SERIES II WEEK 3, Episode 5 : AMERICA's CIVILIZED PRISON SYSTEM

       Throughout the last ten years of being housed all over the country, I have

heard all of the 3rd world tales of prison life from foreigners.  Still, Is America

really civilized? 

        I did a count today.  Nine big screen TVs in the building; 2 microwaves, and

state of the art gym equipment.  New spinners.  A new elliptical, more to come. 

In the federal prison system, the items I named above are purchased from the

Inmate Trust Fund.  Part of the proceeds from the canteen profits are used to

benefit us.  We do not have any say-so in what is purchased, but everyone in the

building benefits.  How civilized.  A roommate I had from Honduras told me that

there is no televisions, workout equipment, or computers (I am writing this blog

from a federal prison email, by the way). There is no beds, clothing exchange, or

running hot water in Honduras prisons either.  Many luxuries such as a balanced

diet, fruit and salad with the meals, and chicken on the bone at least once a

week is unheard of in most countries.  The flip side is that other countries do not

have a government that creates broad laws to capture even 65 and over populations

for cashing their dead husbands social security checks.  "I needed it to pay my

house note, so that I wouldn't be a burden to my children."  A 68 year old grand-

mother recently told me before she was released, after serving eight months. 

For some women, the living conditions here are better than home.  Still, its

wrong for a government to incarcerate by the masses for 100s of petty crimes.

We have been getting an influx of Asian women.  A few of the women sold

fake, knockoff purses or wallets.  They were sent to federal prison.  It is a

federal crime because the designers copyright and trademark their merchandise.

Is prison really necessary for these petty crimes? 

If you ask a federal prosecutor, they will say, 'absolutely'. 

What would I be doing if I were home today?  First, lets talk about what I would

NOT be doing.  I do not drink out of plastic cups in my house.  I drink out of glass.

I also would not be using recycled plastic silverware.  Plastic is not healthy.  How

many times can you wash out a plastic commissary bowl, that you also cook in,

that is not microwaveable?  I can answer that- hundreds of times. 

If I were home, I would be sitting in front of a computer or laptop, putting work

in or a grant, or job creation, or writing a book, or marketing.  I would be talking

to my grandkids.  I would serve dinner on real plates, with stainless steel silverware,

and we would drink something out of a glass.  Ice would come out of the freezer,

and not a luxurious federal icemaker. 

      I would also be on the phone or waiting on a phone call from the love of my

life if he was not sitting right next to me. 

   Well, the thing is, I am not at home.  I am stuck in federal prison, surrounded by

small luxuries, financed by our families (canteen is very expensive, and most of

the profit comes from money sent from the streets).  I am about to go and listen

to my MP3 (another federal luxury), and research case law to get the hell out of here

(another luxury, the feds pay a minimum of $3000 a month for lexis nexus online

law library), then crawl under my freshly laundered white sheets because the laundry

washes our clothing three times a week- read a book until I get sleepy, using my

modern, florescent night light, and dream of home that may be sometimes

uncivilized by federal standards. 

Rhonda Turpin

author, publisher, prisoner

SERIES II WEEK 2, Episode 4 FACTS, COMMENTARY, RECAP

SERIES II

WEEK 2, Episode 4

FACTS, COMMENTARY, RECAP

Prison:  TOO BIG TO FAIL

     We heard this phrase repeatedly when the banking system caused the last

recession after inflating mortgages into improper investment vehicles.  The system

is still recovering.  It is public knowledge that the United States Justice System

spends over 80 billion dollars a year to house inmates all over the country. 

  There are many benefactors.

  The food we eat comes from companies like Sysco, and lots of other large vendors.

The feds do not deal with small vendors.  I am not sure if the state does or not.

Then we have the produce providers.  Then all of the cosmetics that are marked

up for inmates to purchase, and the place to make a profit.  Then we have the

uniforms, mattresses, and other commissary items that are big tickets. Then

we have the pharmaceutical companies, providing only their types of meds to

inmates.  The phone companies experience billions of dollars from inmate calls.

The layers of profits from inmates being incarcerated is like peeling an onion.

It is very hard to get to the core. 

