Please see the latest update on women facing the real possibilty of Federal Detention Centers v. FPC's because of over crowding ... ie., Martha Stewart http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/26390.htm

Mach, I read that. The population number that they gave for Bryan and Alderson was about what they quoted when I was at both facilities.

I read the article and even printed it so that I could reference the article...
If the prisons are overcrowed - Then where do you sleep? and why does it state that the spending cap is $175.00 per month when info posted here says $290.00? So what or who do you believe anymore? I am so confused !!!!!

jEWELA, it is $290 per month. I e-mailed that reporter to clarify that. This is what irritates me about the media- I have never read one story where they were completely accurate. They sensationalize everything!! It does not matter if you are a rich, white-collar offender. As long as you go in with the right attitude and not act as if you are better than the others, then you'll be fine.

I get so angry with these reporters!! I wish someone would do a fair and accurate story. Any of you that are getting ready to go to federal prison, please take what you read in these stories with a grain of salt. I am not the only female ex-inmate that will tell you this. I was in prison with the other federal forum leader, guysgal, and I have no doubt that she would agree with me on this.

Cjjack - the only thing that matters (especially to those like me who have yet to experience the federal system) is solid truthful information. It is already scary enough without wondering who's right or who is trying to make things sound better (or worse) than they really are. For those of us who look for the info, to be blindsided going into a facility would be the worst possibly scenario. I realize things are often different from institution to institution but yet I have to wonder where these people get their facts. As my days count down to surrender I am totally mortified as to what to think will happen to me. I realize that everyone says "oh you will be fine" but that hardly relieves my fright when trying to sort through all of the emotions that I (and many others here) am feeling. I truly appreciate you trying to set the record straight....

jEWELA, I always try to give you ladies factual information. The problem with the media is that they are trying to sell a story or a paper. The more sensasionalized it is, the better for them. It sells better. The truth is often much more mundane. I have been there, Vicki (guysgal) has been there. These reporters have not. I would never try to make things sound worse than they are or sugarcoat anything. Why would I ever want to do that to you ladies? I understand completely what you are going through.

Are the camps for women fun? No. But can you have fun there sometimes? Yes, absolutely. You are not tortured, you don't have a CO in your face screaming at you 24/7, you will not be ostracized because you are a white-collar offender. You have quite a bit of freedom considering you are in a prison. It is uncomfortable-there are rules to follow that you may not agree with sometimes. You are away from your family. But where you are going-Bryan, there are no cells, it is air-conditioned, there are 4 TV rooms per unit, there are numerous classes you can attend, there is a tennis court and softball field, a large walking track, a decent library, and if the library doesn't have the book you want they will order it for you from the Austin Public Library. You will be very surprised at what you will find there. They allow certain people to work off the prison grounds for the Texas MHMR.

I wish, oh how I wish, a reporter would be interested in doing a factual story on these camps. I am just livid after I read some of the garbage they put out there. For example the spending limit-it is $290!! Not $175!!

Like I said, make no mistake that you are going to a prison, but I can tell you right now there are much, much worse places that you could go than a womens federal camp.

Chrisa - I realize that I am not going to some awful torture palace...but it still does not make me feel any less scared. I know that you try to portray all information as accurately as possible here at PTO, and that does help alleviate some of the anxiety...But it is prison, and everyone's experience can be different. Just because you are a seemingly strong person, does not mean I am .....I just feel confused....hopefully in the few days I have left at home I will figure it all out....

Answer my question though - If the prisons are so overcrowed, then where does a new inmate sleep?
How do you not act scared? Everyone keeps saying don't act like your scared? Why? isn't everyone scared when they first go in?
And everyone keep telling me to be invisible - How do you be invisible?


Thanks

I am not saying that I was not scared and you shouldn't be either, because of course I was scared. I cannot imagine who wouldn't be?? I thought the first thing that would happen to be is that I would be beat up and raped or vise versa!! It turns out that my fears were unfounded as it is NOTHING like that. My first day, as soon as I walked in to my new room, my roomates were offering me soap, shampoo, etc. because they remembered what their first day was like. There are inmates who keep an extra bar of soap or shampoo just so that they can help a new person. NO STRINGS ATTATCHED.

Am I a strong person? I sure wasn't the first day I walked in there. I was just as scared as anyone. I did not have anyone, or PTO, to even give me a hint as what to expect.

When someone tells you to stay invisible, I would imagine that they mean just don't draw attention to yourself. There are some people who arrive who do not understand that there are different rules than they are used to and try to fight the system. Just do as expected of you. The rules are not that terrible and not too difficult to follow.

Your confusion is understandable. Who wouldn't be confused? You just have to learn to cope and adapt when you get there. After all, what choice is there? And there wil be people there who will be kind and help you. People just like yourself.

