In a previous post, I talked a little about the different custody levels.
When you arrive at Perryville you have a certain number of points
assigned to you. Age, the length of your sentence and what you are
charged with are all factored in. For instance, each year under 30 that
you are adds points. Don’t ask me why, I can’t explain it. If you have
a high-level felony conviction or you are considered a ‘violent’
offender as opposed to a ‘non-violent’ offender- more points. And
points determine whether you are assigned to a minimum, medium or
maximum custody yard.
But here’s the rub. You can be ‘re-classed’- happens all the time.
Just because you start out in a minimum custody yard does not mean you
will stay there. Officers can issue ‘tickets’ for a variety of
offenses, large and small. And each ticket adds points to your score,
anywhere from 3 to 40, like the way it works with traffic tickets and
your driver’s license. Fighting, getting caught with drugs or alcohol,
those are what you’d expect to be penalized for. But how about your
shirt not being tucked in or your pants hanging over the top of your
shoes? Or being late for work, school or a medical appointment? And my
favorite- hanging your wet clothes on a makeshift clothesline to dry!
Yes, we have to wash our own clothes, but it’s against the rules to hang
them up to dry. Who thinks up this stuff anyway?
There is also an overreaching policy that allows officers to issue a
ticket for ‘disobeying a direct order’- which literally could be
anything.
I have painful personal experience with the arbitrary system of points.
I got a ticket for ‘promoting prison contraband’ because I transferred
some perfume from its original bottle to a smaller one. And yes, I knew
it was technically a no-no, but it was just perfume, right? Well, the
rule is- as soon as anything is not in the original container it
automatically becomes contraband. And that resulting ticket was enough
to move me from minimum security to medium security which meant I lost
my coveted retention job with Auto Auction. And I was bumped back to
Phase one from Phase two, so there went my extra phone calls and worst
of all my food visits!
Lesson learned- don’t imagine that because a rule is pointless and
unfair that it won’t be strictly enforced. Just keep that popular song
from the 60’s in mind- “I Fought The Law- And The Law Won”.