From Dragonfly: Overcrowded

When I first arrived at Carswell, the place was really overcrowded. We had to wait in the longest lines. We barely had beds available for newbies. People with lower bunk passes were forced on upper bunks. People with bottom floor passes were forced on the second floor. Meals went forever, trying to get so many people through the chow hall that seats like 250 on a good day.

Then, toward the end of last year and during the beginning of this year, people got shipped out. Many people were sent to the new prison in Alabama. Others were transferred to other facilities. Carswell got rid of about 300-400 people in a short amount of time, and things were a little easier. Many rooms had 3, instead of 4, people. Lower tier, bottom bunks, were still scarce, but they were found in time. Lines became a bit more manageable (except for pill line - it's never manageable).

Well, over the past month, we've gotten to our max again. Every bed in our unit is filled. There's even a possibility of overflow going on cots. There is no where to send anyone. Lower bunks are all taken. There's never an empty bunk for someone who needs to move - one person needing to move, means that they have to switch units or move with someone else. There is a constant struggle between people's limitations and the beds available. Meal lines have gotten horrible, with us often waiting until 6pm for dinner, even though chow hall is supposed to open at 4:30pm and we are second in the order.

Everything is louder. Crowds are everywhere. I find myself spending more time in my room, avoiding the crowds when possible. I've read four books in as many days and just got two more from the library. I expect to have them done by Monday. I'm walking the track a lot and working out, but by the track is the softball field, and there's constant commotion there. Fights break out everywhere. We watched four or five women hauled off to the SHU in handcuffs tonight --- it's always about a fight or drugs. Fights are always about girlfriends or drugs. My choice is to stay away from crowds.

I regret not buying a radio and headphones. There are plenty of old movies on in the atrium televisions to keep me occupied. I watched Rio yesterday saying, "I can read beak..." Good thing I've seen the movie before. If you are headed in, the basic radio is enough - the mp3's cost a lot, as do the song downloads. Depending on how important it is that you have specific music available, the basic radio gets local stations and the television digital channels. I'm glad I never went for the mp3, but I do wish I had a radio at times. I was often able to borrow one, but not much recently. It's okay, though, cards and books keep me occupied and away from the crowds.

There needs to be a change in the system. They can't just keep locking up women with no where to put them. They need to get people out of here. They need to give more time in community services to people through the Second Chance Act (barely ever done by the staff here). For every five of us going home, there are thirty people coming in on a bus. All the women's prisons are at capacity. Something really needs to change. Overcrowding is unsafe, unhealthy, and unfair.