Inmate 634XX-037

My friend, inmate number 63XX3-037 (let’s call him 37 for short), served time at the Federal Prison at Cumberland, MD. The Bureau of Prisons (BoP) released him for good behavior after serving three years of a five-year sentence. Visiting him in prison was always both sobering and interesting.

37 made a couple of mistakes in business several years ago and was charged with and convicted of bribery. The judge sentenced him to five years at The Federal Correctional Institution, Cumberland. Cumberland has both a medium-security federal prison, and a satellite prison camp for minimum-security male offenders. 37 served his time at the minimum-security prison, where the population was generally white-collar criminals and non-violent drug offenders. Federal Prison Camps have dormitory housing, a relatively low staff-to-inmate ratio, and limited or no perimeter fencing.

It was a good thing for 37 to serve his time in the minimum-security prison. Life was not necessarily easier there, but it was safer. The real hard cases, the violent criminals, were at the medium-security prison. At the Prison Camp, if you screwed up, you lost privileges. If you screwed up too much, they transferred you to the medium security prison next door. No reasonable person would want that.

A friend of mine and I visited 37 every few months. The prison only allowed so many visits and visitors each month and all were controlled*. We worked with his family and the prison to schedule our visits and were on a limited pre-approved list for consideration. All visit requests were in writing and then approved or disapproved.

Once approved, our day would arrive, and we made the two and a quarter hour drive to Cumberland. It is a pretty drive on the backroads of Maryland, although it can be treacherous in winter on the narrow two-lane highways.

Upon arriving, we emptied our pockets in the car. They did not allow electronic devices or wallets in the visitor area. Once in the facility, we signed in, and turned our keys and ID cards in to a guard, who also gave us a cursory inspection. The BoP warned all ahead of time about what you could or could not wear in the facility. They forbid any clothing that could be construed as gang or military related. This included certain types of sportswear, so we always just came in regular business casual attire. For female visitors, “provocative” clothing of any type was forbidden. 

After we cleared the guard station and entered the visiting area, 37 joined us a few minutes later. Handshakes and hugs, then smiles all around. There were vending machines available. Inmates themselves could not access the machines, but we could buy items for them. I always brought a pocketful of quarters and bought sodas and snacks for all of us.

For the next two or three hours, we talked. It was awkward the first time, but we adjusted. We told 37 about things going on in the world, and he told us about prison life. His stories were always a bit fascinating. 

Money was not allowed in the prison, so they used substitutes, chiefly dried mackerel (fish) cakes (macks) and stamps. Everything had a price. As an example, a haircut cost two stamps. Some sort of real food would cost x number of macks.

37 played both basketball and soccer while in prison. As you can imagine, the games were a bit cutthroat. The play was physical and the other players always tested you, particularly as a new guy. You could not back down. If you did, you became marked, and life became more difficult.

He avoided the TV Room, which if I recall correctly, was available in the evening, or on certain nights of the week. 37 told us there were more fights and confrontations in the TV Room than anywhere else. With only one TV, prisoners argued and fought about what to watch. 37 found it easier, and safer, to just avoid the area. 

37 worked multiple jobs while at Cumberland. He drove a forklift in a warehouse for a while. For another period, he worked outside the prison, but still on the prison grounds. It may have been trash pickup, or something similar. There was no direct supervision of them while outside, as you were stupid to try and escape. He also worked at the medium-security prison, setting up and taking down tables used for prisoner visits. Just working there and seeing the environment was reason enough to ensure he stayed on his best behavior.

Not everyone stayed on their best behavior and periodically they transferred a prisoner to the big house. One guy smuggled in a cell phone and they caught him. Poof – he was gone. Another was working outside the prison, just as 37 had for a while. One day, he decided to just walk away. As I said before, you had to be stupid to try and escape. The police apprehended him a day or two later and immediately sent him to the medium-security prison. Too much fighting? Transferred. Caught with drugs? Transferred. It always amazed me when we heard about someone getting transferred to the main prison, often for doing something stupid. I suppose it made sense that someone caught in a crime might not think rationally anyway. 

37 also did some good things while inside. He taught business classes in the evening as a part of an ongoing academic program the prison ran. He also helped a couple of prisoners working on their GEDs.

Through his lawyer’s hard work, and 37 himself keeping his nose clean, he secured an early release after serving a little more than three years. He had paid his debt to society, although he still owed a massive fine. 

Once out of prison, he stayed in a half-way house for a period and then while still under probation, returned home to his wife and family. 37 was lucky in that regard. Many couples divorce while one of the two is in prison. In 37’s case, I think he and his wife came away with a stronger marriage. His family is precious to him. After he returned home, 37 was understandably eager to put the whole experience behind him. Eager to get back to life and living. Eager to move on. Eager to return to work. We continued to see each other and talk of many things, but prison was not one of them. 

The last time we were together, I noted 37 gained a few pounds. That was a good thing after the weight he lost in Cumberland. His hair was grayer, but maybe that was natural and not related to prison time. I also noted a sparkle in his eyes, something I had not seen in a long time. I am happy for him. He has rejoined society and is already again making a difference in the world. I know he will continue to do so in the coming decades. 

John 8:7 – So when they continued asking him, Jesus lifted himself up, and said unto them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast the first stone”

Addendum:

• I did not provide 37’s entire inmate number, as you can use the full number to look the person up online. 
• * The full list of requirements for a visit to the prison is here: https://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/cum/cum_visit.pdf?v=1.0.2
• The headline photo is attributed to Khalid Mahamood, “https://www.vecteezy.com/free-vector/jail-silhouette”