Correctional Officer

Correctional Officer

Bob Walsh

Stockton, CA

Male, 60

I worked for the California state system, starting as a Correctional Officer and retiring as a Lieutenant in 2005. I now write for the PacoVilla blog which is concerned with what could broadly be called The Correctional System.

SubscribeGet emails when new questions are answered. Ask Me Anything!Show Bio +

Share:

Ask me anything!

Submit Your Question

454 Questions

Share:

Last Answer on February 10, 2022

Best Rated

I have a guy that owes me money and isn't paying me back. He's locked-up in county jail. Do the guards read hid letters and if so what can I put in a letter to him that will make his life miserable while he's locked-up? He's in for DUI.

Asked by OwedByConvict about 6 years ago

He is probably already pretty miserable. If you can PROVE he owes you money you can file a small claims action against him and when / if you get a judgement you can attach his canteen account, meaning he won't be able to buy any goodies at the canteen until he pays you. That's the only thing I can thing of that would do the job and is also legal. Most other stuff could get you in as much or more trouble than he would be in. The staff CAN read incoming mail except legal mail, but they seldom do. Takes too much time and not enough staff to do it.

Why do some inmates talk like this? Hey you what the fuk nigga I am gonna best the fuk out of you months fuka!

Asked by Person almost 6 years ago

damned if i know. culturally appropriate i guess.

One more if you don’t mind. So could you usually talk people out? How would you do that? Thanks for answering!

Asked by Reed almost 6 years ago

Verbal deescalation is not something I have been trained in, but I developed some skill at it along the way. In this particular environment it mostly consisted of explaining the obvious, that the inmate was NOT going to win a test of force and that if things got physical they would end up in the hole and with administrative charges against them, possibly criminal charges as well. The problem is the inmate often WANTED to go to the hole or would rather "face the music" rather than face his homies if he didn't go thru with being a dick. It was actually common for inmates to manufacture a light-weight situation just to get locked up.

Have you ever asked someone a question on here? If so do you mind saying what it was?

Asked by QUESTION TO ALL over 5 years ago

Not so as I remember. In this forum my job is to respond to questions, not ask them.

Have you ever had to kill someone?

Asked by ;jfalds over 5 years ago

The only person in the Department that HAS to kill someone is the executioner at San Quentin. For all the rest of us it is merely a perq of the job.

What all have the liberals screwed up in prison and justice systems do you think? Or do you think it helps? Also did you work with males, females, or coed mainly?

Asked by San almost 6 years ago

I worked in an exclusively male facility. Some of the "liberal" notions have been long-term helpful, some not. The idea of forced integration of cells is stupid, it is an idea pushed by people who have never worked inside a prison. I am also bothered by some of the issues with medical care. Spending $1.2 million for a heart transplant for a death row inmate is IMHO stupid. Also, forcing the state to buy name brand (rather than generic) drugs for prisoners is a significant cost for no good purpose. It is still too early to sell what issues gender identification / gender identity may bring to the system. It was of course easier in "the old days" when prisoners had zero rights and the courts did not stick their noses into prison operations. Easier was not necessarily better however.

Have you ever worked in the alternative lifestyle area of the prison? If so what was it like?

Asked by Tyler almost 6 years ago

there were not a lot of overt homosexuals in GP while I was working. remember, i have been out fifteen years. they were a significant management problem then. must be much worse now. they are still trying to figure out who is "male" and who is "female" and what the criteria is and who goes where.