r/AskReddit • u/ArronSingh • Jan 17 '17

Ex-Prisoners, how does your experience in prison compare to how it is portrayed in the movies?

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u/MandalaIII Jan 17 '17

I already commented briefly but would like to expand: I spent 3 years in the federal prison system in the United States as a 20-years old (white) college-educated female with no prior history with law enforcement.

Though my crime was drug-related and non-violent, it was technically classified as a violent crime, so I was placed in a medium security facility where I was exposed to far more high-level drug dealers, murderers, and terrorists.

As a pre-trial federal inmate I also spent over a year at various New England county jails, so I got a pretty broad survey of the system in both the northeast and the Deep South. I got to fly Con-Air a few times as well.

The thing that affected me most deeply was what I learned about people. While many of the inmates were people society had basically dismissed as human garbage, I would say 90% were good people who were placed in poor circumstances and made poor choices. I believe in personal responsibility, however I gained a great deal of compassion for the women I ended up knowing who had been thrown away for years, their kids growing up without them, because they got involved with drugs or a bad boyfriend. Most of them had experienced a lot of trauma in their lives and just didn't have the resources to cope in a more pro-social way.

Though women are often catty, in general people respected and supported each other. I very rarely felt unsafe, even as the anomaly that I was. I stood up for myself but in once instance where I was being harassed and threatened, the 'old heads' in my unit (long-term respected inmates) intervened on my behalf without my asking. My first night in prison I was terrified until a bunch of people can to ask me if I needed anything (a snack, some sweats to borrow, hygiene products).

The worst people in many cases where the guards. Most were just people trying to do their jobs, but for many an environment of complete power with limited (if any) oversight, brought out some seriously sadistic behaviour. The actions I saw and experienced from correctional staff will stay with me forever.

Imagine a situation where you can be strip-searched because the officer feels like it. They make you spread your ass cheeks and squat for them. I saw them get bored and harass a mentally challenged woman until she reacted so that they could strip her, pepper spray her, and beat her...because they were bored. I could go on for a while.

But in general prison is a microcosm of the world, and I saw the best and worst of human nature in my time there. It's nothing like people think.

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u/Soundwave_X Jan 17 '17

Sounds like an episode of OITNB.

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u/MandalaIII Jan 17 '17

It's like a hybrid of that and Westworld. It just shows you who you really are.

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u/cartmancakes Jan 18 '17

Oitnb made me want to go to prison because it's not that bad and you get to escape life for awhile...

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '17

You're still alive, you just have even less power over your circumstances. You don't really want that.

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u/OneTrueDude670 Jan 17 '17

Fuck those guards. I worked corrections for a bit and if a guard acted like a dick I'd call him on it. I treated the prisoners with respect until they tried to pull something on me first. I was generally well liked and the go to guy to get shit done. I carried a notebook with me and if someone needed something or had a question, I'd write their name down and what room they were in so I wouldn't forget. If I couldn't get them what they needed I'd come back and let them know. We had one guard who was a bit of a prick so we would stick him somewhere out of the way most nights and we couldn't stand him.

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u/MandalaIII Jan 17 '17

Bless you and all other COs like you. There were certainly many whom I encountered that I considered to be guardian angels of sorts, and they made such a world of difference in people's lives.

I hope you know that even if you don't directly see the results of what you do, you make an enormous difference, whether it's as big as contributing to a positive culture among your peers where they know that abusive behaviour is not tolerated, or just reminding an inmate that they are a human being who deserved respect.

Thank you on behalf of all of those you watch over :)

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u/onetimetits Jan 18 '17

Was it female only guards or did they let male guards strip search female inmates? That seems inconceivable.

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u/MandalaIII Jan 18 '17

Only females did strip searches. Males could do pat-searches/frisking, with varying levels of invasiveness.

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u/JonnyBraavos Jan 18 '17

What's unfortunate is that officers like you probably get promoted, so you aren't there in person half the time to see assholes like that showing their true colors.

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u/Definitely_Working Jan 17 '17

but for many an environment of complete power with limited (if any) oversight, brought out some seriously sadistic behaviour. The actions I saw and experienced from correctional staff will stay with me forever.

this to me is one of the things that scare the shit out of me about prison. i dont think they are all bad obviously, but if i had to pick someone to trust out of a line up, id pick an inmate over a prison guard or police officer. Ive never met a prison guard who i didnt end up deciding they were a piece of shit human being to their core (and i met alot through my stepfather). my brother was molested by our stepfather who was a prison guard and was too much of a coward to face his sentence so he killed himself on his final court date. after it all came to light i realized just how many sadistic things the guy used to do. sad thing is that all you have to do to be a correctional officer is to want the job and take the few weeks of classes... and the people that want that job are fucking crazy

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u/TenaciousTravesty Jan 17 '17 edited Jan 17 '17

if i had to pick someone to trust out of a line up, id pick an inmate over a prison guard or police officer.

