Ask a Correctional Officer anything

454 Questions

Last Answer on February 10, 2022

What's one "luxury" the inmates get that would surprise the public? (I saw a documentary the other day about a Cali prison where some of the inmates had TVs in their individual cells, much to my amazement.)

Asked by Bellicosa almost 12 years ago

It is hard for me to answer an open ended question like that. About two years back a death row inmate got a heart transplant, cost the state well over $1 million. inmates do not GET TVs, but are allowed to buy them. the electrical drain becomes significant in the older prisoners that were never set up for this purpose. they can also have fans, inmate housing units except hospital units are not air conditioned. My prison, DVI, used to have a pool but that has been shut down and filled in for years. Inmate medical care in California is absolutely top drawer, name-brand pharmaceuticals, usuall see specialists in 2-3 days.

1106 Votes

Have you ever been attacked while on the job?

Asked by Salverado almost 12 years ago

Many times, though none of them were "personal." I just happened to be the guy in the uniform when the problem came up. Several of the attackers had serious mental issues. I was lucky and was never hurt badly. Many of my collegues were not so lucky.

1103 Votes

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Hi Bob! 1) Do new prisoners get hazed ("fish")? 2) Do prisoners divide up based on race with lots of tension between groups, as depicted in movies? 3) Are ex-cops or rapists treated with extra disdain?

Asked by ronmexico almost 12 years ago

New cops get more hazing than new prisoners. Remember prison prisoners have done time in county jails, and most have done youthful offender time also. In the California system, and as far as I know virtually all other system, the prisoners divide themselves up, primarily althought not exclusively along racial lines. Staff have to work with and acknowledge those divisions because they are real. There are further divisions within the groups, I.E. blacks in California tend to go with Crips (blues) or Bloods (reds). Hispanic can be either Nortenos or Surenos. Rapists don't get nearly the heat they used to get, though most groups still don't much like child molesters. Ex-cops tend to land together in PC (protective custody) units. I understand there is a unit at Ione that is nothing but former cops, firefighters, public officials and the like.

1103 Votes

Now that you're retired, do you miss the job at all?

Asked by Jack Sr. almost 12 years ago

I miss some of the people. Not so much the job. The job is not what it was when I retired.

1103 Votes

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What's the craziest thing you ever saw happen?

Asked by Bob almost 12 years ago

Thats hard to say. I do remember that twice, when I was running the Reception Center, we got in prisoners who said, "You've got the wrong guy, I shouldn't be here." They were both right, the county had sent the wrong prisoner, same name but wrong guy. Also the dept. had a prisoner extradited from out of state, Oklahoma I think, and it turned out his parole had run out and we had no right to haul him in. Paperwork screwup, happens every year or two.

1098 Votes

Is there a time requirement for completing security checks on inmates? In other words, how often must an officer may eyes on an inmate throughout a shift? Is there a guideline set by the state?

Asked by Curious over 9 years ago

In CA you are required by law to do a minimum of four counts per day. The CA system is set up to do five. These are FORMAL counts that are reported to control. Inmates who are at work assignments are counted informally by their bosses fairly frequently. Also persons on suicide watch or other security levels may be eyeballed more frequently, depending.

1098 Votes

How long can you get for having a tattoo gun under your bed

Asked by terra over 11 years ago

Sorry, but I don't remember for sure. Possession of the tattoo gun is different than tattooing. I THINK the gun is 30 days. Since the law has changed now and putting tattoos on someone without a health certificiate is a crime now in California that would carry a much heavier penalty.

1093 Votes