I was making a fresh cup of coffee in the kitchen when I heard a CNN story about our growing prison population. This brought back memories of when I worked for the federal prison system in years past. I did an internet search and found that as of last year, 1 in 136 people are behind bars. The search also revealed that the population is increasing at a rate of 1,000 per week across the country. The total prison population in 2005 was 2.2 million.
In early 1992, he was working for the US Navy as a civilian “Technical Representative” living in the Norfolk, Virginia area. During that same time period, my father-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the Midwest. Because of this, I decided to move back to the Midwest by taking a new federal job with the DOJ (Department of Justice).
I worked for the FBOP (Federal Bureau of Prisons) from 1992 to 2001. Before this job, I envisioned prison as a place where inmates wore striped jackets and turned large rocks into smaller ones. My point of view was similar to that portrayed in the George Clooney movie, “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou.” Until 1992, I never heard of anyone actually working inside a prison.
Now fast forward to about the year 1999 with about seven years of work for the federal prison system. While supervising a small group of inmates working inside an inmate housing unit, I noticed a paper on the bulletin board that had a list of items available in the inmate store. The team of inmates I worked with knew me well and enjoyed working with me on various jobs. I turned to one of the crew and said, “Does it say here you can get Chucky Monkey Ben and Jerry’s ice cream?” I smiled and said, “God help them if Mike Wallace from 60 Minutes finds out about this.” The inmate laughed and continued with his work.
Our conversation was overheard by another inmate who was not part of our team. He casually approached me and said, “I am offended by his statement since we won those things on the list. We paid for those things with our own money.” I turned around and noticed that this person was very well groomed for a recluse. Unlike the workers on my team who had tattoos and worn faces, this unknown inmate seemed out of place. He had ironed clothes, a pale face, polished shoes, and a well-groomed man. At first glance, he was what we call a typical “white collar” criminal who spent years of pampered life abroad.
As I turned to answer this unknown inmate, I noticed one of my inmates smiling at me because he knew what was about to happen. I looked at the inmate directly and spoke in a calm voice and made the following statements.
- The items on the list are not staple foods at all. You can buy ten flavors of expensive Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. I also see that you can buy many other fancy things too.
- I see you’re wearing a long-sleeved shirt, but it’s 95F outside and very humid. Maybe that’s because the air conditioning keeps your living unit at a chilly 70F inside. I also noticed last winter that the same dwelling unit temperature was set at around 80F. I can’t afford to keep the heating and cooling temperatures in my own home as comfortable as yours, and neither can most people in America.
- I see you have cable TV with HBO in your housing unit. I have cable TV, but we decided not to buy HBO due to cost.
- I see that you have freshly baked bread made every day, fresh milk, coffee, soda, butter, salad, fruits and vegetables every day.
- I notice that you have free medical and dental services and we even take inmates to the local hospital for medical services that we cannot provide inside the prison.
- I see you have pool tables, arts and crafts rooms, and some weight room equipment that is some of the best. I also notice that your Gym has wall to wall carpet on the floor for your comfort.
- I note that your library is well stocked with an outstanding collection of law books, novels, and magazines for your personal use.
- I see that you have an educational department that allows you to attend GED and college courses at no cost.
- I see that you have many things that do not cost you a penny. Tax money pays for many of the things you take for granted. My point is that the public is largely unaware of what is inside this federal prison. What I mean is that the public would be shocked if they knew you had access to Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. I don’t care if you pay for it or not. That is my point.
At that moment, the inmate turned around without saying a word to me and walked away. One of my inmates lit a cigarette and told me, “You’re a bad boss, but you’re right.” After we completed our work in the housing unit, the inmate I had spoken to earlier approached me again. He told me that he thought about what I said and now he agreed with me. He apologized to me and told me to have a nice day.
In conclusion, I don’t want anyone to think that being in a Federal Prison is a good place to be. Losing the freedom to travel or do anything you enjoy in your life is bad enough. I only spent nine years working for the FBOP and it was an interesting part of my life and an eye opener about the reality of life on the inside. I hope you find the article interesting and pass it on to your friends.
