Daniel Gwynn Blog Update
Date: 6/11/12

Prison Life
The Basics

Every morning at 6:15am, I'm jarred out of a sound sleep by the clanking of a very loud bell, followed by an annoying call over the block speaker for count ("Count time! Count time! Be on your door with your lights on!"). If you're caught down for count too many times you could end up in the "hole."

A yard list is taken for the day, as count is conducted. You can sign up a partner or go single. After count, the breakfast trays are delivered by the population kitchen workers then distributed by the C.O.'s (Corrections Officers) to the prisoners door to door. When we're done eating, the C.O.'s collect the trays and any laundry if it's the designated day.

At 7:15am, yard is orchestrated-- each prisoner is handcuffed then escorted to the yard up to capacity. The remainder of the prisoners on the list will get second yard which starts at 11:15am. Yard activity is allotted 2hrs Mon-Fri. Board games, cards, Dominoes, Soccer & Basketballs are provided (there's no b-ball court). We're placed in a 10x20' (approx.) individual cage with or without a partner.

A law library sign-up sheet is scheduled the night before the list becomes active. We're allotted 2hrs with or without a partner in adjoining cages. A computer (w/ limited access) & typewriter are provided in each cage. An inmate librarian is assigned to provide assistance in retrieving any law book we may need from the shelf.

Other than the library & yard, we pretty much stay in our cells 24/7, unless we have one of the limited block jobs available. We are permitted to purchase a TV, Radio, Books, Magazines, and Arts & Craft approved items to help occupy our time. There's not really much to do, but your time is what you make of it.

Showers are Monday, Wednesday & Friday. The stalls are no bigger than a phone booth from the 80's. Depending on the order of the day, you could end up showering after 30 other prisoners (it gets pretty funky). We're handcuffed then escorted to the stalls for a 15 minute shower.

We're issued a bed roll, blanket, 3 pairs of underwear & socks (once a year), 1 pair boots, 3 orange jumpsuits, 2 towels, 1 wash cloth, 2 mesh laundry bags, 1 pair canvas slides, 1 bard soap, tooth brush & paste, and toilet paper. We're provided a Commissary list for capital cases, so we can purchase any approved items we can afford.

Mail is delivered Monday - Friday. After it is checked for contraband, it's sorted then distributed by a C.O.

Well, that's about as much of the basics as I can give you. I'll begin to convey my experiences next time. Until then.