Not Quite Prison

So I’m a regular in the craft shop now. Other than my obvious reason for getting in—to put together the business initiative I’ve previously described here—the side benefits I enjoy are myriad.

The one I wish to describe now is subtle but powerful. The way prisons are designed is to restrict movement. There is a main hall (the spine of the prison), from which the wings we live on branch off of, on both sides, down the length of the prison. The “chow” halls, recreation yards, gyms, visitation areas, infirmary, school and church do as well.

Save for particular activities, such as those that involve the just mentioned areas—inmates cannot and do not (within the rules) leave their wing. Moreover, these activities, on average, do not account for more than 3 hours out of any 24 hour day. The rest of the time is spent on the wing, either in one’s cell or in the dayroom.

The fact that one cannot leave the wing at will captures the essence of being incarcerated. It’s a daily reminder of such, and is depressing, at times, even to the strongest of us.

The craft shop, however, is not on any individual wing. Rather, it’s at one end of the long, main hall. When an inmate gets in the craft shop, he gets a “craft card”. This identification card is then used as a pass to both get in the craft shop and get off the wing he’s housed on to go there. That being the case, the inmate has the freedom to leave the wing at will! And that is a beautiful feeling.

For instance, say they do an “in and out” (when officers open all the cell doors so inmates can go in or out) at 300pm. Well, all the inmates with nowhere (school, work, craft shop) to go are herded into the dayroom. I, however, flash my card to the officer at the door that connects our wing to the main hall, and he or she lets me through. Then the inmates in the dayroom will see me through the windows as I hook a left and go to the craft shop. An hour later, while they’re waiting to be allowed off the wing to go eat chow together, they’ll see me blaze by again, on my way to chow, probably by myself. Next, they’re rushed in a huddled mass to chow and back. A couple hours later, they’ll again see me, from the confines of the dayroom, rush by on my way to shower or maybe get a haircut.

It’s far from free, but almost not quite prison.

And that is why the craft card is one of the few items that’s referred to as a license to move.