FriscoLady
11-22-2003, 07:26 PM
First of all, I owe alot of people here an apology. Toni recently reminded me that she had sent me some information that she thought would help those that are going to Federal Prison Camps.
In the rush of life, hurricane and other messes this summer I completely forgot to post these.
Please forgive me for the late posting.
Patti
Questions and Answers about Camp Carswell:
There are 30 questions:
"1. How long was it from the time of your sentencing until your self surrender and how far in advance did you receive your letter to self surrender before you actually had to be there?
Toni: If you are allowed to self surrender the time can vary. An average time is around 6 weeks. I had 5 months but that was because the Judge allowed me to wait until after my daughter's graduation.
2. What can you bring with you? (i.e., clothes, shoes, medicine, books, make up)
Toni: You can bring money, either cash or postal money order, empty pill bottles to show what you are taking, and a soft cover Bible. You can wear a plain Wedding Band, a religious necklace, a watch, a pair of earrings smaller than a quarter - all of these without stones and a value less than $100.00 per piece. You can bring your eyeglasses and a case. Any questions it is better to call the place where you are going to self-surrender and ask them. Every place has their own rules. I would suggest call more than once. I called twice, received two different answers and the were both different than when I got there.
3. How much money can you bring in with you? Cash or money order? If I bring money with me - will they go ahead and set up my account the first day?
Toni: You can bring as much money as you want. You can only spend up to $290.00 per month. As with many things there are differences of opinions here regarding cash or money order. Some have said that they received credit for less cash than they brought. The officer that processed me in here counted my money in front of me and gave me a hand written receipt. I didn't have any problems.
Depending on how quickly your money posts is when you can go the the commissary. Usually within two days. You are allowed to shop one day a week. That day is assigned by your number. When you are new you can go on any day that first week. You can only go one day a week though. Am I repeating myself? :)
4. How is your job determined?
Toni: Your job is determined by where they need people, your abilities do not factor in. You could be a teacher or doctor and work in the powerhouse reading meters, cleaning the kitchen floor or picking up trash. What they need.
5. What time is the meals:
Toni: Meal times here are Monday thru Friday: Breakfast 6:00 a.m., Lunch 11:00 a.m., Dinner, after count clears usually around 5:00 p.m..
Saturday and Sunday: Breakfast 7:00 a.m., Lunch after 10:00 a.m. count, usually around 11:00 a.m., Dinner around 5:00 p.m..
6. Are there snacks between meals or is it up to us to buy it from the commissary?
Toni: There are not snacks offered unless you are ordered a diabetic snack. You can take one piece of fruit from your meal back to your room to eak later. Anything else you buy from the commissary.
7. Is smoking allowed? If so, how many can you purchase at a time? Can you have lighters or matches?
Toni: There is smoking allowed outside in designated areas. You can buy 20 packs of cigarettes. Lighters and matches are not allowed. There are built in lighters on some of the walls.
8. What about television? Are there certain times when you can watch TV?
Toni: There are 3 TV rooms per building. 6 TVs for over 200 women. You can watch TV anytime that the compound is open and as long as the TV room isn't closed for cleaning.
Good Luck getting a show you like though! There are certain women who seem to run the TV rooms. If by any chance you are able to be lucky enough to get in to watch one show they usually end up coming in and are too noisy for you to hear. They end up winning anyway.
There is not a show that is on that is worth butting heads over with these little "Mini Gangs" who run the rooms. A lot of other women here feel the same way. In here, there isn't such a thing as "fair". The loudest and the meanest win!
There are an additional 5 TVs per building that rotate to different rooms. You can have a TV in your room approximately every 5 weeks for 1 week. First, you have to pass room inspection.
9. What can your family mail you?
Toni: Hardback books and newspapers have to come from a book store or publisher. Your family and friends can send either 3 magazines, 3 paperback books or 20 pictures per envelope. They can also send you a calendar or address book as long as there isn't a wire binding.
10. What is the lowest age that a child can be to visit?
Toni: Babies can visit. 16 and over have to have an approved visitors application.
11. Do you know about holidays?
Toni: Are you referring to visiting on holidays? If so, all federal holidays have an 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. visiting time.