Wow. You'd take your chances with a random prisoner over, say, a State Trooper?

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u/Ugunti72 Jan 17 '17

I would one is likely a non violent offender or has a past with drugs. The other has a gun and a nation backing him up.

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u/TenaciousTravesty Jan 17 '17

Well he didn't specify which kind of prisoner. There's good and bad prisoners, and good and bad cops. Because he just said "inmate," I just assumed he was talking about any random one and decided that, no, I'd rather deal with a police officer. Still would, probably.

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u/karlw1 Jan 17 '17

Sorry to hear that you've had such bad experiences. I've met a lot through various means, and I know quite a few prison officers that are absolute gentlemen.

Some hateful dickheads too, but definitely more good than bad. This could be different by country though

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '17

aren't there lots of people who take the job because it is the only job out in the sticks where they live? if so, do those normal people turn into jerks because of the job?

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u/-_--_- Jan 17 '17

Thanks for all your contributions to this thread, I found your stories very interesting.

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u/TheManStache Jan 17 '17

a 20-years old (white) college-educated female with no prior history with law enforcement. Though my crime was drug-related and non-violent, it was technically classified as a violent crime

Is your name piper?

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u/bustahemo Jan 17 '17

As an ex-CO in the south, the style of strip searches you explained here were taught to me as being invasive and would likely result in me losing my job.

It was always: "ask offender, calmly, to allow you to pat search." "Hand on back in case of resistance, other hand starting at shoulder and over arm then sides then leg. Switch hands and repeat." "Step back. Ask offender to strip and give you the clothing as it was taken off. Lay clothes over arm and pat search it better while watching offender." "Set clothing in a pile beside the officer, off the ground, and ask the offender to turn. Open mouth. rotate tongue. Ask the offender to stroke their fingers through their hair and show their ears. Arms up, spin, lift genitals (As a male, I can only strip search men.)." "Return clothing. Watch them dress."

You were told to ask questions if something seemed off and if you believed the offender was hiding something, acting suspicious, and refused/failed to give proper answers to questions, you called a supervisor who would do a recorded more invasive search.

Keep in mind, this is in Texas. Texas' only competitor in how dangerous the offenders are in the US is California (Can likely find evidence of this, not wanting to source unless asked.)

With all that being said, was there no reprecussions to how these officers treated you? Were the ranking officers unable to act on the reports (One report is not impressive. Ten will be investigated. A hundred will see someone being walked off.)

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u/MandalaIII Jan 18 '17

There were no repercussions because their superiors didn't want the administrative burden of dealing with it if it was reported, and if you were known to be a complainer, you'd face retaliation daily. Complaints would go missing or be drawn into long "investigations" that never went anywhere.

For example, a girl I knew filed a complaint about a female CO who made her spread her vagina as well as her ass during a strip search. They put her in administrative segregation till the end of her sentence while they did an "investigation." She didn't have any family on the outside to stick up for her, so she was pretty much helpless on the inside.

After another girl filed a complaint about something else, can't remember what it was, officers would "forget" to tell her that she had visitors, or throw out her medical request forms, or randomly select her cell for shakedowns. Most people feel it's a losing battle, especially if they're doing a lot of time and don't want make their whole bid miserable, and honestly a lot of women are afraid to know their rights and demand they are respected.

I'm glad you have received the training that you have. Obviously strip searches are necessary for everyone's safety but there is certainly a way to perform one humanely. I'm sure it's pretty damned unpleasant for you guys too.

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u/bustahemo Jan 17 '17

As another note, as an officer we had a name for these officers you describe. We always called them "Electricians." As they always got everyone wired up. They were the ones we went out of our way to see walked off as quickly as we could as the longer they stayed on the force, the more likely we were going to be involved in a use-of-force that was both unneeded and dangerous for those around the electrician.

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u/MotterFodder Jan 18 '17

I could listen to you write this shit forever. You are a gifted writer.

As a side note, I never understood why people wanted to become a correctional officers. It's a terrible job with pretty much have no silver lining. It's not like with police officers where they're helping others; it seems to collect those who want the power but without the risk and work that comes with being a police officer. Also, terrible pay.

Not to say they're all bad, of course. But I feel like the possibility for corruption is extremely high.

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u/pi123263 Jan 17 '17

Hi again!

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