I only have this page because this is what I did for a living. I worked for Corrections Corporation of America as a C/O Corrections Officer. I worked there for almost years and it was the only job I have ever had that I liked as much. This job is not for the weak hearted. If you are the type of person that feels sorry for puppies that need a home and end up taking one or all of them then this aint the career for you.
Just a few of my thoughts about Inmates. Inmates are in prison for a reason. I have met quite a few people that have started relationships with inmates while they were incarcerated. I tend to think this is a bad idea. Not because I have it in for inmates but because inmates are not the same person inside that they are on the outside. When they are outside the confinement and supervision of a prison they are able to make mistakes that they could not make while inside. everyone is a nice guy while inside, especially when they want something from you. I have met many inmates that have a bad attitude at all times but for the most part they are plenty easy to get along with. Inmates (Some, not all but you can never know which one do it till you've been burned) meet women from the outside and use them for many things. Companionship through letters is the most common but money is the second most popular. I wont categorize these women but I will say they really are looking in the wrong place for Mr. Right.
Women that have a man inside that have been with him since before he went in, I'm not really speaking about you. You know what he was like on the outside. I am speaking more to the women that start a relationship with a man while they are inside, they are blinded by their feelings. Inmates are some of the most endearing people you will ever meet. They are like kids. when they want something they can be just as nice and friendly as anyone you've ever met. I have never seen the level of manipulation like I've seen in Prison. Bottom line is you can never know who is on the make and who isn't. The likelihood of someone in prison being on the make is a whole lot better than someone on the outside.
I also believe many inmates are sincere in their intentions about straitening their lives out. Have you ever been so down and out you felt like you would do anything to make things right, like you've just given up all hope? That's kind of how they get. there is no place to look but up. Its like coming to terms with a drug addiction in a drug treatment program. While your in it you fully intend to get right but once your out on the streets again your faced with many decisions that can lead you down the wrong path. I know we can all make bad decisions but Inmates have already shown what kind of decisions they make and now they are paying for it. yes I know there are a few people that are in for a one time mistake or bad judgment call but those people are few and far between. The biggest majority of people in prison were living a lifestyle that got them there in the first place. This is the same problems they are going to face when they get out. This is why I tell those women to just offer moral support and don't get your heart involved. wait till he gets out and see how he handles being outside. If you are expecting him to be a changed man, the odds are not good enough to gamble with your heart and your life. By life I mean the time you spend waiting on him getting out. I know one woman that is involved with a guy that is in for Life with no possibility of parole. She is true to him and has no other relationships outside the one with him. If that's not a waste of your life, I don't know what is. She is wasting her life with someone she will never be with outside prison walls. I can understand having friendships but not a monogamous relationship.
This has all pretty much been ramblings since I'm not much of a writer but these are my informed opinions.
Some good reading for this subject is a book called
The Art of the Con: Avoiding Offender Manipulation.
Support forums for people with loved ones inside
http://prisonerfamilychat.com/
