Prison Systems

It's on. We're on. Okay. We're ready. We're stretching. It's on. Let me take my sip of caffeine. Let's do the coffee first. I think my coffee tastes weird because I've been drinking this. Maybe. You're mixing stuff. Because this is really sweet. Yeah. That's not. Anyways. Hi everybody. Welcome back to Pretty Legal Nonsense. I say your name first. No you don't. Yes you always do. I'm Abby. Oh my gosh. Okay. Fine. Whatever. Hey guys. I'm Abby. I'm Clara. And welcome back to Pretty Legal Nonsense. Glad to see you. We're happy to be here. She's happy to be here. I'm recovering. It's all good. We've discovered that in this friendship, Clara gives off the biggest golden retriever energy of anybody I've ever met in my entire life. And Abby's her black cat. And I'm the black cat. Which is funny because I do have two cats. And I have a dog. He's black though. Little black fluffy boy. Shout out to Sammy. I love you baby. I would be asleep right now if I could. I mean I love this. Don't get me wrong. Well here's my thing guys. And we've discussed this. When I wake up in the morning, I have like a shock of energy. And then it dies throughout the day. Like I am gone. Like my social battery is done like midday. And then there's me. She's the complete opposite. I get all my energy at night. Oh yeah. Anyways. Back to what we're doing today. So we are discussing prison systems. Prison systems. Slash judicial systems. But mostly prison systems. Mostly prison. We'll sprinkle in a couple judicial topics because I think it overlaps. It works well. So I'm going to start off by saying I don't know too much about the prison system. So this is going to be a lot of you. But from what I do know, I'm a comment. So I actually take a class. Everyone knows we go to Lipscomb. Lipscomb does this thing with the Life Program. I think I've talked about it. I'm taking a class next semester. Which one are you taking? Story of the Church. That's right. I'm so excited. So Lipscomb does the Life Program and it's where you can go and take a class in the Tennessee Women's Prison which is now called the Deborah K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center. I love that. We'll unpack that in a second. But it's really fun. I had my last class this week. Sorry guys, I'm sick. We're both really sick. I was kind of sad to leave. I think I'm going to talk to the person who runs that department and see if I can go back and do English tutoring. That would be fun. Or if they release another class that you would want to take. Yeah, it will probably be in the spring. And I can't take any of the fall classes. I'm doing the fall. If I like it, which I feel like I will, I would go back if I can. But I'm also, if y'all don't know, I'm graduating early. So I don't have too much time to just dilly-dally. You're graduating, I think, basically with me. Yeah. Summer of 2024. Wait, you're graduating before me and you're younger than me. Oh, you're doing three and a half years. That's right. Three and a half. Okay, whatever. All right, back to prison system. Anyways, I will say I was very hesitant on taking the Life Program class because they really try to, when you go in there for your training day, they really try to drill into your, they try to make you think that these people aren't human. I've been told that. I had my interview for the Life Program classes and she said, she was like, she was like, listen, she's like, you seem strong and you seem like you're going to like it. But at the same time, she's like, she was like, the Life Program is amazing. But at the same time, during training, they will really beat you down. They want you to call them inmate, whatever their name is. They want you, you can't talk, like you can't hug them. You can't do anything. I hugged so many people on my last day. I will, I literally. I had a friend take the class and she wasn't even an LJS major and that class made her become an LJS major. I left that class, I left that training session and I said, I will never call them inmate. Yeah, no. They're in-house students or inside students. I call them residents. And even in my interview, I said, I said exactly, I was like, because I was talking about the quote unquote inmates. And I told the person who's interviewing me, I was like, I don't want to call them criminals. Because I was, I don't know what I was talking about, but I was talking about like the people on the inside. But I was like, yeah, I don't want to, I was like trying to come up with the word and I was like, I don't want to use the word criminal. And she loved that in my interview. Yeah. She was like, that is amazing. Do not ever do that because they are human. And they really try to make you. Because they're trying to be better. Exactly. And like, I just, I hate that part. But I remember one day I had a really big conversation with one of the residents, one of the inside students. And they, and she said, you know, they call it the Deborah K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center because it's based off a former warden who died like I think within the past few years. But it's not a rehabilitation, she said they're doing a disgrace to her name actually. Because she was like, she never wanted to call them inmate. She was the sweetest person. Yeah. And the in-house student was like, she would be disgusted with what this place has become. And that breaks my heart. Yeah. I had a friend who did the life program. And she was just telling me about all the, she was like, she did a project, this was in civic engagements. So I've discussed civic engagements before. It was a class I took. And basically you find a problem in the world that you want to, you can't solve it. They're hard to solve. But you try to come up with something that will help. So her project was about like the medical needs. Oh yeah. In the prison systems. And how, no, no, no, it was like health, just health in the prison systems. And stuff about how like they were eating like, they would eat like four days expired meat and stuff like that. It's like one of the residents like was helping out in the kitchen and saw that the food that they were serving had been expired. That's disgusting. And they still served it. They still cooked it and served it. It's, I can't, it just breaks my heart. Because I, the in-house students that I had a class with, and like I'll try not to cry because I'm also slow on sleep. But they are, they have some of the most loving souls and biggest hearts I've ever met in my entire life. I was gone for two weeks. I was sick for two weeks and then I missed my classes. And the first thing, the first one that approached me when I came back was an in-house student. It wasn't even an outside student. And they gave me hugs and they were like, oh my gosh, we're so happy that you're back. Like, are you okay? What happened? And I was like, oh, I