I retired in '13, so I missed the covid era. I have no idea how that was handled here. Usually, when a lockdown occurs it is reported on the local TV news.
Most of the inmates in my facility were from New York City. That city harbors lots of street gangs. Their members commit crimes and go to prison. Other large cities produce gangs - Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany, to name a few.
In the New York prison system, they were officially referred to as "unauthorized organizations." We had Bloods and Crips, although the Crips were dormant for many years. There were Latin Kings and Nietas. I remember Odinists. The Aryan Brotherhood is also active in our facility. They were not the dominant gang. Before I retired, we were beginning to get some MS-13. The Nation of Islam was an interesting group. They were an authorized religious organization. They reminded me of NATO in one way; they didn't start trouble, but an attack against one was considered an attack against all.
I started my career teaching in a classroom like the other dozen teachers. After a few years, I was assigned to create a "cell study program." The state was trying to fend off a lawsuit by PC advocates claiming that PC inmates were denied programming. In the end, my program included long-term keep-lock and "the box." I found myself wandering all over the facility.
Damian, I understand your experience with officers. Officially, I was considered a non-uniformed employee. To many guards, I was considered a filthy civilian. I had to work closely with block officers in the conduct of my program. At first, I was not popular since my program increased their workload. I was ultimately able to earn the respect and cooperation of most officers as I won their confidence. I earned the respect of the inmates as well.
Certain officers treated me abusively. I had a couple of direct confrontations. In each case, the officer backed down. I have no doubt those same officers were abusive to inmates who were not in a position to confront them. One was ultimately fired when he struck a sergeant.
I had some interesting experiences while traveling from cell block to cell block. I was once caught in the middle of a brawl on an upper gallery. A large inmate said, "Just stay back, Estwald, we're not after you." I emerged unharmed.
Long-term keep-locks were held in the upper two galleries of one block. The lower galleries were general population. When I opened the large steel door and entered that block I never knew what I would find. Some days there was chaos. There would be a brawl taking place on the flats, or someone had been stabbed.
Once, when I approached one student's cell he was slowly slicing his wrist with a sharpened can lid. When he saw me, he calmly wrapped the lid in a cloth and retrieved his books and papers. We went through his lesson for the day. When I was finished he retrieved the lid and continued slicing.
As I was leaving I said, "You know I'm going to have to report that when I get downstairs."
"I know," he said. He was ultimately prevented from serious harm.
During my last ten years or so, I taught a class in an isolated psychiatric unit within the facility.
Our PC unit was more lenient than yours. Inmates were allowed a generous supply of books and magazines. The commissary sold small portable TVs. PC residents were allowed to keep theirs in their cells if they had one. Nevertheless, most tried to avoid PC. To be admitted to PC you had to name your enemy. Therefore, anyone who had been in PC was considered a snitch. There was also involuntary PC. As the name implies, inmates were placed there involuntarily by the administration. I have no idea what they considered grounds for involuntary placement.
It is difficult for people who have not been inside to truly understand some of the things that go on.
I hope I haven't bored you with my rambling stories.
