We see most of our contraband at the on-site manufacturing plant. They hide it in the machinery and most recently, hollowed out table legs and made secret compartments in the wooden tables to store it. Tobacco is probably the most prolific drug contraband we find, but there’s a lot of marijuana as well. Meth keeps finding its way in. The most creative way we’ve seen so far was an inmate’s girlfriend, who handed him a pack of gum during a visit. The visitation officer had one of those “funny feelings” we all get and took it from him when they strip searched him afterward. It looked like gum and smelled like gum, but tested positive for meth. An informant entered the Captain’s office a couple of months ago and told them that Heroin was going around (and gave them a sample as proof).

Most of what we have comes in via contract workers (food service and medical staff) as well as visitors and volunteers. We haven’t had any security staff bringing in anything (well, recently anyway), so that’s always good. There was an article in one of the big newspapers in the state last fall where they interviewed some crips. A former inmate said they could easily get the drugs they wanted from the officers, which made us look bad in the eyes of the public since they never pay attention to us unless it’s something negative.

Our narcotic incidents have decreased within the last couple of years. 9 times out of 10 it is outside resource persons and dirty staff that have been coarsed who bring it in compared to inmates visitors. Do the best you can do to deter this from happening. 1 person cannot do it alone but can set the example by leadership. IE: Thorough contact searches on all inmates, thorough shakedowns of cells, monitor “certain” staff behavior as well as visitors and outside resource persons. Communication can go very far, learn how to read people’s body language when you communicate with them. Shifty people make me very curious, especially when they come into my “Big House”. We cannot win them all, but we sure as hell can keep on pushing for the finish line.

Here in Georgia we have had more than usual incidents involving prescription meds and Hashes ( pot resin )
As far as amphetamines go we had a good bit coming in by mail. they were dissolving crystal meth in water
then dipping sheets of paper and letting it dry mailing to the inmates. Looking at the paper you could not tell but when inmates crinkled the paper pure meth flaked off or they would just soak the paper in a cup of water and make a heck of a bomb bay.

As some of you know last year I joined a special unit dedicated amongst other things to smuggling interdiction. Last year we captured over $300,000 (Street value)of narcotics. And have had 80 visitors arrested including a lawyer and a drug counsellor. And yet we are only making a dent in the drug flow. Our biggest problem is with Cannabis Resin and prescription meds (Dalmane,Zimovane,Vallium etc). And lately Amphetamines are being found more and more. I was just wondering if you all are having similar problems.