A man from the census approached a blacksmith at his shop. After giving him the pertinent information, the census taker saw a young man across the street in the city park sleeping underneath a tree. The census taker asked the blacksmith if he knew who the young man was? The blacksmith replied: Brothers and sisters have I none, but that man’s father is my father son. Who is the young man under the tree?

A for effort, yet a C- at best for the answers.

Hey, I tried. I guess this proves that I close on some, And I know things that are fowl.

The answers I was looking for are…..

1. The engineer must be intoxicated
2. Lil Johnny is gonna need more TP
3. 24.6 mph adjusted for wind resistance of course, very good on this one.

1: = On bouncing back in forth and instant speed adjustment it could be around 8:51 pm
2: = 1/2 a roll, because the other inmates would have taken the rest.
3 = Duh… the average speed of a swallow is 1/4 the speed of a spit. If you’re talking about the bird then, a swallow flight speeds during long migratory flights are between 17 to 22 mph, with a top speed of about 35 mph. AvianWeb estimates average cruising speed at 24.6 mph.

1. I also have a factor of time zones and day light savings time to consider. Is the train heading east, west or maybe in a circle? Then there’s the breaking system being use is it air breaks, electro pneumatic, electromagnetic or a electrodynamics systems. Also what is grade of the track and weight of train? These are a few of the calculatation just in stopping the train that adds time and there’s two of these in your question them we have to figure out what HP is being used along with weight of train to get a idea of how long it will take to get the train up to the speeds mentioned. You see, this is why my head hurts…

If a train leaves the station at 3:47 am on a tuesday and travels at 70 mph for 82.4 miles then slows down to 48 mph for the next 12.3 miles, then reverses for 2.1 miles at a speed of 50.7 mph before going forward again at 88.6 mph what time should this train arive at its destination that is 1473 miles from the original starting point?

If Lil Johnny inmate has two rolls of state TP with 2000 squares per roll, how much of said TP will Lil Johnny use after insititutional chilli night?

Also, what is the adverage flying velocity of a swallow?

• This has got my head spinning, TWO mentions, not one but TWO, about me giving good advice. I think this is proof, that I do know everything; Wow my head hurts form being so big. Anyways as for that mention about “those who think they know it all are only at the beginning.” I’ll give you all a little hint start from the end and go backwards to the beginning, it’s a little crazy at first but when you get to where you do know everything (like me), it’s worth it…;).

Thanks for the words irish.

I agree, learning is never done. I’ve heard it said, “those who think they know it all are only at the beginning.”

Thanks for the accolades, I do my best to speak the truth the best as I’ve been lucky or sometimes unlucky enough to have seen it. I tend to offend the status quo at times, but better offended and safe compared to clueless and injured. Lots of good advice floats around here, other than my ramblings. Mick, Shakey, Commander, Jamestown, Squeeze, and several others serve up good doses of knowledge. Most of the long time vets will tell you “the learning is never done.” so soak up all you can.

Be fair and firm, know when to show empathy and when to stick to the book. Most of all never forget the big one. People are reasonable creatures who understand compassion, forgiveness and love, predators only understand force. For if the sheepdog isn’t strong, the wolf won’t stay at bay.

Sure have, as well as reading books, and from personal experience. Myself, I could never be a cop. My cousin, who is FBI, told me Corrections sounds like a good choice for me. Has told me he has worked with CO’s before on cases. Sheepdogs…good analogy. A buddy of mine told me about the sheepdog theory. Cops have to go searching for these wolves, who are actually protected by many invisible barriers in a lot of cases. They can see a bad guy, know he is a bad guy, and yet do nothing. In Corrections, the sheepdogs work with the wolves daily in an enclosed environment, and the wolves always try to outsmart the sheepdogs.

I’ve enjoyed reading many of the posts, because, unlike the books I have seen, the posts come from personal experience of those who have been on the job, working up close and personal with the prisoners.

Thanks again, Squeeze.

Sounds like you have been reading many of the posts in this forum, good. Take the advice of many in this and other forums to heart. Read what the likes of Irish Assasin says, he says it “no bones” language, right to the ugly truth. Shakey Jake and the others. This career field isn’t for the faint of heart, I know many Police Officers who won’t work in the jail or prison, but will work on the streets. Not that they don’t have a difficult job but because you have to be a little “off” to work with such a concentration of Bad and Evil. Remember we are the sheepdogs,(David Grossman MJ Retired.Sheep, wolves and sheepdogs) accept the role and accept the responsability. Good luck keep us posted.

“Legislators.” Ha, I feel they live in another world. For now we’ll have to focus on what is before us. And honestly, I do not feel the American people would ever accept an island, as good of an idea as it may be. Society is so soft today. The media would drown the public with sad stories to catch them by their heart strings. We would see “anti-island” protests. They feel sorry for the bad guys. Ever hear of people who go to learn self-defense, and then when they are shown and told what to do, cry out, “I could never do that to anyone! I want to learn how to control without hurting!” It is like lawmakers…they think they know how to deal with bad guys, but little do they know, the very bad guys they are being soft on would not be soft at them or their families.

