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.

Orlando again

This entry was also written over three weeks ago before Ted was transferred to the Largo Residential Reentry Center.

After spending eight days at Lake Butler, I’ve been transferred again. Now I’m at the Orlando Reception Center again. I hate this place the most. So far, it’s not that bad though. Right now, they’ve got me on Wing 3 (or Bay 3, as they call it) with only 18 other people. Plus everybody seems to get along. So far.

It’s a good thing I’m only with 18 other people. That means I’m less likely to have to fight in self defense and ruin my opportunity to go to work release.

At least I don’t feel like I have to watch my back every second of the day like I did last time [I was here]. That’s a big relief.

My roommate was telling me that he’s been here for the last two months and he’s only seen one fight. That means this place calmed down a lot in the last 4 – 6 months.

Well anyway, no matter how this place is, I should be out of here in about a week. Give or take. Man, I can’t wait.

The view from Ted's cell

Above on the left is a photo I took of the trees on the road leading toward the Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando. The next photo shows the view from Ted's cell. He told me his cell window was blacked out on the top and on the bottom - leaving only a tiny strip to view the trees outside. (Click photos to enlarge.)

The Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando

The CFRC resides in the middle of Florida scrubland in the middle of a large expanse of trees and not much else. During the two-hour drive to visit Ted, I passed exits for the Orlando Airport and the Disney amusement parks. Driving down the winding road to the Reception Center, I drove by two groupings of mobile homes (presumably housing for the COs), three small lakes and lots and lots of trees.

Signs pointed different ways to CFRC-East and CFRC-West, but my destination was CFRC-Main.

I noted several fences around the complex including one with electrical wires and one covered from top to bottom in rolls of barbed wire.

Entry to visitation was pretty straightforward. A patting down in a side room and walking through a security metal detector. A visitor needs a pin number - proof that they've passed the background check and are approved for visitation. I entered my pin number, hit Enter, and placed my hand in the slots for verification of my ID - but I definitely wasn't going into Disney World.

Two sliding electronic doors provided access to the large visitation room. A colorful mural of a Florida lake complete with a flying bald eagle and alligator was painted on the wall as a background for photos. Two canteens were positioned at opposite ends of the room – one for COs and one for inmates and visitors. A padlocked door housed a CO barber shop according to the painted sign above it. Children’s books, Bibles, jigsaw puzzles and games were displayed on a long table. Another small table had microwave ovens for the frozen pizzas and sandwiches. Twenty-nine tables and chairs were lined up in neat rows inside the room.

Another door led outside to a small covered area with cement picnic tables and benches – not enough outdoor seating for the group that was visiting the 28 inmates there that day.

No inmates in wheelchairs were in sight. Evidently the CFRC was just a reception center - not a medical center - although I did spy one young man with an ace bandage around his wrist.

Through the fence, I could see a large group of blue-clad inmates with red hats marching in formation – the youthful offenders. They were heading back to their cellblock from the dining hall and sounding off. I asked Ted what they were saying. “Barumph,” he said. Just noises like that. The adult inmates just walked normally to their destinations – no marching. Also in view – a basketball court and a blue mailbox. Ted said they mailed their letters there – there were no blue mailboxes at the other facilities where he’s been.

One building had windows covered in horizontal slats. You probably couldn’t see much out of them, I thought, and asked Ted if his cell’s window was the same. He laughed. His cellblock building was different. He had a large window, but the top was blacked out and the bottom was blacked out. The viewing area was about 1mm high, maybe not even that. He described it as the width of the side of a playing card – just a line. He was able to see that trees were outside his cell though.

He also said the lighting in his cell did not work – that’s why he couldn’t read after the sun set.

The food was the same as at all of the other facilities, but he said there seemed to be more of it at the CFRC. They provided an iced tea dispenser in the dining hall.

As for the canteen – the youthful offenders visited the canteen only once a week. Ted had requested I come on Sunday so he would not miss the canteen. Naturally, his cellblock went to the canteen while I visited him. We saw through the fence what appeared to be a group leaving the canteen. I told him I would leave early and left an hour before the visit was to end. The COs took awhile to let him back into the compound – and naturally he missed the canteen visit. No extra food for him this week.

Ted did tell me that Martin was transferred to Brevard on Friday.

Photos: Google Earth aerial of the entire CFRC complex and CFRC-Main. Click photos to enlarge.

Ted and Martin

Last Tuesday, Ted called me and told me he had been transferred to the Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando.

Ted phoned again tonight. Ted told me that literally right after he got off the phone with me on Tuesday, he met Martin. Ted has never seen Martin, but Martin read Ted’s blog for months while he was on the run from authorities. Martin is also writing blog posts from prison and I post them on his site “Notes from Prison”. (Click on the green banner ad on the right side to go straight to Martin’s blog.)