Did you happen to read the letter I received from Cori?

jEWELA,

Hi, I have read through Mach's thread here, and I want to say something here. I understand how concerned, nervous, and scared you are right now. We all were. However, please, know that cjjack, guysgal, and the others here would not mislead you.

They come from the perspective of "been there, done that". The reporter doesn't. My thoughts to you are this: Listen to cj and understand that she and the others are giving you the lowdown. We understand your fears and concerns, we have been in your shoes, though mine was state time. Believe me, if I had been given a choice between state and federal and I would have taken Bryan any time!

Breath deep, hang in there, and know that this too shall pass!

Patti

Every case is different, as I am sure everyone here knows. Yes I am scared (literally frozen with fear at this point) I realize that the other members have "been there, done that" but how long has it been since they were released? How many things have changed since they left those facilities? One good case in point is a member by the name of Liddy. Several members of PTO including myself have written her with no response. Doesn't this make anyone worry since it has been 4 weeks since her surrender? I am scheduled to go to Bryan in a couple of weeks, I sincerely hope that I don't just drop off the face of the earth as she has.

I was released from Bryan 14 months ago. I also still have friends there that I hear from at least once a month. If you would like I can let a few of them know about your arrival and ask them if they will look for you and show you the ropes so to speak.

Yes, every case is different but once you arrive you will see that everyone is in the same boat and just trying to make it through the same as you.

I wish there were something we could tell you that would make you feel better but I don't think that is going to happen. You're questions will not be answered until you arrive.

Some people just do not like to write. I hardly think Liddy fell off the face of the earth or that anything has happend to her. There were periods of a month or 2 where I just did not write as there was not a whole lot to say. By the way, I just checked the inmate locator and Lydia is still in Bryan. If she were having any type of serious difficulty then she would not be there.

I wish you the best jEWELA, and I hope that you find that you are able to cope with your cirumstances when you arrive and that it is something that you can deal with.

I know you are trying to make me feel better - and thank you and all who have kept me in their prayers over the last few weeks - Still one question you have not answered - If the prisons are over capacity, then where do new inmates sleep? Just asking....

I left Alderson FPC 17 months ago today, and like Chrisa, I still hear from people there on a regular basis. When we were over crowded there, they would use the front of the housing areas close to the officer's desk and the TV's room to set up extra beds. They called this area "bus stops" (i.e., you would stop there before your permanent bed).

Unfortunately, inspite of the overcrowding at all BOP facilities, the BOP population count continues to spiral upwards on a weekly basis.

I understand your concern because no one has heard from Liddy; there could be lots of reasons why she hasn't written. It's very hard not to let your anxiety overwhelm you right now. The unknown is so much worse than the knowing. PTO members Jamie and Cori were pretty much in the same boat. I've heard from both of them since they arrived at FPC Phoenix, and even though its not the best, both have said it is better than they ever imagined. I hope the same for you.

Of course, you are scared. All of us who have already walked in your shoes were scared. However, you will find that fear diminishes a little every day. After all, every day you do brings you one day closer to home.

If you've been reading the posts I am sure you've seen the expression "stay below the radar" - simply put, that means always be where you're supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there, doing what you're supposed to be doing. Keep your eyes and ears open, and for the most part, your mouth shut. You will find people with whom you have something in common, and those will be the people you "hang" with. When Chrisa and I were at Alderson there was a group of us who ate together, watched TV together, crocheted together, and just generally spent time together. It made things a lot easier for all of us.

I wish you the very best, and just remember, all of us here at PTO will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

Thank you for answering my question - I had wondered what "Bus Stop" meant.

No bus stops at Bryan though..........

No bus stops at Bryan though..........


Chrisa - Just for the sake of my sanity - answer the question - If the camp is overcrowded - then where do you sleep...since there is no Bus Stop in Bryan?

It was not my experience that the prison in Bryan was overcrowded. There were anywhere from 830-890 inmates when I was there. The population reports for Bryan includes the boot camp ladies and they are housed in a seperate area of the prison. Everyone has a bed in a room at Bryan. If they do not have the bed space then you would be designated somewhere else.

