I just found this and I don't know if anyone else has posted this before, but I think that it's interesting. Especially since a fair bit of us have a PP in Texas.
[url=http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-565311.html]Mail Call In TDCJ And How Much Your Letters Really Mean [Archive] - Prison Talk[/url]
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[QUOTE=karleep;1044642]I just found this and I don't know if anyone else has posted this before, but I think that it's interesting. Especially since a fair bit of us have a PP in Texas.
[url=http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-565311.html]Mail Call In TDCJ And How Much Your Letters Really Mean [Archive] - Prison Talk[/url][/QUOTE]
Thanks
Aww that made me happy to read and to know how excited my PP must get when he gets his letters :)
that's what i was thinking to as i read it. thanks KarLeep :)
That put a huge smile on my face. Thank you for posting that link.
To add to what was put in that post, and to be frank, without nearly as much passion and insight (as I was never the inmate receiving mail), I will say this. First of all, I don't know if it was just my unit that did this or if it is actually something that happens throughout TDCJ, but mail is passed out on Saturdays; the only days that they do not get mail are Sundays and national holidays. Never, in all my years, have I seen mail passed out by any method other than numerical order of the cells. However, if an inmate rec'd a package, such as a book, that was typically handed out first, as it was very bulky to carry around with all the other mail. It is very true, though, that they constantly ask when the mail will be passed out, and if they happen to be out at the time it was delivered (such as when they are at education or work, etc.) the first thing they do when they return is ask if they have mail. It truly appears to be the highlight of their day. Time appears to stop when you enter a wing with a stack of mail, magazines, and newspapers. Everyone gets quiet, listing (and I'm sure) hoping they get something- even if they haven't received much of anything in years. Some, however, and it always upset me when I noticed this, have seemed to come to terms with never getting anything. They don't even bother asking. They don't stand up to get by their cells to check, and they don't leave their bunk to stand by their door in anticipation. This was always disheartening. It always made me laugh, though, because even if their name was never called out when walking around to hand it out, if you walked by their cell door (which you HAD to do to access cell numbers succeeding theirs), they would always jump up, asking if they had gotten mail. Sometimes, it was tough to stomach were the inmates that appeared to just grow to accept that they had no mail. While everyone else was jumping up in the hopes that they they got a letter, some barely even acknowledged your existence. The worst thing I had seen, and I hate to always put down my profession, but it is often unavoidable, was the response from MANY COs when asked by an offender if they got anything. Almost verbatim, may replied "Nope. I guess no one loves you." There is no way to justify a statement like that other than being malicious. All the inmates that did get letters, though, they always did one of two things. 1. they went back into their cell for privacy to read it or 2. sat at a day room table, showing it off to everyone, clearly making many other inmates very jealous. Those letters really showed me just how important of a role it plays in both morale with inmates AND reducing recidivism, granted I have not conducted any studies to scientifically prove this. No matter the differences, ya'll have big hearts- bigger than you could ever imagine. I've seen first-hand the smile that a letter gives them- espicially those who have been in there and don't expect anything at all. It's disbelief, mixed with amazement, curiosity, and a joy so pure you would only find it in a small child. It's a beautiful sight, truthfully.
Thank you, all of you, for being such open-hearted, caring, loving, and accepting people. What are you doing for these men and women is truly beautiful. Few people can provide anyone with absolute hope, and you do. And if you believe in kharma, things will definitely be looking up for you; you deserve it.
I've posted this a few times on the forum, looks like it's time again. I love this one too:
http://www.prisondharmanetwork.org/pdf_articles/penpals.pdf
Oh my gosh, I loved every word of that! Thank you gooddog ♥
Loved it :-) It was a beautifully crafted article :-)
Must have just been your unit. None of the others my husband has been in have ever distributed mail at weekends. Anything bulky at hubby's unit means the inmate gets a lay-in to go to the mailroom and pick it up themselves. It also works slightly differently in the intake units like Middleton.
One other thing I will mention is this: even if you send a letter every day, it does not mean that the inmate will receive a letter every day, and vice versa. Often they will arrive in bundles, gaps of a few days in between. This is NOT always the mailroom messing with the mail, it is just as likely to be the postal workers and the system for sorting mail etc.