But back to the original topic, the idea I have now, if I do pursue a career in corrections, is:

1. Never trust a prisoner. Whatever they may say it is for their own advantage. But gain the trust of inmates so they know you keep your word. Good or bad.
2. Be fair but firm. Never mistreat or insult, but if they get hostile deal with it before the fire grows. Put it out quick.
3. Take nothing personal. Keep a focused mind, on the job. Inside the gates it is work.
4. Watch the CO’s with experience and follow their lead. If you don’t know, ask.
5. Take every threat heard as serious. The wolf will one day come, no matter how many lies the boy cries.
6. What happens in the prison, stays in the prison. Keep the job at the job. What happens at home, stays at home.

Communication, with fellow workers, and the inmates, seems to be the most important skill to learn, though.
Any corrections to my thoughts in this area? Anything important to add?

Btw, I do agree, there are too many success stories to excuse people. Everyone boasts of a free-will, until they are called to account for their choices.

Thanks. Appreciate it.

I can see we are on the same playbook. The issue then becomes how do we get legislatures then courts to agree with us. The courts seem to be going the opposite way when it comes to restoring felon’s rights to vote. I don’t think there is any way to change the behavior patterns of people who are sociopaths so I truely believe those must be permenantly seperated from society ( far away Island). Let them live the anarchist life they seem to prefer. A predator ROV patrolling around the island to prevent any escape or rescue attempt, has to be cheaper than all the prisons. Let them fend for themselves instead of preying on the public. Those we can salvage we give them 1 opportunity to change their behavior. Background/family history is no excuse either. Too many people from the same crappy background find a way to be productive citizens despiute the history. I tell inmnates sall the time the toughest people I know are the ones out here working 2 jobs to support their families , not commiting crimes against others and taking care of their business. Obviously access and equal opportunity are essential but there are so many examples of success stories of underprivelaged people making it big in life so I reject the notion there isn’t access to opportunities regardless of race color creed etc… I have to think some more on this, how to convince the legislators and courts to change to a whole new paradigm in corrections?

“We need to think outside the box.” Well said, and I like to do the same. I have found that many of the people who base things off of statistics and data, have no first hand experience. I’ve had a couple friends, who, for whatever reason, could never stay out of trouble. One was locked back up recently, and I basically had to tell him, “you’re on your own.” Can’t help those who have no desire to help themselves. When he came out of prison the first time, he had the “prisoners mentality.” Kept talking about all he heard. I told him, “if those guys were so smart, they wouldn’t be in prison.” He got worse, rather than better, IMO. The other, after his first sentence (he was a neighbor I knew growing up), moved out of the town and is now married and has a family. He had got caught up with dope, and got busted. The one who went back came from a broken family, and his father, whom he saw little of because he was locked up most of the time, really wan’t in his life. Yet he followed his fathers path, The other, who is now successful, had a good family. His downfall came from hanging with the wrong crowd. Environment, IMO, is the biggest difference maker in the majority of cases.

What do we do with career criminals? Who have no hopes of getting better, but must be released back into society? IMO these are the ones who need castrated and barred from having children. Habitual offenders should also be monitored more. Keep them contained, and restrict their freedoms more. But that would take time and money we do not have. Morality is out the door in America. Perhaps a far away island isn;t a bad idea. Many do not deserve to live in a free society. They despise authority, and reject laws. They blame others for the way they are, and have mental illness’. Implant a tracking device and keep them regulated in a specific area?

I do think prison needs to become more strict, and fearful. Punching bags (I have seen some prisons have them)and weights strengthen them, and they need to be weaker. They gave up their rights when they decided to break the law and become menaces to society. As of now, no deterrence is effective for the majority of career criminals. They view prison, IMO, as an education, a place to learn more on crime. I can find no sympathy for those who kill and hurt others, then demand they not be treated “cruel and unusually.” I read the recent case of a man who raped and killed a pregnant woman, and now his family is suing because he suffered during his death. What non-sense. He may have been sorry by the time he died, but he caused an entire family years of misery due to his crime. Imagine the horror of the pregnant victim as he raped and then stabbed her to death. I think, if any case is clear and evident beyond a reasonable doubt, and has DNA evidence, they should be took out and shot to death after their sentence. Punish them while they know what they did; most seem sorry they got caught. Make the deaths public, so bad guys can see their fate. For violent offenders, make a three strike law, and count attempted murder (the killing of an innocent, for no reason at all) the same as murder. Life sentence or death.

