My husband has been doing various things to make money (or get store items). This really helps me financially, because I really can't afford to help him a whole lot and his job doesn't cover what he needs. The problem is, I wonder if anyone else has husband's doing this & if so, how do you feel about it?

HI, MY MAN IS IN SAFFORD, TONTO UNIT AND I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU MEAN BY HUSTLING IN PRISON? HOW EXACTLY IS HE MAKING MONEY? I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO REPLY AS IT CONCERNS ME AND I DONT KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN... SCOTT HAS MONEY COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE AND I KNOW FOR THE MOST PART HE HAS EVERYTING HE NEEDS AND MORE AS FAR AS STORE AND SUCH. BETWEEN HIS DAD AND MYSELF HE GETS MOST EVERYTHING HE NEEDS AND ASKS FOR. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE REPLYING IN THIS THREAD, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PM ME... THANKS
PATRICIA:o

If I were you guys I would take this to PMs and other, more private ways of talking.

Just thought I would comment .. but take Haswtch's advice and did it privately.

Sent you a PM

Its my undrrstanding that guys be doing what they gotta do.

I agree that because this is something not allowed in any prison open conversation about what your guys do could get them in serious trouble.......

However IMO the term "hustle" makes it sound so much worse then it really is. I for the life of me dont understand why inmates cant trade with each other. When I think of hustle I think of scamming, but trading isnt that. If you are a coffee drinker and you run out of coffee and another guy has coffee, but no stamps or whatever then why is that a problem.

I dont know how close they watch this kind of activity in prison, but I once knew someone in county jail who said that you had better not have so much as a pack of raman noodles or a candy bar without having a reciept for it.

I totally agree TNC. A lot of what could be called "hustling" is harmless, and the idea that a person could get in trouble trading stamps for candy bars is STUPID although I'm sure it's based on some Crucial Issue they could (sort of) explain to me if I cared to ask. But I worry for people when I see them talking in public on here about breaking even the least little rule, yanno? There have been instances of it getting back to the wrong people.

But I worry for people when I see them talking in public on here about breaking even the least little rule, yanno? There have been instances of it getting back to the wrong people.
I'm right there with ya on that worry.

My best friend is a DOC officer ... he "tries" to "explain" some of the philosophy behind their rules and guidelines ... sometimes he agress that they are riducilous and other times he is just insistant that it HAS to be that way ...

Needless to say .. with MyGuy being incarcarated, it has made for an interesting friendship ......... but ... :cool:

Basically it's not that the "trading" that is an issue .. it's because extortion becomes an issue .. when inmates have things that don't belong to them. Did they "trade" for it, or did they extort someone for it?! :eek:

I just keep counting those days ... doing all I can for MyGuy .. and holding my breath until this journey is behind us. :rolleyes:

Crap, if a DOC officer could get something out of this conversation, good luck. I'm not asking for any specific info., I was really just wanting the poll info. & to know if I was alone on this. I am PM-ing people & responding to specific info.
But couldn't someone just get on and lie and pretend to be an "out-mate" if they wanted info. from me on this topic?
It's hard to be overconcerned about if "they" are reading this & get support at the same time, isn't it??
sigh...
Thanks for the advice & the info from you all though.

This is what I have t say if they can figure out who it is that your talking about out of all the people that post in this forum then they should be a psychic . and be out making the big bucks. come on focks there are millions of prisoners out there john, jeff, don, whatever, and to hit on the one you are talking about would be pretty astronomical.don't you think?I mean I agree you shouldn't be telling what prison he is in but thats about as far as it goes, and if you don't think that the prisons are well aware of how some of the guys make there money you better think again . Its just if they catch them or not, Dig. nothing goes on in there that sooner or later doesn't get to the staff,. But they make money any way they can to get by , can you blame them? whatever it takes to live and get by, without putting the families and friends of these immates out as little as possible. keep the faith.

Take it from me, it happened to me. It is NOT far fetched to think that your mans CO could be on here and once he knows/recognized who you are speaking about, follow your posts and get your man into trouble.

As far as hustling in prison, I think it depends on if someone is getting hurt. I take it one step further than just if it is dangerous or illegal. If it is immoral, I would be disappointed.

For someone like myself, with our pictures in plain view for all to see.....I found out last month just how easy it was for the KDOC to "track" me here, and twist my words to suit their fancy. Two of their employees are now registered members of this site, and while I have no issue with their presence, I resent the way they carried the info back to the facility and tried to use it against my guy.

Although I will not change the way I live my life (which includes my participation on this site), I have definitely been much more careful of the gripes I air on the open boards lately (and how legit they are is of no relevance, either).....because my willingness to talk openly cost me the one solid contact I had at Larned.

I've had my posts here repeated, verbatim, to me and to my fiance, by staff members at the facility.
Never underestimate the power of your words to come back and haunt you.

PTO is as safe (if not more so, with our dedicated staff) as any other site I've been on, it's just a matter of being realistic. You can't put personal details about your loved ones' life inside on a public site, and expect the information to "stay put".

So, enjoy the wonderful support we share here at PTO....but at the same time, be aware of the sensitivity of certain issues, such as the topic of this thread.


Respectfully,

Susan
PTO Moderator

Yeah, I never would have believed it myself until I heard some of the horror stories.

sadly it makes sense to me .. I have a motto .. never ever write anything that can come back to haunt you... written word is power .. verbal is speculation... But again we all must remember that PTO offers us all sanity and support when we need it .. just always keep life in perspective
and smile too

One of my pals asked me for the address of Hustler which I know gets traded. Would they allow that?