[QUOTE=TexasAngel210;1044654]That put a huge smile on my face. Thank you for posting that link.
[B]It always made me laugh[/B], though, because even if their name was never called out when walking around to hand it out, if you walked by their cell door (which you HAD to do to access cell numbers succeeding theirs), they would always jump up, asking if they had gotten mail.[/QUOTE]
Perhaps not the best choice of phrase considering we are talking about some of society's most vulnerable individuals.
None of the units my man has been in recently has had mail on Saturdays. He used to when he was in prison in the early 2000s but not recently (and he's been in a few prisons).
I, too, have both done day work, been called into, vonunteered for, and regularly assigned to a multitude of prisons. Not all of them conduct their mail call the same way, as I said. Every unit is different, so you can't generalize. You can merely make educated guesses given similar units' history. All I could speak of 100% was my unit.
And the phrase is very much-so correct. My wording and syntax is where that sentence falls short. I need not be reminded of their vulnerability; I have seen things behind those brick walls and cold fences that you could only dream of. To better explain myself: There exist many inmates who take great pleasure in goofing around with the intent on making the CO's job more difficult. The inmates that ask if they have mail, are truthfully not interested in their mail. They never receive any. They will ask an officer who simply GLANCED at their cell simply because it would mean the CO has to stop, flip through papers, often drop some and, if they are a female, making them bend down to get that letter is the best thing in the world. They have been there for years, as have I. They know that if I didn't say their name, they didn't have anything. But the quick question will make you mindlessly check. It's a very typical con game. So when I say that I would laugh when they asked (ESPECIALLY after I also stated that I was one of the few officers I ever met that followed policy with mail as much as possible. No mater what, I would do my best to get their mail to them. Other officers could have given a damn less. So in no way am I playing with them or hurting their feelings. Clearly, I laughed because they knew they didn't have anything and they just wanted to goof around. Not everyone in prison is miserable; in fact, most male inmates in Region IV of TDCJ are not miserable. They hate the situation they're in and where they're at, but they laugh every day, socialize all the time, and ABSOLUTELY play jokes on each other. And they knew, because they knew me and as long as they didn't cross a line, I was chill and they could play jokes on me- just as I did on them. So there was absolutely nothing wrong with that statement, and I certainly never left a negative impression on an inmate other than those who absolutely deserve it. If they respect me, I will give them total respect back. So I apologize for my wording, and perhaps with a better explanation your opinion will change on my poor influence. But if not, then that's fine by me. The inmates laigh, and I never had, in all my years (and even when I was in a mental institution AND suicide watches) did I have an inmate even attempt it. All that matters is we both enjoyed it. And last time I check, when something is funny and the other party/parties are already laughing, it is pretty socially acceptable to laugh in return.
I think these are beautiful stories and I don't want to burst any bubbles, so I'll only speak with respect to my own situation. I doubt my letters mean that much to my PP, to the point where a couple of letters/cards a week changes his life for the better. It may just give him something to pass time with, but I'm sure he wont drop dead if I were to stop writing.
Also one of the articles (the one specifically about pen pal) also hypes up the role of pen pals quite significantly. I really feel that inmates want to hear from their family, their friends, their old contact, not some strange woman from overseas with whom he has nothing in common. I think pen pals pass the time very well, but they aren't as important as family and friends. THOSE are the people that need to be encouraged to write to them.
True to a certain extent, DW.
I think many of them are looking for a clean break from their past life and associates. In many cases, it was their dealings with the 'old crowd' that got them where they are. Obviously they want to hear from their parents, brothers, sisters, wives, children, etc (assuming these relationships have not completely broken down as is often the case, sadly). But at the same time I think hearing from someone far away with whom they have nothing in common is therapeutic. I'd be annoyed if the folks my man used to hang around with were writing to him in prison. I never want to have anything to do with them ever again. I want him to make a clean break from all that stuff.
I guess we'll have to agree to strongly disagree. My man is obviously not one of 'most male inmates'. He is the most miserable, depressed, crushed and lonely person I know. Just because he occasionally laughs and jokes doesn't mean he's not screaming in pain inside. He's just good at putting on act and has good coping mechanisms. I admire your optimism concerning life as an inmate in the TDCJ. I can tell you for families and friends it's no picnic either.
