Ask a Correctional Officer anything

454 Questions

Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Have you ever had to kill someone?

Asked by ;jfalds about 5 years ago

The only person in the Department that HAS to kill someone is the executioner at San Quentin. For all the rest of us it is merely a perq of the job.

511 Votes

I have a guy that owes me money and isn't paying me back. He's locked-up in county jail. Do the guards read hid letters and if so what can I put in a letter to him that will make his life miserable while he's locked-up? He's in for DUI.

Asked by OwedByConvict almost 6 years ago

He is probably already pretty miserable. If you can PROVE he owes you money you can file a small claims action against him and when / if you get a judgement you can attach his canteen account, meaning he won't be able to buy any goodies at the canteen until he pays you. That's the only thing I can thing of that would do the job and is also legal. Most other stuff could get you in as much or more trouble than he would be in. The staff CAN read incoming mail except legal mail, but they seldom do. Takes too much time and not enough staff to do it.

510 Votes

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As of recent has there been anyone who's dug a tunnel out of a prison?

Asked by Andy about 6 years ago

Not that I know of, but it does happen from time to time.

509 Votes

One more if you don’t mind. So could you usually talk people out? How would you do that? Thanks for answering!

Asked by Reed over 5 years ago

Verbal deescalation is not something I have been trained in, but I developed some skill at it along the way. In this particular environment it mostly consisted of explaining the obvious, that the inmate was NOT going to win a test of force and that if things got physical they would end up in the hole and with administrative charges against them, possibly criminal charges as well. The problem is the inmate often WANTED to go to the hole or would rather "face the music" rather than face his homies if he didn't go thru with being a dick. It was actually common for inmates to manufacture a light-weight situation just to get locked up.

508 Votes

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Do you think Jeffery Epstein killed himself?

Asked by Karmen over 5 years ago

i think it is more likely that he killed himself than all of the pieces fell together to allow somebody to kill him. remember, graveyard shift staff do NOT have keys so a LOT more people would have to be involved in a conspiracy to let somebody get into his cell.

506 Votes

Have you ever worked in the alternative lifestyle area of the prison? If so what was it like?

Asked by Tyler over 5 years ago

there were not a lot of overt homosexuals in GP while I was working. remember, i have been out fifteen years. they were a significant management problem then. must be much worse now. they are still trying to figure out who is "male" and who is "female" and what the criteria is and who goes where.

503 Votes

Was there anyone you did not like?

Asked by Hu? almost 6 years ago

There are a great many people in the world I do not like. Since it is illegal to shoot them for being unlikable I just have to avoid them as much as I can.

500 Votes