Was just wondering about something that you might have experienced. I am being sentenced in a few weeks and will be taken into custody right after my sentencing. Was just wondering, if I am transported to a detention center, and then to the federal prison, how do they transport you?
Do they transport you in a van, a car, by plane? What types of restraints are used? How long do they keep you in these restraints, for the entire trip to the prison? I am really nervous about being placed in any type of restraints. I had a hard time when I was in handcuffs. I hated having my movement restricted.
Do they place you in leg irons? What are they like? Do they use waist chains?

Hi prison girl,
Sorry to hear you have to go to prison. Idon't know if it will help you, but I can tell you my experince. I had state and fed sentences concurant. I did my time in state . My husband and step son are both in federal. In all of our cases yes, waist,leg and hand cuffs. The hand cuffs were even more restrained than jail hand cuffs. The difference is that your hands are cuffed in front of you with a black box in between your wrists, which imobilizes your hands so that one is directly on top of the other. In my case, I was transported on a bus from the classification center to the prison. In my husband and son's case,they were transported from jail to the airport in a fed van then they were on a plane for most of the day and night. This being because the feds make many stops to other states to pick up other inmates to be transported. They don't generaly move one prisoner at a time. And yes they too were restrained the entire time in the same manner as myself. I wish you well.

Diann

Prisongirl:

I am new to PrisonTalk (in fact, this is my first posting); but in searching around to orient myself, I found a posting from FED-X at:

http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=26881&postcount=5 (http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showpost.php?p=26881&postcount=5)

which could be helpful to you at your sentencing.

I am copying below what FED-X wrote in his above referenced post. Perhaps his info will apply to your situation.

My best to you ... from "McDUFF"
___________________________________

FED-X wrote:

"... Before I go any further in what it will be like when you get there, you need to know AND REQUEST something when you go to sentencing!

You need to request a Self-Surrender to the institution they designate you to. The Feds usually don't have a problem with you doing this if you are out on bond and are not facing a lot of time. If you don't ask for it, you will probably go to jail right after sentencing.. Get to go through all the transfer BS that takes a month or so before you get to the prison. (Tell your Attorney to Request it after the judge hands out however months you will get in prison)

If you don't request or receive a Self-Surrender from the Judge, you will be taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals. You'll spend the day in the federal courthouse (most likely) and then be transferred to the federal detention center, or two a contract county dump-jail until you catch the "chain" (transfer) to Oklahoma City, where you will process into the federal system.

It may take a few days to 2 weeks before you either catch a bus or Con-Air (yes, it's real) to Oklahoma City. Once in Oklahoma City you will be in transfer holding for anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months.

Then they will ship you out to whatever institution in the United States that they designate you to. They still try to keep you close to home but it doesn't always happen. (HAVE YOUR ATTORNEY REQUEST the closest institution to where you live, or where your family/friends are that you want to visit you. They don't have to listen to the Judge's recommendation, but they try to)

Self-Surrendering (walking in un-cuffed) is generally better than coming in chained to other cons. They process you into the prison faster because you usually are by yourself.

When you come in with 40 other guys, you are going to be doing a lot of hold-over cell time before you go anywhere..

When you first get there they will take you into R&D (Receiving & Discharge)...."

[I acknowledge & thank Fed-X for his wisdom and knowledge .. McDuff]

END******

McDuff,

I wish I had better news, but prisongirl's sister private messaged me earlier this week that prisongirl was sentenced to just over "17 years late last week." She was taken into custody at court.

Please keep them in prayer.

Patti

How terrible! I will continue to pray for her.

This is the same girl that thought she was getting 5, isn't it? My God! Poor thing....

Diann,
You were "black boxed" during your transfer? Where there some conflict issues or anything where they were worried that a fight might break out?

The reason I ask is because, at least in the Feds, the only time the black-box is used during transport is if you are considered a "problem" or "risk" for fight or flight. Even high security level prisoners are not given the black box unless they have recent problems. Those suckers are painful to have on over a long trip.

Hi prison girl,
Sorry to hear you have to go to prison. Idon't know if it will help you, but I can tell you my experince. I had state and fed sentences concurant. I did my time in state . My husband and step son are both in federal. In all of our cases yes, waist,leg and hand cuffs. The hand cuffs were even more restrained than jail hand cuffs. The difference is that your hands are cuffed in front of you with a black box in between your wrists, which imobilizes your hands so that one is directly on top of the other. In my case, I was transported on a bus from the classification center to the prison. In my husband and son's case,they were transported from jail to the airport in a fed van then they were on a plane for most of the day and night. This being because the feds make many stops to other states to pick up other inmates to be transported. They don't generaly move one prisoner at a time. And yes they too were restrained the entire time in the same manner as myself. I wish you well.

Diann

Prisongirl,
First, I am sorry to hear about the situation that you are facing.. I know this sounds like BS but you will feel a lot better soon after you get in custody because you have made the hurdle of moving past sweating the pending date and into your sentence which brings you closer to getting out. I think the hardest time for me was the time leading up to surrendering and when I walked through the gates. After that, I got into a routine and time flew for the most part.

Now, for transportation. If you are not doing a self-surrender, this is what is going to happen (most likely).

I went ahead and made a new thread about it since my reply got rather drawn out. Here is the link to it:
http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48879

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them there.


Was just wondering about something that you might have experienced. I am being sentenced in a few weeks and will be taken into custody right after my sentencing. Was just wondering, if I am transported to a detention center, and then to the federal prison, how do they transport you?
Do they transport you in a van, a car, by plane? What types of restraints are used? How long do they keep you in these restraints, for the entire trip to the prison? I am really nervous about being placed in any type of restraints. I had a hard time when I was in handcuffs. I hated having my movement restricted.
Do they place you in leg irons? What are they like? Do they use waist chains?

Fed-X,

NO, I wasn't considered to be high risk. Although I had both state and federal time to do. I opted to go to a state prison to do my time. My charges are from the state of Iowa and the northern district of Iowa. Right before I got sentenced, the feds bought a contract with the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women for like 36 beds. Since it was only an hour and a half from my home, I chose ICIW. So everyone, all females were restrained in the same way as my self and yes, the black box was terrible. They use the black box for every trip you take, to court, the hospital, etc. My husband was restrained with the black box as well, perhaps because he recieved a life sentence (federal), but he does not have a violent crime. He got life for a 3 strikes drug offence because he refused to cooperate or plea. I don't know why the feds used the black box on my step son, he was sentenced to 60 months to a camp for a non violent drug offence. Neither my husband or step son have been to prison before now, so I don't understand why the feds black boxed them, but everyone in the Iowa prison system gets black boxed for every movement to or from the instutions.

Diann