Page 23 - Prison Grounds News Today

Knives out of nearly any object he found on prison grounds. >> if it was big enough to put in your hand with a little leftover, it was big enough to be sharpened into a weapon. usually i would just keep it on me, because its no good if its hidden somewhere. if somebody comes on to you and [ bleep ], you aint got it on you, you cant tell him, hold on, let me go get my knife. thankfully, ive never had to use one. usually if somebody sees one, its enough to keep them at bay. so you dont usually hav...

Just beginning. because conjugal visits are sometimes used as opportunities to smuggle contraband into corcoran officer must do a shore owe search of everything the family brings in. >> put all of the containers in sheer plastic so its visible. we look through it, especially if theyve been opened, make sure there is nothing secreted inside. >> almost time to go. i almost feel like an inmate myself being here. you cant come outside after dark. and then when we do come outside were still enclosed ...

>> while he completes his end of the process, for his wife, its just beginning. because conjugal visits are sometimes used as opportunities to smuggle contraband into corcoran, officers must do a thorough search of everything the family brings in. >> put all of the containers in clear plastic so its visible. we look through it, especially if theyve been opened, make sure there is nothing secreted inside. >> almost time to go. i almost feel like an inmate myself being here. you cant come outside ...

And a shorter commute. >> i hear a lot of people say they dont want to move here because they never leave the prison. well, i come home and im home. >> not everyone in the family is so excited about living inside a state penitentiary. in fact, the whole idea makes marthas son, chris, pretty nervous. >> its kind of scary because they could break out and come and sneak in. i just think about it sometimes. >> actually, its very safe. its like a real nice -- just a good neighborhood. everybody is a ...

And a shorter commute. >> i hear a lot of people say they dont want to move here because they never leave the prison. well, i come home and im home. >> not everyone in the family is so excited about living inside a state penitentiary. in fact, the whole idea makes marthas son, chris, pretty nervous. >> its kind of scary because they could break out and come and sneak in. i just think about it sometimes. >> actually, its very safe. its like a real nice -- just a good neighborhood. everybody is a ...

A lapse of judgment. a crime is committed. it can result in years behind bars, and regaining freedom can seem impossible. >> we have a lot of freedom out here, you know. we have everything that a person would have at home. >> golden barnett, and nine fellow inmates share creature comforts that dont exist inside the castle. theyve become minimum-security inmates who live in a house on the prison grounds. >> trust is what i lost to society. to trust me in society. so this is a start, and its a gre...

On prison grounds. >> my husband, you know, was kind of skeptical at first. i think he knows this is something that i really want to do. >> ive always had a passion for law enforcement. thats just something i love. my kids were kind of excited. they thought, okay, mommy is going to be a cop. thats cool for them. i dont think they really understand everything thats going on. you have to remember to stay firm, fair and consistent. you cant really treat anybody any different. theyre all human. they...

Some of our staff. they came in here together. >> whats up, old guy? how you doing? >> as long standing as some of these relationships may be, theres always a steady flow of newcomers. among inmates and staff alike. michele ellis is a rookie officer in training. this is her second week working on prison grounds. >> my husband, you know, was kind of skeptical at first. i think he knows this is something that i really want to do. >> ive always had a passion for law enforcement. thats just somethin...

>> i was entertaining the children by sort of running around the car with alexi and having her chase me around. >> but powell soon got some unexpected help. >> two dogs appeared out of nowhere. they came up to the vehicle where we were standing by. they let us pet them and got really comfortable around the kids. >> looks hike someone else wants to come home with you guys, too. >> the kids liked the dog so they kind of stuck around and jumped in the car. >> i dont know if theyre going to leave. >...

>> narrator: vladimir is serving four years for theft. he says hes housed here because of conflicts with other inmates. >> translator: i had problems in general population since there are a lot of bad people here. there are a lot of what we call rats. if i stayed there i could have ended up with six more months in prison. now a days if you break somebodys nose or jaw they immediately give you more time in prison without discussion. >> narrator: its outside of 7th block that the uniqueness of zab...