The drive to Preston wasn’t completely unfamiliar to us. I had driven there once before in 2007 for a tour and Kevin had done outreach at the prison in the past. As we were driving, I thought about all of the family members who drove these same highways and roads—every weekend—for years and for distances much longer than what we drove that morning.
Upon our arrival at Preston, we were met with a completely unfamiliar situation. A couple prison guards greeted us in military garb. After we identified ourselves and the purpose of our visit, they directed us to the next “checkpoint” where our IDs were checked a second time. We knew it wasn’t over just yet because our driver licenses were left on the windshield for what I assumed to be the final checkpoint.
As we rounded the corner, I could feel my eyes widen and I heard myself exclaim something incoherent. The last security checkpoint looked more like a militarized zone. There were approximately a dozen prison guards and local police officers awaiting our arrival. One guard approached our vehicle to check our IDs and proceeded to ask us if we had guns, knives or other weapons in the car. We were also asked whether we had other illegal contraband anywhere in the vehicle. We were warned to stay still and keep our hands visible.
Let me pause here and share with you the myriad of emotions that coursed through my being. I felt angry, violated, and horrified. But the strongest emotion I felt was fear. I was scared. I knew I had violated no law nor was there any real reason for me to be nervous. Well, except for the fact that I was surrounded by a group of individuals with loaded guns. I wish my story could end here but alas, it does not.
We were told to exit the vehicle and directed to sit a few feet away from the car. A police officer then used a police dog to sniff around the vehicle for drugs. He directed the dog to enter the vehicle and closed the door. I watched in wonder and horror as the dog jumped from the front to the back seat, sniffing in every crevice. Then the dog was taken out and led away. I made a move to rise from the seat thinking it was over but settled back down when I saw two guards put on latex gloves in order to begin another search of the car, including a search of my purse. As they began this next phase of “security” I became resigned to the idea that they were probably going to search us next. The search was abruptly interrupted when one of the guards asked us where we were from.
“Books Not Bars,” I replied for the third time.
Then they realized we were exempt from the search and made a few comments at an attempt to diffuse the tense situation.
“I thought you didn’t look like the type of people that come here,” one guard stated.
“We thought you were clergy or something,” a second guard added with a chuckle.
My purse was returned to me, as were our IDs, and we were directed to park and “have a nice day.” The rest of the day was a blur. The tour was a dog and pony show. The meeting with the Superintendent felt scripted. My mind kept drifting back to the security checkpoints and the search. I thought about the family members who drove hundreds of miles to spend a few hours with their loved ones and how it must feel to be treated like suspects.
Then I thought about their visits with their loved ones—what they would be like after the hurdles they faced that day.
*
Books Not Bars does not condone the bringing of contraband into any of the youth prisons. We do disagree with the methodology employed by the DJJ because the searches do not focus only on contraband—the purpose for conducting searches in the first place. We also believe that similar searches should be made of DJJ staff members involving local law enforcement so that contraband is not made available to youth by staff. Currently, DJJ staff members are only subject to a cursory search conducted by other staff members.
8 Comments
It is outrageous to be treated like that! It makes me angry just thinking about it. Unfortunately, people have it in their minds that we all must be criminals. Their actions are “criminal”.
Dear Jennifer,
Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate to your feelings and I agree with your opinion that staff members should be searched for contraband the way visitors or volunteers are searched. I have seen the workers at UPS being searched much more carefully after leaving their work than the prison guards entering or leaving the facility. It can’t only be visitors bringing in drugs and cell phones. It is so much easier for guards to do that.
I visit my husband in an adult institution every weekend for about 3 years now. We as regular visitors have to go through a metal detector and they have restrictions on what we are allowed to wear and bring in. You get used to that. But what I will never get used to is the way they treat us there. I am talking about the attitudes of the prison staff – the way they talk and look at us. Even though they do not know us they judge us. They have no right to do so. It is their job to make sure that the prison operates normally, that’s it. They also have no right to judge the inmates, but we all know they do.