I agree with Drinkwater. My pen pal has many other pen pals. I'm not the only person who writes to him. But honestly it does not matter much to me. We talk about different things. I believe that my letters have some meaning for him. Maybe they brighten his days. That's it. We do not expect from each other more than we can currently give. I think this is a good approach. I live in Europe, he lives in the United States. We both realize that each of us is different. We'll be friends as long as possible. And if one of us decides to give up ... well, that's life.
you consider inmates some of the most vulnarable individuals in society??? You forgetting that they actually in 99% of the time put themselves there? i can think of many other groups of people that goes above inmates in that sense that havent actually done ANYTHING to deserve the situation they are in.
I cant see anywhere where she said it was easy or a picnic for anyone. What i read was that they actually try their best to keep their spirits up instead of allowing themselves to fall down in a miserable hole and actually make the best of the situation THEY PUT THEMSELVES in to.
Yes, I'm quoting myself :P but I wanted to add one more thing. My PP adds a lot more to my life than I do to his, again thats not to say I will cease to exist without him- but I gain far more from the relationship than he does. Even if he does try to say otherwise. So I think with PP relationships, its probably the outsider that benefits more.
Yep my pp has said its a nightmare on more than one occasion and that he would die to get out....but it doesn't stop him having a laugh with his mates or joking around on letters/phones.Most prisoners just make the best of a bad situation, even if on the inside they are anxious or scared about thier future.
DW, it's not that your pp (or mine) would drop dead if you stopped writing... one thing is for certain that I've learned is that a lot of these guys are used to crushing disappointment and pain, self inflicted or not. If you stopped writing, yeah, it would seem on the outside as if "one more bites the dust" or they'd push it off or something like that. But on the inside, yes, it would bother him and it would cause some pain. I agree that the outside pp can't make up for family or friends that "said" they would be there through the prison bid, but it's an interesting way of rebuilding people into their lives that you do come into their lives sight unseen and make a new friendship just when they thought that may be closed to them.
You or I may not be the end all be all to our pp's but I do think the mail vs. no mail makes for a certain kind of moment, hour, or afternoon. Happiness and recognition vs, same old same old. It's nice to know that you can be part of "happiness and recognition." You are important, even if you're not a wife, mother, father, sister, best friend from the old days, etc. You're important because you're listening in the here and now.
I think the articles are trying to explain from the prisoner's point of view what it's like during one of the few "high points of the day," and how much that can possibly feel like a low point of the day if you're not getting any anticipated mail, perhaps. Out here, if we don't hear from someone, we just text, email, phone instantly. There...sometimes mail is all they got so it does take on a larger significance perhaps.
another angle to see it from!
Interesting post to say the very least, especially the last few lines, but please excuse me if i find much of what you shared a little hard to swallow knowing another perspective....... :)
Whether they committed the crime(s) or not, whether they "deserve" to be there or not, inmates are a vulnerable group because they have no say in how they are treated. Officers and other prison staff are in a position of authority, which is why there is no legal thing as consentual sex inside prisons particularly between inmate and personnel. So in that aspect, they are very much a vulnerable group. Just not in the sense we usually mean it when talking about children or the elderly for example.
If you add in the fact that a large portion of the prison population are also suffering from mental illness, then they definitely fit the "vulnerable" category.
It's not rare to find an officer who follows procedures wherever possible, but it is certainly unusual to find an officer who seems to have had such a friendly relationship with the inmates in their care. I'm sure they all loved having TexasAngel around.
I never said they werent vulnerable i said that there are groups that i consider a hell of a lot more vulnerable than inmates after all and i stand by it they put themselves there knowing the position they would end up in. My objection to the comment was use of the word MOST. I am fully aware that of course they need to be protected but to class them as one of the MOST vulnarble groups i think its totally wrong.
as for Texasangel im very happy she has joined the forum and maybe some find it hard to accept that she might actually have been a decent CO. She has been where many of you havent been actually inside the prison working with these guys so she has a lot of valid things to say about it. Maybe thats what stings a few a bit......
