serafine
10-03-2002, 07:41 AM
Hello again, My young son is incarcerated in Lancaster State prison, and here are my questions of the morning: when we write letters to him, can we include newspaper or magazine articles? I have kept several articles covering a range of topics: some inspirational, some about sports, or some that are just human interest or funny anecdotes about this or that--things to amuse him while he is "in there". I tried to get the answer to this particular question by calling, but after several "menu" options, and several recordings, (and it was a long distance call), I came up with nothing but a long wait and then disconnect.
Next question: why do they check the bottoms of our bare feet when we visit? I did not ask, as I was initially too intimidated by that new "experience" of visiting within a prison environment. Once we went through the whole drill and returned 2 days later, I mainly observed the procedures while waiting so we would not jam up the process and bring down the wrath of impatient employees. Most of them were gracious, however, and that helped. One was very condescending--scolding me for bringing "wayyyyy too much paperwork" for my 17 yr. old adopted daughter...I told her I would much rather have too much info on our first visit than risk not bringing enough and being turned away. She also became pretty dramatic when she asked if I had an underwire bra on, and I said of course not, I read the Visitor's handbook, and told her (my mistake) that I was wearing a stretchy tank top instead...UNDER my blouse. this almost created a scene, as she lectured me on the fact that I HAD to wear a bra, not a tank top---almost sending us away until I blurted out that we had just come from northern calif., 8 hrs. from there, and had no options, nor was that written anywhere in the handbook...(I read the darned thing at least 12 times!). She conversed with someone in the back room, and returned to (again condescendingly) tell me that although she did not make the rules, there were such rules, but she would "let me" pass through "this one time". I had had it by then, and told her respectfully that that would be great, but that it was not written anywhere in the handbook, just said you could not "wear underwire" nor display breasts, etc. I was respectfully dressed to visit, I can assure you, unlike many folks who chose other fashion statements. The officer then whipped out the Visitor's handbook and began to make a big deal about searching for the section that would prove her "right"...and could not find it, because of course it was not there. such drama for nothing! There! I finally vented!
Pamme
Next question: why do they check the bottoms of our bare feet when we visit? I did not ask, as I was initially too intimidated by that new "experience" of visiting within a prison environment. Once we went through the whole drill and returned 2 days later, I mainly observed the procedures while waiting so we would not jam up the process and bring down the wrath of impatient employees. Most of them were gracious, however, and that helped. One was very condescending--scolding me for bringing "wayyyyy too much paperwork" for my 17 yr. old adopted daughter...I told her I would much rather have too much info on our first visit than risk not bringing enough and being turned away. She also became pretty dramatic when she asked if I had an underwire bra on, and I said of course not, I read the Visitor's handbook, and told her (my mistake) that I was wearing a stretchy tank top instead...UNDER my blouse. this almost created a scene, as she lectured me on the fact that I HAD to wear a bra, not a tank top---almost sending us away until I blurted out that we had just come from northern calif., 8 hrs. from there, and had no options, nor was that written anywhere in the handbook...(I read the darned thing at least 12 times!). She conversed with someone in the back room, and returned to (again condescendingly) tell me that although she did not make the rules, there were such rules, but she would "let me" pass through "this one time". I had had it by then, and told her respectfully that that would be great, but that it was not written anywhere in the handbook, just said you could not "wear underwire" nor display breasts, etc. I was respectfully dressed to visit, I can assure you, unlike many folks who chose other fashion statements. The officer then whipped out the Visitor's handbook and began to make a big deal about searching for the section that would prove her "right"...and could not find it, because of course it was not there. such drama for nothing! There! I finally vented!
Pamme