I don't understand the warden/public administrator thing...that's bad?  (Sorry, I'm a dummy...I have no idea!)

I can understand limiting what a prisoner can receive, but forcing you to buy (at INFLATED costs) from a single company seems really, really crooked.

And strip-searching visitors? 

Glad the semester is winding down for you.  How long will you have off before things pick back up again?

And I'm thinking you should have called or went in today to be checked out.  Come on, Tova!  You know better!

I thought there was some law against monopolies...although I only took one semester of economics, so I could be wrong.

Also, random visitor strip searches?  What the fuck?  I don't want an ass reaming just to visit someone...that is not my cup of tea.  No thank you...don't want people looking up my ass for a gun or nail file or whatever.

~Zoo

Even private prisons are really public, (they're usually contractors).  Meaning they get money from the state for each prisoner to run their prison.  And the state's money belongs to the public since it comes from taxes.  Therefore, public administrators run prisons because we are trained in public policy writing, analysis, administration, and implementation at the local, state and federal levels, as well as for not for profits/foundations.  Anytime public monies are used you are likely to find a public administrator at the top of the business or not for profit..

Imagine a business.  Who runs the business?  The CEO.  Public Administrators are CEOs for public and not for profit agencies/organizations.  City Manager's are CEO's of the city.  Red Cross?  Each affiliate has a CEO hired by a local board.  Habitat for Humanity?  They have CEO's for each affiliate, or an "Executive Director." 

When a not for profit is given a tax exempt status (501 c 3) they are considered a "public" organization even if all their revenue comes from private individuals and only serves a specific group.

The idea behind this is they are not being taxed, they are in fact using "public funds" to operate (money they owe the gov but the gov lets them keep).  In return they don't make a profit.  Any surplus goes into growing the organization.  Besides regular business principles, Public Administrators are trained and educated in the tax code, the legal aspects of handling the "public's money" and of course the levels of bureaucracy that must be navigated and mastered to be effective.

I assure you, there are literally thousands of things you have to know before ever touching a single cent of the public's money.

Not for profits aren't allowed to lobby (much).  But they can do something the government can't do well without being challenged.  They can serve a specific population.  Think about the boy scouts, or the red cross, or any not for profit..they usually serve a specific group.

What the gov is doing is giving private businesses contracts to perform things (like garbage removal, military weapons, housing, prisons, etc) it is responsible for because they can do it cheaper...competition and all that.  It's the decentralization of the federal government...making states and local govs (and non profits) take care of their own communities.

The prison is FOR PROFIT though...how is that for confusing?  It doesn't have tax exempt status because it is making money for profit....but it IS using tax dollars so a public administrator is almost "required."

That's all you never wanted to know about public administration.  And I probably left you more confused.  Sorry, its late. 

To FINALLY answer your question...no it's not bad that a public administrator runs the prison.  But as a PA in training, I will be working in the field in a few months, and I wouldn't want the gig. 

Yeah, that's what I said.  Of course the paper work says this is only done when there is an increase in contraband in the population.

I don't care what the reason is, I won't be gettin nekkid at the friggin prison.

They label something "Safety" and wa-la, its all good.

I'm sorry Tex, I wrote all that and didn't answer a thing you asked.

I get the month of December off.  But will spend most of it reading since the load next quarter is literally thousands and thousands of pages on subjects I have to read twice because its hard to understand or boring..heh.

If I called for an appt I might be seen in two weeks.  It's hard to get in here.  If it happens again I will just go to the ER, if it doesn't kill me.  My maternal grandma had her first heart attack at 42.  That kinda freaks me out.

Your anecdotes of Jay's trials and tribulations should be told to those who think going to prison is some sort of picnic.  And the monopoly thing is profane but then, I'm not surprised either. 

As for your personal health, I do hope you get yourself to the doctor before it happens again.

Not when they are government run.  He who makes the rules, makes them for everyone else.

I can't imagine anyone thinking it's a good thing.  The real lesson here is, if you are gonna RISK prison for whatever reason, then do it big.  Don't risk it for some piddly drug addiction, heh, go all out.....When I worked retail as a teen, I could never figure out why thieves would risk jail for a  $25 pair of jeans, or a $2 pair of ear rings.  I dunno.

And so it begins....

The silver lining is that you are there for him even if it through boxes, mail and phone calls.

YOU... take care of yourself too. You can't help anyone else if you aren't o.k. O.K.?!

I plan on writing about this experience here.  I am sure most people aren't interested, but oh well, my blog and all that.  Plus, it's a learning experience.  For me, hopefully for Jay, and possibly for anyone who happens across this stuff.

Thanks Kelly.  You are my official silver lining pointer-outer. 

No kidding.

That is so sweet, I'm humbled.

Instead of a box though (he can only get 3 a year) you might want to send him a money order.  He has a commissary there and can purchase the same food items you saw on ohiopackages.com.

You don't have to be on a list or anything to send him a money order, just make sure you put his full name and inmate number as well as your signature and address.  It can be for any amount and I know he'd appreciate it.

Just make sure you drop a note too because once the envelope gets to the mail room, they open it, take the money order and put it in his account.  He never sees it.  So to keep everyone honest I say "hey sent ya $X."

I will PM his information to you.

Thanks.  I appreciate it.

And just to keep updated, he is working in the kitchen 5 days a week for $17 a month.  That buys his soap and deodorant, hygiene items.

He also applied for an intense therapy based drug treatment life skills class they offer at that facility.  He's not hopeless.

Well, I don't know about my ministry but its funny you say that.  I was thinking the other day how black and white, hard core I am about crime and criminals in general.

This eye opening experience has evolved my thinking.  I'm not pro-criminal by any means.  But having my brother in the penn reminds me there are faces and names and stories behind the crime. 

I don't believe any of those things matter MORE than the crime committed.  But at least I allow them on the same page as the crime when I contemplate it all.

I am surprised about the child visitation issue because Ohio lost a case here not too long ago...they suspend your license if you get convicted of a felony.  Well, they were suspending licenses BEFORE the actual conviction, while people were waiting for trial.  The SC said, nope can't do it.  Innocent until PROVEN guilty.  So Ohio had to stop.

I'm also surprised because several prisons have playgrounds or "reading rooms" for kids who come to visit a parent.  They can go into the reading room, sit on dad's lap, and be read stories.

Jay's visitations are on the weekend (when he's not working) and last for about 3 hours in the morning, and 3 hours in the afternoon.  I won't be able to go much because my family has to come first.  But I will go, and will likely blog on the whole business.

I guess housing is the difference in how someone waiting for trial is treated.  Their house, their rules.  I am learning anything classified under "safety" can get implemented without so much as a nod toward basic constitutional rights.  And mostly the safety in question is for the guards (which I can understand to a degree).

Thanks again....and if anyone else wants to write him...hahah I can't believe I am saying that, a year ago, well, heh, its safe to say I'd have rolled my eyes at such an outrageous suggestion...I can't change time, but it can certainly change me. 

If anyone else might like to write him, PM me.  Believe me, I understand not wanting to do it, so no worries.

It is a sick flaw. I am sorry.   But...the silver lining is .....I am a sicko optimist so nobody else has to be. ha...does that make sense?

Prisons and jails are just not good places for anyone involved, really. Not the inmate, the families, and not the people who work in them either.

Not much to add other than the whole monopoly thing I guess wouldn't be so bad if the items being offered were of some quality. 

I do hope you have listened to your friends here and have taken care of yourself better.