Hi there! I am new to the webside and newly sentenced.....18 months in Federal. My date to turn myself in is June 26, 2003. I have 2 kids - age 13 and 4. My 13 year old knows about it and is acting happy since mom won't be hear to keep her in line. My 4 year old is my angel - the only thing that has kept me alive....he is my sun and my everything. Before sentencing I haired a psychologist to try and get a downward departure (I got 6 months less than my minimum), the report came back that my son will be psychologically damaged and it will leave him a lifetime of problems. How does one handle this?

My husband is not supportive, not to me anyway. He has not yet divorced me (he says he won't) so he says that all the support I need.

My parents are real supportive, but they don't get along with my hubby, so they don't get to see the kids much as it is.

My in-laws think it is "excellent" that I got sentenced - whatever that means.

How have some of you handled telling your kids? My son has been attachment parented - meaning I am his security blanket. He is already afraid that when I go to the store someone will steal me or I won't come home....

Also - does anyone have any info on Pekin? What kind of visitation can I expect? Phone calls? Can I have any personal things of my own there? Can my kids bring me things my daughter wants to bring me Peeps for all the holidays that they make them :) )? I have been told that Pekin is a work camp - how is that different than a normal prison? What is dormatories really like? And how do I find out for sure about halfway houses and when I can get in there? Some of these things my kids will need to know to make it easier for them. Thanks so much for any info you can give me!

Z's Mommy

Hello. I am sorry that you are having to go through this.
I dont have the answers for you, but wanted to say welcome to PTO.
If you want someone to correspond with you while being lock up, please let me know and I would be more then willing to write you.

Hi,

What state are you in? Each state's facilities are different. You said the mid-west, but it's not Michigan. I don't recognise the name of the facility.

What we did with our youngest was explain it all at his level. He was there thru all the court stuff etc...as well and we explained and answered any questions. He still went thru a lot. After Bill went in he would wonder around the house calling "daddy......daddy.." It broke my heart. He started waking up at night sobbing and whimpering in his sleep. He clung to Bill sobbing when we were leaving after visiting and I usually had to pull him out of his arms.....

We did put him in counseling for a while. He's much better now. Is he the same child he was prior to all this? No. Zach has some aggressiveness and anger he never had before. He isn't the same gentle child that he was.

The more that you can find out about the facility and share with the kids--at their level--the better it will be for them as will telling the 4 year old what's going on at his level.....

This is horrible on kids. I guess all we can do is try our best to lessen the negative impacts long term.....Hang in there.

Deb

She is going to a federal prison camp.
Prison camps are usually much better than the other levels (low, medium & USP) and you have more freedom of movement, better visitation, and so on..
You will get a job and actually get paid for it, though it won't be like what you get outside of prison. (From $5-$200 or so a month)
You may be eligible for furloughs depending on how much time you are actually there. Some warden's don't allow this but most do.
I am also not sure on the housing there but I will see what I can do to find out. I have a book on the federal prisons but it is listed in it as a male camp. They may have changed it over since this book was published.

Z's......mommy........just wishing you good-luck

Welcome to PTO and good luck!

Glad that you found us - I am sure that you will get the answers that you need!

Hi, I know what you are going through, my situation is similar, although I haven't been sentenced yet, they expect 37 months (white collar stuff), waiting to see the psychologist for a possible downward departure....how did all that work, I'd be real interested to know, it's hard to find info on it. I have two kids 11 and 13, the 13 year old hates me for destorying her life, the 11 year old tries to act like it is okay. since it was white collar, we are also being forced out of our home, they're taking it. they have also indicted my husband and refuse to dismiss the charges even though the only thing he is guilty of is being married to me.... email me if you'd like, I'd really like to visit about this.

Pekin is reportedly an FCI medium male with an adjacent female camp. http://www.bop.gov/facilnot.html

Hi Z'sMom... I'm Camille's Dad, she's two and I got a year in federal prison camp coming up myself. I feel for you, and I know your pain. Honestly I think I can handle most every part of this ordeal but when I think of my daughter I start to get to tears. I report may 1st.

All my info is from what I have read about BOP policy...

Can I have any personal things of my own there?
you really dont get to have many personal belongings with you in federal prison. You can have a couple of personal photo's mailed into you. You can keep your eyeglasses and wedding ring. Basically they take near everything when they recieve you and after that everything has to be mailed in with strict policy on what is acceptable.

What kind of visitation can I expect?
Depending upon your institution and how crowded it is every weekend or everyother weekend and holidays.

Phone calls?
Calls are limited to 300 minutes per month 15 mintues per call. outgoing calls only. Collect-calls are handled case by case, normally not done. Emergency incoming calls handled some buerucratic way. You pay for your calls, they are expensive I hear.

Can my kids bring me things my daughter wants to bring me Peeps for all the holidays that they make them )?
I assume peeps are food, they may or maynot be confiscated by the guards (which would be disturbing for your children I would guess). I would feel it out with the other girls when you get inside.

I have been told that Pekin is a work camp - how is that different than a normal prison? What is dormatories really like? And how do I find out for sure about halfway houses and when I can get in there?
I wish I had the answers to these ones.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, I wish you the very best of luck. I'm sure you will find the inner strength to survive this.

I spent 38 months in federal prison doing time at FPC Lexington and FMC Carswell. If you have specific questions, I'd be happy to answer and tell you anything you'd like to know about the BOP's female facilities.

Best Wishes to you...
PTO member kali (Kelly Haber-Ali) just got out of Pekin. She's in a half-way house now. I'll see if I can find her address for you and get you in touch with her. She's a wonderful person and the biggest complaint she had over the past year was the cold.

I wrote a lady in Pekin and she actually pointed me to this site... I debated about sharing it.. But I will,she said it is pretty much the way things are there...

http://www.drcnet.org/pubs/guide/10-95/visit.html

Good Luck!

I was released from Fpc Dublin this past year. Still in contact with many there. If anyone has questions about visiting, housing, rules or anything else let me know i will answer them the best that I can.

Originally posted by clubdubx
I was released from Fpc Dublin this past year. Still in contact with many there. If anyone has questions about visiting, housing, rules or anything else let me know i will answer them the best that I can.

hey all! Well, I don't post much, but this caught me.... I am 25, I went to a prison camp for not quite a year. It was a state women camp in Michigan, Camp Branch. I'll be honest, I was shitting bricks considering I'd only done a weekend or so in jail... Anyhoo, fed places are said to be alot nicer. Camp was a "pleasant?" experience so to speak. Sure I cried ect., but it beats the hell out of county jail. Lots of "freedom" in a camp. Usually 3 roomies w/ 2 sets of bunk beds. Private toliets, showers ect. Not like on TV. Someone does your laundry, ok food, nice rec stuff, kinda like a summer camp seriously, except for w/ count time. No biggie... Good visits, nice TV rooms, movies on weekends, & nobody is gonna try a "mess" w/ you unless u go acting like a bitch. I was a scared punk little girl & everyone knew I was scared, they were good to me. Smokes, stamps ect., till family came through. U won't turn gay, & people won't force you to do "stuff" unless thats your thing. Take care & good luck, you got it easy!
Jessi

I live in IL and don't know much about Pekin, but I wanted to wish you the best of luck.