"LockUp"

i saw that one lonely. he'd been in trouble since 12 and was terrified of the outside??? man my heart went out for him!! i felt so bad that his entire life was messed up like that

I enjoy watching that show! When I see something interesting I write to my guy about it and we discuss it... One episode that really affected me was this guy who purposely got in trouble close to his parole date so that he can stay in prison because he didn't have anyone on the outside...prison is all he knows.

hey!! i feel closer to my man too whenn i watch it! Can you write to the inmates in there?!! Do you know anything about that?!! Real curious!! let me know!! Thank you!! Toni

I love that show im waiting to see one of my pals prisons on there now that would be neat

I try and watch it when it is on MSNBC. I think that it helps me to understand what my guy is going thru.

I Have Watched So Many Shows That Are About Prisons In America And It Makes Me Worry About My Fiance It Seems The Prison In England Is Not As Tough And Nutty As America I Am Scared To Go Visit My Baby Again In March

I saw that show last night.
An interesting insight, I thought.

Lisa, you are an intelligent, sentsitive, compassionate person and your heart is in the right place, but you have to realize that not all prisoners respond to civil treatment. There are many inmates incarcerated who wouldn't blink an eye while sliting your throat. Most have emotional, mental, or some other behavioral problems or they wouldn't be there. Yes, they are deserving of humane treatment, but after years of being in contact with these, often, insensitive individuals, CO's Wardens and others get calloused and sick of having feces and urine thrown on them daily. They too are human and respond to the treatment they receive. Inmates make life more difficult by things they do. Ad/seg is a way of trying to maintain order in an orderless environment. Overall, it is better than riots. I have been an advocate for inmates for twenty years. I would like to see changes too, but given the behavior that goes on, I doubt that we see much change in the prison system. Just as parents take away toys to punish their children, Wardens take away the few privilages they have. They are allowed to read in ad/seg they are just locked up for twenty three hours per day. (OK, bring on your views~smile)

For those of you that have seen the MSNBC documentary series "LockUp" I was wondering what your impression of the show was? While I do admitt to finding the subject matter intriguing, my impression is that it is rather sensationalistic, and that one should watch such shows with a critical eye.
The media in general is biased against inmates, and it is my fear that such programs only serve to confirm people's negative stereotypes about prisoner's. It is also extreamely hard to be confronted with the reality of the conditions that inmates live under, and how they are treated as though they are less than human. It is difficult to think about someone that you love, living in an environment like that. Segregation seems like a particulaly cruel form of punishment to me.

I also wonder just how accurate a picture "Lockup" actually paints. I mean, my special pal was interviewed for the program, and when I saw it, I was completely and utterly shocked! He is NOTHING like that in real life. He is actually a really sensitive, understanding and compassionate person, who has lived a very difficult life, and feels a great deal of remorse for the mistakes he has made, but he felt pressured to maintain a certain image, in order to avoid appearing vulnerable, which as we know, in prison can lead to victimization. And I also wonder just how honest the staff would be. If for example, one of the staff members had witnessed abuse taking place, or disagreed with certain policies, would they speak candidly about it on national televison knowing it could threaten their job? I doubt it!

As we all know, behind that tough facade often lies a good heart. However, most of these inmates show that side of themselves to very few people, which is understandable, but also very frustrating. This man is one of the most tender and gentle souls that I know, yet anyone who didn't know him, and saw that show, would think he were a heartless, unrepentent murdererer.

It really upset me that the proudcer chose to focus specifically on the crime he committed, without giving any background information about what led up to it. Had the viewers learned the circumstances surrounding his case, he would have come across as much more sympathetic. But I guess that getting ratings is much more important than educating a largely ignorant public. I just wish these guys wouldn't behave that way, because it just makes it easier for people to view and treat them like animals. Which they are not! Behind all of that hatered, rage and bravado is a lot of sadness, fear and pain. But most people are too blind to see it. Maybe they don't want to?

