What Happens Inside A Prison? - A Prisoners Life

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What Happens Inside A Prison - A Prisoners Life

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to wake up in prison and how prison life goes on the clock? In this article, we will know what life becomes when someone is declared a prisoner, and we will take a look into an inmate's daily routine.

Words like "Inmate" or "Prisoner" might sound negative. The negativity is because it takes some illegal actions to become a prisoner. But yet, when someone becomes a prisoner themselves, it becomes their life. Surprisingly, a prisoner's life might be worse or better than what they typically think. We brought this article to give they a clear picture of a prisoner's life routine.

How Do Prisoners End Up In Prison?

Not every arrested person goes to prison, and it takes a more extended procedure and severe charges to be a prisoner. First, a suspect is put in jail, then the court proceeds; if the crime is proven, the suspect is sentenced for a significant period. The prisoner is moved from prison to the prison by a friend, family, or the prison bus under the supervision of the local sheriff.

After reaching the prison, the inmates are disinfected and strictly inspected. This procedure helps to ensure they are not bringing anything illegal into the jail. Any extra material is taken from the prisoner in this inspection, and only a few essentials are allowed. These essentials are roughly the optical lenses, eye-sight glasses, books (thoroughly checked), and legal papers.

What Happens After Entering Prison

Once a new prisoner enters a prison he/she are are alloted with seperate cells specially created for new inmates. These inmates are generally held in these cells for a month or until their paperwork is done. Also, jobs are decided during that period. The prisoners are assigned various positions to keep them busy.

These jobs include janitorial services, cooks, support staff, sewers, maintenance personnel, laundry, burials, teaching, writing procedural manuals, livestock, cleaning roadways, painting facility, and electrician services. Prisoners also get vocational and educational opportunities in prison to become better people.

How Do Prisoners Spend Their Time in Prison?

An inmate's life starts from waking up at a strict hour to get breakfast as it is only served once. Everything in prison is much punctuated and once for all. A day runs typically between musters, meals, headcounts, work, hobbies, and education. Meals are eaten together; only the prisoners from the residential cells get their meals in their cells.

The assigned tasks of each prisoner follow Meals. Later, the prisoners get some free time to practice their hobbies or get an education. Headcounts are done on a specific hour which varies from state to state. The routine of weekends and public holidays stands different from regular days.

Are Prisoner Cells Comfortable?

A single cell is roughly 2.5 m x 1.8 m in size, including a bed, a metal tray, a toilet, a sink, and a window sometimes that opens outside the prison. Due to increasing imprisonment, many single cells are modified into doubles, adding an extra bed. Sometimes, cells are made adjustable for 6 to 8 prisoners in some sporadic cases.

an inmate inside a prison cell

However, the maximum-security prison is divided into two wing blocks with separate staff. These cells are used to keep prisoners with extreme crime rates. The maximum-security prison can be completely sealed from the rest of the prison in an emergency. Moreover, the inmates are usually allowed to walk around their cells in population cells.

What can inmates buy in prison?

They can buy limited and approved things in prison. A prisoner can typically have two accounts, a personal prison trust account and a telephone account. The prison trust account can hold up to $1000, while the telephone account can have $300 for making personal calls.

They can buy canteen items from the prison trust account, including food and cigarettes. They can also purchase art supplies, educational stuff like stationery, magazines, and books, or rent a television for the cell. They can also make purchases outside the cell but only approved items from approved sources. These approved items include undergarments, electrical gadgets, magazines, and footwear.

However, electronic games, DVDs, and DVD players are prohibited. Breaking any property in prison or hurting any other prisoner is not permitted. They may have to pay the fine from the account under the criminal injury compensation scheme. Note that any balance left in the funds will be returned to them at their release time.

How does an inmate connect with family and friends?

Prison Phone Call

A prisoner can't have a cell phone in prison, but that doesn't mean they can't call someone by their will. They can use the Prisoner Telephone System (PTS) to make calls to only 10 registered and verified numbers. They will be required to write an application to the authorities to make the phone call. They can only call the registered numbers verified by the authorities to ensure if the numbers are accurate and they want to receive calls from them. Numbers like gaming agencies and chat lines are prohibited.

They cannot divert a call and make it a conference call even with two registered numbers. Furthermore, authorities have the right to record, monitor, or investigate their calls. Prison Calls have a limited duration, and calls tend to be cut immediately after the little session is completed.

Writing letters

Inmates can write letters to family and friends. Even family and friends can write letters to an inmate, they can also send parcels with pictures and legal things.

Conclusion

Prison life is undoubtedly a nightmare, but it also helps many people redeem their lives. Many opportunities and healthy activities are provided to the prisoners, but at the cost of their freedom and privacy. There is no good reason to be a prisoner, but there is hope for every inmate in prison.