Thank you - What a relief!!!!! I was thinking I would have to sleep on the floor or something

They would add bunks to a room if need be. Hubby was in a 2 man room when he got to Duluth, was a 4 man when he left and his old room holds 6

I havent posted in a while but I would like to say that my mom is doing WONDERFUL! She has so many friends that have helped her while shes been at Alderson FPC. Now shes one that is helping others. There is a lady that can hardly walk so mom helps her walk to HCU and to the pill line. It makes me so happy that federal prison isnt what most thought it would be. My mom is a christian lady and got to prison by a bad choice she made 10 years ago that caught up with her. Nothing major but enough to land her in prison. She is not the type to fight so if someone came up to her and beat her she would lay there and let them. She doesnt beleive in fighting. So it makes it good to hear that there are so many others like her in there thats just trying to make the time go by. They even have a place they call "the beach" which is where the ladies go to lay in the sun. That is wild. The only fault I have had with the prison is that they dont give her the medicines that she was prescribed before she went in. My mom is or WAS a big lady. That had alot to do with her asthma acting up. When she went in on May 10th she weighed 215 and now shes down to 170. Thats just unbelieveable. She walks alot BUT only when she absolutly has to and when its not extrmely hot outside. She is breathin so much better now that alot of the extra weight is gone. Shes losing most of her weight by helping others that cant walk too good or has bad health. She wrote me a letter and told me she walked a young young "25" lady to sick call and sat there from 6 am until 2 pm and then the doctor came out and said he wasnt feeling good and he wouldnt see anymore. My mom pleaded with him to see this lady because prior to ger going to prison she was shot in the leg and it was hurting badly. The doc said NO MORE TODAY! can you beleive that. It took them 2 days to see her. Mom calls crying sometime because of the sick people thats in there. They even took one lady somewhere else they other day, she was ready to die from aids. It breaks my heart how someone can murder someone and get a yr or so out of it. The most I have seen at Alderson is past drug problems and fraud. These ladies are spending half their lives in prison. Moms best friend is in there for drugs and has spend 2 years already with 9 more to go. Shes already 55. She said she wish she could be out and making a difference in others lives to stop them from doing what she did. Its just sad. Mom has got 7 more weeks yeaaaaaaaaah! She is doing so good though. Really and I couldnt have made it initially had it not been for the people on this message board. Thanks for letting me speak my mind about Alderson. All in all its a wonderful place to be. The ladies look out for one another. Of course there are fights but most help one another. Except for the health services and the money scamming I think there doing from these ladies, I am very much satisfied with the way my mom has been treated. And speaking of the BUS STOP mom stayed there for 2 weeks but they moved her again last week. She says they talk all the time about how overcrowded they are. She said 2 weeks ago they flew in I think 70 more! Moms said they can have her bed as long as she can come home hehe. If anyone needs to talk please send me a message. Id love to help if I can.

What do you mean when you say "money scamming"?

My guess would be the outrageous prices you have to pay for stuff there, that and if you have restitution, they will try to get more out of you than the 25.00/qtr...don't fall for it, no matter what they promise you...it never happens, it 's just a ploy to get more money out of your family.

Yes I am referring to the prices and things they make you bye. Why not let us send some things to them. I can understand checking everything that she receives, after all it IS prison however I dont think by me sending her some deoderant or shampoo would hurt anything. They dont have air conditioning which is hazardous to people with asthmatic people. If they want to by a fan it is 30.00. They can watch TV ONLY if they bye the walkman to hear it with with is also 30.00. They took 25 $ out of her account for her restitution which she paid before she left. She has to wear steal toe shoes unless she wants to pay 60 bucks for a good pair. The bra's they give you is ridiculous. My mom has false teeth and if they do sell the cups for them to put them in at night they have never had it in stock. As a result of this her gums bleed day after day and are real sore. The lady at the commissary sells avon to get some money and makes a killing. Your not allowed to take a camera in but they got a lady that sells tickets at the commissary for photos. Its all crazy. What would anyone do if they didnt have anyone out there in the world to send them money? Its unreal what they charge for. I would LOVE to know where the federal taxes go. The taxes doesnt keep the place going, the inmates do. Anything needing done, the inmates do it.

At Alderson it is true that you have to buy a Walkman to be able to hear the TV, but at Bryan you don't. Regular TV's, regular sound. The TV rooms there are sound-proofed.

My mom called me about 10 min ago and said they flew in 80 more. I know there already over crowded. I wonder what there gonna do with these people.

Unfortunately, Stillmommysgirl, they always find a place.

I just received a letter from a friend of mine in ALderson and she told me they have almost completed construction on another 500 bed building. Instead of letting people go, they are just building more warehouses. Sad.

If there gonna build anything I wish they would build another lunch room or HCU. They throw away so much tax payers money. Anyting to get more money. If they would let some of them go home they would lose money. Their bringing in more beds and ladies so they can get more money.

I was just calculating and if I am right, if they got 500 more beds, there allowed to spend 290.00 a month..thats 145000.00 more for them a MONTH not including what they spend when they have visitors. When I go see mom I always take 20.00 and trust me when I leave I am broke but I stay a long time. Still what they take from these ladies families is unreal. I thank God we can send mom money. There are some people that I dont know how they make it. Makes you feel so sorry for them.