Prisoners who want to know how to survive in a Oklahoma Department of Correction facility must enjoy the little things they have. Depression and sadness can make prison life unbearable and there is pretty much nothing they can do but wait for the day of their release. Prisoners who want to stay sane until the day of their release must count their blessings and appreciate or enjoy everything they have. However, knowing that it is possible to get depressed while in prison is not enough to prevent it from actually happening.
Inmates also have to look out for the following signs:
•Unusual sleep patterns
Sometimes, this can be attributed to the body’s adjustment to a new environment. However, since prison mostly has a set of routines, it is easier for inmates to adjust to the schedules. However, if the sleep disturbance starts happening midway through the sentence, then it could be a symptom of depression.
•A marked lack of interest in food
Most depressed inmates also start avoiding any type of human interaction.
•A marked decrease in the individual’s level of self-esteem.
If you notice that these symptoms are occurring more often than normal, then it is best to seek help. Inmates also have to be vigilant about their fellow inmates who can possibly be suffering from depression. That’s because a depressed individual has a high risk of harming himself or the people around him. In fact, there have been cases wherein depressed inmates coped with depression by inciting violence and conflicts with fellow inmates.
Note that the Federal Bureau of Prisons has set some guidelines when it comes to managing depression and other health problems suffered by inmates.
Prisoners who want to know how to survive in a Oklahoma Department of Correction facility must also understand that making friends with the right people in prison can help. An inmate who is aiming for a parole should definitely avoid making friends with gang members. In order not to be noticed, it is best to avoid eye contact with fellow inmates who are gang members. That’s because gangs often play a huge role in pushing an inmate to perform acts that violate prison regulations. This, in turn, can cause his sentence to be prolonged.
The best people to befriend in prison are the following:
Inmates who keep to themselves are often the best people to stick with when you are new in prison. Just think of it as a Shawshank Redemption type of friendship.
Inmates who make their prison time useful by engaging in various productive hobbies. These inmates already discovered a way to kill time and continuously stimulate their minds.
In cases where contact with gang members or violent inmates is unavoidable, it is best to maintain an attitude of respect. Do not try to match the other person’s hostility just to prove who the ‘better man’ is. This will only lead to further conflicts and the extension of your otherwise short prison stay. Also, it is best to try to reason out with a violent inmate when he is alone. Otherwise, his ego may just be stoked by your meek respectfulness and he may just get motivated to show off in front of his friends.
Another strategy to avoid undue attention is to remember the three wise monkeys: hear, see and speak no evil. This strategy effectively ensures that you do listen to prison gossip, see anything that can lead to gossip, or repeat any overheard gossip to others. This is important since, according to recent statistics, a high percentage of prison riots originate from one inmate being insulted by some form of gossip about him. This is also the same strategy that is employed by the more mature-minded inmates.
Prisoners who want to survive not just prison life but also life after prison must join the State of Oklahoma Corrections’ anger management programs. These programs will help them manage their anger and allow them to work on patience. This will not only help them stay away from fights and disagreements in prison, but will also give them a better chance of having a good life after their sentence. Prisoners who have developed better anger management strategies have lower chances of being incarcerated again. They also have higher chances of keeping their jobs once they are released.
Prisoners who want to know how to survive in a Oklahoma Department of Correction facility may find pen pals. Prisoners who don’t have spouses are allowed to make friends by sending letters. The prison staff monitors all letters that are received and sent from prison. They go through each and every letter to ensure that nothing illegal is being sent to and from prison. Those who would like to find friends or future partners via sending letters must follow all the rules and ensure that they don’t do anything illegal.
Prisoners who want to survive in prison must make sure that they have clothes for both cold and hot seasons. The state of Oklahoma has a temperate sub-tropical climate. It snows almost every winter but summer is extremely hot. Prisoners need to wear their uniforms but the prison staff and guards understand that there are seasons when prison uniforms become inappropriate. The prisoners are allowed to wear jackets, socks and gloves during extremely cold seasons. Winter season in Oklahoma is relatively short, but it can get extremely cold and prisoners are allowed to wear winter gear.
Summer in Oklahoma is known to be dry and extremely hot. Prisoners who want to survive this season must wear clothing that is made of comfortable and cool materials. Prisoners who don’t have appropriate clothing may ask their families and friends to bring some for them when summer or winter is near. Prisoners who feel cold or hot during these seasons are most likely to get sick. They may catch a cold and as expected, this may lead to something more complicated. Of course, people tend to feel irritated when they are sick, so there is a great chance that they will get into fights or misunderstandings most of the time.