I am not from Alabama nor am I MsTai, I am a new memeber and for some reason I was told I have already registered. I am a male, please call me Jaxtraw, an a former NY inmate. If anybody would like some info I'd like to try to help. I feel very much for all of you...just remember to stay strong b/c that strength lends itself to your loved on on the inside.

- Jaxtraw

Welcome to PTO Jax...
You need to get someone to help you with this Name problem! :) I can't but I'm sure one of the mod's will help you out. I'm sure everyone in New York will be really glad you found us.

Welcome :)

Well got it done...thanks for the welcome TX

Hi and Welcome to PTO! So neat to have former inmates on here too that want to help.

Welome! Very glad to meet a NYDOC survivor as I hope to help my sweetie to be one too. congratulations on being out.

Welcome Jaxtraw. Thanks for offering your experience here. I am sure there will be times when we will need it. Sometimes people like to know which facilites a person was in because each has their own sets of rules and how they do things.
Take care,
Caprione

Hello Jaxtraw, I would love to hear from you. Can you tell me what's it's like to be inside. I am new also to PTO and I miss my husband so much..Let's Chat

Thank you for all the welcomes...nice to see that there are so many strong supporters of those on the inside, I know your loved ones appreciate your dedication more than you can imagine.

Brishay whenever you want, feel free to PM me, and I will try to answer any question you might have...stay strong

Welcome Jax......My baby is in Upstate and from the couple of visits i had it seemed awful........what "lovely" facilites were you a guest at???

I was at mcc,rikers, ulster, mid-orange, edgdecombe anlincoln wr. Remeber Deb, it is definitely not as bad as it seems.Of course it is natural to think the worse, but remeber, humans are very resiliant and are able to adapt surprisingly well. Where upstate is your baby?

He is in Upstate Correctional; Facility in Malone.
He originally given 1 year and then I went to Franklin County Jail for Att promoting Prison contraband and he attempted to write to me and was given 2 more years there........we are married in our hearts and the system got him to upstate and cancelled our wedding in April, and conviently lost all the paperwork

i have a question for you.how can i find someone incarcerated in an upstate facility?i don't know which one i'm trying to find out for my fiance.thanx

Welcome to PTO Jaxtraw. I'm sure your input will be a great help to all of us.

kvega Im not sure what state you are in, but you can just type "inmate lookup" into any search engine along with the state and they will give you the web site. Thank you Patty for the welcome...stay strong

Deb-

I was never at Upstate, however I became friendly with 2 who were cadre there. From what I understand the biggest problem with that facility is BOREDOM. Just keep the letters coming and that will help A LOT. Just remeber there isn't a lot of drama that goes down there, so at least he is safe.

thanks Jax...

Hey welcome,

My baby is in mid-orange. What can you tell me about your time in mid-orange??????

Sounds like you are going to be a frequently tapped source for information! :) Welcome to the PTO fam ...

~Alyson

HI all,

Ahearna, mid-orange was a very easy place to do a bid, if there is such a thing as an easy place. I left there a year ago, since I've heard its gotten a little more strict since they completed the secon fence, but still an easy place. There is very little bs that goes on there...I was there 18 months and did not even see one fight. The only thing people really get in trouble for is "dirty urine". The facility itself is setup like a college campus and not like the new cookie cutter facilities they've built. There are about 14 houses each with an "l" shaped hallway. One hallway is all rooms about 5 on each side, 1 person, 2person and 4 person...based on seniority. The other hallway opens to a room about 30 ft x 50 ft, and there are 7 beds on each side seperated very well by dividers (they look like the cubicles you'd see in an office). Obviously a single room is the best. After that it is based on your preference, I personally liked the 2 man room b/c I had great bunkies, and I was worried about snorers in the cube area. Then there is a common room that has a tvwith cable, tables to play games, and a seperate area that has a washer and dryer for laundrey. aThis is also the area where the cooking gets done...2 hot plates per house and everybody takes turns. They will wake u up at 7am during the week for count and u have to be out of the house by 7:30 u have the option of going to chow, any meal is optional. At 8 morning programs start (few programs there, the only downside but never bothered me). You go back to your house at 11 . At 12 is lunch, then 12:45 are the pm programs. At 3 back into house, 4:30 starts dinner. At 5:30 you can either go to the gymor yard. At 8 back in for count , then You can go to the gym 8:30-9:30, 10pm count, 12pm tv goes off. On weekends all houses are open all day and You can stay iin all day if that is what you like, no programs, and the tv is on until 2am. The co's for the most part were very cool, no bs, u did have some that were not, but that was the exception, and even then the only thing that made them a**h*les were they enforced the rules very strictly. They have the asat program there which I took, wasnt bad, just boring and it helped me miake my merit board. Basically it is an easy place to do time, and an easy place to stay out of trouble. Of course one can get into trouble anywhere if they look for it. I hope I gave u a liitle insight as to what it is like...If you want more specifics, dont hesitste to ask...HE is at agood place

Jaxtraw, just wanted to saw welcome to PTO!! and thanks for sharing your experiences with us!!

