When you arrive, have whomever is taking you drive up to the gate, pick up the phone, and tell them who you are and that you are there to self-surrender. They will tell you where to park, which is outside R&D. You will be allowed to tell whoever brought you goodbye and then will follow them inside for processing. On the way to the prison, I suggest that you mail yourself some photos and list of addresses and phone numbers. Tell your family it may be several days before you can call. Take about $300 in cash or money order to put in your commissary account if possible.

I also recommend that you find a trustworthy friend whom you can give a durable power of attorney so that any tax matters, etc. can be handled in your absences. I was able to have someone continue to pay my credit cards, file my taxes, etc. so there is no record of imprisonment on my credit report.

You will fill out several forms, be fingerprinted, photographed, and strip searched (visual only). They will issue give you clothes to wear to your dormitory and a bedroll which includes, sheets, a blanket, and a pillow. All of these are one step away from the rag bin and you will exchange them for better quality very soon. BE SURE TO TELL YOUR FAMILY THAT WHATEVER YOU ARE WEARING WILL BE MAILED HOME. You can take in and keep your prescription glasses, a Bible, a wedding ring with no stones, and a religious medallion with no stones on a chain.

Someone from medical will interview you to document any medications you need (if you are on any, please get a letter from your physician NOW and take a copy with you and have a copy available that someone from home can send you should you need it).

Someone will then come and take you to your housing unit. There are four dormitories with about 200 ladies to each one. Most of the rooms have two bunkbeds, a table/desk, chair, and four lockers. The corner rooms (seniority) have two lower beds. People change rooms all the time and must simply have approval from the counselor. As a newbie, you will likely have a horrible mattress, pillow, sheets, etc. This is temporary. Every time a new RDAP class forms (about every 9 weeks), people will move to the RDAP unit which frees up the good mattresses and you can get permission from the officer on duty to move one to your bed. Laundry will exchange your pillow for a better one.

The day after you arrive, you will go to laundry to get your clothing which includes Khaki shorts, long pants, t-shirts, and woven shirts. You can get two (I think) new ones which you should save for visiting day and two older ones. Make sure they fit because you are stuck with them unless your size changes.

Until you get a work assignment, you will help the orderlies clean your unit. These are two story with a railing around the top floor. I dusted these railings over and over for about two days until I got a job in laundry. If you don't actively find your own job, they will usually assign you to the kitchen or landscape. Since most accidents in the home happen in the kitchen are with yard equipment, I was highly motivated to find my own job. Every week day, there will be a room inspection and a unit inspection. You will be responsible for your room. Sometimes the roommates take turns doing the whole room for a day or week. Sometimes one will do the dusting and another will do the floors, etc.

At commissary, you can buy shower shoes, shampoo, food, tennis shoes (the issued shoes are steel toe boots - I was able to get a white shoe permit from medical), a combination lock for your locker, etc. The officers frequently search your locker. I learned from the old timers to always have something for them to find such as a prescription that was outdated. Once they find something they usually stop looking. There are rules such as only 5 magazines, 4 hardback books, 20 letters, etc.

Remember that although you would be on equal or even superior status to these officers on the outside, their training is very much us vs. them so don't even try to be friends with them. Just be invisible.

Soon after your arrival, you will meet with your counselor. Don't get this mixed up with a professional that you would pay for guidance on the outside. These are former officers who now get to wear civilian clothes and have private office. If anything, they seem to thwart your efforts. Nevertheless, they are the ones who approve your phone and visitor lists so be compliant.

Bryan had a Horticulture program when I was there and I'm trying to find out if it is still there. It was a four month educational program and we had an organic garden meaning we could eat all the fresh vegetables and fruits that we harvested.

Later, I was able to work outside the prison at Texas A&M which I really enjoyed.

The biggest problem most people have is the noise. Since construction is cinder block, linoleum, and metal, there are no sound barriers. The commissary sold ear plugs and I used them daily.

Bryan has a quarter mile lighted walking track and I wore my radio with earplugs and walked, thought, and prayed a couple of hours each evening. Everytime I saw one of those little brown sparrows I was reminded of where it says in the Bible that "not a sparrow can fall without Him knowing it and even the hairs of our head are numbered".

Remember that thousands of us have made it though this and you will too.
The most difficult things are tolerating stupidity, unprofessionalism, and noise; being unable to support your family; and worrying about your future.

Every day you are one step closer to having your complete freedom and when you are released, you will be more free than you have ever been in your life.

Ty for the information! I now have an idea what my love is going through. She self surrendered Friday the 31st (March). I am now just counting the hours until I hear her voice or can read her words...Hopefully it wont be too long until then. And hopefully soon after visitation! Thank you again!!