Ted and Martin are in the same dorm, but are housed in different wings. Ted has run into Martin two different times and they talked for about 30 minutes each time. Martin recognized Ted right away.

The CFRC is also an adult facility, but has some youthful offenders. The YOs cannot use the phones every day. They can call home only when the COs feel like letting them use the phones. The inmates can only visit the canteen once a week in Orlando. I was going to visit Ted on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend, but Ted asked that I only visit him on one of those days so that he might stock up on some extra food from the canteen. He’s pretty hungry since he’s no longer getting any extra food working in a kitchen.

I asked Ted if he had any books left to read and he said he couldn’t read at night in Orlando because there is no lighting in the cells in the evening. He does read a bit during the day and has half of a book left.

Apparently Ted was moved to the CFRC in Orlando before being transferred because Orlando is closer to the work release center. Orlando is still about two hours from Ted’s home. Ted is hoping that he will be transferred to the center this week.

It’s actually a miracle that Ted and Martin even met in Orlando, as both are on their way to other destinations within the vast Florida prison system.

Answers to your questions

I sent a long list of questions to Ted on October 27, 2009 when he was at the Central Florida Reception Center (CFRC) in Orlando. Here’s what he sent back on November 6, 2009:

Answers to your questions
(Uhhh Here we go)

Do you have a mattress at least on the floor or are you sleeping on the hard floor?
I have a bottom bunk here in Orlando.

Is the floor cement?
The floor is made of cement.
(He had been sleeping on the floor in the box at Brevard.)

Do you have A/C?
No A/C, but it’s cool outside at night, so it’s okay.

Is it too hot or too cold there?
It’s not too hot or cold as of now.

Are there bugs like before?
Not as many bugs here as at Lake Butler.

Is the cell dirty?
Every cell in prison is dirty.

What do you have for bedding? Pillow? Blanket? Sheets?
I have no pillow, 2 sheets, 1 blanket, and a thin mat.

Can you tell me about your cellmates other than the fact that they’re cool?
I don’t really know my new cell mate. He’s quiet.

You don’t get to go outside at all in solitary? Just to showers?
You can’t go outside when you’re in the box except after 30 days and then when you do go outside, it’s in a tiny human, dog cage that’s not even big enough to run around and you can only go out there for 3 hours a week at the most.

Are the showers for the regular cells also 20 minutes long?
Showers are for 1 – 2 minutes in regular cells.

Are they too hot or too cold or can you adjust the water temperature?
You can’t adjust the shower temp, but the showers are always either way too hot to get in or way too cold.

Do they give you soap, shampoo and a towel?
Yes, they give us soap and a towel. No shampoo.

When you first got there, what were you issued? Towel? Toothbrush? Soap? Toothpaste?
(Describe all items you were given on first day)
When I first got to Brevard, they give you sheets, blanket, soap, laundry bag, towel, new clothes with your name and DC# stitched on, a razor, toothbrush and toothpaste.

Did you get a rulebook?
Yes, I got a rulebook from Brevard.

Can you tell me about guards or other kids there, or is that not allowed? Can you write about them, but not use names perhaps?
I can’t write about guards and I don’t know anything about anybody else to write about.

Can you buy a TV in the canteen? Radio?
AH Ha There’s no TV on canteen, but you can buy a radio.

Now that weather is getting colder, can you buy long underwear or a sweatshirt or something? (Why do mothers always ask this?)
I’m not really sure about sweatshirts yet. I’m trying to find out though.

How far do you have to walk to get to the shower? Do you pass other cells on the way?
When I was in the box at Brevard, the shower was about four feet from my cell. Why they had to handcuff me to walk four feet, who knows?

What are the walls made out of in the cell? What color are the walls and floor?
The floor is gray and the walls are white.

What’s in the cell? Two beds, toilet? Shelves? Table? Where do you keep your stuff?
There’s 2 beds, a metal toilet/sink, and 2 metal lockers on the floor (at Orlando).

What have you bought so far in the commissary?
All I really buy on canteen is food. I was buying cigarettes at Lake Butler, but since I keep getting transferred, I think I might try and quit. It’s more stressful to start and stop.

Does anybody take your commissary stuff?
I’ve had some envelopes stolen, but that’s it so far. Oh yea, send more. Someone stole 10 last night when I took a shower.

Did you buy a deck of cards in solitary?
You can’t have cards in the box.

Did you get any of my books yet?
I didn’t get your books. I probably won’t now.
(He did eventually get all the books I sent when he got to the work camp at Lancaster.)

Did you ask the chaplain for a visit and a Bible?
I didn’t ask the chaplain to come see me, but I did get a nice Bible though. I read it every night.

What kind of food do you get for meals? Do you get enough? Is it good?
We get meatloaf, hot dogs, oatmeal, grits, eggs, coffee cakes, noodles, spaghetti, etc… Really we get a little bit of everything. It never seems like enough, but it’s better than the county jail.

