Post by The Convicted on Nov 26, 2019 0:00:38 GMT -5
COMTREA Comprehensive Health Center At the Valley
4300 Gravois Rd, House Springs, MO 63051
The Scene opens up as Aaron Ortiz "Homie" sits in a circle surrounded by a group of troubled youths, they appear to be from the ages of 13 to 17 and seem to be annoyed to be there. "Homie" sits there with his XHF Global Tag team championship around his waist. a pretty older woman sits next too him wearing a counselors name tag. She orders the kids to calm down and be quiet as "Homie" begins to tell his story to them. As he tries to give these troubled youths the real picture of what their futures could look like.
"Homie" Aaron Ortiz
Ok, when I was in prison, my freedom as I knew it was gone, and in its place were RULES & REGULATIONS that I believed, in the beginning, was to keep us inmates so confused we couldn't screw up if we tried.
CHECKING IN...
I decided after about 5 times being reprimanded that I would check in at the office, no matter where I went, whether I had signed out or went to chow... the CO's thought this was funny, but I said I would rather look dumb then sorry.
WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT WEAR...
I was told I could not wear my nightclothes under my grey's, most places in the prison were freezing so I wore mine just to stay warm... I didn't and still don't understand that rule, no one sees them, so why should it matter... a matter of principle they say... because those are the rules they say... okay but why did someone make up that stupid rule in the first place... Eventually, I stopped wearing my nightclothes during the day and just doubled upon layers of clothing.
NO SLIPPERS or SHOWER SHOES IN THE DAY ROOM...
All-day long we are allowed to roam the unit in sweats, shorts & slippers or shower shoes, but to go into the dayroom (which is a part of where we walk) between the sleeping quarters and the bathrooms - you can't wear shower shoes or slippers, you must wear the regulation uniform shoes: skippies (sneakers with no laces) or the cheap prison-style combat boots they give us.
ID TAGS & DOG TAGS INFO...
We are to wear our ID tags everywhere on the grounds, except in your cubicle, or in that bathroom... Now one day, I was taking a shower and the CO came in... wanted to see everyone's badges, I am naked in the shower - where would I attach one? Anyway, I showed him my dog tags that have the exact same info as a name tag, only we cannot take it off (like a dog collar) I got an informal ticket that day... More about Tickets Laters.
WHERE I LIVE & SLEEP...
I stayed in a Housing Unit, close to a 100 people on the overpopulated week, I don't have a 6x8 cell of my own with privacy - All I am allowed is my bunk & the one storage unit below it. So when they call lockdown, it's every few hours where we are only allowed in our area (for me that means my bed - not a chair next to my bed - but just my bed)... I didn't have my own private toilet & sink, with a desk and chair to read or write letters on (I mean did have that when I 1st came to prison, but then they felt I could live amongst the other inmates in a less formal manner), give me that 6x8 cell any day.
So I would return to my bunk, a mattress that I am almost sure is filled with sand, very uncomfortable... So I am forced to use this time as NAP TIME (When we were in school, NAP TIME meant cookies and milk), but not in prison it simply means time to sit and think about how bored you are and how much you screwed up.
PRIVACY...
I miss the privacy of a cell (room with a bunk bed for 2 inmates), a toilet, sink and sometimes even their own private shower... I wish I could say that being home is better than being in jail, but I don't really feel that way - sure I miss my privacy, but being out hasn't been NO PICNIC... I had my own room, where I should have been able to have privacy in - just by closing the door and locking it... but "The Warden" is so controlling just as he was with us in prison, he unlocks the door with a hex-key, and walks right in, no matter even if I am changing... I hear the click... I cover up and hope he will leave me alone...even though I'm out of prison now It's still jail... and right now I have no way to get out on my own... I am fighting for my freedom but as "The Warden" would tell you "FREEDOM HAS A PRICE". He controls everything just like when we were in prison, I'm unable to work the way I want, have my own car, no driver's license and no money... sounds pretty much like a prison to me - except in prison I had people to talk to, play spades with... I wasn't all alone... with stupid crack ideas running through my head... Yeah, I have my brother "Chronic" but he's in the same situation as me.
CRACK...
Decided in prison I wouldn't do it anymore, that I would leave that life alone, but when I got home I have been thinking about that life again... and thankfully for me I didn't really like it or want it, but at the same time I could create my empire again and be done with "The Warden"... 50 dollars in the hands of a crack head and a 357 and well... not that getting rid of "The Warden" is a good excuse to waste money, and probably better I do as he says for now... because I will get over my anger and well if not I can use it to help me defend these Global tag team championships with "Chronic"... So I haven't used any drugs since I have been back out on the streets, just thinking about how they just steal your money and give you a tiny piece of rock that could kill you depending on the mix of ingredients or the person you're dealing with.
WHAT I THOUGHT I WOULD NEED...
I don't need a lot of things, writing paper, a pen, some books to read and it would be nice to have commissary food... eventually I got my commissary - then I had more friends then I knew what to do with... of course, everybody is your friend if you got something you can give them for free... I learned that lesson fast as well, so I began trying to help those who came in after me and that's how I met my brother "Chronic". Man, did he pick up things quickly, and it helped me having some muscle to back me up and watch my back. Just like now, we need each other in order to retain our championships against the LGBTKO. Two men who look to take what we need, what we earned and what keeps "The Warden" from sending us back.