had a really bad sinus infection and it like got worse and things like that. And they're like, oh, I'm so sorry, like we were praying for you. And I was like, why on God's green earth would anyone think that these people are anything less than they actually are? That's what I'm saying. And you know, I watched, there was like, I'm going to. And Hollywood, Hollywood doesn't help. Does not help. But I watched a show, it was like, I think it was like 60, 30 days in, 60 days in. Oh, that's the one where people. They put like civilians in there. They like put, they basically, if you haven't watched the show, they put people in prison to try to like help. And they help police kind of figure out who's like selling drugs in there or like what's actually going. Or what's just wrong. Yeah, what's wrong. The prison. The prison. And I know that, so a lot of the people who went in, they don't get paid or anything. They volunteer. Some of them can't finish it. Yeah, I know a lot of the people who went in, went in and they were saying that they wanted to go because they think prison is too good. They're like, I'm trying to prove, like, I know there's this one woman. Oh, she irritated me when I watched it. She was like, I volunteer to do it because I think like the prisons are too nice. And my husband doesn't believe me. So I'm going to do it. She's like, she was like, they get a, they get free meals, a roof over their head. They're fine. They're doing amazing. And in my head, I was like, how naive are you? That just makes me. That makes me angry. That makes me so mad. Like, I just. I'm like, do you think people who commit crimes like don't deserve a roof over their head or a meal? They are still people. And even then, like the meals, like, they're not getting like five star meals, y'all. I just said it was expired. I literally, so we have a class on Wednesday nights. And one of the in-house students had to skip dinner to take her medicine and go to class. And so she didn't get to eat. Exactly. And I was like, and even our professor was like, that's ridiculous. Yeah. That like this is how this is working out. And like, it's just, it makes me so mad. And Hollywood doesn't help because I think Hollywood in shows like. Hollywood shows prisoners dancing. What's that prison break? That show prison break. Is that what it's called? I don't know. There's a show. I think it's called prison break. And it's, I mean, it's all about. I haven't watched it in full, but it's basically about this guy breaking out of prison. And it's like that. I feel like the portrayal of prison that I have seen and what is portrayed in TV shows, especially TV shows like that. Or like Orange is the New Black. I feel like. Orange is the New Black makes people want to go to prison. And I'm like. Because it shows like. Don't. Don't. Like it's a great show. Don't get me. I love the show. Yeah. I only watched a couple episodes of it. It made me a little angry. But it's not how it, that's not how it works. At all. And people don't realize that. Like Hollywood glamorizes it. And I think people don't, people don't realize how messed up our prison systems are. I know. And I mentioned this in our. What episode did we just record? We just did the. Oh God why I can't. Restorative justice. Okay. I mentioned this in our restorative justice episode that I think the judicial system doesn't help. No. Prosecutors view criminals too. Because I think prosecutors are what create, help create that persona of this is the worst possible person that you could ever imagine. And I have a love hate relationship with that. Because yes people deserve to be punished for their, the crimes that they have committed. They deserve to face the consequences. But at the same time they're people too. Yeah. And so I have, I've always said. And a lot of the times like these people, they are people who have either been dealt a bad hand or they just made a mistake. A lot of the time yeah. Yeah. A lot of the times like they also, they come from broken homes. Like they haven't like had a lot in their lives. Like. Yeah. And I mean I'm not saying like that's the case for every prisoner. But I'm saying like in the most part like I know, I met people at my work. I like the, most of the kitchen staff at my work have been in prison. I'm trying to see if you can see my feet on the camera. You can. Okay. But your dog's away. You do this every episode. I'm sorry guys. I have a really bad problem with, this is a very, we were very serious for a little while. But I have a really big problem with not wearing shoes. I hate shoes. So I wear. So your dog's away. So I wear sandals all the time. Oh lordy. So I can take my shoes off. And I literally do this in the office where I work too. And my boss got onto me for it one time. And then I turned and walked into her office and she didn't have shoes on. And I was like you literal hypocrite. Like. Oh my gosh. That's why, I only take them off when I'm like by the desk. And like my feet are, you can't see my feet. Okay. Well. I was just making sure my dogs weren't out on camera. They were not. But. I promise they're like. What were we talking about? I forgot. I'm so sorry. Oh, oh, oh, oh. I was saying. So I work with people. Like people at my job in the kitchen. Most of them have been in prison. And they were saying like. Like. And they were kind of saying how they. Like. What happened to them was either like they were framed. And they had to do time for it. Or I don't want to say like their actual cases. But like they were either framed. Something bad happened to them. So they did something bad. Or like. And that kind of doesn't make it sound too well. But like. No I. Like. Do you know what I mean? Like retribution type thing. Like. Yeah. Eye for an eye kind of a thing. No, no, no, no. More like. I thought something would happen. So I did this. More like self defense. Okay. Self defense type of cases. I just watched a Queer Eye episode about that. Love it. A lot. And like most of the people I work with. There's like the kindest souls. Yeah. I like. And then of course you keep like the rude people out of prison. But. That's another topic. No I'm kidding. I. I just. It. Hmm. I mean I had a. My. My. Friend who did the project on prison systems. She discussed how like. Even medication. Like medication. They were prescribed. And they. That the. That. Inmates needed. They like couldn't get it. And even when they got it. They had to be like. Watched with it. They were only given like a. Like one pill. When they're actually were supposed to have two. Like the medical records in there are not kept well. And they're getting sick because of it too. I. I have a lot of opinions. About. The prison system. Go for it. That's what this is for. Well I feel like I can't say some of them. Say what you can. Because. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I.