12. How often can you make calls?
Toni: Calls are a max of 15 minutes per call. You have to wait 1/2 hour in between calls. You get only 300 minutes to use each month.
13. What items are in your room? (i.e., bed, dresser, etc.)
Toni: Standard room - 2 bunk beds, 1 single. 5 lockers, a folding table and hopefully at least two metal folding chairs.
14. Do you do your own laundry?
Toni: Yes, you do your own laundry. Again let me point out that the information that I am giving you is for this camp.
15. How do you keep items from being stolen?
Toni: You can help keep items from being stolen by buying a lock from the commissary for your locker. Do not leave anything out.
16. The items that you can bring from home. Do they need to be engraved (watch)?
Toni: There are a very few items you can bring from home. Go back and read question 2. You could engrave you watch if you want. It is not required.
17. Is there access to the internet?
Toni: There isn't access to the internet. Chances are that there never will be. Keep in mind that some women may be here for a computer crime.
18. How is medicine administered? Do you keep your meds with your things or does a nurse give them to you?
Toni: Your medicine is given to you to keep locked in your locker. Psych meds and a few others are given to you in the pill line only.
19. I am also a insulin dependent diabetic. Will I give my own shots? What about checking my sugar levels?
Toni: If you are on insulin you do give yourself your own shot during pill line. Pill line is also where you check your blood sugar levels.
20. What can visitors wear? (colors, shorts?)
Toni: Visitors cannot wear sleeveless shirts. This includes very young children, no tank tops. Nothing that is revealing. No flip flops, no sunglasses. You can only carry in quaters and an unopened pack of cigarettes. Wallets, purses, make-up, cell phones, lighters and matches are not allowed.
21. What about eyeglasses? Do I bring my own or do they send you to their own eye doctor?
Toni: It is best to bring your own eyeglasses. There is an eye doctor, but you wait months to see him. Then it takes a long time to get your glasses and they are ugly. Everyone around here calls them birth control glasses! :)
(Comment from Patti: They are the same glasses that the military issues in boot camp, and I can assure you they are ugly! They don't call them birth control glasses for nothing!)
22. How long is visitation and can family members stay that long?
Toni: Visiting hours are: Friday and Monday, 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Family and friends can stay the whole time.
23. If visitation is Saturday and Sunday, can they come both days?
Toni: Your visitors can come all 4 days if they want.
24. Are the items in the commissary cheaper than in the free world? Is there a spending limit?
Toni: No, items in the commissary are not cheaper than in the real world. Unfortunately, you can't comparison shop here! :) There is a $290.00 per month spending limit.
For example, I bought a pair of shorts (grey, like the dollar general kind) for $9.70. After 3 washing they began coming apart. I have had to sew them many times. Sweat pants that you buy at Walmart for $5.00 to $7.00 will cost you $20.00 here.
25. Where do family members send money?
Toni: Family members send money to a lockbox in Georgia.
Comment from Patti: Toni did not provide the address. However, I remember typing it in one of her earlier posts to PTO.)
26. What about illness? Do they supply cold medicine or does it have to be purchased?
Toni: If you are sick then you put in a Sick Call Slip before 7:30 a.m. and if you are lucky you can see the PA (Physcians Assistant) within a couple of days. If you need a prescription he/she will order it for you.
27. What if a family member passes away? Are we able to attend the funeral?
Toni: Most of the time you are able to attend the funeral of a family member. A lot depends on the level of custody you are at, whether you will go escorted or unescorted. You will need to be sure to have enough money in your account to cover the cost for a Urinalysis when you come back. Same thing for a furlough.
28. Are there sports there? If so, which ones?
Toni: Yes, there are sports. Here, there is Softball, Volleyball, Horseshoes.
29. Is there a library there?
Toni: Yes there is a small library.
30. What about music? Can you bring a radio, CDs?
Toni: You cannot bring any music with you. You can buy an AM/FM radio with headphones from the commissary. You can't have tapes or Cds. It's a shame though. As someone here mentioned, maybe there would be less of people minding other peoples business. I would love to have some books on tape or mediation tapes myself. :)
I hope that the answers to these questions are of help to someone. Please keep in mind that I am at Camp Carswell, so my answers reflect what goes on here.