Chintath
do you mean the magazine?? as I know they allow maxim and stuff so I cant see why that would not be allowed in
call the mailroom of his prison or since he is in az.. you can email the family and friend liason to clarify

Yes, I mean the magazine which I hate. I would be embarrased to even call but I guess I understand. Thanks for the advice.

Chintath
do you mean the magazine?? as I know they allow maxim and stuff so I cant see why that would not be allowed in
call the mailroom of his prison or since he is in az.. you can email the family and friend liason to clarify

Well im no longer under the gun so they cant do much to mee.Alot of stuff goes on,some inmates fix fans,radios and so on for coffee or what ever.Some inmates will wash clothes for a fee.Usually these are the cons who have no outside cash coming in and almost have to do something for the few luxuries available.Some cons do tattoos,others are good at making art on a post card,others will trade a goodie from dinner for stores{like a pork chop or other rare food item}.Just all kinds of stuff,its really harmless but if you get popped it can give you a case but life goes on.

"if you get popped it can give you a case but life goes on."

Dudley - can you please tell me what the consequences are? I mean I'm sure they're varied, but I'd like to know what happens. (or some examples) When you said, "it can give you a case", did you mean a new charge? I guess I was more curious about things that would not be illegal on the outside - i.e. selling something you made. I realize that if it is something illegal (i.e. drugs), new charges would be considered and it could add more time. But for other things, does it actually add time??

Oh, and Susan.....it saddens me that anyone would repeat something from a support board that would in turn, jeopardize anything for an inmate. If it weren't that it actually happened to you, I would never believe anyone would do that - or even go to the trouble. Get a life! I'm so sorry that happened to you. (I think it's called being kicked while you're down!)

I think the good ole fashion word to call it is "barter" or "bartering".

An inmate can get a minor ticket for bartering and trading. Many inmates have to find a way to support themselves as some families can't afford to send money. As reported earlier laundry, tattooing, running store, legal advice, cleaning rooms, and giving sexual favors are all ways that inmates make some store. These are not major infractions but the minors do add up.

I am suspicious about the activities of some of my penpals. I think he tries to drag me into his schemes to get stamps and money sometimes. He has me doing favors for others and I am sure he gets favors in return.

I agree that someone with bad intentions could pm you. I think out in the open is safer if you don't reveal too much. In a pm you are more likely to say personal stuff and the person pming you might be a CO or something.

Out in the open is better because we all watch each other's backs. When you are out in the open you know not to say a lot of stuff because you know that many people come here. In a pm you might think this person is a new "friend" and will be just one person who will be reading what you wrote. So then you might say too much.

I work on a Tucson yard and I would NEVER carry anything back. I visit here to better understand the guys I work with and the concerns of their families. You are afraid to speak too much and they are afraid to speak too much and I am in the middle. They talk to me of their families and I try stress the fact that they should be out there and to stay out there when released. I tell them how much children need fathers at home and I get through to some. Sadly some do come back. A very special part of my job is when I work the occasional graveyard shift and get to see your guys when they are sleeping. They are relaxed and look like angels. When they are awake they have to do what they have to do to get by and there are a LOT of hustles on a prison yard.

A very special part of my job is when I work the occasional graveyard shift and get to see your guys when they are sleeping. They are relaxed and look like angels.

This brought tears to my eyes....

I know when my son was in the county jail, they all traded everything. The first few days they are there, they can't order anything because it is not the day for commissary so they make phone calls for what they need. This is not usually a problem unless someone complains that someone took their stuff. The guards are well aware of the trading because sometimes when it comes time for another inmate to pay with food, etc. they decide it was not worth it after they have already gotten what they need and a fight breaks out. The guards don't usually say anything unless it gets out of hand.
I know that a lot of CO's visit this web site. One day at visitation, I heard a guard tell someone that they need to watch what they post because they come on here every week and try to figure out if anything is going on at their prison.

This reply is from a Correctional Officer, not a guard. I am a proffessional and I do tune in here hoping for information. ADOC keeps it's staff in the dark and I come here for that information. I am not here to tattle tale, I am not looking for info to bust an inmate and by posting here I put my job in jeopardy, I am just looking to find anything that may make my world easier doing my job. There was information a week ago that if it had come about could have seen someone killed, the PTO poster did something about it but was laughed at. Those of us on the front line can take that kind of info and use it to protect ALL (inmates and staff). We are not going to bust anyone for trading a soup for a honeybun.

freehoney-you always take a risk when you post something on the world wide web - it is there for everyone to read! There is no doubt in my mind the ADOC monitors this site - they would be foolish not to. But I don't believe for a second that "I am Limey" is here to spy on us or "tattletale" so I would not worry about that. If he wanted to do that, he would not have been so open as to who he is. He's made it very clear he is a CO.

I am Limey~I truly appreciate your response to the above thread. I'm glad that both you and TomT post in our forum. I appreciate the fact that you are just not sitting on the sidelines reading the post, It's nice to see you active in the AZ Forum and the PTO Community.

I know first hand that there are numerous Correctional Officers that visit the Arizona Forum...and for the most part you are right they are not here to see who's trading what for dinner, breakfast or lunch. Mainly looking for possible contraband being brought in or something that will put staff in jeopardy.
It is a shame that the DOC did not take the information seriously...it would be nice if we all could work in a joint effort for the security of all involved.

After further review of the posts I have decided to go ahead and close this thread. Inmates, Correctional Officers as well as most of us supporting are loved ones know this kind of activity is a violation of ADC Policy.

I feel there has been enough said about the issue and the posters question has been answered.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to PM me.

Thanks
Mel