Kitty,

Oh yeah, forgot to mention this. IF things get too bad or he is completely overwhelmed, he can request Protective Custody (PC). It is a terrible way to do time, but his safety is more important than anything.

The only downside is that once an inmate goes to PC, he cannot usually ever come back out on the yard. PC is such a negative stigma in prison that if he tried to come back to the general populations, he would surely have problems.

Also, I mentioned this before, but the federal system now has a few prisons set aside where the majority are SO, so if he could get there, he would be fine.

I am pretty sure he can make it at a minimum. Let's hope that is where he goes.

rewdiazepam

I wanted to add.. if I could. A mom of a son who went to prison for cp. Be careful what you say over the phone and in the emails & letters. I used to email my son using Corrlinks. If I'm correct the COs already know what your son is in for? In federal that's what I've heard.
Even if they know it's always good to watch your correspondence. My son would freak out if I slipped just a bit. We never really talked about what he told those on the inside. He did mention once that he was in there for drug charges.. his cover. He told 1 of his new friends what he was really in there for, but it wasn't until after the other inmate and him got to be pretty close. My son got lucky. This inmate , Mang, took him in like a son as soon as my son went there. Mang just felt this connection, having a son the same age. Mang is the only person from there who really knows the truth.

Kitty,

Your lawyer is correct. He will make it. Thousands of young men have gone to prison and come out fine. Your son is intelligent, so there is no reason he cannot do the same.

In my opinion, he should destroy all his legal paperwork also. Inmates have been known to ask for it to determine his charges and inmates, being nosy, also might try to see it or steal it to see what his charges are. If he has no legal paperwork, there is nothing to see.

I think in some prisons now they do not allow inmates to carry their legal paperwork. I know in some state prison---at mediums---the inmates will confront an inmate and demand to see their paperwork.

rewdiazepam

@ rewdiazepam, I will be sure to let him know about going into PC. I think if he ever gets afraid for his safety, he would rather be in PC, he is used to spending most of his time alone anyway. Yea, they have a few where then offer SO treatment programs. Closest to me would be Massachusetts or Ohio.
Beleave me I am praying every day, and hoping against hope, that he goes to a minimum security or an SO facility. Unfortunately, we won't know until he is placed.

@ rewdiazepam, thank you, coming from it means a lot. As far as I know he has no legal paperwork. He does (hopefully) have his local lawyers business card. She told him he was to give it to whomever defends him in Montana so she can send them his info.

As long as they act normal, show respect and honorable (pay debts immediately), don't be a pushover but do help out someone (ie give a couple sheets of paper to someone who asks), maybe share a little of canteen (hubby loves his cookies but shares the package with others as he shouldn't eat them all), do what they are told and stay away from trouble makers, he should be fine.

I would have him request PC though, it is safer than gen population.

@ Nakohichi, you can add... anytime you want. I welcome the input. My son is still in a "holding facility". No internet, very few letters (mostly because we do not know where he will be from one day to the next). Only phone calls. We never talk about why he is there. We talk mostly about how he's doing and any medical issues he may be having. He was told when he first got to Ohio (where he is temporarily being housed) that all the CO's are told is his classification, that he is an SO, just so they know where to put him (in with other SO's), they are not told the exact charges. That's what he was told anyway.

@ thoughtAsWeak, Thank you, I will make sure he knows that PC is an option. I will also give him the rest of your advice.

kitty

In Federal, the guards know quite a bit. The reason is so they can watch for things that don't look right. I would not suggest PC unless absolutely necessary. He will probably be transferred to another facility before they release him into pop. That would mean starting all over again and coming up with a reason for the transfer. As for legal paperwork, I had none the whole time I was in. Mostly, they are looking for snitches but why feed them anything else.

@ coolrich001, thanks for the input, I will make sure he knows that PC is an option of last resort. I am relly hoping it will never he necessary.

my son said he is one of the biggest in his pod. He is about 6'2", maybe 200 lbs and muscular. He is still in the reception center but he said no one has bothered him. He has a higher than most IQ so he is thinking about doing some sort of tutoring when he gets moved. He already came up with a story...i don't exactly remember it, but something along the lines of getting caught in the act so girl claimed that he forced her, that way if anyone does google his name (and he has a very unusual last name....only 2 in the entire Ohio prison system with his last name) that it would explain why it was a sex crime. Hope it works for him. But he is army trained so he also has self defense skills which i hope he never uses. My son was surrounded in prayer in Iraq and he is surrounded in prayer now!

Oh i i was told if my son chose PC that he will have to serve his entire sentence. That there is no early release for good behavior if he is in PC. Maybe that has already been mentioned but thought i would throw it out there.

In the state system, the COs knows the inmate's charges if he wants to look around. They are not very secretive about an inmate's jacket (his files), so I am certain that most guards know who the SOs are.

BUT most don't care. They are not paid very well and to them, it is just a job. The come to work, do their job, and go home. I never saw a guard who brought up an inmate's crime or even held it against them. I am sure a few do, but I never saw any. They don't want to make a distinguished career being a CO, as it is just a job to them.

I know they knew my crime, but they always respected me and even called me "Mr. REW."

Your son being intelligent is a big plus for him. Not all, but most of the other inmates respect someone with intelligence. You son will be able to observe and "read" other inmates and learn how they think and why. His mind will get him through this.

I would never go to PC. As I said, once in, he will have a difficult time every going back to general population. But PC is necessary sometimes, but I doubt your son really needs to be there.

I have never heard anything about inmates being in PC not being allowed any good time credits. It does not matter where an inmate is, he is still entitled to his good behavior credits. Most of your good time credits come via legislative statutes and I cannot see where any law would single out people who were in PC.

Of course, those can be taken away if he screws up and gets misconduct after misconduct. Some inmates call misconducts "tickets; most just refer them to "write ups."

Of course, he does not want to be TOO nice to others. If the inmates see him as a softy, they will take advantage of him. And if he comes across as totally scared, they will prey on him like a shark detects blood in the water.

ThoughtasWeak's post above is pretty much right on the money. After he is in for a while, he will learn to "play the game" and be fine.

The other ladies here can also relay to you their husband's or son's experience in prison, as they have been through it.

rewdiazepam

@ bsmon14, thanks for the info. My son is 6'4", 6'5", he was about 230 but he has lost some weight.
I am glad you son is capable of defending himself, and I pray he will never have to.

@rewdiazepam, I will warn him about being TOO nice (because that's him). I will also stress to him that requesting PC is a very LAST resort.

In the Fed system, PC is also known as the "cheese factory" because that's where all the "rats" are. We had someone transfer in from PC at another prison. He said it was horrible. He only told me because I was short at that time, less than 30. We were also both from the same town.
I have seen him since release. He was not a snitch, just didn't handle prison well. So, ended in PC.