It used to bother me much more in the beginning. I hated them so much because I felt humiliated. Over time, I did experience that some of the prison staff are friendly and actually like to help by answering questions. Still, most of the staff are treating us poorly. I believe that this type of work environment breeds hostility and numbs their ability to feel empathy – the very feeling that makes us human. I try to remember that each time they treat us bad so I will not get angry. It works – some react friendlier then before. I know that my husband has too put up with a whole lot more inside these walls than any visitor.
Jennifer, I appreciate the work you do – volunteering for Books not Bars. It is volunteers like you that make a difference to this so inhumane and hopeless system. Thank you!
Regards,
Susanne
Wow, what a frightening experience. I’ve visited my husband at both CSP Solano (a level III facility) & Sacramento (a level IV facility), at Solano the COs were definitely on a bit of a power trip, but it seemed like once you became a regular and they were familiar with you they’d ease up a bit — though some were just “by the book” and while strict, were fair in their own CO kind of way. At Sacramento security is understandably more stringent, but the guards are more respectful and “human” than at Solano. I’ve yet to experience a Sac guard on a power trip or as if we as family & friends are merely an extension of their charges.
It is abhorrant to me that at a juvenile facility visitors are put though such an humilating experience. Are the guards there feeling a bit of a Napolean complex for being at a youth facility and making up for it by acting worse than their counterparts at adult maximum security facilities?
In my experience, inmates, adult and especially youth, need the visits from their friends & families to keep them connected to the real world, not isolated in the one that exists on the other side of the barbed wires. That connection can help them stay focused on more than their immediate surroundings.
When guards treat visitors in such a demeaning way — far beyond what is necessary to prevent visitors bringing in contraband — all it does is discourage people from visiting; something that works against all involved… then again, maybe there’s some subliminal encouragement for the youth to continue stays in various prisons to further the CDCR annual budget.
Refocusing state dollars on educating the youth, catching them early and encouraging their hopes & dreams while giving them tools to work toward them, instead of squashing them, is such an important social responsibility. My husband told me about this organization and we both, to the extent of our abilities, look forward to helping & spreading the word.
Security is in place to ensure maximum safety and that all prison rules are abided by. They have a very serious job that does not require them to be friendly greaters, only that they perform their duties to ensure safety. I’m sorry if anyone was offended by the actions of the security, but remember you are visiting a prison, not Disney. It does not take many experiences of finding guns, knives, and weapons before you realize that this is serious business and that all precautions need to be taken. Instead of feeling violated, maybe you should feel safe knowing that everyone around you has been thoroughly searched. Why would you “fear” those with weapons who are there to protect you? Maybe you would feel safer if there was a friendly “Walmart greater” there to make you “feel good” as you enter a prison.
BTW – visiting inmates is doing God’s work and bless you all who do so.
You may realize that you are there because someone did something against the law. The law needs to be as harsh as needed, given all the crime and drugs that go on behind bars. That is what needs to be stopped. Why don’t families and friends refuse to help those inside to be ongoing criminals? It would surely help clean up those and then YOU teach them to read good lessons.
California Youth Authority hold minors who have committed violent crimes upon innocent citizens. You are visiting a PRISON facility, hello not Disneyland. You have no clue what you are dealing with, NO CLUE. Until you have worked in these units and tried to keep the peace, then you can talk. You have not walked in the shoes of the counselors, Probation officers and Correctional Counselors. Dont you think the kids are putting on a dog and pony show when your around, Get into reality.
Just as in most cases- the Truth is found nearer the middle….
I was employed on the Juvi. Justice side, and much of this rings true.
Correctional Officers (most/not all), do become numb and jaded by this type of career!
I am now on a mission to make real, POSITIVE, differences within the system, for both (Youth and Staff!)
When all of the Us’s vs.Them’s have spoken…. It comes down to money & politics, and we ALL know it!
Herein lies the road towards change as well. Peace Out
It is an unfortunate inconvenience, however, it would NOT be necessary is the parents of youth would refrain from smuggling drugs, weapons, lighters, and other contraband into the facility and guise it as a “visit.” The youth at Preston love their visits not to see their family, but to get their bag of weed, their lighter, and their pictures of their significant other naked. It’s a fact.
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