Have you been able to get any books from the library?
I don’t know how the library works.

Have they told you anything about getting your wisdom teeth pulled?
!* IMPORTANT: They won’t pull my wisdom tooth because they said it was fine. I saw the dentist at Brevard last Thursday.

Will you be able to take a CDL class or any other class?
I’m not sure if I even have enough time to take a trade. They say I need at least a year or more.

What do people do when they’re outside? Just start fights?
People just sit around outside. All the fights are inside where the CO can’t see.

Do you know how tall you are now?
I don’t think I grew, but who knows?

Whoo…from now on if you ask like 1/12 the questions, I’ll answer them in more detail.

Ted later explained to me that the toilet and sink were one piece. The sink is on the back of the toilet.

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 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.

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.

A terrible year

I called the CFRC in Orlando today. They said Ted will be definitely be moved to another facility. They could not tell me when or where, as it was confidential.

No visitations are allowed at the CFRC. A visitation form has to be filled out for each prison. It takes about three weeks for each prison to process the completed application. Although I submitted visitation forms to Brevard C.I., I will have to start the process all over again when he reaches his new destination.

Supposedly, he was able to take my letters, his books that I sent him, paper, envelopes and stamps with him to his new cell. The officer told me they did not go into property. Yet, I’m still waiting on a letter from Ted. A phone call would be even better.
1993 was not a good year. Two horribly traumatic things happened.

One day, I received a phone call from my mother in Florida. “I think your father shot himself,” she said. What she said did not compute. My step-father had always been a deacon or elder in a church. Very religious. Very strict. That day is a bit of a blur, but my family ended up boarding a plane for Florida – not knowing if my step-father was alive or dead.

My mother and step-father had always been teachers. As I mentioned before, they eventually started their own small Christian school in CT. But when my step-father finished his PhD in 1984, he accepted a job in Clearwater, FL as the head of the Education department at a Christian college. It was his dream job.

In 1985, my mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Two years later, she walked with a cane at my wedding.

Around 1990, a new President took over at the college. He got rid of a number of established professors to bring in his own associates from Bob Jones University. My step-father was one of the ones let go, even though he had graduated from Bob Jones University as well.

The economy back then was similar to today’s economy. My step-father could not find a job – he was over-qualified. They lived on credit cards for a year or so. My step-father eventually bought a truck – similar to a Snap-On Tool truck – and sold auto parts to repair shops and gas stations around Tampa Bay.

Ironically, he also had a part-time job teaching a GED class at the Pinellas County Jail – where Teddy would end up 16 years later.

My step-father was not a businessman. He found himself in debt to the IRS. My mother was sick and getting worse. He had suffered from depression for 25 years and took medication for it. A doctor in Clearwater refilled his medicine by phone – without seeing him in person at all. It was later discovered that my step-father was taking over five times the recommended amount of medication a person should take.

By 1993, my mother’s MS had progressed to the point where to had to ride an electric scooter around the house. She was able to get out of bed, into the scooter and into an armchair. They both went to church three times a week – and ate out with a large group of friends after church every Sunday.

On April 29th, 1993, my step-father went into his work truck parked in front of the house, wrote five long suicide letters and shot himself in the head. He died instantly.

My mother heard something, rode her scooter outside, but was unable to get into the truck to see if he was alright. A neighbor found him.

My husband and I flew to Florida with 3-year-old Teddy to arrange the funeral and put his affairs in order. The funeral was very traumatic. Teddy stayed with his paternal grandmother. I sat in the front row and cried so hard as I stared at my step-father’s face – at the huge patched-up hole.

We stayed in Florida for several weeks. Interestingly enough, the church community fell away. Sure, a few church friends and a small number of professors from the Christian college attended the funeral, but only one or two so-called close friends visited my mother a couple of times afterward – and then disappeared entirely. Only one elderly woman remained in contact throughout the years.

This affected my views on organized religion, although I never lost my faith in God. Ted said it best – “The bad times show you who your good friends are.”

My mother did end up winning a medical malpractice suit against the doctor.

Next: Ted witnesses another traumatic event
Photo: My step-father, Dr. Walter Hatten, in front of his truck

Sent back to Orlando

I saw on the Florida Department of Corrections web site that Ted has been moved back to the Central Florida Reception Center in Orlando on either Friday or Saturday.

I still don't know the details that got him sent to the box at Brevard C.I., but in his last letter almost two weeks ago, Ted mention it was possible he could be transferred.

I will call the CFRC on Monday to find out if he will be staying there permanently or transferred to yet another camp.

Use Google Earth to enter the CFRC's address (7000 H C Kelley Road, Orlando, FL) to zoom in on a satellite image of the reception center.

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

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.

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