Life in prison, what's it like?

Question

To those who have been in prison (not local jail, but "hard time") what is it like? Is it as violent and scary as the TV shows and movies will have you believe? Do they MAKE you work long hours for $0.10 an hour? What the worst part about it and what's the greatest misconception? Answer one, more or all, thanks!

Answer 1

The worst part is being "big Bubba's *****"

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I worked in prisons for several years. Booga1134 answer is right on target. The worst misconception is the sex lives and the rape. I may have investigated maybe, four rapes in all during my time working there. Most inmates stay pretty straight if they were straight on the streets. They don't make you work. There is literally no privacy for these individuals, everyone can see the bathrooms, showers and such. There usually no draping of sheets to allow one to sleep in private. Drugs and alcohol do make it in, either via visits, tossed over the fence from the street, or the officers. The pay the inmates recieve may seem small but the prices in the canteens are a little cheaper than outside.
It can be scarey for the inmates. You have a mixture of hard core with people who were really just in the wrong place at the wrong time beside the ones who need to stay behind bars. I've seen C/O's act like Barney Fife or Robocop, they usually don't make a career of the job, the inmates make their shifts hell. Those officers attitudes is unwarranted as well. I've seen these officers take an inmate to the office to question them over something and try to incite an argument or worse out of the inmate. Sometimes the unit screws with inmates who are short on time left, as do some other inmates. On the flip side I've seen inmates give up parole for various reasons and choose to serve their whole terms. Many don't have a place to call home when they leave.

Answer 4

Its violent. If you act dumb or snitch you will get beat down. The CO's will watch you get your *** kicked because they are scared. Misconception is about bubba raping you. There are gays there and guys that have been there 20 years might get some head, but its not crazy like that. Food is the worst part. You dont have to work at all, You want to work and .10 an hour is pretty good pay inside. I never saw anyone killed, i was in 18 months for dope. I had good cell mates and when we had a good CO, sometimes it was actually enjoyable, especially when we watched sports or wrestling, everyone gets into that. If you know the right ppl you can get dope inside also. I got drunk a few times off BUCK, its made from orange juice, orange peels and sugar off a honey bun.

Answer 5

My cousin was in prison for 3 years. He was raped while in there... and got the crap beat out of him on more than one occasion because he looked at people wrong. So I'd say it's hell.

Answer 6

I read the sadistic recommendations by Beckby. Well Beckby, if that is what you recommend, then you deserve to spend 5 years in such a specially made prison, so as to prove that you genuinely want to make prisons 'tough enough' and not 'ridiculously unbearable'.

Answer 7

Thank God I have never been in prison. My daughter visits a guy there and I don't think prison is tough enough. It needs to be basic food and water in a 6x6 cell,no medical services except for flu and that is because it would infect the prison personnel,and only visits from parents or siblings for 15 min once a mo.They should never be PAID for any work!!! They costs thousands to keep and should have to repay that.Prisoners receive more funds than students in most states and I think that is wrong. Yes, they should work long hard hours if they get out of the cell at all. The greatest part is that they are locked away.