     The All-Drugs-Minus-Two went retroactive, and over 46,000 inmates are eligible

for release by next year.  That is a fourth of the federal prison population, and will

definitely eliminate a lot of overcrowding.  The reason why Congress did not pass

the good time bill, or any other initiatives because they stated publicly that with

so many releases pending, they did not want to create a mechanism for even more

releases.  The question is why not? 

     What would happen if the prison system experienced an emergency shut down?

All of the small towns that rely on prisons for employment and business attached

to their tax base would be wiped out instantly.  The large food companies would

take a major hit, and their stocks would plummet.  The phone companies would

take a major financial hit, and many of the smaller phone companies that were

set up to rape inmates and their families out of their cash would instantly go out

of business.  The people that would benefit most would be the taxpayers.

They are footing the large bill for the prison system. 

Imagine Dumping 80 billion dollars a year BACK into the economy, instead of just

a small percentage of wealthy individuals reaping the benefits of this cash cow. 

    The United States prison systems as it stands is really too big to fail, and

that is why they keep locking more and more Americans up for laws that don't

even exist in most countries(like conspiracy in America). 

That is the reality.

Rhonda Turpin

July 24, 2014

Danbury Camp

author, publisher, prisoner

WEEK 2, Episode 3 THE FOOD CHAIN

SERIES II

WEEK 2, Episode 3

THE FOOD CHAIN

     I am a city girl.  I love the outdoors, but I have never lived outside in the raw.

The closest I came to living in the wilderness was when I was a Camp Fire Girl and

then a Girl Scout and was sent to Camp Yekiwi.  We lived in cabins and roasted

marshmallows around the fire.  There was outhouses, and the showers were the

same as the parks.

      I spend many hours walking around the track outside, gazing at the sky, and

daydreaming of life outside of prison.  As I walked the other day, for the first time

in my life I witnessed a murder.  A small rabbit was snatched by a large black snake.

It was the cutest little rabbit.  So small, and so helpless.  Recklessly, i tried to

stomp my feet and yell at the snake.  "Stop it! Let it go!"  I yelled to no avail.  The

shrilling scream that the trapped rabbit was making as the snake dragged it out of

clear eyesight pierced my heart.  I looked around for something to stop the damned

murderer.  The nearest weapon was 20 feet away.  It was a garden hoe, with a metal

edge and a long handle.  I frantically glanced back and forth, from the yelling rabbit

being dragged into the brush, to the garden tool that would help me save the rabbit.

As if able to read my thoughts, the snake was moving it's prey at record speed.  I

did not know snakes could move that fast.  Two other inmates sat on the bleachers

watching me.

   "What is that screaming, a bird?"  One of the inmates asked me. 

   "No, its a rabbit. Its a black snake that has attached him, and has dragged him

into the brush."  I explained glued to the spot that was now empty.  The rabbit's

screams had also stopped.  This bothered me profoundly.  I could not concentrate

any longer on my exercise routine.  I left the track, but could not get the sight

of the tiny bunny being attacked. 

     "Its the food chain Bunkie.  We are from the city, but I am sure it happens many

times.  Everything preys on something else."  My roommate explained to try to make

me feel better.  It didn't.  When I finally dozed off that night, thoughts of the bunny

rabbit being murdered invaded and took over my thoughts several times. 

    I couldn't believe my luck.  Again, while walking two days later, another bunny

got snatched, dragged and murdered.  It could have been the same black snake. 

    Prison life is a lot like the mishap of the food chain.  Many women prey on the

weaknesses of other women, and feel that they are justified.  Further, there are

many, many snakes around, waiting to snatch, drag and murder your spirits, and

many times you do not even see them coming until they are already too close to

you to flee to safety. 

       The more I thought about it, I realized that nature's food chain is not much

different than the prison human spirit chain- only the strong survive.

Rhonda Turpin

July 23, Danbury Camp

author, publisher, prisoner

FACTS, COMMENTARY, RECAP A CHANCE AT FURLOUGHS

     This week, our new Warden Mr. Quay took the helm.  After serving

10 years in the federal system, and doing time at 4 different prisons all

over the country, I welcomed Warden Quay's adherence to policy. 

    Non-transfer furloughs were almost obsolete at Danbury Camp.