WHO WE ARE...
We are different sizes, different stories, different lives and yet we are thrown into a prison that is much like a hospital only with all these personalities shoved together. In Prison they take your name and dismiss it as a worn-out recording of a record not played... and instead you are given a number... a number with no name... eventually if you remain in prison long enough - all the personalities & differences become one and the same... we are all just inmates going through the day on our regimented schedule searching for any way that we can be different from the others, without getting in trouble. Now, that I am out, now that "Chronic" is out, we are known as THE CONVICTED and we are the XHF Global tag team champions!
ATTITUDES...
I wonder where some of these people came from, they have chips on their shoulders the size of Mexico, and they wear them like a badge of honor or courage, but they are also the ones who most often get in trouble. They stand out, talk of injustice, they speak with hatred... I always thought on the outside I was outgoing and a bit gregarious... but in prison - you don't want anyone to know anything about you... for that gives them the edge over you - as to ways they can hurt you... so I stayed in a shell pretty much my whole bid. Now, I am trying to tell my stories, to help my young brothers, my familia stay out of prison and to stay out of harm's way. I have to have an attitude that allows me to make it through the night and another day on the outside.
TICKETS OR WRITE UPS...
This is how they keep the inmates in order. If you do something like go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, or get caught swearing - they give you an INFORMAL ticket, this ticket does not go on your record... After 7 days, it is removed from the board... and never mentioned again (the punishments that come with such a ticket could be: CTQ (confined to quarters or bed), LOR (loss of outside rec), (extra-duty 1-7 hours). The big tickets, the ones that go in your file are as follows:
Class C Ticket...
Given for disorderly conduct, malingering (wasting time), Sanitary violations, Not following the unit rules - I have never seen anyone ever get a Class C ticket.
I got 2 of these... got me confined to quarters (bed) for 10 days, and LOR (loss of rec)...
Stealing - Everybody knows what stealing is right, duh we are in prison... this charge is if you get CAUGHT (that is the issue), not the stealing it happens day & night, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year... but if you get caught and the item you stole was more than 1 penny - but less then 100 dollars this is the ticket you will get, that's if you don't get shanked first by the one you stole from or one of his homies.
Class A Offenses...
Try really hard not to get one of these... the punishments are not fun, in fact, I am not sure if they aren't to be considered cruel & unusual punishment.
Using someone's urine for a drug test & getting caught
Starting a fire, no matter how small or what the reason
Assault on a CO - No No, don't hit them no matter how low they make you feel, they will always be right - and you will be wrong besides there's no one who will believe you and you're in their house.
Offering to give an inmate something, in exchange for something they have or can get, favors of any kind included.
Contraband A...
Carry anything that could be construed as a weapon
Having money when you aren't allowed to have money
attempting or aiding in inmates escape
Having and using drugs or paraphernalia
Drinking alcohol
creating a tattoo or machine to make tattoos.
Here are the usuals...
Creating a disturbance
Destruction of State Property
Trying to Escape or Escaping (this gives you an outside charge of one year longer)
Felonious Conduct: (Anything that would be considered a felony outside of prison)
Fighting - Don't start the fight you will go right to SEG for at least 7 days, if not longer... but if someone beats you up, don't hit back, call out for help & assume the self defense position with your arms covering your face for protection... if defending yourself, you will not go to seg only the person who threw the punch, but if you fight back you go to seg too.. But remember doing that makes you look weak and turns you into a bigger easier target.
Holding a hostage - never saw that happen but once or twice.
Impeding an Order: Some lifers do this for fun... they are purposely not where they are supposed to be during a count... therefore they are missing and all the regular rules for the day are stopped and we go on lock-down til that person or persons is found. Sometimes they hide in the bathroom, or under the bed (just to cause trouble)... these people are the ones who aren't ever getting out of jail alive... Plus it gives them some kind of excitement for the day.
Interfering with Safety & Security - this you can get just for making a 3-way call with your old lady and kids.
Being drunk or high
Being involved in a riot
Any gang operations are not allowed, so if your going to rep your colors be ready for the backlash from not only rival gangs but the guards.
Self Mutilation - just the act of tattooing yourself, or cutting if that is your thing is a Class A Offense
SEXUAL OFFENSES...
Whether they are done to yourself but caught, or done with another inmate, or staff - these are all illegal... no touching, no hand-holding, and no kissing among other unmentionables... No {No Means No} of the punks in the cell down from yours, it's not worth the trouble.
Class A Theft - anything over 100 dollars
Threatening language or letters to another inmate or C.O. pr just by me stating that I will beat the crap out of LGBTKO would get me sent straight to SEG for a week easy.
Violating Program Provisions: If you are released to a half-way house for 80 days, and you leave at 50 days, this is a class A ticket, you will be rearrested and get an outside charge for escaping... not fun...
So, now you know a bit more about why myself and my homeboy "Chronic" are doing what we are doing and allowing "The Warden" to control our actions because we are simply following the rules. Like I said earlier "Freedom has a price" and well my freedom this time will come at the cost of Seth Dillinger and Ryan Young it's not personal it's simply the cost of FREEDOM!
"Homie" places his hands down resting against his championship belt as the troubled youths all sit there in silence wondering what the hell have they gotten themselves into and how to stop it. The counselor thanks Aaron for coming and sharing his stories as she sends the group of teens back to their dorm rooms.
