Today as apart of my Street Law class we visited a local Military base's prison.
The prison is on a United States Air Force base located on RAF Lakenheath in England and the prison is more of a "Correctional facility" more than a prison.
The building is VERY small and is only authorized (at a max and by order of its HQ in the states) to hold 22 inmates.
The facility being a Level 1 Military Prison is only allowed to keep criminals held for up to a year. After the year is up (or they are transferred earlier) they are sent to either a level 2 prison such as
Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar in San Diego, California
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/MiramarBrig.JPEG/800px-MiramarBrig.JPEG[/img]
Or a Level 3 prison such as
The United States Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/USDB2002.jpg/750px-USDB2002.jpg[/img]
We approached the building. It is a small one story building built behind A WWII memorial.
(The picture is off of Google Maps of the path we took from the school to the Correctional Facility.)
[img]http://i.imgur.com/wPHdt.jpg[/img]
We were greeted by a Staff Sargent. He led us in and advised us to walk on the black, 3 foot wide mats on the floor.
We all lined up against the wall in the "Processing room"
As I stood in the corner, I faced the far corner where the desk was and the Staff and Tech Sargent stood.
First of all they greeted us and started to tell us a bit about how a inmate will come through the room.
They walk through the doors led by a guard and they enter the room where they are processed. Whenever a new inmate arrives EVERY SINGLE person who works for the facility must be there. At least 7 guards to one inmate.
The inmates MUST stay on the mats at all times. If they step off (even by accident) it is an automatic 5 years added on to their sentence for "attempt at escape" and if the guard feels threatened they are allowed to throw them on the floor and beat them by practising self defence. The guards do not carry any weapons while in the facility or even walking with the prisoners because they could potentially take it. He said the only thing he needs is *points to head* "My mind... and *raises fist* and my body" So you must know they are trained in self defence or some kind of martial art. The guards have to be very fit in order to be a known force around the facility. If the inmates view him as strong and powerful then they wont mess with him and unlike Guards in the states they are allowed to physically touch them (move, hit [with reason] and push) so they are viewed as the dominant person.
The Tech Sargent (who will be refereed to as TSgt) told us every single person who has walked through those doors have always instantly started balling once they enter and got worse once the guards start to scream at them. They said the guards are trained to completely demoralize and break down any inmate who comes in. They do this in order to instil new discipline in them since they must have obviously lost it. If an inmate is in the guards way, they have full authority to throw them out of the way.
What the guards do is require them to ALWAYS give a status report. They have to ask to eat, sleep, use the bathroom and to even walk past them. They have to ask permission to grab a new magazine (If they are in the recreational area). So you have to get permission to do EVERYTHING. They said sometimes to test their obedience they will deny them to move or get a magazine. (This is a way to build up a disciplined character)
The inmates are all kept in the same cell. I counted at least 8 bunks (16 all together) in the cell. There were normally 3 pairs of shoes under the bed which were all kept clean and lined up perfectly. Their mattresses were all straight and the blankets all perfectly tucked under the bed and even. The SSgt (Staff Sargent) opened up the locker of one of the inmates. Everything was perfect at first glance, razors, toothbrush, toothpaste (properly squeezed) clean shaving cream nozzle. The uniforms were crisp and perfect and so were their PT (Physical Training) and recreational clothes. However the SSgt said he would fail this inmate on inspection because his PT shirt wasn't folded right (it looked like there was a 1cm difference) He then said normally he would grab everything out of the locker and throw it across the room and make the inmate do it all over again.
The showers and toilets are within feet of the beds with only a 3 foot barrier blocking the toilet itself and revealing the top torso of the person sitting on it. The showers are parallel to the toilets (They were allowed to keep curtains)
He then proceeded to tell us that inmates earn free time (Recreation) if every person in the cell has everything perfect with their area and belongings and if one person screws up then there is no Rec time for the night for everybody. He said they do this because peer pressure will influence them much more than a man who the inmate probably hates.
We were walked down the hall and into a Suicide Watch room. In the small room there was a bed frame, a mattress, 2 windows (that opened 2 inches) a shower and a toilet. There is a red line running down the middle of the room separating the "Bathroom" from the bedroom. The inmate is required to sit behind the red line in the bedroom and is only allowed to have a bible and food. Normally they will remove the bed because in some cases people have tried to hang themselves from it. They have also tried cutting their wrists with their nails and my personal favorite (and theirs) "Head Basher" who tried to commit suicide by repeatedly bashing their head into the wall.
The people were never successful with committing suicide because at all times there is a guard on the other side of the door looking directly in at them.
