Incarcerated man reveals what life in prison is really like… from TVs in the cells to ‘diabolical’ food
A man who is currently in prison for robbery has revealed what life behind bars is really like… from flat screen TVs in their cells to the ‘diabolical’ food.
The man, who will be referred to as the pseudonym Charles throughout the story as he asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, explained to the Daily Mail that he’s currently serving 20 years at a max security prison for charges related to a ‘non-violent home invasion.’
He said he has access to the internet through a ‘contraband’ cell phone that he paid $3,500 to get.
‘If I get caught with it, I will be in trouble. I can lose it any day,’ he said.
He revealed that his cell is not as ‘uncomfortable’ as some might think, adding, ‘I share a bunk bed with my cell mate we have prayer rugs that we use to decorate.
‘We both have our own 16-inch TVs. We have a bunch of sheets hung up all throughout the cell to make section off the room and give us privacy.’
He admitted, however, that the ‘hygiene’ in prison is ‘horrible’ and branded the deodorant, soap, and shampoo provided by the state as ‘unacceptable.’
‘State deodorant for some reason makes people smell worse,’ he shared. ‘State soap dries your skin horribly, and state shampoo just doesn’t work.’
A man who is currently in prison for robbery has revealed what life behind bars is really like… from flat screen TVs in their cells to the ‘diabolical’ food (stock image)
Charles revealed that inmates who have money do have the option to order better supplies from what he called the ‘commissary,’ but he added that even most of those products ‘suck.’
‘And the good items are marked up so high [in price] it makes no sense. A bottle of Pantene is $10 here,’ he added. ‘The Neutrogena bars of soap are almost $6.’
As for the food, he described it as ‘bad for the most part’ and claimed that he often goes ‘hungry.’
‘The compound I’m at gives us this thing called meat rock,’ he shared.
‘Meat rock is absolutely diabolical because … it says on the box that it’s not for human consumption.’
Charles said that most inmates get along and don’t treat each other differently based on their charges – except for ‘one condition.’
‘People with sex offenses are considered to be the worst of the worst. They have the hardest time in prison from people robbing them to just making them pay,’ he claimed.
‘The social atmosphere here is basically like a tribal setting … There is nobody that’s by themselves.
He said he spends his days working out, playing card games, and on some days, going outside, but added that he only gets ‘about four hours outside of his cell a day’ (stock image)
‘Whether you stick to gangs, religion, geographic relationships, or race, everyone is with someone for some reason and the line between groups is not crossed often.’
He said he spends his days working out, playing card games, and on some days, going outside, but added that he only gets ‘about four hours outside of his cell a day.’
Charles revealed that people get creative in prison, using whatever they can find to make ‘all kinds of things that you can get in the real world’ including tattoo guns and pillows.
‘I’ve even seen people make ovens out of steel wool and cardboard boxes,’ he shared.
‘I wish I could explain how but to this very moment I’m still baffled, I just know it plugs in and it makes the best panini.’
As for the misconceptions about life behind bars, he said the biggest one is that everyone there is ‘tough’ and that violence happens often.
‘The level of aggression from day to day is not anywhere near what the movies and shows make it seem like,’ he concluded.
‘I don’t remember the last day I had that I didn’t smile or make the best of my day. People in here are dying to live so in here we boost each other up and keep each other alive through humor and sharing similar experiences.’
