New Years 2009 Writing From Jake

Tomorrow brings a New Year and the last one that I’ll spend incarcerated. This time next year I will be at home with friends and family and, most importantly, good food. Until then, I am being distracted by my new surroundings. After two years of working to get my security level lowered and one denied relocation attempt, I’ve been moved out of the Victorville Medium Security institution to the Terminal Island low security institution. Yes, it really is an island.

Rather than floating in a bay Alcatraz-style, Terminal Island sits on the southern tip of the country’s largest and busiest port. Once a naval base in the 30’s, it was converted to a prison a decade later. And it shows. It has a fairly old school quality to it with its old bunks, rusty weight pile and lived in feel. But that doesn’t stop it from reigning as the crown jewel of prisons in the western region. Everyone at Victorville talks of coming to T.I.—it’s referred to (humorously) as a place to retire from the politics, lockdowns and fights. When you arrive, you realize that its not too far from the truth.

I’m still in the beginning of that multi-month “settling in” process, and to be honest, I miss a number of things about my old residence of two years. But I suspect that will change with time. It started before even entering the prison when we pulled up to the gate and I was welcomed by a pelican and thick green grass—something I hadn’t seen in 25 months (to the day). I ran into a couple of friends from Victorville right away, who showed me around the place. I was first struck by how much smaller it is and the total lack of privacy.

As I get over that, I’m glad to be trading up on a few things. My old compound of concrete and dirt is now filled with thick grass, park benches, rose bushes, tall trees, and flower lined walkways. I thought I would miss what animal life existed in Victorville. I left the pigeons, groundhog, and feral cats (who wouldn’t give me the time of day after they found out I wouldn’t be buying them tuna at commissary), but gained seagulls, pelicans, sea lions and the occasional passing porpoise. The dirt running track is replaced with a concrete one that runs parallel to the ocean 15 feet away. The hardest thing to leave behind is the cell living which is now 60 man dorms. The idea of not being locked down, an ocean view through a window you can open and a good corner spot is helping to diminish that. To be honest, not living with the rules and politics that exist in Victorville is somewhat of a challenge. It surprised me to feel that way—I guess when you’re so used to something and living it 24 hours a day, it’s somewhat of a culture shock to have all that completely reversed over night. I’m looking forward to cruising through these last months and passing through these gates without handcuffs and shackles.

It amazes me at how fast this time has passed for me and how much everyone’s support has helped that process. I’m not sure how mail forwarding works in prison, if at all, but I apologize if you wrote and didn’t hear back from me. Chances are I didn’t receive it. I’m also encouraged to see my co-defendants being released—it’s a reminder that there is a little light at the end of the tunnel. I hope they are settling in and doing well. Me, I am going to wrap my head around the idea of being in a prison where guys play volleyball barefooted on a sand court and tourists snap pictures of you from the cruise ships. Not a bad way to finish out your time.

Keep Fighting!
Jake