison, but that’s how it is here.

After breakfast we go back to our cells ‘til about noon, Then we go to lunch. Then after that, guess what? We get to go back to our cells ‘til about 5 p.m. for dinner. I bet you can’t guess what we do after that. You’re right! We go back to our cells.

Once or twice a week after dinner, we get to go to canteen (commissary) and buy food, sodas, cigarettes, etc…

All in all, time drags by.

Right now my earliest release date is July 12, 2010, but they can’t hold me longer than October 29, 2010.

Prison guards

Let me start off by saying the guards in the county jail suck, but the guards in prison are way worse.

In county jail, the guards can only put their hands on you for two reasons: one for fighting, and two, if you try to escape. But in prison the guards can put their hands on you just because you looked at them wrong.

It seems like the guards in prison are supposed to be in a bad mood 24/7. It doesn’t even matter if you’re doing what you’re supposed to do – they still yell at you for something anyway.

And another thing – I haven’t heard a guard speak yet without cursing. It’s always “F this” and “F that”, and “you stupid whiteboy M&%$# Fer”.

I still don’t understand why they keep calling me a whiteboy like it’s a bad thing. The thing that doesn’t make the most sense is the guards calling me a whiteboy are WHITE!

Well that’s a prison guard in a nutshell.

Photo: Andy Dufresne and a prison guard in The Shawshank Redemption

All day in a cell

As ya’ll probably already know, I spend most…all of my day in a cell.

I used to think I knew what it’s like to be bored, but being in a cell all day gives being bored a whole new meaning.

Since I just got here, I don’t have much. I don’t have any cards, no books, no commissary – well just about anything we’re allowed to have, I’m lacking, so all day I lay in my bed and look at the back of my eyelids.

I try to sleep all day, but a person can only sleep so much, so I keep finding myself looking at the wall.

One thing about my cell – it’s sooo dirty. It looks like it hasn’t been cleaned in YEARS! There’s unidentifiable stuff all over the walls and floors. Also there’s bugs everywhere. There’s ants, spiders, cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, and some other bugs I’ve never seen in my life. As I’m writing this, I’m looking at at least 8 – 10 ants and two other bugs I’ve never seen.

Man I can’t wait to get out!

(Blogger’s note: Ted is a heavy snorer and sleeps with his mouth wide open almost continuously.)

First day in prison

This is the first blog I’ve wrote since I got to prison. I’m currently at Lake Butler, and to be honest – I have no idea where that is.

In the last few blogs, I said that I would have to watch what I write and that I would have to keep it PG-13. Now I actually realize how much stuff I can’t write about without correctional officers taking my letters. Instead of PG-13, I’m going to have to keep them rated G.

It’s now my second day here and it feels like months.

Within minutes of arriving here, I found myself standing in a room naked with about 20 other guys being strip searched.

The rest of my first day consisted of sitting on a wood bench in my boxers – being yelled at. I know they’re just trying to scare us, but to be honest – it’s starting to work.

Also throughout my first day, they gave me a hard time about my gang tattoos. They don’t even care if I was in a gang or not. Just the fact I had tattoos that even looked gang related.

By the way – keep in mind that I’m keeping the details to the barest minimum. My first day was pure hell and it’s only just begun…

(Stay tuned for more horrific details.)

Photos: Prison intake mug shot; Tattoos: "Courage an Honor" and "The World is Mine"

The trip to prison

On Tuesday, September 22nd at 2:30 a.m., I was woken up and told that I was going to be transferred, so I got up and packed my stuff.

I left my pod and was brought to the maximum security part of the jail. There I sat in a small one-man cell with six other people that were going to prison too. We must have sat in there for about two hours. During that time, we were fed breakfast.

After breakfast, we were led to a hallway with even more people on their way to prison. In the hall, we were shackled and handcuffed to the person next to us. There was about 20 of us altogether.

After we were handcuffed and shackled, we were lead to a bus. When we walked it was like a 3-legged race because of the shackles. The bus we got on was a big white bus that said ‘Pinellas County Sheriff Transport’ along the side with bars all along the windows.

When we got on the bus, we went through two gates toward the back of the bus where we sat in some uncomfortable plastic seats. The guards that were transporting us were armed with assault rifles.

I’m not sure how long the trip was to Lake Butler, but I’d have to say it was about 4-5 hours and the whole time we had to stay handcuffed and shackled to the person next to us. I tried to get some sleep, but couldn’t do it. There was no way to get comfortable.

This was the beginning of the worst day of my life…