From Dragonfly: Don't Count Your Days

My friend that recently lost her husband left yesterday morning to go to a camp, much closer to her home. She'd worked hard to get medically released and waited months before finally getting a date that she was to be transferred on. She packed out on Tuesday (they mail all your belongings, except for the one bag of stuff you are carrying on the bus). She did her merry-go-round on Wednesday (spend the day getting every major department to sign off on your leaving). She had a small going away party with her roommates on Wednesday night. Her smile was large and she was looking forward to spending Easter Sunday with her family.

Yesterday morning, she woke early, took her shower, and did her hair. She packed up the remaining of her uniforms and sheets, and put them in front of the orderly closet, as told to do so. She hugged so many of us as she walked out the door of the unit around 6am... She went to the doors leading to R&D in the main building, and more of us went to her and hugged her "good luck." I told her, "I'm better for knowing you." She wants us to keep in touch.

So, she was standing at those doors, and a woman from R&D came out and got her. In R&D, she was fully processed to leave. An hour later, she walked out of our doors, our fences, and an inmate from the camp was waiting to transport her to the bus station. Seat voucher in hand, she walked up to the Greyhound window to obtain her official ticket for the bus. "I'm sorry, but there are no seats left on the bus..." It is Easter weekend after all. Turns out that the BOP doesn't actually purchase your bus seat, just gives you a voucher. If there are no seats, you return to the prison.

Late yesterday morning, my friend was back in her room, in tears. She was told it would be another 10 days or longer before they could get her another bus. She needed to be re-processed. Being told, I was speechless (which definitely does not happen often to me). Later in the day, we learned that she will not get her next chance for a bus ticket until April 28th. She will not see her family for Easter. She will not be in a camp environment. She is now, back in her uniform, here, for a couple weeks.

In a weird set of facts, she is also back to being listed as A&O. Since she was processed to leave, she now is back to being a "new" inmate. She will be told to attend orientation again. She is doing the orientation rounds. She was gone less than 3 hours, but she is seen as a newly admitted inmate. Yes, once again, speechless.

The truth is, none of us should count our days. Until we are on a bus, plane, or in a car leaving this place, anything can happen. My friend was being transferred, which meant that the time on her bus trip was considered "furlough." Had she been a higher security level, her transfer would have been through Oklahoma (via official BOP bus), and/or Con-Air. My friends that have had to fly con-air have horrific stories. Anyway, as minimum-out security, we are given furloughs for our travel for transfers to camps. People at camps, who have to transfer to Carswell, regardless of their security level, are put in shackles and flown via Con-Air or bussed via the BOP. These furlough bus travels are only for people going to minimim-security facilities.

Those of us leaving for halfway house or home confinement, are also still considered in BOP custody. Until our official "out dates" (mine is 7/2), we are in custody. So, our travel to home confinement or halfway house is also a furlough. The BOP buys greyhound transfer for most anyone. Those within 550 miles of their institution can be picked up by family (there's a process that should be started early). Those with significant medical issues are flown. If you are not going to be flown by the BOP, you/your family can purchase a ticket home for you. It is more expensive, as you may also have to pay for your own cab fare to/from the airport. Lately, Carswell has been using the same camp transportation to take people to the airport (for free), because cabs have a hard time picking people up at the base/prison. Our time traveling is a furlough, until we get to our designated halfway house/home.

If we are on home confinement, we need to check in with our P.O. immediately, and often. We cannot leave our home, unless we have permission to do so. Most people have "curfews" and can leave home during certain hours without calling in, but it is very strict. Halfway houses are even more strict. We are not fully free, we are still in custody until our out dates.

Anyway, I cried for my friend yesterday. She's really had a hard go with it - losing her husband, and now this. I pray they bought her a real ticket, and not just a voucher this time. She needs to see her family. I don't think she can go through this all again.