Great, now we can have a good conversation.I will try to address as many issues as I can. These opinions are strictly what I have experienced and not always based on empirical data. I don’t really trust data, it doesn’t deal with the individual. As far as inherited crimnality, I am convinced that some people are just wired differently. I have had too many experiences with inmates that I know the families they came from,even a relative. This one in particular had wonderful parents, not enabling, not too excessive in the dicipline, not too controlling but controlling enough and the kid was just bad from the moment he exited the womb. I closely followed him untill his 20’s and the kid did whatever he wanted regardless of any positive influences or treatments. He ended up in the penn bec ause he too what he wanted and hurt people. He is not the only example of just people who had a normal life as we would think is good. Enviornment is certainly a huge influene yes! Recent murderer in Omaha involved a parolee who’s family and extended family have over the coarse of 3 generations has committed 600 felonies. I knew his grandfather in the early 80’s at the penn. This kid was paroled and murdered 4 possibly 5 people for the fun of it as he said he would before he was parolled. Yet again there are members of his family who haven’t committed any crimes. I agree with you on ther minor possesion of drugs. I’m noty sure what the answer is on that problem. BUt legalizing “soft drugs” isn’t the answer either. I don’t believe that inmates have too many rights, just that we need too suspend some of them while they are wards of the state. Incarceration again is the punishment. I am convinced that like alchohol there will always be a drug problem. We as a society have to find a different path to deal with the problem. I don’t believe there is an answer for everyone. Maybe we should look at the goals of what is realistic for our society to expect we can accept as an answer. As you stated incarceration is not a deterence for those who are in the culture of crime. I now this sounds archaic and weird but maybe the whole idea of some far away island for those who are habitual may not be son unacceptable. We need to think outside the box. But how do we get the government to accept that idea and then implement it. Think of the legal battles. Do we sentence them to survival of the fittest.

Your thoughts?

Keep your head up and your eyes and mind open.

Thanks for the reply Squeeze. Okay, when I said the current model is a failure, I guess I was not clear in my intention. According to the first Corrections class I had, we were taught the original “model” was to be both to punish and reform. By reform, I mean to keep them from coming back. Recidivism seems very very common today. That is part of the problem, IMO, with the overpopulation, not to mention the ridiculous laws that send people there that don’t belong (like a working American that gets caught with a bag of weed; he may need counseling, but prison does not solve drug problems.) Thing is, though, I do not blame the DOC for the problems. I watch videos of prisons and inmates and IMO they have WAY TOO MANY rights today. Weights and punching bags should be eliminated. I’ve seen former cons bragging about “going to the joint” and they think it is a cakewalk. The deterrence factor is all but missing today. In older says the numbers were way down.

Why do I think having the highest population a bad thing? Well, IMO, it is more of a reflection on our failures in society. The root of the problem, I believe, starts in families, often broken families. Single mother homes seem to have the least success, if the statistics I have read are correct. Next, it is the environment that produces criminals, from neighborhoods, to school districts, to peer pressure. I think it is too late to turn this society around, honestly. It will get worse before it gets better. The reigns of so-called freedom have been cut loose and there is no longer a moral restraint in society.

Those are a few of my own perspectives on it. I agree with you not to take an instructors word as gospel. Mine happened to be a former warden, in that class. One suggestion I made, that all of my class except for the Professor opposed, was that career criminals and violent offenders and rapists be castrated to be denied breeding future criminals. I based this off of the fact I believe crime is hereditary, as well as environmental. In the right environment, one can be successful regardless of genetics, but put them in the wrong “area” the bad seed will grow out. I’ve heard it said, “temperament is 80% hereditary, 20% environmental; genetics loads the gun, environment pulls the trigger.”

I’ll be 56 and have to go 4 years with out medical coverage because purchased time from the Military only counts for retirement time only, not med coverage. Doesn’t matter I’ll go to the VA unless Obama care is better. 60 days, glad you could hang in here for so long don’t drop off the forum and maybe we’ll cross paths someday and laugh about this crap while on the boat.

Hey Shakeyjake, I can retire in about 60days. If I don’t please call me an idiot to remind me. I’m still under 60 which also represents my IQ if I don’t. I love my job, I think?

Let me begin by warning you a bit on your premise that the current model of corrections is a failure. By what measure do you think success would be in corrections and why do you think that having the highest prison population is a bad thing? Would you rather more of these incarcerated criminals on the streets? Is it the responsibility of society to rehabilitate the inmates more than the current programs that corrections currently provides? Can we as a society really rehabilitate an individual or is it the individuals responsibility? Then examine what you as an outsider(at this time) think the problems in the system are from your perspective and not the perspective of your instructor. Remember to investigate what actual experience the instructor has in the field. I don’t intent to offend the instructor but ask you to think for yourself and not just take what ANY instructor’s opinion is as GOSPEL. Don;‘t be afraid to challenge the instructor’s position but go forward informed and with a rebuttal.

I’ll pass on this one and let some else give the good advice; I’m all out at the moment. I’ve gotten the point of chanting my new mantra “6 yrs and out, 6 yrs and out”. I just hope the state don’t scew that up and make me work here any longer.

Hello everyone, I’m currently a Junior in college going for my Bachelor of Science degree(late start, I must add) and have chosen Corrections as my specialty. Figured I would come here and see what I can learn, as first hand knowledge from those with experience is often more valuable in real time than what can be learned in a book.

From what I have learned so far, the original “reformed” model of prisons has failed in America, and we have the highest prison population in the world. Recidivism seems to occur at a high rate.

So, if I have a first question (and I have yet to work in Corrections) it would have to be: What is the best approach to take when entering this field, and what are the major problems in the system today, as correctional officers, that would best prepare me for this field?

Thank you.