Questions ended and we were led back out to the Processing Room. We were told of a man who was the Drug Kingpin for the 3 bases in the area, Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Feltwell. He came into the facility with 3 blackberries, 6 gold chains and 800 pounds (I don't know how many dollars he had) He thought he was hard they said and once he walked through the doors he instantly started crying. They forced him to stand at attention (Remember that all these criminals are Military personnel) and he started swaying back and forth while crying. The SSgt said he would not catch him if he fell so pull it together. The drug dealer then collapsed on the floor and had to be brought to the hospital. The TSgt told us that the only person who did not cry was actually a female. He also said that because she didn't cry, he failed at his job. He said because he failed with her that he has to make every new inmate cry harder because of her. (motivating him to be more hard on them)
We were told that in the Military Prison system that people are referred to by their rank and name where in the states inmates are referred to as a number. I asked the SSgt what was the highest rank he saw come through and he said a Major. He said it makes everybody else feel 10 feet tall when you are screaming and making a Major cry and do whatever you want.
The SSgt also said that apart of the inmates work detail they have to scrub and clean the entire facility and if it does not pass their white glove test then they are punished. He said that they have to clean his work station in the morning and at night.
If you are wondering why the guards are so harsh on the inmates, then remember this. The inmates are still considered military members. They all know what bootcamp is like. The guards told us that the facility is like bootcamp on steroids for the inmates. So if you can, imagine Full Metal Jacket only MUCH WORSE.
One example in the news that you may have heard about is the one about the man who possessed Child Pornography.
[url]http://www.lakenheath.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123116848[/url]
Basically, Things I learned during the visit.
You can go to jail for disrespecting a superior.
You can get 5 years added on to your sentence if you are accused of "attempted escape" by setting a part of your foot off of a 3 foot wide mat.
If you trip and lunge toward a guard they have the right to beat you down.
You can cut your wrists with your fingernails
Military Prison is HELL even at a Level 1 facility.
They make grown hulking hardened military men cry but somehow couldn't make a woman cry.
A Staff Sargent can treat a Major inmate like shit.
The guards like to swear a LOT and had to constantly watch what they said or think of another word.
Lakenheath has the highest percentage of male rape in the Air Force.
Worst crime seen in there was for Child Rape.
sorry the grammar is probably horrible. Its my dad's birthday and I wanted to post this before I go have dinner with him.
Ask me questions. I know some things are unclear or don't make sense because of the way I worded it and I'll be happy to explain. They told us a lot that I didn't type and you can even ask me some stuff about Air Force life on the military base.
[QUOTE=Mr. Sun;30221995]Ask me questions.[/QUOTE]
What's a Street Law class
Is it nicer than federal prison?
[QUOTE=Unreliable;30222052]Is it nicer than federal prison?[/QUOTE]
of course it is.
Honestly seems pretty nice, and much better than a regular prison, of course this is only for military personel, but still.
I used to live in Lakenheath... FFFFFFFFFFUUUU- I miss it now :(
I cannot imagine a grown, muscular man crying the moment he sets foot in there.
I used to live in Fort Leavenworth.
In fact, I'm pretty sure I passed by that level 3 prison like everyday.
[QUOTE=Rapist;30222193]Honestly seems pretty nice, and much better than a regular prison, of course this is only for military personel, but still.[/QUOTE]
The conditions may be nice, but the mental degradation probably makes it hell for the inmates.
In most prisons the guards don't give a shit.
Rated informative, I didn't know RAF Lakenheath had a correctional facility.
solution to not get in prison:
dont be criminal
[QUOTE=Rapist;30222193]Honestly seems pretty nice, and much better than a regular prison, of course this is only for military personel, but still.[/QUOTE]
yeah fuckin right
I have never been in prison mind you but prison + military can no way be better than just prison.
This is pretty cool. I love jails and prisons :love:
[QUOTE=Jemminaag;30222785]solution to not get in prison:
dont be criminal[/QUOTE]
Wow, thanks for this incredibly insightful post.
[QUOTE=Rapist;30222193]Honestly seems pretty nice, and much better than a regular prison, of course this is only for military personel, but still.[/QUOTE]
hahahahahaha
Did you see any manrape?
Street law is a class where we learn the basics of the court and prison system. We also do mock trials where we are either assigned to be an attorney or a witness (or plantif or defendant) We just got to do a mock trial against each other in the base Court Room with an actual attorney to serve as our judge. It was a 3rd party liability case.
Military Prison is VERY strict so in my opinion I think it would be worse than the majority of federal prisons (that I have heard of)
They said "A military prison is the closest place to hell a criminal can get to"
I didn't see any inmates. They kept them locked in a room we walked by and said if we looked that they would detain us and throw us out. A girl looked though and was talking about how she saw a black guy playing scrabble or sudoku or something like that.
They should set up a program for civilians to be inmates for like a weekend
[QUOTE=HolyCrapAWalrus;30222483]I used to live in Lakenheath... FFFFFFFFFFUUUU- I miss it now :([/QUOTE]
Really? That is awesome. Did you go to High school?
[editline]3rd June 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Zeke129;30223193]They should set up a program for civilians to be inmates for like a weekend[/QUOTE]
Funny story, I went to dinner with my dad and we talked about it. Turns out the guy whose locker we looked in worked close to my dad or something like that.
He also said that a lot of people are sent for a tour there if they are acting cocky and the officers or SNCO's think they might be close to doing something stupid.