   The first 2 requests are in, with many more to come.  There are

over 200 women housed here at the Camp, and more than 90 percent

have less than two years left on their sentence, which makes them

furlough eligible. 

     Furloughs are when you can leave the prison, and meet with your

family, for an approved amount of time.  You can eat outside food, and

talk to your family without the restricted rush of a 15 minute phone call,

and a monitored, timed visit.  You can have in depth conversations with

your family members, and especially your children. 

      There are several other initiatives going on, but the consideration of

social furloughs was the highlight of the week for me. 

Rhonda Turpin

July 18, 2014

author, publisher, prisoner

AN UNLIMITED BUDGET

by Rhonda Turpin

     If someone had an unlimited budget, and told you to create your dream,

what would you create?  What is your passion?  What would you provide to the

world as your mark long after you are dead and gone?  Well, everyone is viewing

the Netflix series, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK.  The show originated at Danbury

Camp, while its author served a short stint here.  At this very moment, I am

being housed at Danbury Camp, serving a 15-year sentence, where I have already

served 10 years.  I do not see any of the buffoonery that is presented in the

comedy- oh, it is a comedy, isn't it?   Prison is real.  When people make it seem

like a bunch of derelicts, and a comedy, the real message is not clear, so I am

here to bring it to you.  Today, at the Camp, I would say that 95% of the 205 women

housed here are mothers and grandmothers.  Many women are waiting and hoping

that the U.S. Sentencing Commission approves the ALL DRUGS MINUS TWO

retroactivity, so that they may receive two levels off.   Children need their mothers

at home.  We are at a Camp.  That means that everyone here is a non-violent

offender, and has less than 10 years left on their sentence.  We could all be

paying into the tax base like other countries. 

     ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK is a powerful statement.  I am thinking that the

author meant that the prison system represents the color orange, and that it

needs nothing short of the Civil Rights Movement to restructure it.  That makes

it black in color, because black people were involved in fighting for their Civil

Rights, and also the prison population is reverting back to prisoners of color

as the majority.  For a few years, ORANGE was white women in the majority, or

close to it at the Camps. 

       If I had an unlimited budget and platform right now, what would I do with it?

I would first of all lobby the public and Congress to get the Smarter Sentencing Act and the

Recidivism Reduction Act passed.  The Smarter Sentencing Act cuts drug sentencing

for non-violent offenders in half, saving the taxpayers billions of dollars over the

next 10 years.  The current bill for prisoners is 88 billion annually, according to the

Department of Justice budget report March 2014, available on their website. 

      If the member of Congress did not want to get on board, I would publicly post

their comments, with why they did not want the bill to pass.  I would veto them in

every way possible. 

      I would get both bills passed by any means necessary.

      Piper Kerman did add other peoples efforts to her social media accounts, but

there was no real advocating for the bill. 

     Secondly, I would create a visiting service for federal inmates.  Many states have

visitation projects, sponsored by large non-profits for a minimal cost.  Children need

to see their parents.  Federal prisoners are usually housed far away from home.

   While in Alderson, actress Rosie O'Donnell talked about how she would like to

implement something like this, when she came to visit Martha Stewart when I was

being housed at Alderson.  It was an excellent idea, but Rosie never acted on the

idea and passion. 

     Piper was here.  She witnessed first hand experience of what prison does to

women and their children.  I love trannies, but to further humiliate the female

population, she staffed a trannie, instead of real women. 

     I read her book, and me and others do not see any of the incidents that she

recorded as fact about Danbury.  Maybe is was because she had unlimited resources

while she was here also, so her prison stay here was actually funny.  Prison is

real, many families are footing the bill, and mothers are attempting to parent

from a jail cell.  How funny is that? 

Rhonda Turpin

author, publisher, prisoner

July 16, 2014

Danbury Camp

FACTS, COMMENTARY, RECAP

     What a week?  I always receive so many blessings daily in this storm, and this week

was no different.  President Obama published a survey and new rules on clemency/

commutation of sentences. The survey was on our computer, and of course I applied.

This system is broken, and the President and Eric Holder understands this.  Will

I be sitting at the table with my children and grandchildren, and the rest of my family

this holiday?  It is always a possibility.  See, the thing is, you never know what God

has in store for you, so therefore how I spend my days is by being right with the people

around me, remaining positive, and busy, and capturing everything that comes my way-

I don't know what is for me or not. 

