carolK
08-06-2003, 12:20 PM
George's wife Lisa sent me the following info about Tutwiler. She is currently incarcerated there. She agreed to let me post the info here so it may help others who need information. It's pretty long so I will have to break it down into parts. This part is about the Receiving Unit.
The worst part is when you first get here. You have to be put into Receiving until they clear you medically and mentally. The first place you go when you come in the back gate is Receiving, with an officer named Mrs. Thomas (she's cool). It's just degrading or embarrassing what they do. You have to strip down (everything) but usually there's no one but her and maybe 2 or 3 inmates that work with her. So it's not like a whole bunch of people. First hint - wear brief style white panties and a white bra with no underwire in it. If you have bikinis or colored panties or bra with wire they will be thrown away. The absolute worst part is that after you strip, they will spray the parts of your body with hair (head, underarms, pubic) with this insecticide spray (it's supposed to kill bugs), then you have to stand there 10 minutes. After that you can take a shower and they issue you your state whites to put on. They give you 3 uniforms. They also give you 3 pairs of panties, 3 bras, 2 state issued gowns, 3 pairs of socks, 2 blankets, pillowcase, and laundry bag. They will also issue you a pair of white slip on canvas tennis shoes if you can't keep the ones you wore in. Your uniforms, gowns, and laundry bag (also towel and washrag) will have a number on them, that will be your clothing number. Don't get caught with anyone else's numbered clothes in your belongings!
After you are dressed, Mrs. Thomas will go thru your stuff you brought with you and make a list of it. She'll give you a copy of this list, keep it with you and don't lose it or throw it away. This way if someone steals something from you ( and they will if they get a chance) or an officer searches your belongings (and they do on occasion) you can prove you came in with what you have.
Then you are ready for your haircut. All women's hair is supposed to be above or right about the collar. So if your hair is long, you might want to think about cutting it before you come, or at least you'll be warned. That's pretty much that, then you will go to the Receiving Dorm, which holds around 50 or 60 women, and be assigned to a bed. Be careful putting your belongings in your drawer because everyone will be looking to see what you brought with you. They love free-world stuff in here! They'll be trying to trade you out of everything. You will have a combination lock to put on your drawer. You will be issued a pamphlet with the rules and your paperwork you'll need to fill out, as far as phone list, visitation list, funds list, personal information. The quicker you get this stuff filled out and turned in, the quicker it will be approved for you.
If you are healthy, don't have any diseases, and aren't taking a lot of medication for anything, they won't keep you in Receiving long, probably 1 to 2 weeks. They'll draw your blood, give you a TB test, you'll have to talk to the psychiatrist, the dentist (she is very good by the way), a doctor or nurse, the classifications officers, and you'll take 2 tests to see how smart you are. They aren't hard or bad. After all these things are taken care of, you will be assigned a bed in a regular dorm.
There is no smoking in Receiving. Of course, being criminals, someone always finds a way, so there really is, but if you get caught you get a disciplinary and you have your priviledges pulled for 30-45 days. That means phone, visits, store, etc. So if you smoke you are taking a big risk! My best advice is to know the rules and follow them!
My thanks to Lisa for allowing me to post this, I hope it helps someone along the way.
affectionately,
Carol
The worst part is when you first get here. You have to be put into Receiving until they clear you medically and mentally. The first place you go when you come in the back gate is Receiving, with an officer named Mrs. Thomas (she's cool). It's just degrading or embarrassing what they do. You have to strip down (everything) but usually there's no one but her and maybe 2 or 3 inmates that work with her. So it's not like a whole bunch of people. First hint - wear brief style white panties and a white bra with no underwire in it. If you have bikinis or colored panties or bra with wire they will be thrown away. The absolute worst part is that after you strip, they will spray the parts of your body with hair (head, underarms, pubic) with this insecticide spray (it's supposed to kill bugs), then you have to stand there 10 minutes. After that you can take a shower and they issue you your state whites to put on. They give you 3 uniforms. They also give you 3 pairs of panties, 3 bras, 2 state issued gowns, 3 pairs of socks, 2 blankets, pillowcase, and laundry bag. They will also issue you a pair of white slip on canvas tennis shoes if you can't keep the ones you wore in. Your uniforms, gowns, and laundry bag (also towel and washrag) will have a number on them, that will be your clothing number. Don't get caught with anyone else's numbered clothes in your belongings!
After you are dressed, Mrs. Thomas will go thru your stuff you brought with you and make a list of it. She'll give you a copy of this list, keep it with you and don't lose it or throw it away. This way if someone steals something from you ( and they will if they get a chance) or an officer searches your belongings (and they do on occasion) you can prove you came in with what you have.
Then you are ready for your haircut. All women's hair is supposed to be above or right about the collar. So if your hair is long, you might want to think about cutting it before you come, or at least you'll be warned. That's pretty much that, then you will go to the Receiving Dorm, which holds around 50 or 60 women, and be assigned to a bed. Be careful putting your belongings in your drawer because everyone will be looking to see what you brought with you. They love free-world stuff in here! They'll be trying to trade you out of everything. You will have a combination lock to put on your drawer. You will be issued a pamphlet with the rules and your paperwork you'll need to fill out, as far as phone list, visitation list, funds list, personal information. The quicker you get this stuff filled out and turned in, the quicker it will be approved for you.
If you are healthy, don't have any diseases, and aren't taking a lot of medication for anything, they won't keep you in Receiving long, probably 1 to 2 weeks. They'll draw your blood, give you a TB test, you'll have to talk to the psychiatrist, the dentist (she is very good by the way), a doctor or nurse, the classifications officers, and you'll take 2 tests to see how smart you are. They aren't hard or bad. After all these things are taken care of, you will be assigned a bed in a regular dorm.
There is no smoking in Receiving. Of course, being criminals, someone always finds a way, so there really is, but if you get caught you get a disciplinary and you have your priviledges pulled for 30-45 days. That means phone, visits, store, etc. So if you smoke you are taking a big risk! My best advice is to know the rules and follow them!
My thanks to Lisa for allowing me to post this, I hope it helps someone along the way.
affectionately,
Carol