Visinting Atlanta Detention Center

On Friday night at 9:21p.m. , I went downtown to visit the Atlanta Detention Center (located on Peachtree street) to met with my cousin who was going to give me a tour and tell me about the duties of Correction Officers . Once I arrived there I had to sign in , turn in any electronic devices (my cell phone) , and be searched by the officers at the front desk. Once the process was over the officers showed me to the back where my cousin office was. I happy to see
my cousin but had second thoughts about going on the tour. Before the tour started my cousin quickly informed me that he was not a police officer, but a correction officer. He told me people that easily make the mistake of confusing the two because the uniform is very similar. He also
said that police officers do not handle inmates only when they have to lock them up on the streets ad take them to detention centers where he and other officers handle them. My cousin
is Major Jackson , and by his rank being a major his duties mostly consist of being in charge of the 87 officers, staff, 100+inmates , and make sure that everything is ran properly. The first stop of the tour was the central control area . This area was very dark inside where all the surveillance cameras are monitored by officers , the control to open the doors , and the holding area for weapons. We went on to the next stop which was the roll call room where all officers must report to check in, and is brief over the assignments for the day by whom ever is in charge. As we walked towards the elevator my cousin pointed to an exit door . He explained that this is the stop where the police officers drop off all inmates to be checked in . I noticed that my cousin mood was very relaxed and calm as he was giving me the tour. I asked if he was ever scared about being around the inmates at night. He gave me a gentle smiled and said" Yes! every minute, hour, I'm very scared! I make it through the day by praying that GOD send me back safe to my family . Although they are inmates I showed them respect the same way I with my staff. I have to realize that I'm around them so I might as well." Second stop was the Intake center(2ND floor) , the first process that the inmates go through: Identification/screen- have put their information into the system, booking- where they can bail out. Sometimes if the crime is minor inmates can sign out on a signature bond, and the medical center- where they receive help if they are hurt for minor injuries. In addition , there is small station where they get strip search, and receive uniforms. There were quite a few inmates there, I will guess that there was 45 inmates waiting to be checked in . I was greeted by smiles from the staff , but strange stares at the inmates. By their facial expressions I could tell they were curious about why I was there and what was I writing down in my book , but no one questioned me. I noticed the different colored uniforms that some of them wearing and asked if there was any important of it . He told me that it does and as well as the painting of the walls represent something, and will change as I go to a different floor.
I learned that brown and green uniforms stands for people that had DUIs or did minor crimes. They stay over the weekend , if violated any rules they stay longer, also they sometimes help clean the center by mopping floors. The orange uniforms are for people that have been caught with drugs. Lastly the red uniforms stands for people that have committed the white collar crimes like murder etc.. I went to the different holding cells seeing people sleeping on the tiny bunk beds, even or the floors. I happened to step inside one empty holding cell and the smell knocked me back out. The room's odor was incredible strong and foul! My cousin explained to me that the odor is a mixture of other inmates scent , and the open commode which I soon
noticed by a corner. He told that this is what he has to go through everyday and that he is used to the odor. As he led me to the back of the intake center to the next stop , Jack had to quickly stop to help one of the other officers with a female inmate that refused to go in the female restroom and wanted to go into the men restroom instead. After a few yells from the officers instructing her to go the proper restroom, she soon decided to follow their instructions.
Afterwards Jack led me towads the back of the center into another room that was painted blue.
"This room is when for those that have finished the check in process and now is waiting to be move upstairs to their cells, sent to another jail , or make a phone call. Very few of them were waiting to be released. I glance around the room , again there were several stares , very few looked up front toward the officer that was in charge.

ACT V

1. What makes this a good field site? It gives an excellent
insight of how the prisoners feel about performing plays,
and how they use it as a tool to change themselves from
their criminal past.

2. What observations does the author makes about the
subculture to help us understand? The author observes the
different types of prisoners , for example the skinheads .
He also noticed and described the way prisoners have to
live in a cell that might be shared with another person that
does not have much space. In addition, there is a daily routine
of strip searches to make sure that are no weapons.

3. What are the norms and values of the subculture? The norm/value
is that IT IS A MUST to defend themselves, their gangs that
they might be apart of while in prison, and drug business.
If not they will have a hard time in prison until it is time for
them to be released.

4. What interview techniques does the author use to
work to help us understand this subculture? I liked how
the author interviewed the prisoners individually to
give me a sense of who they are as a person and actor.
It help when he asked questions about what were
their thoughts and feelings about the crimes they
committed, how has acting help them developed into
a new being, and how they use their past actions into
the play to come to life. Although they are behind bars ,
I could feel that the prisoners did have remorse ,and
wish that they could change the past.

Subculture: Police Officers

TOPIC: Police officers

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