     Mother's Day is a very big week in prisons throughout the country, and it is no

different in Danbury.  Most of the population are Mothers and Grandmothers.  There is

usually a big meal, a special dessert, and even a movie played just for mothers here.

Where are the children and grandchildren, and how are they?  That's the question.

Because Mothers/Grandmothers are in here on this day, who is doing Mother's Day dinner

for 200 families/many children and grandchildren?  That is what the feds never considered.

There is a serious domino effect to having a parent or grandparent if that is your support

system, being locked up.  The New York Times posted statistics recently that said children

with at least one parent in prison is 6 times more likely to end up in prison themselves.

The same article talked about how each America that is paying FICA/federal taxes pays

about $260 a year in taxes to keep the $80 Billion dollar prison farce going.  This is not

about community safety, and it surely is not about rehabilitation.  If you do not have the

drive to rehabilitate yourself, then Hip-Hop Atlanta, Housewives, Scandal, and several

other shows become your world of reality in here.  I don't blame the women that escape

the pain of missing their children by pouring hours into the big screen televisions we have

here.  I feel their pain, and everyone deals with it differently. 

    It is just that because 25% of all Americans are convicted felons and America is

definitely a prison Country, I would like for it to do better- we are supposed to be so much

better, especially on Mother's Day.

My Mom is gone- Fellas, if your Mom is living, give her a hug today. 

     For you mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day, and I would like to serenade you-

    "Be glad that you are free, cause many a man whose not, be glad that what you had

ain't what you got."  That is Prince/Roger Nelson/The Artist, or whatever his name is-

I loose track, but this Sunday, cherish your freedom and time with your children/grandchildren,

cause thousands of women are in prison, missing their children, and mothering on the

telephone.

 Rhonda Turpin

May 7, 2014

Danbury Prison Camp

author, publisher, prisoner

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worldbookspublishing@gmail.com

FACTS, COMMENTARY, RECAP

     What a week?  I always receive so many blessings daily in this storm, and this week

was no different.  President Obama published a survey and new rules on clemency/

commutation of sentences. The survey was on our computer, and of course I applied.

This system is broken, and the President and Eric Holder understands this.  Will

I be sitting at the table with my children and grandchildren, and the rest of my family

this holiday?  It is always a possibility.  See, the thing is, you never know what God

has in store for you, so therefore how I spend my days is by being right with the people

around me, remaining positive, and busy, and capturing everything that comes my way-

I don't know what is for me or not. 

     Mother's Day is a very big week in prisons throughout the country, and it is no

different in Danbury.  Most of the population are Mothers and Grandmothers.  There is

usually a big meal, a special dessert, and even a movie played just for mothers here.

Where are the children and grandchildren, and how are they?  That's the question.

Because Mothers/Grandmothers are in here on this day, who is doing Mother's Day dinner

for 200 families/many children and grandchildren?  That is what the feds never considered.

There is a serious domino effect to having a parent or grandparent if that is your support

system, being locked up.  The New York Times posted statistics recently that said children

with at least one parent in prison is 6 times more likely to end up in prison themselves.

The same article talked about how each America that is paying FICA/federal taxes pays

about $260 a year in taxes to keep the $80 Billion dollar prison farce going.  This is not

about community safety, and it surely is not about rehabilitation.  If you do not have the

drive to rehabilitate yourself, then Hip-Hop Atlanta, Housewives, Scandal, and several

other shows become your world of reality in here.  I don't blame the women that escape

the pain of missing their children by pouring hours into the big screen televisions we have

here.  I feel their pain, and everyone deals with it differently. 

    It is just that because 25% of all Americans are convicted felons and America is

definitely a prison Country, I would like for it to do better- we are supposed to be so much

better, especially on Mother's Day.

My Mom is gone- Fellas, if your Mom is living, give her a hug today. 

     For you mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day, and I would like to serenade you-

    "Be glad that you are free, cause many a man whose not, be glad that what you had

ain't what you got."  That is Prince/Roger Nelson/The Artist, or whatever his name is-

I loose track, but this Sunday, cherish your freedom and time with your children/grandchildren,

cause thousands of women are in prison, missing their children, and mothering on the

telephone.

