Notes From The Inside
by Scott

3.20.01

Hey there...I will tell you all about that super max at Sussex, but first let me tell you about the D.C. prison at Lorton. You see Congress closed the D.C. prison system. D.C. has always been a 'Federal City' but in 1980 Congress gave D.C. a bill called home rule. It entitled D.C. to have some of its own services, city run. For instance, the prison system. Throughout the years the local city gov't couldn't do it. You know the mayor smokes crack, etc. As a result the corrections dept. was so corrupt. Lorton was a mad house. They averaged 20 murders a year. Everybody had a knife (shank), etc. It was one the most violent institutions in the U.S. It has a long history of this.

Now when I got there (to the Lorton Central Facility) there were about 2000 inmates. I was one of only 10 white guys. Out of the 10, 4 were over 50 and 1 in a wheelchair. It was rough at first but I eventually earned the respect I needed to survive. Plus I was born and raised in D.C. so I was considered a 'Homey'. Guys from Maryland and Virginia and other places had it rougher. So I had people there I grew up with and hung out with. One incident I got in I hit a guy with a mopringer. I'm not a violent person. Actually I don't like violence but I will defend myself. I hate this environment. It is dog eat dog. But I did meet alot of good people. I'm glad I got to experience it, well not GLAD but you know. It's a reminder of why not to come back. So as you can tell Lorton was crazy, that's why it's gone.

Now let me tell you about Sussex- the future of prisons. Sussex is a supermax Level 5+ (there are 5 levels in prison security. 1 is minimum, 5 is max, and 5+ is super). All super max's have guns on the inside. The inside guns are rubber bullets, they also have tear gun gas. All the guns on the outside are real. We are locked down all the time. Well we get an hour recreation on the am shift and an hour on the pm shift. All other times we are in our cells. We eat in our cells, all 3 meals. When or if we have to leave the block i.e. for medical or discipline hearings, etc. we are shackled and handcuffed. We are escorted by two guards one of who is armed. The whole place has a catwalk system about 20 feet in the air. Armed guards walk these in 10 minute intervals. There are painted lines all over the place. Yellow means don't cross or you will get shot. Our cells are shook down for inspection everyday. Where we have to strip naked while they search the cells. Everytime we leave our cells we are strip searched.

I went there with a good attitude. I was like I will get to know Scott a little better. It was very therapeutic for me. They had a real good library so I read like mad. They had a really good non- fiction section so I read books on the Roman Empire, Celtic Empire, theology, and Buddhism (and more). The books got delivered right to our cell. We had to pick them from a book of listings. The food was so-so, the staff assholes. They look at as nothing but convicts.

The main reason I went to Sussex was for what the Feds call re-conditioning. Since Lorton is so crazy they don't want to bring us into Federal facilities from there. So they sent me there.

So now I'm in prison heaven 'The Feds'. Yes. This place is med/max (level 4). It basically means that security is more controlled here. We don't have freewill of the compound. We have controlled movement. At 5 of the hour til five after we have to get to where we're going. We lock in at 11:30 pm to 5:30 am. We are also locked in between 4 and 4:30 pm for count and again at 9 to 9:30 pm. All other times we are out, locked in our block.

As in every prison, like you said, movies rule the day. And they do here too. Like tonight I saw Coyote Ugly. We see a movie Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday.

Any more stuff you want to know just ask. Lorton was really crazy and the stories are nightmares.

I'm a vegetarian now. I have been for over a year now. I couldn't be a vegan. I love dairy and honey too much. Being a vegetarian in Lorton & Sussex was rough. Mostly beans, rice, potatoes, and peanut butter. But here at the Feds they have a no flesh alternative. We have soy and tofu so I'm in heaven. I was a vegetarian from 1985 to 1991 but when my son was born I started eating meat again. So being locked up I had the perfect opportunity to start again. I'm really concentrating on my physical and spiritual health. My only unhealthy habit is smoking but that will end soon.

Yes I went to culinary school and received an Associate of the Arts degree at FAV Florida. After 2 years I'm used to the food but would kill for a falafel or some curry.

I was involved in a big accident. One lady even died. I was alrigh though. I woke up in the hospital and they had a catheter in me and I was trying to pull it out. It hurt. They let me go the next day.

I have 3 bikes. My prize bike is a Gary Fischer Marlin. I love it. I used to do alot of bike messenger work in D.C. Be careful in NYC. That place is a nightmare for bicyclists. If you want a BMX check out Dyno. They're cheap and great bikes.

I will read almost anything. I like suspense thriller fiction. Kurt Vonnegut is one of my favorite authors. Anne Sexton is one of my favorite poets. I also like historical fiction. Ken Follet is one I like.

My family is from county kerry in the southwest of Ireland. My father is from Portugal. I have one sister and two half brothers from my dad. I grew up with my mum. My dad left when I was two. My mum is very special to me. We have a good relationship and she is raising my son now for which I owe her a big debt.

3-21-01 4pm

Well I'm locked down right now. Sorry this is so sloppy. I'm writing this by nightlight.

It's been cold and raining all day and I got stuck moving supplies in the warehouse in the rain.

Yes send me all the pictures you want. You decide what to send. In two weeks I'm getting some photos taken I will send you some. If you want you can mail me paperback books. One at a time. What do you like to read? Just don't send any books on bomb making, they won't let them in, haha.

So tell me about your days. I'm lonely for the outside world. I just like to know life is still moving. If you want to know anything about me just ask. Like what makes me tick and the like.

I will send some drawings of mine in the next letter. I'm waiting on some markers. Inside are some poems. I hope you like them.

Alright, thanks for the letter. Take care of yourself. Hear from you soon.

Peace.

Scott