Toni"
In the rush of life, hurricane and other messes this summer I completely forgot to post these.
Please forgive me for the late posting.
Patti
Questions and Answers about Camp Carswell:
There are 30 questions:
"1. How long was it from the time of your sentencing until your self surrender and how far in advance did you receive your letter to self surrender before you actually had to be there?
Toni: If you are allowed to self surrender the time can vary. An average time is around 6 weeks. I had 5 months but that was because the Judge allowed me to wait until after my daughter's graduation.
2. What can you bring with you? (i.e., clothes, shoes, medicine, books, make up)
Toni: You can bring money, either cash or postal money order, empty pill bottles to show what you are taking, and a soft cover Bible. You can wear a plain Wedding Band, a religious necklace, a watch, a pair of earrings smaller than a quarter - all of these without stones and a value less than $100.00 per piece. You can bring your eyeglasses and a case. Any questions it is better to call the place where you are going to self-surrender and ask them. Every place has their own rules. I would suggest call more than once. I called twice, received two different answers and the were both different than when I got there.
3. How much money can you bring in with you? Cash or money order? If I bring money with me - will they go ahead and set up my account the first day?
Toni: You can bring as much money as you want. You can only spend up to $290.00 per month. As with many things there are differences of opinions here regarding cash or money order. Some have said that they received credit for less cash than they brought. The officer that processed me in here counted my money in front of me and gave me a hand written receipt. I didn't have any problems.
Depending on how quickly your money posts is when you can go the the commissary. Usually within two days. You are allowed to shop one day a week. That day is assigned by your number. When you are new you can go on any day that first week. You can only go one day a week though. Am I repeating myself? :)
4. How is your job determined?
Toni: Your job is determined by where they need people, your abilities do not factor in. You could be a teacher or doctor and work in the powerhouse reading meters, cleaning the kitchen floor or picking up trash. What they need.
5. What time is the meals:
Toni: Meal times here are Monday thru Friday: Breakfast 6:00 a.m., Lunch 11:00 a.m., Dinner, after count clears usually around 5:00 p.m..
Saturday and Sunday: Breakfast 7:00 a.m., Lunch after 10:00 a.m. count, usually around 11:00 a.m., Dinner around 5:00 p.m..
6. Are there snacks between meals or is it up to us to buy it from the commissary?
Toni: There are not snacks offered unless you are ordered a diabetic snack. You can take one piece of fruit from your meal back to your room to eak later. Anything else you buy from the commissary.
7. Is smoking allowed? If so, how many can you purchase at a time? Can you have lighters or matches?
Toni: There is smoking allowed outside in designated areas. You can buy 20 packs of cigarettes. Lighters and matches are not allowed. There are built in lighters on some of the walls.
8. What about television? Are there certain times when you can watch TV?
Toni: There are 3 TV rooms per building. 6 TVs for over 200 women. You can watch TV anytime that the compound is open and as long as the TV room isn't closed for cleaning.
Good Luck getting a show you like though! There are certain women who seem to run the TV rooms. If by any chance you are able to be lucky enough to get in to watch one show they usually end up coming in and are too noisy for you to hear. They end up winning anyway.
There is not a show that is on that is worth butting heads over with these little "Mini Gangs" who run the rooms. A lot of other women here feel the same way. In here, there isn't such a thing as "fair". The loudest and the meanest win!
There are an additional 5 TVs per building that rotate to different rooms. You can have a TV in your room approximately every 5 weeks for 1 week. First, you have to pass room inspection.
9. What can your family mail you?
Toni: Hardback books and newspapers have to come from a book store or publisher. Your family and friends can send either 3 magazines, 3 paperback books or 20 pictures per envelope. They can also send you a calendar or address book as long as there isn't a wire binding.
10. What is the lowest age that a child can be to visit?
Toni: Babies can visit. 16 and over have to have an approved visitors application.
11. Do you know about holidays?
Toni: Are you referring to visiting on holidays? If so, all federal holidays have an 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. visiting time.