 Rhonda Turpin

May 7, 2014

Danbury Prison Camp

author, publisher, prisoner

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worldbookspublishing@gmail.com

FACTS, COMMENTARY, RECAP

     What a week?  I always receive so many blessings daily in this storm, and this week

was no different.  President Obama published a survey and new rules on clemency/

commutation of sentences. The survey was on our computer, and of course I applied.

This system is broken, and the President and Eric Holder understands this.  Will

I be sitting at the table with my children and grandchildren, and the rest of my family

this holiday?  It is always a possibility.  See, the thing is, you never know what God

has in store for you, so therefore how I spend my days is by being right with the people

around me, remaining positive, and busy, and capturing everything that comes my way-

I don't know what is for me or not. 

     Mother's Day is a very big week in prisons throughout the country, and it is no

different in Danbury.  Most of the population are Mothers and Grandmothers.  There is

usually a big meal, a special dessert, and even a movie played just for mothers here.

Where are the children and grandchildren, and how are they?  That's the question.

Because Mothers/Grandmothers are in here on this day, who is doing Mother's Day dinner

for 200 families/many children and grandchildren?  That is what the feds never considered.

There is a serious domino effect to having a parent or grandparent if that is your support

system, being locked up.  The New York Times posted statistics recently that said children

with at least one parent in prison is 6 times more likely to end up in prison themselves.

The same article talked about how each America that is paying FICA/federal taxes pays

about $260 a year in taxes to keep the $80 Billion dollar prison farce going.  This is not

about community safety, and it surely is not about rehabilitation.  If you do not have the

drive to rehabilitate yourself, then Hip-Hop Atlanta, Housewives, Scandal, and several

other shows become your world of reality in here.  I don't blame the women that escape

the pain of missing their children by pouring hours into the big screen televisions we have

here.  I feel their pain, and everyone deals with it differently. 

    It is just that because 25% of all Americans are convicted felons and America is

definitely a prison Country, I would like for it to do better- we are supposed to be so much

better, especially on Mother's Day.

My Mom is gone- Fellas, if your Mom is living, give her a hug today. 

     For you mothers out there, Happy Mother's Day, and I would like to serenade you-

    "Be glad that you are free, cause many a man whose not, be glad that what you had

ain't what you got."  That is Prince/Roger Nelson/The Artist, or whatever his name is-

I loose track, but this Sunday, cherish your freedom and time with your children/grandchildren,

cause thousands of women are in prison, missing their children, and mothering on the

telephone.

 Rhonda Turpin

May 7, 2014

Danbury Prison Camp

author, publisher, prisoner

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MISUNDERSTOOD

          I have concluded many times that I must look extremely soft.  In one of

my previous episodes, I shared with the readers about how inmate/fool Donita

Good bitch slapped me, and the results of her rediculous actions. 

        Would you believe that a few days ago, a disgruntled co-worker was also

feeling a wee bit froggy?  I could not believe it.  She was relocated from working

beside me by the administration.  They had their reasons.  I attempted to go

hard for her, to no avail.  Because I have lots of cowardly haters in the building,

one got in her ear, and tried to get her riled up.  Ofcourse they told her that

I had her moved, giving me too much credit as an inmate. 

     I was sitting at this same computer that I am sitting at now.  She came and

sit at the computer next to me, that is not even one foot away.  She weights close

to three hundred pounds, which brought her body even closer to mines. 

     "I am fed up.  I feel like just smacking a bitch in here."  She said, while looking

at her computer monitor before signing in. 

     I started to address it, but instead I waited to see if there was any real meaning

to her words. I halted typing just in case, and put my feet flat on the ground.  She

didn't know it, but she was about to get a seasoned ass whooping if she would have

put her hands on me. 

    She did the right thing.  She finished typing and waddled her big beach whale

butt out of the computer room without looking back.

   See, the thing about prison is that people are always judging a book by its cover.

  Especially female inmates, and they shouldn't.  I am probably the most misunderstood

because I am introverted, educated, soft-spoken, even-keeled, and love to spend time

with myself.  Inmates keep reading that as a sign of weakness, instead of what it

is.  Real bosses move in silence, without many words, and that is the way I was

brought up.