SusanT,

Damn Fine Post.... Thanks for the effort.

Keep the Faith

Michael :thumbsup:

Susan,
I went through the Horticulture program from Sept '04-Dec '04....so yes it is still there...the old teacher was fired..they have a new one now. I earned my certificate through Texas A&M university.
Joysguy, she will be fine...it really is not a "bad" place as far as prisons are concerned. It is not what you see in the movies. I was there for 13 mos and never had my locker searched. I was never stopped on the compound to be searched. If she just keeps her head low she will be ok. She will make friends she just has to choose the right people to hang with. I found friends there that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Scrappydz,

TY ! I really do appreciate hearing any information! Today is the 7th day with no word from her yet. Hopefully some mail will arrive soon. I believe it will take 5-6 weeks for me to be approved as a visitor.(non immediate family) . Do you know how long phone priviledges might take? She self surrendered with money so hopefully that will help the entire process.

Her phone list should be approved in a week to 10 days.

Did she take the money with her or was it done via Western Union?

We've had some other members who self-surrendered in the last two weeks. There are some great ladies there.

SusanT

Hi SusanT,

She took cash with her $300. She is very personable so I hope all will work out. I am sure it will. Is there any delay in mail? I guess I am just a little anxious. Doing my best to keep smiling!

Joysguy

Why don't you go ahead and send just $20 to her account via Western Union so she can put it on her phone account. They very likely sent the cash via snail mail to DesMoines.

Sienna8174 just went to Bryan a couple of weeks ago. I've received two letters from her that generally take 6 days from the postmark to make it to my mail box.

I'm writing Sienna today. Let me know your wife's name via PM and I will have Sienna look in on her.

SusanT

When I surrendered I brought cash with me and it posted to my account that same day and I was able to go to commissary that same day, my phone however, took 2 weeks to be turned on, I did make a phone call to my husband from an office phone, but it took him calling the prison and speaking with my counselor to get my phone turned on, this was after me submitting my phone list 3 times. It just depends...when it comes to stuff like that there is no real time limit. They can take as long as they like. If she writes to you you should get it. When I wrote to my family it took about 4 days for them to receive it...they were all in Missouri. Good luck...keep us updated on how she is doing.
Dawn

When you arrive, have whomever is taking you drive up to the gate, pick up the phone, and tell them who you are and that you are there to self-surrender. They will tell you where to park, which is outside R&D. You will be allowed to tell whoever brought you goodbye and then will follow them inside for processing. On the way to the prison, I suggest that you mail yourself some photos and list of addresses and phone numbers. Tell your family it may be several days before you can call. Take about $300 in cash or money order to put in your commissary account if possible.

I also recommend that you find a trustworthy friend whom you can give a durable power of attorney so that any tax matters, etc. can be handled in your absences. I was able to have someone continue to pay my credit cards, file my taxes, etc. so there is no record of imprisonment on my credit report.

You will fill out several forms, be fingerprinted, photographed, and strip searched (visual only). They will issue give you clothes to wear to your dormitory and a bedroll which includes, sheets, a blanket, and a pillow. All of these are one step away from the rag bin and you will exchange them for better quality very soon. BE SURE TO TELL YOUR FAMILY THAT WHATEVER YOU ARE WEARING WILL BE MAILED HOME. You can take in and keep your prescription glasses, a Bible, a wedding ring with no stones, and a religious medallion with no stones on a chain.

Someone from medical will interview you to document any medications you need (if you are on any, please get a letter from your physician NOW and take a copy with you and have a copy available that someone from home can send you should you need it).

Someone will then come and take you to your housing unit. There are four dormitories with about 200 ladies to each one. Most of the rooms have two bunkbeds, a table/desk, chair, and four lockers. The corner rooms (seniority) have two lower beds. People change rooms all the time and must simply have approval from the counselor. As a newbie, you will likely have a horrible mattress, pillow, sheets, etc. This is temporary. Every time a new RDAP class forms (about every 9 weeks), people will move to the RDAP unit which frees up the good mattresses and you can get permission from the officer on duty to move one to your bed. Laundry will exchange your pillow for a better one.

The day after you arrive, you will go to laundry to get your clothing which includes Khaki shorts, long pants, t-shirts, and woven shirts. You can get two (I think) new ones which you should save for visiting day and two older ones. Make sure they fit because you are stuck with them unless your size changes.

Until you get a work assignment, you will help the orderlies clean your unit. These are two story with a railing around the top floor. I dusted these railings over and over for about two days until I got a job in laundry. If you don't actively find your own job, they will usually assign you to the kitchen or landscape. Since most accidents in the home happen in the kitchen are with yard equipment, I was highly motivated to find my own job. Every week day, there will be a room inspection and a unit inspection. You will be responsible for your room. Sometimes the roommates take turns doing the whole room for a day or week. Sometimes one will do the dusting and another will do the floors, etc.