I almost asked him to treat me like an inmate and make me cry. It would have been awesome but humiliating at the same time. haha
Did I mention in the military you can go to jail for disrespect?
[editline]3rd June 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Pvt. Ryan;30222794]yeah fuckin right
I have never been in prison mind you but prison + military can no way be better than just prison.[/QUOTE]
This statement is SO true.
Just imagine. This was a level 1 facility. It goes all the way up to 3 and it only gets worse.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;30223193]They should set up a program for civilians to be inmates for like a weekend[/QUOTE]
There is a hotel, you can even buy breakout packages and try to escape.
[QUOTE=Mr. Sun;30223223]
I almost asked him to treat me like an inmate and make me cry. It would have been awesome but humiliating at the same time. haha
[/QUOTE]
Knowing that I'm a civilian and that he can't do anything unless I physically attack him would probably result in me laughing (and getting hit in the face for it) when he started yelling
[QUOTE=Zeke129;30223373]Knowing that I'm a civilian and that he can't do anything unless I physically attack him would probably result in me laughing (and getting hit in the face for it) when he started yelling[/QUOTE]
Civilians or dependants don't go to the correctional facility. They are handled by the British police.
And I thought I would start laughing but after the stories they told us of who they have made break down, cry and even pass out from the stress I doubt most people could go through that. Especially a civilian. But hey, if you meet a Security Forces person any day you could ask them to do it to you!
[QUOTE=triFeral;30222614]I cannot imagine a grown, muscular man crying the moment he sets foot in there.[/QUOTE]
I assume it is because they know they have been caught, they know what is going to happen to them (most military members have seen the prisons) and the room was dark with the blue hue of the computer screen behind the desk only illumination the corner. The florescent lights were right above you making everything hot.
Its emotional stress i guess.
How does one even end up in a Military prison?
Friendly fire?
Disobeying orders?
Risking their own life?
[QUOTE=Mr. Sun;30223223]
Did I mention in the military you can go to jail for disrespect?
[/QUOTE]
Thats because disrespect in a combat environment can really fuck shit up.
[QUOTE=Mr. Sun;30223486]Civilians or dependants don't go to the correctional facility. They are handled by the British police.
And I thought I would start laughing but after the stories they told us of who they have made break down, cry and even pass out from the stress I doubt most people could go through that. Especially a civilian. But hey, if you meet a Security Forces person any day you could ask them to do it to you![/QUOTE]
Nah I was just talking about some kind of hypothetical situation where a civilian asked the correctional officer to try to "crack" them or something
Likely wouldn't have the same effect as it would on an actual inmate who can't just walk out
to bad i never get shown prisons :[
[QUOTE=Jemminaag;30222785]solution to not get in prison:
dont be criminal[/QUOTE]
That solution doesn't work correctly in the U.S.
[editline]3rd June 2011[/editline]
Or any country with a functioning legal system for that matter.
I'm sure you can ask for a tour. Probably not a military prison but you could ask someplace else.
Ah yes. The fact that you know its all bull might make you laugh because of how rediculous it might seem. I could see that. haha
I found a list of Air Force prisons on Wikipedia.
United States Air Force
Air Force Confinement Facility, Kirtland AFB, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
Air Force Confinement Facility, Lackland AFB, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas(CLOSING SOON)
United Kingdom Corrections Facility, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
I have lived in Kirtland and now Lakenheath. I have never seen Lackland's
The rest of the list is here
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._military_prisons[/url]
Also think of a Military Prison as a correctional facility. They try and rehabilitate (well I guess just like a normal jail) only they seem to be more strict and motivated to actually rehabilitate people. Most Military members who go in there are kicked out soon after their release. It is normally at the decision of their Commander. My dad knows one of the Commanders who just accepted a guy back because he was described as "God's gift to the Air Force" but he made one stupid mistake to hit somebody with a bottle and got put in there. However he was only let back in because he was close to retiring in 4 months. They let him keep his retirement benefits and finish his career out like he deserved. He won a ton of awards for his work.
Most people however don't go back. Nobody wants a druggie, disrespectful or violent and unstable person in the Air Force or even military for that matter. I don't want them defending my country if they don't hold enough obedience to abstain from those things.
Extra 5 years if you step off the mats? :ohdear:
What are you supposed to do if you're naturally clumsy? I would be there for the rest of my life. :frown:
If you are in the military that would probably be beaten out of you. Plus if they do accuse you of that you still have to go to court (As apart of our constitution) and if there is enough evidence then you will get the 5 years. Plus they record everything. Toilet barriers being 3 feet tall. They'll see your torso and EVERYTHING if they are on the top bunk. There is also a camera 4 feet above the toilets staring straight down at them. So there is a lot of cameras in the main area with the mats and a jury or judge or whatever will have experts look at the footage and determine if you were trying to escape or you actually fell involuntarily.
I'm getting asked questions on Steam too. I was asked how bad it could be.
Imagine your worst nightmare. Absolute worst situation you could be in. Then imagine that it is going to happen to you and you have no control over it. And you will experience it for God knows how long and you can't get out of it.
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