A Day In The Life...

As I sat conversing the other day with someone from the state of Maryland who unfortunately must serve time here in Virginia, she told me something which made me even more angry with the treatment of us offenders in Virginia. This is about the clothing we are provided upon our arrival here at this facility versus what they are provided with in the state of Maryland. So, I'll begin with us here at FCCW. When we come into the facility we are given three short sleeved shirts; three long sleeved shirts; three pairs of pants; three pairs of panties; three bras; three pairs of socks; two towels; two washcloths; a coat, and a pair of shoes. Maybe. But here lately they haven't even been able to supply that. They actually came around recently practically begging us for any old clothing we could give them for the new intakes! Are you serious? Maryland. In the state of Maryland new intakes are provided with all of those same items listed above, but also a hat, two thermals, two sweatshirts, as well as a pair of boots. Here, you must purchase those items, but if you are employed in a certain jobs, you may receive a pair of state boots. Maryland vs. Virginia

To purchase a postage stamp at fifty-five cents and be unable to receive mail from the outside on Saturdays is absurd! Many of us don't even make enough money per hour to purchase a stamp! So, if I save the pennies from my slave wages and purchase a stamp to write my family and they write me back a letter that arrives on a Saturday, that's just too bad for me I suppose. For us prisoners, even though we can now receive emails through our kiosk, mail call is something we look forward to. I know that I still do even after having served fourteen years. So, on Friday evenings, for some of us it seems like there's nothing else to look forward to until Monday evening. If the mail runs on Saturdays on the outside, why not on the inside just as well? Does the outside world know that they're breaking federal laws on the inside?