Has anyone got any feedback/info on the new Disciplinary Barracks? I did my time in the old joint, and since I am supposed to be SOME sort of subject matter expert around here (Hah!) I would love to know about it. Been on a visit? What do you hear in letters?
The last thing I heard, they were really trying to tighten up on control, which is a little silly, given the general low level of violence/trouble around the place.
Any information anyone would care to share would be appreciated.

Your Friendly Research Assistant

Dave,
The new DB seems okay from my perspective. I've visited twice and had no problem at all with any of the guards. I've made a couple of requests from the administration and had one turned down (to allow my son to view a webcast). My son's perspective is a bit different. I've been given the impression that some of the guards are on their own little power trips, which I suppose is natural given the situation. There seems to be a tendency to write up every possible infraction. Granted, he's deserved a couple, but even the TDS at the facility thought the last one was absurd and now the D&A board has been indefinitely postponed. Evidently, the food's okay. He's gained 40 pounds since he's been there, and none of it fat from what I can tell. He does work out a lot, though. He's had a bit of problem getting some medical care, but in general seems okay. I've heard through his sister that they have now started him on an anti-depressant for "anger management." This is the second round of drugs they've started. First was to "help him sleep." I push him to refuse the drugs and push for therapy. Your referral to the low level of violence at the facility is comforting to me, but he wants a transfer as soon as possible. He's told me that he's the last of the group he was originally with and the others have been transferred out due to their disruptive behavior. I've heard of a couple of fights, but nothing as serious as what you hear about in federal or state facilities. He's Level 2 now (after being released from AS/Level 3 for arguing with a guard--which emphasises your point about tightening control). I can't speak to the visitation for gen pop inmates since ours is non-contact and we're in the booths (2 of them for SHU) but from my observation of the room, it doesn't appear to be over-regulated. There are guards there, of course, but I haven't seen any of them interfere with any interactions between inmates and visitors. They mostly just hand out games and watch the area. The mail regulations are fairly strictly enforced but there are snafu's there sometimes. Nothing that can't be fixed, so far! If there's a particular question, let me know and I'll see if I can help answer it. Hope these tidbits of info help you out.

Lisa

Thanks for the info. Sounds in many respects pretty much like the old DB.
The DB has always been big on writing up anything and everything that could possibly considered an infraction. I've heard about guys being transferred into the Federal system with a string of "Trafficking" writeups from the DB. The Feds think they have themselves a real bad dude until they realize that the "trafficking" consisted of picking up a magazine from the trash.
The guards and staff were always a very mixed bag. One thing about the guards was that they were generally not the best and brightest; one didn't need very high test scores to become a guard at the DB. However, some were pretty good eggs. Others were real (the family-oriented nature of this forum forbids me from saying). It was usually pretty easy for an inmate to figure out whom they could deal with.
I remember once sitting in an office with some of my buds waiting for some sort of interview or other (I forget what). I noticed a poster on the wall that said "Re-Enlist Corrections - Front Line Duty Every Day!" I pointed it out and said, "Know what that makes us? The enemy."
I, too had problems getting medical care. The prison medical staff seemed to want to do as little as possible. However, on one occasion, I was taken outside the wall to the Ft Leavenworth Post Hospital for medical attention. There, I was treated courteously, and I got the feeling I was getting the same attention as anyone else.
Again, thanks for the information. I would love to hear what others have to say. Any ex-inmates out there who were held in the new DB? Let me hear from you.

Dave, I'm trying to post some pics I took of the new facility in the Gallery forum under Prisons and Facilities (I think that's the name). There seems to be a glitch in PTO's system since I and several others keep getting the same error when we try to upload. I will keep trying and post here to let those who want to look at it know it's done. It's a forbidding facility on your first visit, so maybe seeing a picture will ease some of the shock. I got a very stern look from a patrol after the first couple of clicks so I didn't get the whole thing (just the entrance and one wing). I have some of the "Castle" also. To get to the new one, you drive right next to the north wall of the old one and then about 3 or 4 miles west.

I'll ask my husband again. From looking at old letters from this spring, it looks like when he was in reception he had a phone jack in his room so he could take the phone to his room. But now that he's in general population, there are phone booths. They wear brown. And yes, the guards will write you up for anything, but my husband said they usually get tossed out. He was invited to play softball. They have cameras to watch inside the cells. They can have one carton of cigarettes a month. They watch movies all the time, usually before the movies hit the stores. He'll tell me he watched so and so, and i'll be like, but it's not out yet. I think they just got some kind of punching bag for the courtyard, but i'm not sure. If i find out more, i'll let you know.

steener

Yes, Reception and SHU have phone jacks in their cells, and the calls are randomly monitored. SHU inmates wear orange and never more than 4 are out on the tier at a time. And, they are always in full restraints (hands and legs) while being moved. There is no smoking in SHU. There is TV, access to a CD-ROM version of Westlaw, a rickety typewriter, weight room, book cart and rec for some period of time daily. There may be more "amenities," but I can't think of any right now.