The United States Penitentiary of the 21st-century

by Jay Goodman

In my last few chapters, I’ve talked about a man I met in the United States penitentiary in Hazelton, West Virginia. And some of the things he’s witnessed in his almost 3 decades in prison. In my last chapter KY told me the story of a guard who had stolen from his crew, and how they eventually took him hostage along with some other guards. Today I was about to get one more chance to speak with KY before I was going to be moved to the federal correctional institution right next-door. Every day when he was let out of his cell, he would eventually make his way over to my cell door, and we will talk. I thought about our Last conversation we had yesterday. In fact, I had a few questions for him today as he showed up. After we talked about what was going on in the prison. I made us a cuppa coffee and then ask my first question. Tell me something KY, why did your shot caller the guard live? I mean he went through an awful lot to get revenge. Jay, it’s like this. Sometimes when you are making a decision it’s best to look at how your decision will affect everything about you, and around you. The whole purpose of what we did, was to let this guard and every other guard know if you think we won’t kill you, then you are wrong. I remember in the story, you said the shot caller told The guard that after tonight I’ll have something you won’t have, respect. Did he achieve this? Yes. Of course he did. We not only took this car hostage but we also took his friends hostage as well. The others were beat so bad that they stayed in the hospital for several days. Why were they beat so bad, and the guard who had actually stolen from you was not beat at all? Remember, our shot caller works with the people upfront. The drugs and the cell phones come from them. We did something much worse to the guy who had stolen from us, we broke his spirit. What a shot caller called his wife and he broke down crying, and she broke down crying, that alone was enough to crush his spirits. Plus, he knew we had his family’s information to. He understood that we could not only kill him, but the people he loved as well. The others were beaten because they were only followers, it was to teach the other guards a lesson. You may think you can fuck us over, but in the end we will get you.

How did the others treat you afterwards? Well, the very next day the people in administration called her shot caller out, he was told not to worry because the guard who had stolen from us retired. The captain went by the hospital and talk to the two others and noticed one of them wanted to file charges. The captain also told us that both cameras For broke in those to cell blocks, so there was no evidence to who did one. And since no one wanted to press charges, he decided to let everyone off lock down the following week. He told our shot caller that everything would be taken care of when those two guards who had gotten beat and came back. He promised there would be no type of retaliation for them. Now he told our shot caller, if something happens to these two guards, I am going to make everyone in your crew pay. I don’t want these two guards made fun of by any other prisoners. I don’t want them intimidated or me to feel like something bad might happen to them. If you have any trouble from them I want you to come to me. Is that understood? The shot caller agreed. Now how did you pay for the drugs that idiot had stolen from you? The captain asked. I paid for it out of my own pocket. Why didn’t you just come to me? Because when I try to talk to the guard first, he told me to get the fuck out of his face. Then those other two guards began shaking ourselves down and taking our stuff. Not because they had to but because that guy who had stolen from us sent them to do it. Plus, every time he came around us he would laugh at us, and he eventually started belittling us around other guards. I felt if I came to you, that my crew and I would look like a bunch of cowards who had to run to the administration to take care of our problems. Plus, this guy had gotten so out of line with me, I felt we needed to show them and every other guard what could happen if they decided to fuck us over. Remember, he didn’t just steal from us, he also has stolen from you. I wanted to show you, if you trust me with all these drugs and phones every week, I will not only make it right with you. But, make damn sure whoever did it, would never do it again. The captain sat there for a minute or two thinking about everything. Then he said, I do appreciate you not killing any of them. The shot caller said, killing them would’ve only slowed our business down. I just wanted everyone to understand what will happen if they steal from us.

I was talking with some of the other guards that worked here, said the captain. And I can see that this did get their attention. I also took this opportunity to tell the guards that if they had a problem with anyone in your crew, to speak with me. Right now I believe you have to put the fear of God in them, but if something ever happens again like this talk to me. I know you have a real good understanding of what it’s going to take for me to keep everything you did quiet. This is not just someone getting the shit beat out of them that’s in here with you. It’s easy for me to cover up a prisoner getting beat. It becomes a little harder when you kill someone because now the FBI shows up. But, even with that I usually can Manipulate it so it goes away. But, this is much different. This time you and your crew took hostages, you all took control of two cell blocks. Two guards were beat so bad that there still in the hospital. The other guard had his life threatened and his wife believed that you all killed him. These things are very difficult for me to hide, you of all people understand that if the FBI got involved with this, a lot of serious shit would happen. Like kidnapping, salt, maybe even attempted murder. Who knows what the feds will come up with. And even though most of your guys are doing life, your whole crew would be shipped off to different prisons all over the country. This also opens another door, do you know what I’m talking about? Ask the captain. No, said the shot caller. This could lead the FBI to give someone in your crew a deal to testify against all of us. Naturally, if that was ever happened we could be hit with conspiracy to bring drugs inside a federal institution. More than likely we would be hit with who knows how many murders? The list of charges would be long needless to say. And as you already know that might also lead to more people getting time cuts. So, instead of one guy testifying, now all of a sudden there might be four or five people wanting that time cut. And you might be sitting there thinking I already have life, what could they do to me? If you are looking at it like that allow me to give you another view. While I would have the most to lose, you would be shipped off to the Supermax in Colorado. That’s 23 hours a day stuck in a cell by yourself. Plus, the tens of thousands you are making here would come to an end. Now, you wouldn’t be able to take care of your family like you have been. Of course the cell phone you have would be gone. So, no more communication with your family. No contact visits, everything you would receive is put on a screen. I understand this idiot disrespected you, but from now on it’s important that you look at the big picture. Yes, I would have the most to lose, but you would spend the rest of your life stuck in a box. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you? Yes. Said the shot caller. Then for both of our sakes, don’t allow this to ever happen again. If some scumbag ever disrespect you again, just come to me. I will set it up so you can get your Revenge. The only difference is, if we were together we will be able to do this without bringing in the feds. Now, I have everything under control. We don’t have to worry this time. I have something for you. The captain reached in his bag sitting on the desk, then he said, I appreciate that you paid for that out of your pocket. This is for you, it was around 10 grand in dope. This will allow you to catch up. I don’t want nothing from this. Even the shot caller was surprised at this. Make damn sure you talk with the rest of your crew, and get everyone on point, all right? The shot caller said she had it under control. As KY finish the story I couldn’t help but be amazed at how this place was being run. How could these U.S.P‘s exist in today’s times? One step out of line and anyone could be killed. No wonder prisoners are leaving these places more fucked up than the day they got here. There is no such thing as rehabilitation, it’s a place of corruption, a place where law doesn’t exist. Only the meanest, and the deadliest can stay. This is the United States penitentiary of the 21st-century.