Teppy, as someone who's had a loved on in jail and prison, something else could be preventing him from calling. Everything besides food is a "privilege" in jail so he could very well not be allowed to make a call.
Also, I made a FOUR HOUR one-way trip to visit my brother in prison. I was on the list my brother gave to the prison but I was turned away after going through extensive pat downs because a clerk left my name off the list.
You know, after reading John Edgar Wideman in high school, I began to have my doubts about the efficacy of the American prison system. I don't believe it achieves its alleged goals of "rehabilitating" criminals. And more and more I'm not thinking it does any good for the public, either. Because, once again, I don't know what purpose it serves to have this kid in jail. I get that the prison system is designed, in part, to be punitive, but I don't think that punishment acts as a deterrent. He missed 1 visit with his PO, because he didn't get the letter telling him to report, because he was homeless and sleeping on a couch at someone's house other than the address his mail was going to.
(Granted, I am not saying that you shouldn't be checking your mail if at all possible, but still. My point is that this kid is not a violent goddamn criminal and I do not see the point of locking him up. I don't live in the county in which he's incarcerated, but if I did, I'd be annoyed that my tax dollars were going to keep him incarcerated, fed, and showered. And the idea that my tax dollars are paying for similar non-violent criminals to be housed in my county PISSES me off.)
But also, 2) Jailed One's lifestyle and issues have led him to be incarcerated. Expecting him to be conscientious, self aware and concerned about the feelings of others might be a bit of a stretch at the moment. Even if he IS those things, under his current restraints, it might be hard.
Jailed One should be grateful and responsive. I'm not surprised that he isn't and I would hate for you and Tim to take that personally when you are being such good people.
You guys, I VERY MUCH appreciate this perspective. Since I'm vascillating between weepy despair and rage blackouts, this really, REALLY helps. I don't know what I would do without my Buffistas.
Nora, no! I'd been thinking about that since sj posted it. Just needed to get it off my chest, is all. And yes, there are lots of reasons to be angry in a situation like that.
(Granted, I am not saying that you shouldn't be checking your mail if at all possible, but still. My point is that this kid is not a violent goddamn criminal and I do not see the point of locking him up. I don't live in the county in which he's incarcerated, but if I did, I'd be annoyed that my tax dollars were going to keep him incarcerated, fed, and showered. And the idea that my tax dollars are paying for similar non-violent criminals to be housed in my county PISSES me off.)
I am right there with you.
The hardcore guys I worked with at Jessup did not seem rehabilitated in the least and one inmate who really struck me as 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' was being slowly killed by the system.
One light note in all of that morass was the inmate who sidled up to me and stated with some pride, "I've never been arrested for something I did not do." Turns out he had a lifelong habit of robbing banks to support the violent overthrow of the government.
It was refreshing, if a bit creepy, because he was the ONLY one...including the murderers and rapists who wasn't, in his own mind, innocent.
the inmate who sidled up to me and stated with some pride, "I've never been arrested for something I did not do." Turns out he had a lifelong habit of robbing banks to support the violent overthrow of the government.
That's...I don't want to say "awesome," but at least he owned his shit, you know?
Ooh, don't get me started on what I think about our justice system. At least I didn't have to go on public record with it since I got semi-permanently excused from jury duty, but suffice it to say, I don't think the system works in any sense of the word.
Sorry I've been skippy, skimmy, and periodically stoned, but where was the pup the whole time he was in the hoosegow?
Smonster, I'm sorry if I was insensitive to you or anyone else with what I posted earlier. I have never known anyone who committed suicide before.
Sorry I've been skippy, skimmy, and periodically stoned, but where was the pup the whole time he was in the hoosegow?
Stoner!
Nah, I haven't provided super-detailed info all along, so I don't think you missed much. The kid has been unemployed for a while (he's a welder and industry just sucks right now in SW Ohio), and he lost his apartment and has been couch-surfing. The dog was staying with a friend.
Last week, we thought ex's son could move -- with the dog -- to Texas, where his mom lives. So he picked up the dog from the friend on Wednesday, Tim and kid loaded up the U-Haul...and then found mail with the warrant for his arrest for failure to meet with his PO.
So Wednesday he paid the fine, and the police told him he needed to appear before a judge Thursday morning. Somehow the kid assumed that just meant that he had to show a judge proof he paid the fine, and the warrant would go poof! and he could then get in the U-Haul and go to Texas.
(At this point, we were not aware that he was in the middle of 2 years' probation for a DUI.)
So the inital dog-sitting was for one night only, since the kid had to wait until Thursday morning to go before the judge. And then (we assumed) he would hop in the U-Haul with the dog and go to TX.
Thursday morning, judge sentences him to 5 days in jail, to begin immediately. Since we already had the dog, we've still got her. Now, that's a little more than I wanted, but on Thursday, we still assumed he'd be able to go to TX once he was released this coming Tuesday.
Then we started looking at his actual records online, and found that he has 2 years' probation for a DUI in January 2010. And he can't just randomly move to another state while on probation, ALTHOUGH there is a procedure to (and a commission that oversees) transfer probation from one state to another.
But just because someone requests transfer doesn't mean they'll be approved, so at this point, we don't know if he might get transferred to Texas, or if he has to stay in Ohio for the remainder of his 2 years' probation (ends in February 2012).
Anyway, the dog was with friends -- who DID NOT want her, and were feeding her table scraps and such -- until Wednesday, when we got her.
