Interesting or Not?

It is too bad the number of actual months is not included in my total time. As the calendar turned yet another page in 2006, it is now October. This would mark the fourth month I have been in custody. However, in actual time it is “only” a little over 2 ½ months fast approaching three months. My sentence consists of 24 actual months and as the days tick by, I am approaching what will be one of the happiest days of my life which would be my release date. It is a little too early to look this far ahead.

Speaking of my release date, I noticed something interesting on the paperwork I was given by my counselor. He gave me what looks like a note card. On this “Summary of Interview” sheet, it had the interview date, custody level – which is a 1, lowest level security – classification score (this is the number of points), days I have served prior to arriving at the Reception Center (35 days – somehow this was two days shorter than what actually was – oh well), recommended institutions (the firecamps) and my estimated parole release date which is 7/17/08. The interesting part – by the way, I didn’t notice this while I was speaking with the counselor – was on the line of the estimated parole release date line.

A little background – when an inmate receives a sentence from a judge to the Ca State Prison System, this sentence can have several options on the percentage of time actually served. As of now, there are four options: 50% of the total sentence, 80% of the total sentence, 85% of the total sentence or a life sentence. The interesting part on this form was there wasn’t a line item for the 50% - it was changed to 33%. This is interesting because on earlier forms, the 50% was there but has now been changed to 33%. This may have been part of the proposed legislation which did not pass the state house last month. However, why would the prison system spend money to change forms which are not applicable? Something must be happening or someone knows something to decrease the overcrowding and by reducing some sentences to 33% will allow some prisoners to go home early. This would save me 8 months on my sentence (if I am included in this and this is a BIG if). Instead of being released in July 2008, I could get out by November or December of 2007! All of this maybe moot, if the sentences aren’t reduced or I am not eligible. If I do get into a firecamp, I am eligible for the 33% of the sentencing time. It does look like things are shaping up, but if for some reason none of these things happen, everything will be fine. No matter when I get released, I will be with my family again.

The other day while I was working in the kitchen, one of the inmates came up to me and told me I have such a good spirit. He also said I am always consistently positive. I try to maintain that attitude especially in the kitchen with the other inmates. On the flipside, I had a different inmate come up to me in the dorm and told me I always seem so down when I come back from the kitchen. This maybe true because as I walk through the dorm after returning from the kitchen, I am focused on getting changed and beginning my exercises. It is very interesting to notice the two different perceptions of me in the same day, no less than two hours apart. Perception is certainly in the eyes of the beholder, but I may have two different moods during the day. Nevertheless, I need to understand the source of these two comments first. One comment came from a very positive inmate and the other from a negative inmate. Can you guess which one was which? Yes, that is right, the positive one came from the positive inmate and the negative from the negative one. Apparently, attitude has an effect on perception and even in a place like this; I prefer to have a positive attitude.

Today I was speaking to someone who is more a fish out of water than I am. This poor man has been living with his case since the year 2000. He was finally sentenced in June of this year for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. He received a sentence of three years and he will serve 18 months. Of course, there are two sides to every story and I only heard his side. But if what I heard if true, this man shouldn’t be here. He seemed to be working at the wrong place at the wrong time. Also, he failed to act on the initial offer which was probation and he would just have to serve 30 days in the county jail. The reason he didn’t act upon this was because he thought his innocence would prevail. By the time he was advised to take the offer, it had been taken off the table. This was replaced with an offer of 12 years in state prison. His attorney finally negotiated the three year offer of which he had no choice but to take.

This is intriguing because the person responsible for the mail fraud also received a sentence of three years and he was charged with MAIL FRAUD, not conspiracy to commit. The man responsible for this had a restitution amount of $1.5 million. Whereas, this poor man was fined $10,000 but has to serve the same sentence. I certainly can’t figure that out. As I spoke with this very docile, reserved, and soft-spoken man, my heart went out to him. He has two young sons under the age of six. Fortunately, he is moving on and has only been here for one month. I hope he makes it because he is so sad.

What I did was wrong and my consequence is spending the next few years in a place like this. I choose my attitude everyday and each day it is positive. However, I cannot imagine how hard it would be to know I truly didn’t belong here. This would accurately be a challenge and a true test of faith. I do have faith and I know everything is working out for the best in spite of the circumstances.

Early this morning, I was awakened from a very deep sleep which is quite unusual. I was sound asleep when the wake up tap came and it took a few more taps to wake me from the bunk. It would be great to report that I was in this deep sleep all night long, but it wouldn’t be true. The evening was very cold and I had a hard time getting warm and falling asleep. Of course, when I did, it was time to get up for work. The kitchen this morning was a little different because the regular oven crew has moved on. This marks the second change over in the last four weeks.

The first changeover happened when the inmates who trained me were transferred. Now the second changeover is the oven crew who have been transferred (this is the crew that I trained). These inmates have arrived after me and are leaving before me. It is a little depressing because now I have to train new inmates all over again. This really is not difficult but it is something I was hoping to avoid. Moreover, it is as if everyone has moved on, yet I am staying behind. At least I still have the “normal inmate” who is still here. Hopefully, both of us will be transferring at the same time which might be next week. Without him in the kitchen, I wouldn’t have anyone to share silly stories with. Again, no matter what happens in the next few weeks, the days are moving along and I am one day closer to my family.