You ain’t rentin’ no space in my head.
There’s a whole new breed of inmate coming to our facility. I’ve been told we will treat them no differently than g.p. (general population). If that’s the case, then why is five-block, where they’re double-bunked, shutting down, and seven-block, where they’re single-bunked, opening up? And why will their g.p. activities be restricted to school and religious services? Why will they have their own yard? Their own doctors from the Department of Mental Health?
They haven’t been enrolled in school yet, although I’ve seen a few of them near the control center. “Hey,” I joked with a coworker, “someone should wipe the drool of that guy’s face.”
We laugh. We brace ourselves for the inevitable. How bad will it get?
We already have a serial killer going to school, but as luck would have it, he’s in the classroom down the hall. He used to be homeless, now he’s at home. He killed seven prostitutes near Detroit’s Cass Corridor. Beat them with a brick. Returned to the scene of the crime to have his way with them. Repeatedly.
He’s not part of this new breed of inmate. He’s in general population, coping with his own personal demons.
21 comments:
"You ain't rentin' no space in my head." I like that. I think I'll use it in my own life.
The life there sounds (as usual - perhaps more so?) frightening.
A new breed? How so?
BTW, major congrats on doing well in Jason's contest. Well deserved.
Pak Karamu visiting your blog
For me, that would be a little scary, unless you were already informed what you were dealing with. Pesonally, I'm not sure anything would be worse than dealing with serial killers. Do they ever get better? Would they ever be released back in society where a relapse might follow?
Sounds like some kind of bizarre, gov't experiment or something. Yeesh!
In order to keep from freakin' out, I think that I would rather remain ignorant as to what the crimes that put them there were. I would be less petrified. I think.
Thanks Charles. The podcast of your story was really cool.
Christina, We are never told about our students' crimes. We don't even get their school files--but that's another issue.
JR, He's in GP looking for bricks.
MW :)
How can there be a new breed of inmate when there is no new type of crime?
JR I don't envy you but I can admire your strength of character - I would have run for the hills
TWM, Here's the scoop:
When you're mentally ill you can not be held accountable for your actions. The g.p. prisoners will use these guys to do their dirty work.
Play head games on each other.
Make other guy his girlfriend. Saw off a length of pipe and give him a ring.
Man, when you go down, you really go down.
Maybe that's what they wanted.
In the end.
Long as they behave themselves eh?
If not look after number one mate.
Cattle prods may be useful.....
*shudder*
*sigh* And the GP that would use the ill to do their dirty work are the felons the state is considering early release for due to budget constraints?
Chilling JR. I can't imagine what your night time dream world must be like.
Man - I just read a book by Pete Earley called Crazy, A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness.
You absolutely have to read this. I wouldn't be so emphatic, but it is about THIS EXACT THING (sort of - it talked about jails, not prisons). Dude, at least read the review at Amazon - no joke.
It talked about how, due to deinstitutionalisation, 80% of the residents of mental hospitals have been released. 80%. These folks inevitably end up in jail.
Man, I just finished this book last night. It was the best book I've read in a long time. Earley wrote for the Washington Post, and he has some other books about various things.
Intense.
Gees. When I read that part of your post where you said, "new breed of inmate coming,"I thought you were going to say some detainees from Guantanamo Bay were coming your way. (Hey - that rhymed.) ...so what are the chances of that happening?
Congratulations on your flash fiction piece man! I read it over and over. Hardcore. You are definitely seeing some things. And you're creating some great things. Keep producing man. You're going to hit big if you keep it up with stuff like this.
Thanks Bobby, but I'm still just a convict teacher. Hope you watched the visual to the story as well.
Once again, wondering how you cope... At least it provides material to write about!
I did watch the video. It really got me. I ain't kidding around.
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