Sweats and ID’s (Part 1 by Lifer Renee)
Renee – Only a teenager, she received a 60-year sentence. Now 15 years in, Renee is writing from Perryville prison in Goodyear, Arizona, providing a rare and unique insight into a women's prison.
With my cut-off sweats and Walkman on, I decided to hit the track, to relieve a little stress. I went out of the gate at 6am, not bothering anyone.
An officer stopped me. “What’s going on with your sweats?”
“What do you mean?”
“I need these, now,” she said, condescendingly.
“Fine.” I went to my room to change. I took them to her, only she was gone. Whatever, I thought. Screw it! I’m not chasing her down. I threw the cut-offs in my cell, and hit the track.
Half-way around the track, something told me to go back to the yard, so I headed back. Officers were searching my room, seizing all kinds of things from me. They found some extra ID’s I had forgotten were there. I had them because when I worked maintenance, I was always losing my ID, ordering a new one, receiving it, and finding the one I originally lost.
It seemed the officers seized everything that was not bolted down. I walked away with a disciplinary ticket for the cut-off sweats, telling myself to suck it up. I stressed all weekend about the ticket.
Rising early on Monday, I went to see the disciplinary officer.
He said, “Sweats are not something issued from the State of Arizona. It is personal property. If personal clothing is altered, we are supposed to just seize it. If state-issued property is altered, we are supposed to seize it, and issue a ticket, so we can charge you for the damage. Get out of my office, and don’t let me see you again!”
“Thank you,” I said, relieved, and exited the building quickly – unaware that my trouble had only just begun.
Click here for Renee’s previous blog in which she comes out as a lesbian.
Post comments for Renee below or email them to writeinside@hotmail.com To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.
Renee – Only a teenager, she received a 60-year sentence. Now 15 years in, Renee is writing from Perryville prison in Goodyear, Arizona, providing a rare and unique insight into a women's prison.
With my cut-off sweats and Walkman on, I decided to hit the track, to relieve a little stress. I went out of the gate at 6am, not bothering anyone.
An officer stopped me. “What’s going on with your sweats?”
“What do you mean?”
“I need these, now,” she said, condescendingly.
“Fine.” I went to my room to change. I took them to her, only she was gone. Whatever, I thought. Screw it! I’m not chasing her down. I threw the cut-offs in my cell, and hit the track.
Half-way around the track, something told me to go back to the yard, so I headed back. Officers were searching my room, seizing all kinds of things from me. They found some extra ID’s I had forgotten were there. I had them because when I worked maintenance, I was always losing my ID, ordering a new one, receiving it, and finding the one I originally lost.
It seemed the officers seized everything that was not bolted down. I walked away with a disciplinary ticket for the cut-off sweats, telling myself to suck it up. I stressed all weekend about the ticket.
Rising early on Monday, I went to see the disciplinary officer.
He said, “Sweats are not something issued from the State of Arizona. It is personal property. If personal clothing is altered, we are supposed to just seize it. If state-issued property is altered, we are supposed to seize it, and issue a ticket, so we can charge you for the damage. Get out of my office, and don’t let me see you again!”
“Thank you,” I said, relieved, and exited the building quickly – unaware that my trouble had only just begun.
Click here for Renee’s previous blog in which she comes out as a lesbian.
Post comments for Renee below or email them to writeinside@hotmail.com To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.
2 comments:
damn, a cliffhanger!
I wonder if abuse towards inmates in womens prisons is higher because of women not being as violent as male offenders.
Are women less likely to fight back against the staff in situations where they felt they were wronged?
When I say "fight back", I mean like the asswipe C.O. is walking the run and happens to catch a half gallon of piss/shit cocktail to face or perhaps a good beat down. It seems filing a grievance or bitching doesn't really give good results. People protest in the USA for all kinds of stuff but never get anywhere without rioting. look to other countries and you'll find change does come after people riot and take to the streets. Even if it violates laws and some of them die in the process.
My mom used to tell me "hell hath no fury like a women scorned".
anyways, keep up the good fight Renee, I'm rooting for you.
~big jason
sidenote= I am not condoning or suggesting anyone commit illegal acts or bring harm to another person.
Really Helpful, Keep it up It was really Helpful, Thank You BazarProfit
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