At commissary, you can buy shower shoes, shampoo, food, tennis shoes (the issued shoes are steel toe boots - I was able to get a white shoe permit from medical), a combination lock for your locker, etc. The officers frequently search your locker. I learned from the old timers to always have something for them to find such as a prescription that was outdated. Once they find something they usually stop looking. There are rules such as only 5 magazines, 4 hardback books, 20 letters, etc.

Remember that although you would be on equal or even superior status to these officers on the outside, their training is very much us vs. them so don't even try to be friends with them. Just be invisible.

Soon after your arrival, you will meet with your counselor. Don't get this mixed up with a professional that you would pay for guidance on the outside. These are former officers who now get to wear civilian clothes and have private office. If anything, they seem to thwart your efforts. Nevertheless, they are the ones who approve your phone and visitor lists so be compliant.

Bryan had a Horticulture program when I was there and I'm trying to find out if it is still there. It was a four month educational program and we had an organic garden meaning we could eat all the fresh vegetables and fruits that we harvested.

Later, I was able to work outside the prison at Texas A&M which I really enjoyed.

The biggest problem most people have is the noise. Since construction is cinder block, linoleum, and metal, there are no sound barriers. The commissary sold ear plugs and I used them daily.

Bryan has a quarter mile lighted walking track and I wore my radio with earplugs and walked, thought, and prayed a couple of hours each evening. Everytime I saw one of those little brown sparrows I was reminded of where it says in the Bible that "not a sparrow can fall without Him knowing it and even the hairs of our head are numbered".

Remember that thousands of us have made it though this and you will too.
The most difficult things are tolerating stupidity, unprofessionalism, and noise; being unable to support your family; and worrying about your future.

Every day you are one step closer to having your complete freedom and when you are released, you will be more free than you have ever been in your life.













hello I dont know if you can help me or not I have to go on the 10 of april to plea guilty.My court appt. lawyer told me I will have to plea guilty and that I will be going to prison. if I dont the judge will be angry and the trial he will be harder on me. so in so many words I can plea guilty serve jail time or piss the juddge off. I am so scared...the attorney has made this deal and then told me what I would do and what I am to say. I have never been in troulbe before not even a traffic ticket. the attorney said there was no way I was geting probation. I held mail back and did not delivery it thats all did not use mail to my benefit . I cannot sleep If I do I have bad nightmares and they are getting worse. can you help me??? if not can you put me in contact with someone who can....All I do is cry and throw up alot..I think sometimes it would be better to kill myself before I have to sirrender to a prison. Dee2006

Please, Dee, don't think about suicide!!! Please pm me and I will do my best to help you. You can survive this!

dee2006,

I know at this time the world must seem a pretty heartless, cruel, and uncaring place, but you have come across the best site on the web to get all the answers, support, and comfort a body could ask for. This site is full of many folks just like yourself who stumbled in when they thought they had no place to go. Let me assure you the people truely care and can help.

If I can do anything to help ease your suffering... answer a question or lend a comforting shoulder, or just a concerned ear to hear you, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be sending you a PM and hope to hear from you soon. Most importantly, you must try to keep your head and stay strong. There are a lot of us here for you.

Keep the Faith

Michael :thumbsup:

Hi. I go for sentencing February 5, 2007 and I am looking at several several years. How do they figure good time? I think that a federal inmate has to serve 85 percent of their time, and that with good behavior there are good days that come off your time as well, right? All I know for sure at this time, is that I will be serving out my sentence at FPC Bryan, and that I will participate in the drug program. I have been told that I will recieve 1 year off for the program.
Also, I have seen on the comminsary list, that cigarettes were available to inmates. I was under the impression that smoking was no longer allowed at federal camps.
Thank you for your help.
Honesty

Once you are sentenced we can give you exact calculations. Good Time Credit is approximately 15%. Except for a sentence reduction IF you are accepted into the RDAP program, there are no other options for additional days office.

A judcial recommendation for RDAP is just that, a recommendation from the court. You will have an interview with the RDAP staff once you get to your designated facility and THEY decide whether you gain acceptance into the program. You are correct that the possible sentence reduction for RDAP is UP TO one year. Many people receive less depending on when they are able to begin the program.

You've seen an old commissary list. Cigarettes are no longer available. The lists change quarterly.

Thank you for the information on Bryan. My sister is at FMC Carswell on a 10 year sentence and now has hopes of getting to a camp. I don't have any idea what is possible. May I forward the text of your letter to her? Are there other women's camps in Texas? My family and I have no experience with prisons in general, so this is all new to us.

