http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/crimelaw/features/6228/index2.html

I'd be interested in hearing more experienced people's reactions to this article. Would a women's wing or prison be any better? My sister's situation is possibly different because she's a federal "contract" prisoner at a county facility--don't know if that's good or bad.

Thanks for any thoughts.

CBee

good article. thanks for the link. my guy is just a few short months away from going to a camp. he's looking forward to it. it'll be interesting to see what his reaction is. he's done time in a usp and several fci's.

You're welcome, Chica--let us know.

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/crimelaw/features/6228/index.html

is the link to where the article actually begins--for some reason my first link started it in the middle.

CBee

thanks for the link. that was a great article.

Sheryl

Yes, this was a good article, if not entirely factual. I have never heard of a prison-issued radio! The prison does not issue radios. You have to BUY them.

On point I would like to make. You hear so much about white-collar criminals in the news these days. Tons of stuff in the media. Our country has been imprisoning low-level, non-violent drug offenders for YEARS and the media has barely touched on this issue. I think its a shame as those offenders make up the majority of inmates in the federal system. The media has rarely touched on that fact. There are many drug offenders who get ridiculously long sentences for minor roles or just for the simple fact that they were the girlfriend or wife of a drug dealer. The low-level offenders often get more time then so called "kingpins." For example, the girlfriend of the leader of an ecstacy distribution ring received a 24 !/2 year sentence while her boyfriend did 4 years! I wish the media was as outspoken about this as they have been about the white collar criminals and the conditions they face!

No offense to any of the white collar offenders on PTO. The government just seems to be using the same overzealousness with white collar crimes as they have for drug crimes for years! Neither is fair!

I also wish the media would focus more on the "little people," not the few rich and sometimes famous that have gone to fed prison lately.

CjJack
Without causing an uproar, I think the drug issue tends to cause more panic as law enforcement emphasizes our children getting sucked into the drug culture and being ruined for life. And drugs and the individuals using them, because of the unnatural state your in under the influence, is the result of higher crime rates. Your point is well taken about innoceint girl friends, or others not directly associated with the trade, and I place them with the white collars who never lost a penny of grandma's money. I think we can both agree that both scenerios stink and need some immediate attention. The current witch hunt for any corporate employee who may were a tie to work still brings attention to the federal justice system and how antiquated it really is.

Sincerely
Dan

Dan, I completely agree with you. Not trying to cause problems, I just don't want those who have received sentences way out of proportion to their crimes (as so often happens with drug offenders, and now white-collar offenders) to be forgotten!

Yes, BOTH scenarios stink!!!

Myhusband would return behind the fence anyday to get out of Camp Marion. The hardest time he's done in 16 years is now at the camp. The camp is out of control, especially at night, there is no supervision. As a visitor, I was treated with more respect at the FCI's. My mail was never "lost" at an FCI. The cells were bigger, cleaner and it was, believe it or not, quieter at the FCI's.

I guess it depends who you ask. Anyone who's been down more than 2 years and has FCI experience, may prefer the fence to the camp, for many reasons.

I think a lot depends on the camp. My boyfriend is in the camp at El Reno and it is not that bad. He won't even seek medical attention if he needs it because he would have to go into the FCI (not that that he would get decent medical treatment anyhow). I do think that El Reno must be one of the better camps--he says it is much better than the one at Nellis. He is a white collar guy and has not been singled out by the CO's, nor have the other white collar guys in his unit.
I personally think the whole system of sentencing is messed up and one of my concerns is that there is very little being done to try to help those drug offenders to rehabilitate themselves so that they don't end up going back in. The "counselors" don't care and from what I've observed there are some state systems that are doing a much better job in this area.

my fiance's been down more than 2 years and does not want to go to camp. we know people at both the camp and the low at Butner, and he'd rather stay at the low - the warden is harsher at the camp, visitation hours are much more restricted, and it's just harder time to do - less controls and easier ways to mess up. but that's just his experience, i'm sure it varies facility to facility. For a time there was a chance he could move to the camp in Cumberland, MD, and I talked to a guy who works there, he said it's a great facility. who knows.

We just got word that my guy is moving straight from the low to a halfway house... go figure.

I think the government and BOP will do whatever they can to keep the prisoners from doing well when they leave, if they leave. They issue shots frivolously. They don't to rehabilitate offenders. The like the high recidivism rate. It guarantees them a virtually free labor force, similar to slavery. Tougher sentencing guidelines ensure that the prison population will only increase. We have many states where children as young as 13 are tried and sentenced as adults and then housed with adults. When you read an article saying that a doctor was thrown in the hole for assisting another inmate, you realize that this system is not based on any type of humanity. It is merely for profit.