The Prison Stripped Me Of My Privileges Because They Screwed Up

I lost every perk I have except wall phone privileges because of their mistake.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash edited by author

This week the prison where I’m housed sunk to a new low. The prison stripped me of my privileges because they screwed up. I’m well aware I wouldn’t be the first inmate this has happened to, and I’m sure I won’t be the last.

I woke up Tuesday morning, sent Demeter our usual good-morning messages, and then called my adopted Mama. While we were on the phone, COs came to my door and informed me I needed to get off the tablet because my privileges were being suspended. I told Mama to text Demi and let her know, that I had no idea why but I wouldn’t be able to message her until I got this issue straightened out.

When I ended the call, a message popped up on the tablet stating my account was suspended for 30 days.

My first reaction, at least in my mind, was to get angry. I knew I had done nothing wrong and at this point, I was just tired of the bullshit. Between not being able to video chat with Demi for two months, GTL’s bullshit of taking over everything financial in the prison and not having their shit together, and being sick of being an innocent man in prison, to begin with, I will admit, the rage came to the surface.

But I’m also not stupid, and I didn’t want to give the COs or administration a real reason to suspend my tablet account, so I pushed the rage back down and calmly asked what I could do to find out why my account was suspended. The CO said I had to write a request to the unit manager.

Great. The asshole who hates inmates. That would surely get me somewhere fast.

Of all the people who are in charge at this facility, the unit manager seems to despise the inmates more than just about anyone. He’s who has kept programs from being allowed, who negatively changed things, and who pretty much keeps our facility in the dark ages. I didn’t have a lot of hope that he would be helpful, but there is a chain of command in prison and unfortunately, we have to follow it.

So I did as instructed and wrote the request, which for those who are following along at home, isn’t a grievance. I don’t want to file one of…