Btw, is it common procedure in all of the Texas prisons to put those little slips of paper into the outgoing mail or does that vary from prison to prison? lol Just wondering
Seems fairly common from what I read. That said, I didn't get any of them in the letter she sent me until about 4 weeks ago (and she's in TX).
also, I did a little watercolor painting on my letter to my PP in Texas. Do you guys think that will somehow be considered contraband? :detective:
i agree they try to put up a front of being cool with it, when iside they are so sad and very angry. i think in regards to a break with the old life that is SOMEwha true. if the old friends even family are still caught up in drugs etc., then i'd be upset to if it were my man. as you guys know i've coming up on 4 yrs. drug/crime free and ALL of my penpals has stated that it's a really nice change of pace to have a pp that's "been there and done that" as far as crime/drug addiction/ jails/prisons go. it gives them hope that they CAN turn their lives around once on the outside.so i do tend to get upset when the good girl vs. bad girl question/debate comes up even if it's not an out and out good girl/bad girl thing.
Karleep: Unfortunately, I'm going to make a good guess that it will be contraband and they won't allow it through. Perhaps you have a PP in a very lax unit that will let it go, but the concern is that some people in the free world will mix things like black tar heroin into the paint. Unfortunately, I wouldn't try it. The best I did was when I made a painting I wanted to show my PP, I sent one as an attachment on JPay, and the other I took a good picture of and had it printed as a photo... It's certainly not the same, but sometimes it's the best you can do... Also, pardon my ignorance. Maybe I missed it being mentioned earlier in the thread, but what slips of paper are you talking about?
Smiley: I hope I didn't offend you with what I wrote; that is never my intention. I have been known to be very blunt- to the point where it often hurts to hear. I struggle on this website trying to find the balance between being totally blunt, to the point of being graphic and offensive, and watering down some explanations to give my input or answer a question. In my time, I have seen some horrible things that inmates have done (and I am certainly not talking about their crimes); however, I have seen some of the most amazing transformations, a metamorphosis of sorts, with inmates who are truly taking this opportunity to change their life around. I try not to generalize of stereotype, but it's often difficult because even some of the best inmates (in my experience) have used those extra privileges they've received for doing so well to seriously harm people. And please understand, I do believe that any one of them can come out of this horrible situation better for it. I do believe in redemption and giving them the benefit of the doubt... I still just find myself always cautious. So please know that I had no intention on saying anything unsettling to you.
Sunray: The inmates in all prisons are certainly vulnerable to many extents. Now this does not mean, at least in my experience, that all of them (of course, as I'm sure you know) suffer from a mental disorder that is incredibly detrimental to their every-day functions. You are very right, too, that there is no such thing as consensual sex in prison: both inmate/officer or inmate/inmate. But you must also recognize that it is not just their inability to consent to someone in a position of power that makes then vulnerable; in fact, of all vulnerabilities inmates have, I would say (although still all-too common) it is one of the least common concerns. Where they are truly subjected to matters outside of their hands is with regards to charges made in the prison. It is absolute commonplace for officers to write cases on inmates despite the fact that they know that inmate was not the guilty one. In fact, for a very long time after I started working at my first unit, many inmates would sexually disrespect me and yell inappropriate things at me. Often times, they did this in groups, and since there was protection in numbers I would not charge any of them. I cannot count how many times I was told by other officers AND supervisors to "pick one" if I wasn't sure which said it. And if I guessed wrong, the inmate that rec'd the charge would "check" the one that actually said/did those things, so justice would still be served. Sure, it would be, for me... but what about for them, you know? And I really appreciate your kind words about how the inmates appreciated me as an officer and how I treated them. I would really like to think they enjoyed their time when I worked with them. I hope they knew, when they saw me come in for my shift, that they wouldn't have to be worried about what would happen to them (again, providing they respected me... because if not, I absolutely got ugly, but I believe that is not only understandable, but appropriate and normal).