12. How often can you make calls?
Toni: Calls are a max of 15 minutes per call. You have to wait 1/2 hour in between calls. You get only 300 minutes to use each month.
13. What items are in your room? (i.e., bed, dresser, etc.)
Toni: Standard room - 2 bunk beds, 1 single. 5 lockers, a folding table and hopefully at least two metal folding chairs.
14. Do you do your own laundry?
Toni: Yes, you do your own laundry. Again let me point out that the information that I am giving you is for this camp.
15. How do you keep items from being stolen?
Toni: You can help keep items from being stolen by buying a lock from the commissary for your locker. Do not leave anything out.
16. The items that you can bring from home. Do they need to be engraved (watch)?
Toni: There are a very few items you can bring from home. Go back and read question 2. You could engrave you watch if you want. It is not required.
17. Is there access to the internet?
Toni: There isn't access to the internet. Chances are that there never will be. Keep in mind that some women may be here for a computer crime.
18. How is medicine administered? Do you keep your meds with your things or does a nurse give them to you?
Toni: Your medicine is given to you to keep locked in your locker. Psych meds and a few others are given to you in the pill line only.
19. I am also a insulin dependent diabetic. Will I give my own shots? What about checking my sugar levels?
Toni: If you are on insulin you do give yourself your own shot during pill line. Pill line is also where you check your blood sugar levels.
20. What can visitors wear? (colors, shorts?)
Toni: Visitors cannot wear sleeveless shirts. This includes very young children, no tank tops. Nothing that is revealing. No flip flops, no sunglasses. You can only carry in quaters and an unopened pack of cigarettes. Wallets, purses, make-up, cell phones, lighters and matches are not allowed.
21. What about eyeglasses? Do I bring my own or do they send you to their own eye doctor?
Toni: It is best to bring your own eyeglasses. There is an eye doctor, but you wait months to see him. Then it takes a long time to get your glasses and they are ugly. Everyone around here calls them birth control glasses! :)
(Comment from Patti: They are the same glasses that the military issues in boot camp, and I can assure you they are ugly! They don't call them birth control glasses for nothing!)
22. How long is visitation and can family members stay that long?
Toni: Visiting hours are: Friday and Monday, 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Family and friends can stay the whole time.
23. If visitation is Saturday and Sunday, can they come both days?
Toni: Your visitors can come all 4 days if they want.
24. Are the items in the commissary cheaper than in the free world? Is there a spending limit?
Toni: No, items in the commissary are not cheaper than in the real world. Unfortunately, you can't comparison shop here! :) There is a $290.00 per month spending limit.
For example, I bought a pair of shorts (grey, like the dollar general kind) for $9.70. After 3 washing they began coming apart. I have had to sew them many times. Sweat pants that you buy at Walmart for $5.00 to $7.00 will cost you $20.00 here.
25. Where do family members send money?
Toni: Family members send money to a lockbox in Georgia.
Comment from Patti: Toni did not provide the address. However, I remember typing it in one of her earlier posts to PTO.)
26. What about illness? Do they supply cold medicine or does it have to be purchased?
Toni: If you are sick then you put in a Sick Call Slip before 7:30 a.m. and if you are lucky you can see the PA (Physcians Assistant) within a couple of days. If you need a prescription he/she will order it for you.
27. What if a family member passes away? Are we able to attend the funeral?
Toni: Most of the time you are able to attend the funeral of a family member. A lot depends on the level of custody you are at, whether you will go escorted or unescorted. You will need to be sure to have enough money in your account to cover the cost for a Urinalysis when you come back. Same thing for a furlough.
28. Are there sports there? If so, which ones?
Toni: Yes, there are sports. Here, there is Softball, Volleyball, Horseshoes.
29. Is there a library there?
Toni: Yes there is a small library.
30. What about music? Can you bring a radio, CDs?
Toni: You cannot bring any music with you. You can buy an AM/FM radio with headphones from the commissary. You can't have tapes or Cds. It's a shame though. As someone here mentioned, maybe there would be less of people minding other peoples business. I would love to have some books on tape or mediation tapes myself. :)
I hope that the answers to these questions are of help to someone. Please keep in mind that I am at Camp Carswell, so my answers reflect what goes on here.
Toni"