2/16/2012 3:25:37 AM
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Rolls Royce
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staff / corrections officer
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I remember our orientation back in Sept. '83. When a CAT-B walked by wagging 'his' tongue like a kid with a lollypop, saying to one of our group, "I love brown corduroy!" (Referring to his pants) the fellow froze. Another future C/O commented, "I didn't know they had women in here." Needless to say, the corduroy fellow never returned - he had taken leave from a boring bank job for THIS, guess the bank job looked a lot better to him after that day.
One tends to drift toward sarcasm over time. From not responding to a statement from a CAT-B like, "I got myself a man!"; to informing the two hallway strollers, "Yeah, you both do."; And even answering your work crew protesting the move of the 'Flea' from Folsom to CMF (he wanted to die at Folsom – cancer I believe) and asking what you think they should do. "The people he killed didn’t get to die where they wanted to either"; & "When he dies, cremate him and flush him down the toilet.";
The place can wear on your optimistic view of humanity as a whole over the years.
My first official day I was assigned to S-3 to assist an older C/O. He looked very professional ... until up at the unit and he took off his tie, unbuttoned his shirt and slouched in a chair. He skipped the first inmate for breakfast. I asked and he informed me that that inmate was on a different 'program' - when he skipped him for lunch, I knew. Of course the psychologist came up later to conduct routine interviews and pulled this fellow out. He said, "Doc, I'm hungry. I ain't ate all day." Knots grew in my stomach as the psychologist said, "I assume he's eaten?" fortunately looking at the 'senior' officer and not me, the newbie. Was I glad, because the other C/O nodded 'yes'.
I worked NRC visiting for many months, even when Manson was restricted to phones for a spell - he only came once - he didn't like the glass between phones. I later transferred to the new CMF-South as it was called back then, after which I transferred to CYA at Sac. Ended up at Folsom as a Utility Shops Supervisor over const. tools from 2001-2002.
The average person cannot relate to life behind the walls. These inmates live in a different world - before they came and after incarceration.
I work with criminals sentenced to community service now - in Norway. We don't have the violent crimes here so much, though with the refugees arriving, rates began going up. They all have different faces, but it's always the 'same' person coming back.
The societies that place little value on life and heaps of value on war, space endeavors, sports and bureaucracies, reap the troubled souls they created. There is little chance for escape from many of our inner city asphalt prisons.
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I have worked at CMF for four years. I am not a CO but inmates don't care; you are still the enemy. It is true, a lot of the inmates do fake illness to be left alone but it does not stop them from being an evil inmate. I can't believe the way they lie and steal and try to get anything they can get because this is that kind of life.
If you can walk the halls and see all the grandfather lookalikes that are really drug dealers, murderers and rapists, you would be amazed.
Yes there are some that are dying and there is a hospice facility that takes great care of them. Don't think they are just laying in a dirty cell dying, they are getting the best care you would want for your loved ones, they also have 24 hour volunteers who stay at their bedside, help them eat and the doctors make sure they get whatever they want to eat, since it might be the last.
It's a sad thing to die in prison. And its also no fair for tax payers to have to pay for it.
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I caught my c-23# back in 1980. Did reception at CMF.WOW what a place. That was when the gym was a gym/movie house.Was on T-wing and then A-2 overflow.Vacaville was pretty laid back then.Finially I went to Jamestown, paroled and 89 days later I caught a 211A W/fire-arm, for a second term I got 7yrs.Here it is almost 2010 and I have a V-43#.9 terms C.D.C-R and 3 C.Y.A.I just turned 50 and have spent about 35yrs.of my life in custody.
In 2007 I was out of control again after being out for only about 5 months.Dringing and drugs.The police confronted me and I as usual started fighting with them.I was tasered,had a heart-attack and spent 3 months in a coma,a little over a year to fully recooperate. Ventalator, learning to walk again, G-tube for feeding. Something happened during my coma because when I woke up the desire to drink and use drugs was lifted. Even the criminal behavior is gone.Having had a spiritual awakening I know that God touched my life.I've been out a little over a year now and clean for 2yrs.That's how I got sober and A.A. & N.A. helps me maintain that.I know CMF has meetings please attend.It's a matter of life/death, yours!
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I don't have a lot of stories to tell but I do have a few. I started working at CMF in 2006 and I had no idea what I was getting into as a CO. In 2006 I was a 26 year old fresh out of the academy ready for action wide eyed cop.
I took everything in as I walked the corridors and saw all the different types of people. I wasn't in it to be a bad ass or anything like that, I was there for the money and to fulfill my dream of becoming a peace officer. I started working during the holidays which are the worst for the inmates as you can imagine. How would you feel if you were locked away from your families during Christmas time?