Ashy: I absolutely agree that inmates are always in a vulnerable state, but there exist many other groups in the world far more vulnerable than they. The women in the conflict in the Congo, Jews during the Holocaust, even your neighbor being beaten every night by her husband... these are groups of major concern that, in my eyes, should not be placed below many inmates' concerns. However, this is not to say what happens in the prison systems should be ignored or demeaned. They are a serious matter that must be addressed. How can offenders be rehabilitated to help reduce recidivism when we have major problems preventing their ability to better themselves? And I appreciate VERY much your willingness to look past my profession. Think: if I were like the sterotypical CO... why would I be writing to inmates? Why would I have (now) a handful of PPs across the country, trying to give them some hope, insight, and inspiration to better themselves? I know you see this, Ashy. Unfortunately, as I've come to learn over the years, very few others do. To be honest, I will never stop anywhere while in uniform anymore; it's very dangerous. I've had (what I've come to learn) a family of an incarcerated loved one assault me... because I was a CO. The man in prison didn't even work in the same state. I was truly guilty by association. So I guess you could say those few good COs out there are a vulnerable group, too! :p
I'll call the mailroom at Hightower tomorrow and see what they say about it. Maybe they will just cut it off the letter If I'm lucky lol
oh yeah this slip of paper:
[IMG]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h185/wolfpackg/Pictureofme7.png[/IMG]
Please do not be mistaken, i am NOT offended by your post, nor did you say anything unsettling in your own words. I am not a newbie to the justice system nor the experiences that come with actively being involved inside and out. Like you i have witnessed and experienced the best and the worst of people not only on their journey inside but on release.
i guess that's in case the printing on the outside that say it's from a prison wears off, or is removed somehow?. idk if tx. prisons put that on their envelopes. my penpals prisons stamp it on there though.
The letters i have received from Texas show no indetifying marks stating it is from the department of corrections on the outside envelope like other states, just the litle slip as posted. Having said that i think placing a stamp would be cheaper and quicker.
Mine get stamped on the inside of the envelope.
(and if this picture is huge I apologize. I'm on my phone and can't resize.)
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/becca825/8eff8ff9.jpg[/IMG]
I have 2 penpals in TDCJ units- one gets stamped on like Moxie's but looks like the one Karleep posted, while the other never had it in any of his mail to me before.
Sometimes hubby's letters get stamped on the inside, sometimes we get a little slip, sometimes there is nothing at all. When my pal was at Mountain View, there would always be a slip inside.
Even if there is no slip or stamp, the contents have still been inspected.
I'm very new to all this. After reading several things about mail........ I'm nervous as to whether he'll even receive my letters at all, especially knowing I spent a large amount of time writing rather lengthy letters. Right now, I'm just keepin' my fingers crossed and my mind positive.
PhantomsDesisre: I know how you're feeling, cause I'm thinking the exact same thing right now. I just sent my letters out yesterday, it'll take a little while of
course since it has to get there all the way from Denmark, but yeah, I'm also nervous they won't recieve it. But hopefully they will!
But anyways, I really liked those articles. It made me even more happy, that I sent out the letters. Can't wait to hear back from them - if I do hear back from them :-)
How on earth can you call them "society's most vulnerable individuals"? They are put in a place that controls them, and punish them, and yes, abuse them too. But they are NOT "society's most vulnerable". Yes, a lot of them do have mental issues, and should have been treated differently. There are so many things about the US justice system that I disagree with, and think could have been handled better, but that is for another discussion. Some of them are even innocent in their crimes. We know that happens. But the larger part of the inmates have put themselves there by committing crimes against others. A lot of them have committed heinous and violent crimes. They are NOT society's most vulnerable individuals by a long shot!
I completely agree. There are vulnerable people everywhere- no matter what their situation may be. But inmates cannot be generalized by saying they are most vulnerable. Unfortunately, there are cases of abuse in the prison systems. But many of these men and women need that control. Their whole lives, they have lacked structure and were never taught the consequences for their actions. In the prison I worked at, almost EVERY inmate would warn each other, "Don't f*** with her; her cases go platinum," meaning, if they disrespected me, they would be reprimanded and lose privileged. They were absolutely punished. And I see that as being just. But of course, there exist those dirty COs that will take the legal system into their own hands (as opposed to filing a case against inmates, as I did) which then results in the abuse you spoke of. There are serious flaws in the system, I agree. But to deem all (or even most) of these people as some of the most vulnerable in existence is absurd in my eyes. Many are there for very violent crimes. And considering my background as a biochemistry major with a concentration in pre-med studies (my intention is to work as a forensic psychiatrist), my internships have given me many experiences working with individuals charged with crimes or already in the legal system with serious mental disorders; these individuals do not belong in a prison. THEY are vulnerable. They are gullible, and often dangerous to both themselves and others as they rarely can see things for what they are. That is where my heart truly breaks. I will never understand how they can be kept, often times, in general population when their IQ is only (as I have seen first hand) a point or two above the criteria for mental retardation. It's a very tough pill to swallow...
