Visiting Prison

Prison. I go there about once a month to visit.

Some of you know that, and some of you have asked, "What's that like?" Since today was a visit day and a blog day, I took a few photos and tried to deliberately think through the experience so I could share it with you.

Pulling into the long drive, there are trees, and lots of grass. From this distance you can barely see the barbed wire. We could be driving up to any institution.

Then, just like anywhere, we park some distance away from the doors. Something that strikes me every time I get out of the car is Old Glory waving up there...the symbol of freedom in this country, flying high, right outside the doors. Outside.

Walk a little closer, and you see two things off to the left. The high fence with razor wire at the top, and a Little Free Library. Children visit their daddies, and grand-dads and brothers here, and this blue and white piece of the outside provides books to read during their visit.

This is the end of the line for the pictures. I suppose I could take photos of where I take a number and walk through the metal detector...but once inside, everything goes into a locker except my ID and a money card we use to purchase snacks and coffee during the visit. No phones, no paper, no food or drink, no knitting...

So, we show our IDs, get a fluorescent stamp on one hand, and remember to declare my hip replacement. Once we have a visitor slip, off we go to the metal detector. Sweetie sometimes has to remove his belt or shoes, if they have metal on them. I try not to wear any metal, but it does not matter. Titanium hip, baby. After I set off all the beeps, I step around to be "wanded" by the guard, who pays special attention to that left hip. (Once or twice I've gotten a "pat down gently with the back of my hand," but it does not typically come to that.) 

Next, after being buzzed through two secure doors, we walk across a sizeable courtyard to another building. The room is good-sized and brightly lit, with hard floors and large windows on two sides. There are a few picnic tables outside. Inside is a collection of small, clear plastic tables (about 2' high, and 2' square); hard, white, plastic lawn chairs; and vending machines. It is not what I would call a comfortable room, and today it was not air conditioned. Bummer.

Still, this is not small, private or dark, like you might see in a movie. Inmates are not shackled. It is an open room, and several inmates and visitors move about and sit to visit. We know the procedure, show ID and hand stamp to the guard, and once assigned to a table, wait. It can take 20 or 30 minutes for our inmate to appear.

At the beginning and end of the visits, inmates are allowed to hug visitors. He almost always says, "I wish I could bottle hugs!" For the rest of the visit, we sit across the tiny, clear table and talk. We never talk about why we are here. So far, he has not wanted to talk about that, and we have respected his wishes. He holds all the cards on that conversation. We hold the money card, and I get him a soda and a sandwich. 

Today we talk about books that he has read, politics, the weather, food, family, trucks and Ravelry. Yeah, something is happening in my knitting-verse that has made it onto talk radio and into prison conversation. While I shared with him what I know (which is not very much), he looked at me in astonishment, and said something like, "Really?!? I thought it was all made up...like a joke or something!" No, no. Real. Knitters can be pretty controversial. Look up...nevermind. Family blog. Suffice it to say that even knitting can get ugly.

To leave, we reverse the process: show the ID and the hand stamp, walk through the courtyard to a third building to show the ID, walk back to the main building to show the ID and the hand stamp, collect our things from the locker, and step outside into freedom once again. It is good to be free. 

So, that is basically what a prison visit looks like for us. Is it what you saw in your mind's eye? It really never looks like what I once thought it would...but after 3 years of visits, I am getting used to it. 

Still have questions? Drop a comment. I will answer what I can, but remember that my experience is limited. 

Have any of you been on a prison visit? If yes, I would be interested to hear what you thought of the whole thing. 

Now, friends, I have been away from my knitting all day! So thanks for stopping by, and may you all Knit in Good Health!