Contraband in Prison - 1399 Words

Contraband can be defined as anything prohibited by law being imported and exported. When it comes to prisons, anything that can’t be bought in the commissary or that isn’t given to them when they get to prison is contraband. Contraband is a major issue behind the walls and can be anything from a â€Å"homemade† shank by the inmate, or drugs or weapons smuggled into the prison from various ways. Not only is different types of contraband in the prison a threat to the inmates lives, but also a threat to the officers on duty and other staff members. Some issues with contraband in a prison are: how did it get inside the walls, what are some ways to prevent it amongst the prison, and what are some different types of contraband found in prisons? If†¦show more content†¦They also may get recreational hours taken away or something along the lines of this. In October of 2008 an inmate on death row in Texas called a state senator from his cell on a cell phone mak ing threats about his two daughters, also telling him that he knew where they lived in Houston. The inmate wanted to prove a point to the senator that he was capable of doing and finding all this information out while being â€Å"locked up† in a maximum security facility. Frankly, that scared the hell out of me,(Whitmire)†. Those were the words spoken of the state senator after notifying authorities after receiving the threatening phone call. Alcohol is another type of contraband in the prison system and is also a major problem in prisons. Inmates are capable of making their own alcohol fairly easy. Inmate-made alcohol has been more commonly known as â€Å"brew† or â€Å"pruno†. Pruno, or prison wine, is an alcoholic liquid variously made from apples, oranges, fruit cocktail, ketchup, sugar, and possibly other ingredients, including crumbled bread. Bread supposedly provides the yeast for the pruno to ferment. Pruno originated in prisons and jails, where it can be produced cheaply, easily, and discreetly. The concoction can be made using only a plastic bag, hot running water, and a towel or sock to conceal the pulp during fermentation. Its taste has been compared to vomit flavored wine coolers. The next question to be asked is: how does this contraband get through the walls and inside theShow MoreRelatedContraband in Prison3832 Words   |  16 Pagesinfinite amount of different types of contraband, the most commonplace items seized are drugs, tattooing equipment, electronics, and weapons. Contraband, as defined by US Legal, refers to property that is illegal to possess or transport. The Arizona Revised Statues define the promoting of prison contraband as a person, not otherwise authorized by law, who knowingly takes contraband into a correctional facility or the grounds of a correctional facility, conveying contraband to any person confined in a correctionalRead MoreEffects Of Prison Overcrowding907 Words   |  4 Pagestheir small cells for more time during the day. (Prison overcrowding is a growing concern in the U.S.) With a huge population of prisoners to manage, it is also difficult for that many prisoners to shower properly (McLoughlin). Another problem is that there is less time to eat per prisoner. The cafeteria must feed a huge population and must limit the time that each prisoner has to eat in order to move more people through the line efficiently. (Prison overcrowding is a growing concern in the U.S.)Read MoreFlorence V. Board Of Freeholders Of The County Of Burlington748 Words   |  3 Pagesoffense and was thoroughly searched. According to Florence, his 4th Amendment was violated, and the searches conducted against him were unreasonable. He was forced to disrobe, squat while naked, shower in front of security, and prove that there was no contraband stored in or under his genitals. After Florence s release from jail, he sued the government and went to the federal trial court, which ruled in favor of the petitioner (Albert Florence). However, the Third Circuit reversed, deeming that searchesRead MoreLife Within Prison Walls1181 Words   |  5 Pagesare convicted, you go to prison. This is common knowledge throughout America and the world. What most citizens don’t know is that within prison walls, there is a lifestyle much different than the life you and I are used to outside of bars. Within the walls of American prisons, the occupants are deprived of many freedoms you and me take for granted. There is not much to do. Many inmates used drugs outside of prison, so there is a high demand to smuggle drugs into the prison system for use by the inmatesRead MoreAnalysis Of William Shakespeare s Macbeth 1668 Words   |  7 PagesDara Phung Mrs. Murphy AS English 4 15 May 2015 Corruption in America’s Prisons Part One: One of the highlights of Shakespeare’s dramas is his complex use of connotation, and how just a single word can drastically change the meaning of a story. When we first studied Macbeth, I thought that the word â€Å"hand† would be used in a strictly literal manner. Instead, I discovered that through the play the term embodied a rather dark connotation and symbolized Macbeth’s submission to evil instead of the literalRead MoreBlack Guerilla Family Gang Case Study942 Words   |  4 PagesThe Black Guerilla Family gang originated in the California prison systems in the 1960s and 30 years later eventually made its way to the prison systems of Maryland and onto the streets of Baltimore City and Howard County. This organization is considered among the most powerful gangs in the state, and has been known for its criminal activities in and outside of correctional facilities. The Black Guerilla Family gang increased its strength through numbers as they heavily recruite d during the inflowRead MoreA Woman Doing Life : Notes From A Prison For Women1320 Words   |  6 PagesWoman Doing Life : Notes from a Prison for Women, I learned a lot more than I thought I knew about the life of women in jails or prisons. Erin George , the main character , gives readers an ethnographic insight on the struggles women face in prison. The hardships women face in prison consist of, and are limited to harsh shakedowns, poor medical treatment, and changes within the prison system that intentionally dehumanizes women inmates. Erin George before prison was a middle class women who seemRead MoreRita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption Essay1092 Words   |  5 Pages There is a staggering amount of corruption in the prison system that is caused by pressure on the inmates as well as the employees in Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King. The aforementioned corruption contributes greatly to many of the main plot points in the story such as; the harassment of the prisoners, the smuggling of contraband items into Shawshank, and the prisoners making their own lives easier by using the corruption for their own purposes. Corruption is a mainRead MoreAdvantages Of Private Prisons701 Words   |  3 PagesHook. Private prisons provide extra capacity for inmates to prevent or lessen the overcrowding of government-run prisons. When incarceration rates rose too quickly for government-run prisons to provide space for inmates, private prisons seemed to be a good solution. In addition to solving overcrowding, privatization was adopted by many states as an attempt to save money. Companies such as Civicorps and GEO Group--the two largest firms operating private prisons--make bids to operate prisons in exchangeRead MoreI Am A Prison For Women1217 Words   |  5 Pages For Erin George, everything stopped spinning and her world began to disintegrate when Judge Ann Simpson sentenced her to 603 years in prison. Hearing that you have been sentenced to 603 years in prison, is nothing short of ____. In A Woman Doing Life: Notes From A Prison for Women, Erin George gives us an insight as to what its like to go from living at Rappahannock Regional Jail to making Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women her new â€Å"home†. No one prepared Erin for what was to come, with her