Thank you so much for the info jaxtraw, that put me at ease, He is suppose to do the asat program but he told me the only teacher that teaches it is on maternity leave how crazy is that , so the inmates that were taken it with her are now waiting for her to come back so they can complete it. Instead they put my man in a ged class. the messed up thing about it is he had 5 months of asat at livingston and ready to take the ged and then out of no where they move him to eastern annex for a program there but for medical reasons he was released and then transfered to mid-orange. he tells me its easy in mid-orange so i shoulnd worry about him there. Hes in a room with three other bunkies. He tells me they are cool and they all cook together But he also told me that they hit everyone at the board. Hopefully he will get his ged before his merit board in march because i dont think the 5 months of asat is going to be counted. He only needed one more month to complete it but like i told you the teacher is out on maternity leave and they didnt replace her so asat is on hold for everyone.
I have a feeling he is going to get hit in march. He just submitted his form for work release. Do you know anything about work release. You just mentioned you made your merit board, did you also have a job line up too or did they help you find a job? Did you get family to write support letters? Please let me know how you think you made your merit. Also how is parole are they up your a-- making sure you make your curfew and being good. Do they go to your house and if your working did they go to your job too. I live in NJ hes going to have to stay in NY and get released to his mother, which for me is going to be hell because he really should be with me and the baby so that I can make sure that he never gets into trouble again. any way thank you again for you info. I can somehow picture how hes living right now.

Welcome to PTO and I have one question. How long have you been in prison in total?

Jax...I know how much letters mean to him and that's where the system got me.....I am not allowed to write to him at all.. I currently have an appeal that I am trying to get just that one part of my probation overturned.....wish me luck...and like all judicial things...the wheels turn very slow...I was told MAYBE late spring early fall before it even gets before the judges.....sigh

Hey all,

Im running out now, leaving for the week, be back sunday. Ahearna I'd like to give u a full answer, but I don't want it to be half ass b/c I'm rushed. I will definately respond Sunday. Jenuwine I was in for 2 yrs. Roc and tres, tx for the welcome. And deb I feel for you, you sound like a very strong lady and I may have a suggestion for you. Take care all and Happy Thanksgiving. Know you and your loved ones are always together in one another's hearts.

Jax...anything hun....anything!!!!!

Happy thansgiving to you too.

Jax,
Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

Hope all had a good holiday and didn't stretch the pants too much. Hey Deb, I know fo someone in a similiar situation with his brother. You may wnat to caontact the superindent at the facility as well as any person you have to deal with and suggest that you would be willing to have all your correspondence read by a third party, ie. a seargent at his facility. It may take longer to get there, and obviously all your emotions may be exposed to an outsider, but it may be worth a try. Good luck.

Ahearna, I was actually released on work release. THe first time I was approve by mid-orange then rejected by Albany b/c I had one bs ticket in the visit room, they were just looking for a reason. Another guy there with me was on his 3rd felony and had violence in his past and still got it...so you never know. I got the Merit board, because my crime was elgible (non-violent), and I completed the criteria...Asat. From what I understand if they hit u at the merit, you are almost always certain to get your regular board. Dont llet him be concerned about the others at mid-orange, b/c about 30% are lifers and 75% are either in for violence or have it on thier record. I had about 10 letters from friends and family, staing that I was a good person and have grown from my experience, and a specific example of a common experience that showed positively on my charater. They should write in the letter who they are and how they know him. Also make sure that none of the letters make light of the crime or criticize the prosecution. Parole is not bad, my po is very cool. Came by my house once in 10 months and gives me a travel pass often to see my fiance in philly. He is on Long Island, however I moved into Manhattan and the po there was a total azzhole. After speaking to him for 30 mins. I told him I would move back to LI, and made up some reason. There would be no way Id be able to deal with him. So I am moving back to LI and fortunately I have been under the cool PO the whole 6 months I've been in the city. Basically it is who you get. A co-defendant of mine has his fianse living in NJ, and his PO on LI, lets him sleep there, so again it is the luck of the draw. I think I got most of yo questions answered, if you have more feel free to ask. Oh yeah..be careful of the MID ORANGE visit rooms, LOL.

no I can't do that..because it is part of my probation that we have no contact. I am trying to have that one part appealed. The lawyer I spoke to was very optimistic. I told him everything that happened to me and he kept saying...no that was wrong, The fact that I never met my lawyer until i walked into the court room was one thing that threw him.........other things too.........Thanks hun........I know he is really stressing out so I have been trying to get everyone and anyone to write to him just so he knows he is NOT forgotten and I still love him

funny you should say that because I went to see him on thanksgiving and there was this bald co who kept hassling us just for hugging. But Im going to relay the message to him, he is working on work-release so Im crossing my fingers. Hes also considered non-violent and hes never gotten a ticket so hes got a good chance. I was actually worried about him coming to see me when hes on parole but if he could get a travel ticket we are good to go. Thanks for all your info.

Your a great resource. Youll be hearing from me soon.