Thank you for the information on Bryan. My sister is at FMC Carswell on a 10 year sentence and now has hopes of getting to a camp. I don't have any idea what is possible. May I forward the text of your letter to her? Are there other women's camps in Texas? My family and I have no experience with prisons in general, so this is all new to us.

Of course you may send it. There were many ladies at Bryan who had previously been at Carswell. Currently, FPC Bryan is the only female camp in Texas.

I was sentenced in August and just got my surrender date. I will be going to Bryan this monday dec4,2006. I was sentenced 18months and im not sure how time is served i have heard many different things. Someone said day by day others have said days and nights count seprate so u really fo half the time. can any one help? all i remember from court was something about the last 2 months in a halfway house. I also had a question i am also pregnant i found out 2 months before sentencing and my husband left in oct to iraq what can i expect as far as my baby? can he be there for the birth and if he is still in iraq will a family member be able to be there and take my baby home?

Actually, sometimes getting the phone turned on takes extraordinary intervention--though this is not the usual situation. I know one person whose phone wasn't turned on until someone with influence with the system called--in order--her counselor (two conversations), the warden, a well placed BOP lawyer in Washington D.C., and the regional counsel for BOP. Then her phone situation was fixed. Unreal!

Actually, sometimes getting the phone turned on takes extraordinary intervention--though this is not the usual situation. I know one person whose phone wasn't turned on until someone with influence with the system called--in order--her counselor (two conversations), the warden, a well placed BOP lawyer in Washington D.C., and the regional counsel for BOP. Then her phone situation was fixed. Unreal!

That is an unusual situation. Typically an inmate will complete the telephone list, give it to the counselor for approval, then it must be sent over to the administration building to be set-up in their system. One to two weeks is typical.

yes and when I was there I know someone who thought they were of influence as far as the BOP was concerned and when my phone was not on he contacted my counselor ..my phone was turned on eventually and actually my phone being turned on had nothing do do with him...it just takes some time and sometimes you have to keep bugging your counselor.

I will be self surrendering on Jan. 03,2007. I will be going to Bryan , Tx.
I am really scared because I don't know what to expect. Can I call my family
and how can I call them when I get there?

yes and when I was there I know someone who thought they were of influence as far as the BOP was concerned and when my phone was not on he contacted my counselor ..my phone was turned on eventually and actually my phone being turned on had nothing do do with him...it just takes some time and sometimes you have to keep bugging your counselor.

it is also an unfortunate fact that because they like to remain fully in control they will say things that may not quite reflect reality--things do occur at levels above the unit staff that is not transmitted back down the ladder

what kind of prison is this? i have a new pen pal, that writes to me from there, i tried looking for her information as to why she is there but no luck. can anyone help.

Why don't you go ahead and send just $20 to her account via Western Union so she can put it on her phone account. They very likely sent the cash via snail mail to DesMoines.

Sienna8174 just went to Bryan a couple of weeks ago. I've received two letters from her that generally take 6 days from the postmark to make it to my mail box.

I'm writing Sienna today. Let me know your wife's name via PM and I will have Sienna look in on her.

SusanT



SusanT, My wife is transferring to Bryan on 12/18/2007. Will she have the same problems with phone and visitation list or will the visitation list remain as it is now?

Thank you so much for the detail, it helps to understand so that I will not go into a type of shock.

Susan, what do you have to do to get a job on the outside? I also heard they have a drug/alcohol program there and if you go through it you will get some time off your sentence. I am to self-surrender on Jan. 28, I am really scared but you information has helped. Thanks, Gayla

I hope to get a response. I am SS on Jan 9 2008 for 21 months. I just found out about this website from my lawyer today. I will be going to Bryan. I really am scared. This has been a 3 year nightmare for me. My sentencing date was postponed on and off for about 1 year. If I knew then what I know now I will I would have gone a year ago. I would have been half way done. I have read alot on this fourm. I just need someone to let me know it will be ok.. All I do is cry and I still have not told my 6 year and I don't know what to tell him.

girl you are scared so am i. I am hoping to go to bryan because i hear its nice there from a friend of a friend who was on a 36 month since and only did 18 months because she got into the rdap program there.
i hope all goes well for you. take care. i have not yet received info when i will SS. i was sentence to 27 month.

thanks i feel a lot better after reading this. i would love more infor. do they have a dentist there? i quess because i wear braces and do to have them removed in July but i am not sure if i will be to have them taken out. i have not received information on when or where i will report. how long does that normally take do you know. I was sentence to 27 months. do you know how long i will do with out rdap? and if i get rdap how long will i do. do the woman see doctor for like papsmears? or mammograms?