Rhonda Turpin

May 4, 2014

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FACTS, COMMENTARY, RECAP

       This week has been a good week so far, but also an emotion week for me.

 For any of you that has already

read my book titled LIVING IN PRISON WITH MARTHA STEWART, you know that my

grandson Ricky was in the car with me when I self-surrendered to Alderson Prison

Camp 10 years ago.  He will be 14 on July 10.  He used to live with me before I came

here, and was my first grandson.  Today he is my part time media assistant, and

I am hoping that eventually he becomes my career manager.  He is extremely smart,

and makes the honor roll every report card.  When he is going through life's trials,

I do also.  He was sad about something minor at school, and it sent my entire

world topsy-turvy.  I walked it off, and worked it out in the gym, but still I cried for

him before I went to sleep and could not find peace that night.  Its a lot of mothers

in prison and grandmothers.  As I said repeatedly, this is NOT a game, and it is not

funny.  My grandkids quality of life is affected by me being in here, because I am their

support system.  Guess what Ricky wants to be?  One guess?  A criminal attorney!

When your children or family members are traumatized by any events that happen to

you, they sometimes develop a passion for whatever you were lacking.  Doctors sometimes

had relatives that were seriously ill; police officers suffered family crimes often; Families

of cancer patients develop movements to fight cancer, and the list goes on.  I do not

want my grandson to be an attorney.  I do not like attorneys, and I have never met one

that was a person of his word for the long term.  It is almost impossible for an attorney

to be wealthy and 100% truthful to all clients- it just doesn't go together. 

     It has been a good week because I am truly blessed in this storm.  When one door

shuts, another quickly opens, therefore I am always receiving blessings.  This time

is hard, but not impossible, thanks to God carrying me on many occasions when the

load was too heavy.  The blessings raining down daily lets me know that I am still in

His favor. 

     It has been a good week for meals also.  In federal prison we do eat well most days.

The day I began this writing, I had chicken parmesan, with spaghetti, garlic bread, and

home made lemon tarts.  I could never afford to eat this well at home, three times

a day.  At most, I would have had a turkey bologna sandwich, with all of my fixings on

a week night.  I do not like to cook, and I hate microwaves, so at home I take the

easy way out often.  I would rather be at home, working and paying bills, and eating

a bowl of cereal for dinner, instead of being fed daily in preparation of my

psychological slaughter.  It is a method to prison.  It is meant to break your spirits,

and many fold. 

       A group of us had an observation.  After four years, it is standard for the majority

of your family and friends to abandon you.  Sadly, we used to look at someone coming

in and predict the decrease in their visits, letters, emails, and money.  It was almost

like clockwork.  Why do some families do that?  One of my blessings is my two daughters

and grandkids. They love me unconditionally, and that is very rare.  Then God keeps

sending me angels.  Eva Tan, a visitor from the PVS program is one of those angels

that comes to see me for the last two years once a month, keeping me spiritually

grounded, and in touch with the outside world.  Leticia is another angel who comes

to visit me and keeps me on top on my game, and well connected to the outside world.

Where did these angels come from?  There are many more.  I have a new angel named

Rachel also, who has stepped up as a friend.  These are a few of the blessings that

I never saw coming, and what makes this time mild most of the time.  Prison was

designed to break your spirits, and punish you, but when you are surrounded by angels,

its impossible.  I get stronger, inside the walls of prison.  That's amazing.  I know.

I want to go home, and I am ready today, and will remain ready.  In the meantime,

I will keep you entertained!

     President Obama and Eric Holder put out an initiative for Clemency this week.  I

may be eligible to get my sentence commuted to time-served.  The thing is with fighting

your sentence is you must apply for everything you think you are eligible for, and every

case is different.  I have won 2 direct appeals on my own, and received a hearing from

all nine justices last year in the Supreme Court of the United States.  Do you know how

it felt to get mail/direction from Chief Justice Roberts?!  I was speechless, and carried

the letter in my hand for a few days.  I am inching forward, toward home. 

     That is really all that matters. 

  Rhonda Turpin

  April 30, 2014

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