I also have a problem with the way WE are portrayed as either naive, desperate and pathetic loser's, or nuts! Why is society so quick to judge us? Are we not doing a good thing, trying to make a difference in the lives of these men and women? Are they not deserving of love and concern? Many of the people who write to inmates are very intelligent, well grounded people with big hearts. In my opinion, the world would be a better place if there were more people out there who cared about their fellow man, particularly those who have been abandoned and forgotten. Yet we are continually portrayed in a negative light and even mocked. Very frustrating and most of all sad.

It is clear to me from watching this show, that rehabilitation is not a priority in most US prisons. Many of the inmates brought up legitimate points, and had valid concerns, which just seeemed to be trivialized or overlooked. For example, one inmate was upset because he'd had his chess set confiscated, and was not allowed access to books or art supplies. He expressed frustration that the warden expected them to learn to be "model citizens" but did not allow them any opportunities for growth or self improvement. He was in administrative segregation, which the warden coldly responded "wasn't meant to be nice". Well, I understand that. However, it seems counterproductive to allow them access to things like books.

Reading not only opens up a world of possibilities and introduces them to different points of view, it also expands their vocabulary and improves their communication skills, and of course expands their knowledge base. And it also keeps them occupied, and provides them with an escape, which is beneficial to their mental health and well-being. I think that it would go a long way in cutting back on the violence that goes on in the "inside" if the inmates were given more CONSTRUCTIVE things to do to occupy their time. Just my two cents. What do you all think?

Lisa

disillusioned:

I started tuning into the show for the exact same reason. To gain some insight into what my special pal's life is like, and the things that he must endure. It is heartbreaking. One thing is for sure. It is a TOTALLY different world from the one that most of us know.

I don't think it is fair for people on the "outside" to judge inmates for that reason. Like one of the inmates explained, on the "outside" if someone insults or threatens you one has the option of removing themselves from the situation, and if they feel threatened they can call the police. Inmates can not walk away(there is no where to hide!) and unfortunately, they can not always depend on the warden and the officer's to protect them.

CET:

First off, thanks for the nice compliments. That made my day! Likewise. I do understand what you are saying, and I am not sure what the solution is. The prison environment corrupts both staff and inmates alike, and forces them to adopt a "tough" persona in order to ensure their survival. And of course, staff have to maintain order, and one of the only ways of doing that is to grant certain priviledges for good behavior, and revoke them in instances where their behavior goes against what is expected of them.

However, sometimes I think that those rules are too harsh, but perhaps I am just a "bleeding heart". I don't know. I know one thing though. I would NEVER want to be a correctional officer or a warden. I have always dreamed of working with inmates, but I would not want to be in a position of AUTHORITY over them. I'd want to be in a position to help them(i.e. a social worker).

At Holman, inmates in administrative segragation or disciplinary segregation are not allowed access to what is termed "recreational reading material" whatever the hell that means! I mean, I KNOW what it means. But like I said, it just seems counterproductive to me. I am an avid reader, and have a great love of literature, but I know that if a book is unable to capture and hold my attention, I lose interest real quick! And somehow I can't see prison rule books being stimulating or interesting reading! LOL I just don't see what the harm would be in allowing them to read novels. The chess set I can see, but books? I just do not agree.

And since I feel that being able to interact with others is a basic human need(we are social creatures), I do not feel that it is something that inmates should be deprieved of. I'd imagine that it must be VERY detrimental to a person's mental health to be isolated like that, for long periods of time. I think there should at least be a limit as to how long an inmate can remain in ad seg. What do you think?

Then again, what do you do with an inmate who is hostile and aggressive, and seems determined to take his/her rage out on other's? What about the safety of the OTHER inmates and staff? I guess there is no simple, pat soloution. However, I did get the distinct impression that the warden and staff seemed to derive great pleasure from tormenting the inmates, and making their lives miserable.

While there is no doubt that there are some good correctional officer's out there, who get into the profession for all the right reasons, I think that there are certain professions that tend to attract people who have sadistic tendencies. And lets face it. If you were the type of person who enjoyed wielding power over other's, this would be the ideal job for you! And you would be MUCH less likely to be disciplined for it, than say a police officer, because you are dealing with a population of people that the general public views with suspician and contempt.

Lisa