Over by RaginCajun's neck of the woods, there's a prison that holds 3 categories of inmates (mild to wild) and Texas death row. I joined a program that allows me to go in and speak to inmates that are going to be leaving prison soon. Usually several months prior to release. The idea is obviously to help coach some of these guys and minimize the chance of them returning.
This decision was completely the opposite of what I wanted to do when I was presented with the opportunity. I was at the gym late at night a few weeks ago and was approached by a regular that I normally just say hi to as I walk by him. Several times in the past year or so I've spoken to him but never really connected. He trains with his wife and they both told me that they visit the prison in an attempt to guide potential released inmates.
I said no, I have zero interest. Then for the next few nights I got to thinking... when was the last time I did something that is completely off the wall for me? I certainly have been feeling unfulfilled lately, so maybe I should do something different. Couple days later I ran into the couple again and let them know that I've had a change of heart and wanted to go with them. So they got my info and applied to get me a volunteer pass. So I went with the guy from the gym. His wife went to the female section.
What an incredible experience. Completely not what I expected. First of all, after getting through security, the guards walked us through the prison for a quick tour. We were in the unit A, which is for behaved inmates. We were walking among them which was quite uncomfortable. We get to the gym building where they have round tables and chairs setup for meetings. Then, over 200 inmates came in to the gym. I look at my gym buddy and say... "Hey man, where the hell did the guards go??"... he smiled and said... "There are no guards." Ugh...
Well, they came up to me and seemed so excited to see a new face/visitor from the "Free world" as they call it. After talking to a few inmates I felt incredibly comfortable and all concerns just vanished.
It's crazy to think that some of these guys have been there for so long. Some of the guys I talked to have been imprisoned for 20, 30 and 40 years already. What was most shocking to me was how healthy everyone looked. I kid you not, I thought several times I was talking to 20 year old kids, only to find out they are in their 40's and 50's. I could not believe it. I guess it's because they live stress free from the daily stresses in the "Free world". Just mind boggling!
Anyway, I was told not to ask anyone what they are in prison for. But it was VERY tough holding back. Some of these guys were so polite, articulate and had such an incredible attitude. It made me think... "What in the world could you have possibly done to be here???". Of course, I know they deserve to be there and they need to serve their time for whatever it is they did. I can somewhat understand why some of these guys come back. It's not always that they are seeking a life of crime. Some of these guys were imprisoned at age 18 or even less, juveniles have been transferred here as well. One (big) mistake in their teens and now they're 45 years old and getting ready to leave.
These guys have NO IDEA what it's like on the outside. Prison has been their life for so long. Sure they get to see a couple channels on TV, get visitors once in a while, but most of them have been abandoned by their families. One guy has not had a visitor in over 30 years! So when they get out, they realize they have to pay bills, food, etc... and the stress begins heavily, not gradually. So I understand that some of them want to go back to their old world, especially the ones that end up in released inmate programs because they have no family.
The bond and community-mindset is unlike any other I have ever seen. In this unit, color does not matter. They do not segregate themselves by race and do not group up. They all work well together. You can walk by the B and C units and you'll see a completely different world. Inmates segregated, some of them stare you down, etc... just very different.
One of the guys liked to sing, and so he sang for the crowd a song he knew from the late 80's. I spoke to him afterwards and told him I wanted to look up the song and download it. He asked what "Download" means. It's going to take some time to get used to how far back in time they actually are. Everything they know is still "recent" in their minds. Some mentioned car models they liked and were shocked to know they no longer exist.
I'm very glad I ultimately decided to go against my initial decision. This was one of the most amazing experiences I've had in a long time. Who knew. I'm not saying this is for everyone, and I don't know how long I'll do this for. I am certainly looking forward to my next visit.
Try something different next time you're faced with a decision. You never know.
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Originally Posted by GirlyGymRat
