While I was on pre-trial detention, one of the most search website on my iphone at the time was anything pertaining to the BOP women facilities. The research I conducted didn’t prepare me for anything I’m currently experiencing.
My sentencing Judge recommended that I went to Illinois or Virginia, being from Indiana, I was designated me to FCI Tallahassee. More that 500 mile from my family and children.
When I had my attorney look up multiple orientation pamphlets online, via BOP, as of November/December of 2024, the information provided was from 2013 and 2014. Over a decade of misinformation. Me, being a person that looks forward to being overly prepared was NOT prepared for this and there was no way to prepare myself with all the incorrect information that was made available to me on the BOP websites.
Attempting to make the best of the situation, I arrive to FCI Tallahassee, ready to tackle my time with a positive outlook, with the multiple barriers as of today. For example, we don’t have enough staff to cover the basics in educations like English GED courses, but we have ESL GED classes taking place, and continuing education course teaching FRENCH. Over half the compound cant even read or comprehend the basics and your offering French. Mind Blowing. The population that have over a basic education level cant advance to higher levels of education, due to being short staffed and budget cuts. We have multiple colleges around us, and not ONE is active in our facility. Also, the correspondences course that are provided are UNACCREDITED, so how does that help us with our future endeavors.
The courses this facility portrays to have available are also suffering because of the budget and staffing issues. For example, the primary program that everyone wants to participate in, the Residential Drug and Alcohol Course. First, the requirement at this facility is that you have to be 24 months to the door, which is NOT how other BOP facilities execute there program. This facility caps any opportunity we have to get home sooner than later. We also have to wait extensive amount of time for anything to get accomplished unless you execute your administrative remedies at every avenue. There are numerous individuals that are month always from the door and have not been sent to the half way house to prepare them for a smooth transition of entry. Why is that, with the case loads and scarcity of job security, no one wants to do the paper work to help the inmates in custody succeed outside these walls.
I encourage everyone around me to sign up for Prison Professors, receive your information and books. I’m in the process now to get the self directed course online and active, so the women here can receive the FSA credit. I set a goal everyday to step outside my normal. Share a smile, reset boundaries and communicate with individuals that I normally would not.
Last week I was on a Women Informative Convention Panel and spoke about discipline and business. Three percent of people have actually wrote down there plans to succeed and that three percent earns more than the ninety seven percent that have not plans or goals in place. Continuously trying to educate the population around me keeps me level headed and motivated to be the change I want to see in any community.
I’m deliberately planning for my future and establishing habits that will constantly push me in the direction I want to go. The places I’ve been will never define the impact I have on the people I’m around.
