Prison is a correctional facility where those who have been convicted of committing a punishable crime are confined for a specific time depending on the severity of their crime, or whether they pose harm to society. While prison primarily exists for that the purpose of rehabilitation, the reality is far from that. Today, it is used mainly to carry out a form of punishment for people who have been convicted.
It is a terrible thing to be in prison despite the fact that it was supposed to be safe place for offenders. Nowadays, prisons have become a stressful venue of abuse and violence. There have been a lot of cases where prisoners have become victims themselves while they are in prison. Stories of suicide brought by inmates not being able to cope with rape and sexual assault, bullying, as well as a general feeling of hopelessness have continued to rise. There are also cases where racism, political views, and religious biases cause skirmishes and death among inmates. There have been too many stories of violence happening in prison that although there have been laws that were passed to protect prisoners, cases of assault and other threats still exist. The Michigan Department of Corrections is no stranger to these terrible incidents.
The Michigan Department of corrections is in charge of overseeing prisons in the state of Michigan. The department has 34 prison facilities and have 44,000 prisoners or more at the moment. All of the prison facilities under the Michigan Department of Correction have been the subject of a lot of controversies. From suicide incidents including that of a minor to the death of a prisoner who suffered from a severe mental disorder, their facilities have witnessed death and violence towards prisoners and officers.
So with all these controversies and stories of violence, one cannot help but wonder about how to survive in a Michigan Department of Correction. Whether you are reading this out of curiosity or necessity, which hopefully isn’t the case, the list below should be helpful.
How to Survive in a Michigan Department of Correction?
1. Mind your Attitude
This tip works both in the world outside and inside of prison but when you are inside a prison, you really should mind your attitude. Prison is a place where people from different upbringings and societal classes converge. You will also meet people with principles and views that vary drastically. If you don’t respect others, chances are you’ll be a target of abuse and violence. Therefore, it is important to be polite and to respect everyone. Respect the officials and the other prisoners since you’ll literally be living with these people. Surely, you don’t want an enemy living under the same roof.
2. Choose your friends carefully
It may seem unbelievable, but you can find friends inside a correctional facility. No matter how stressful or scary a prison facility is, you will be living with other human beings. These people have families and stories to tell. As you live there longer and spend time with these people, you will get to know some of them. However, you have to be really careful in choosing the kind of people you want to surround yourself with. If you choose the wrong crowd, you’ll get in trouble. Always be on lookout for the good kind of prison friends – the kind that engage in positive activities like those who frequent the libraries or those who pursue hobbies. Those who are assigned jobs (e.g. laundry) and those that allow them some degree of freedom are also more likely to be a good choice if you’re looking for company (e.g. those who are assigned community clean up jobs).
3. Avoid drugs, gambling and debts
The Michigan Department of Correction have strict rules pertaining drug and tobacco use inside the prison facilities and if you are caught breaking this rule, you’ll surely get yourself in trouble. Drug use is a sure way to get yourself in trouble with the officials and other prisoners so it should be not in your list of trying to pass the time. Apart from drugs, gambling is another vice that you have to avoid. Lastly, do not be indebted to anyone. Do yourself a favor; just avoid anything that will make other prisoners hate you.
4. Daily Workout
Since life in prison is really boring, you have to find things that will help you pass the time the right way and working out is just the best option. It will not just help you be in good shape, it will also help keep your mettle up. And who knows, those muscles might be of good use when trouble comes. Although, you should hope that you won’t be using energy to defend yourself.
5. Be careful in choosing the topics to be discussed with other prisoners
Just like in the real world, you must be careful with the kind of discussion you want to get yourself involved in. Be careful not to discuss religion or politics with prisoners that you don’t even know that well. Unless you have developed this strong friendship and you are sure that you won’t get in trouble for talking about your beliefs, then go and discuss it. But if you are not even familiar with what makes people tick, you better be careful not to discuss sensitive issues. It’s safer that way.
6. Always have something to look forward to
Think of your family and keep your spirits up. You are already in a stressful place so don’t make it worse by thinking of any other stressful things. Use your time wisely by making plans for your family and yourself once you get out of the prison. It will help you stay sane and less stressed.
These things are just some of the ways on how to survive in a Michigan Department of Correction. When you are faced with a terrible situation or confined in a stressful place, know that the best way to survive is to know where you are and to learn how to adapt to the place and the people in it. The experience would be scary. You might meet people that are intimidating and violent too. If you find yourself being abused, let officials know as soon as possible or communicate with your family and let them know of your condition so you can get help from the outside. Do not forget that prisoners have rights too and you are protected by certain laws that apply to your situation. Know your rights and use any protection you can get.
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