I hadn't been working for but 2 weeks before I witnessed an alarm from J-1. Over my radio I heard that there was a hanger. I stood in the custody corridor keeping inmates against the wall and out of the wing came an inmate on a stretcher heading for B-1 with a CO on his chest preforming CPR. The inmate didn't make it but it showed me the graphic story of prison on that day. I felt such sadness for this inmate and his family, somewhere out there he had a family that was now without a son or father or brother.
I feel for those that are having issues with the health care system in the prison, it really is something that needs fixing.
Just remember, not all guards in the prison are bad, they are just doing their jobs. We have laws that we have to follow and yes there are some that do hide behind the badge and use it to their advantage. But honestly not all of them are like that, we have to think of ourselves and our families first. If it is something that involves us getting in trouble and losing pay it is not worth it. We do everything we can to help out and we know that it is our job to protect and provide a safe environment for all the inmates. I always made sure that if I was asked for something from an inmate that I would say I would at least try. Just remember, we will get back to you as fast as we can, we have a lot to do in a day with watching 200 inmates and only having one partner at best.
Working in a prison as a CO takes a special kind of person to be able to witness the things that we witness and not go mad. Suicides are just the start of it all. When you see another inmate stab another over something as petty as a look that they may have given, or when you see an inmate walk down the corridor that is talking to someone that really isn't there you think to yourself if this is real. Prison is a whole other world. When you step behind those walls for your eight hours you walk into a whole other dimension.
I can say that yes, the health care system is horribly wrong and needs a lot of work. You have to understand though that it is like this from the overwhelming amount of inmates that are sick in the prison and those that are just faking it. In prison those that are ill are left alone by others. If you have a medical problem or mental problem or you use a cane or wheelchair the other inmates don't bother you as much. For this reason a lot of inmates will use this to their advantage to get through the system with less problems. It has caused nothing more than a problem for the inmates that truly do need medical attention.
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In 1982 I started work at CMF as a wide-eyed, wet behind the ears 22 year-old CO. The first inmate I had the pleasure of dealing with and strip searching was none other than Charles Manson. I was working back of the visiting room that day (my first) and an inmate escaped that day also. He has never been seen to this day. I don't remember his name. I was the only one of a bunch of staff that was not punished for this. Only because it was my first day and didn't have a clue what was going on. I didn't really have a clue for about a year. I spent 12 years there and have lots of stories from the CO side. It has been 15 years since I worked there and still have nightmares from things I saw there. Killings, stabbings,slashings,self mutilations.
I worked the first unit for AIDS inmates in the system and the unit that was full of the "punks" as they have been called. Let me tell you these "punks" become all man in a brawl. Seen it many times. One of the worst killings I remember was done by a punk. Shoved an iron bar through an inmate's eye into his skull. Graphic, sorry, but prison ain't no joke.
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For those here due to health reasons I feel for you. I was lucky and ended up in "R" dorm for level 2. This isn't just the place for those dying in the prison system. This is also the only AIDS location and one of the highest rates of punks (men that change to women with hormones), so upon arriving I was shocked. I thought it was a co-op prison, but nope, just punks. If you're here on a violation or term, and you're in good health you are in the BEST prison system possible, and if you keep to yourself you'll be fine.
However, if you're here for health reasons, I'm sorry but be prepared! Have your family watch out for every aspect of your health; there is a reason the medical part of CDC is being taken over by the feds. Good luck to anyone reading this, keep focused, and don't hard-time yourself, time will pass.
Peace
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Let the cancer spread into my brothers throat. Now they just placed a feeding tube in him and have not fed him anything out of it. His airway is so tight that now they have to put in an airway also. They refused to treat my brother's cancer with any medication. God have mercy on their souls.
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My brother is in this prison and just got diagnosed three weeks ago with cancer. He has had one surgery and needs another one but no one can operate due to the holidays. All doctors must be on vaction? The cancer is spreading and he needs medical attention NOW. We have no money to help him and no one returns our phone calls from the prison.
He is spitting up chuncks of black and green muscus. Can anyone help or is he just another throw-away prisoner?
He is in there for runing away from a police officer.
I didn't think America would let a American citizen suffer in prison like this. It's one thing to let a prisoner get punished and serve his time and another to let someone die like a dog in there. I feel so sorry for the families before mine who ever experienced this.
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Gangs
Do you know of any problems with gangs at this prison?
(No gangs reported yet)
* Gang
not listed?
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