Drawing a very long bow to call prisoners "society's most vulnerable individuals".
Societies most vulnerable individuals, to my mind, are the mentally ill, intellectually disabled, especially those who are homeless as a result of their disability.
Viking, I'm not picking on you, but Feb said "[B][U]some[/U][/B] of society's most vulnerable individuals", not THE most vulnerable. In her post above yours, even AngelinTexas agreed with that point. She said "The inmates in all prisons are certainly vulnerable to many extents." But then I saw some back-tracking in posts later on.
Why is it not possible that an inmate who has committed a violent crime would also be considered vulnerable within prison? I think we're all a bit guilty of making sweeping generalisations in this thread and it is going to upset people. I consider my pal in PA to be vulnerable simply because he is 73. He's still an inmate, still doing time for murder, but he is definitely vulnerable in the sense that he would be unable to defend himself against anyone - officer or inmate - if they chose to attack him.
Sunray: Just as another note, people are all interpreting the word vulnerable to be something warranting a great deal of sadness and pity. I did say there are PLENTY of vulnerable people in the prison systems... but regardless of how I meant it, it could very easily be taken in a different manner while still remaining true to the definition. Child molesters, child beaters, and rapists are ALL vulnerable in prison. If anyone finds out about their crimes, a green light WILL be issued. Am I supposed to always feel bad for the Level 3 Sex Offender who has been in and out of prison multiple times on similar charges? This is not a rare circumstance, mind you. And of course, there are many other groups of individuals in the system that are vulnerable that I WILL say deserve more concern. However, to even say the word "most" in my eyes is a stretch. I can think of tens of thousands of men, women, and children in this world who are more vulnerable than they. No matter what, an inmate knows they will always get another meal and have a place to sleep at night. There are far less fortunate out there. Reform of our prison systems is necessary. There are many unjust practices that need to be addressed. But although I agree inmates can be extremely vulnerable, they are not (in my mind) at the top of the list. The child that has been repeatedly molested by the inmate is where my priority lies.
Not really getting your point(s). Would you like to re-phrase?
A very small minority of the mentally ill and intellectually disabled (less than 0.1%) have episodes of violence and dangerous behaviour, mostly self-harm. But it is these behaviours that make them especially vulnerable.
Non-violent inmates are vulnerable sure, but the very young (especially children incarcerated as adults), gays, transexuals and the intellectually disabled prisoners are surely the most vulnerable?
I guess we can agree that the marginalised and underalued are the "most vulnerable" whether the be inside or outside the walls.
There is a homeless, disabled, and mentally ill man who lives in my neighbourhood, with whom I worship every morning at Saint Brigid's every morning. He has been violently assaulted on the street [B]six times[/B] since New Year's Day 2012.
I am sorry. I cannot follow your argument, nor can I grasp your point.
It may be that we do not share a common grammar and syntax.
well, i think the same as texas angel. the word vulnerable is the catch here.people in prison are vulnerable, BUT it's a different type of vulnerable. in prison ALL are vulnerable to a certain extent for certain reasons. what we consider the meaning of the word vulnerable out here is NOT the same as what vulnerable means in side a prison. silas has made good points also.
The case of Mr Dahmer proves that they are.
People who commit criminal acts as a consequence of a mental illness should be incarcerated separately from "ordinary" criminals.
In my own country's case, our worst mass-murderer (36 dead and countless wounded on a single Sunday afternoon): pleaded guilty - although he was probably unfit to plead - and is now incarcerated "At the Queen's Pleasure", and quietly doolally in his solitary confinement/protective custody cell, visited only by his Mother and the Prison Officers.
i would have given those men that stuck the broom handle up dahmers' butt a early release if i could have. there were ppl. in cleveland (he was from bath,ohio not real far from clev.) cheering those men that got rid of him. dahmer was def criminally insane. before ppl get mad at this post think of the crap he did.
The courts found that Mr Dahmer was deserving of a custodial sentence. It is not the place of individuals, or groups of individuals, prisoners or free, to over-rule the courts.
I think we have reached agreement.