Prison News
Drugs at Matt & Sweat’s New York Prison
CNN has reported that the FBI is now investigating drug use at the infamous New York Clinton prison. The FBI has alleged information about employee corruption, drug trafficking, and heroin use by the inmates. The pundits are apparently shocked at the allegations of the availability of drugs for inmates. Wolfe Blitzer was in disbelief today at the wide spread use of drugs among inmates.
On the Wolfe Blitzer show today, a former correctional officer, blamed almost all of the drugs in prison from smuggling by inmate’s visitors. He pointed out that the officers cannot frisk the visitors for drugs. The former correctional officer, failed to discuss the search of inmates after visitation. In almost all prisons with medium security and maximum security,the inmate after visitation is completely strip-searched for illegal contraband by correctional officers. Based on my personal experience in state prison, it was extremely difficult to bring drugs or any illegal contraband into the prison by an inmate after visitation after a complete strip search– unless the correctional officers conducting the search were involved in a smuggling scheme.
The outside world does not have a realistic understanding of the prison environment. Illegal drugs are available at many prisons and jails in the United States. The Washington Post, in 2014, revealed that approximately 85% of the 2.3 million inmates incarcerated in the United States were either addicted to drugs or were arrested for drug related offenses. With so many addicts incarcerated, is it really shocking that drugs were available and were sold to a “captive market.”
The Washington Times reported in, 2010 that “in many large state prison systems, a mix of inmate ingenuity, complicit visitors and corrupt staff has kept the level of inmate drug abuse constant over the past decade despite concerted efforts to reduce it.”California state prisons has about 1,000 drug incidents reported each year. During the years of 2006-2008, 44 inmates died in California from drug overdoses. Random drug tests in Florida, during 2008-2009, had 1132 positive test results.
Prisons are a reflection of their society. It is simply naive to think that inmates would not have access to illegal contraband.
By: Bradley Schwartz
Founder of prisonpath.com
Mark Barmes,
Bradley Schwartz, I believe this is your best work yet. But I know this is the most factual and Honest journalism I have ever read.
Thanks. Mark…It was incredible listening to the commentators. Have a great holiday weekend,
Brad
Brent–
I can’t believe they were shocked. A good percentage is brought in by employees.
I am shocked at Wolfe Blitzer’s reaction…….as a journalist he is that naive. The prison subculture has an underground market. A decade and a half there was the mackerel system, used for currency. Today stamps and sex is widely used to trade for favors, or canteen items. In prison, it is the prison running their own show. Do visitors bring it in? Sure, that is one way, but the inmate should be stripped searched. I cant believe a jail, prison or juvenile facility would not do one. Guards and other staff are another source of funneling it into the facilities;… Read more »
This is not shocking to anyone that understands that if liberals attempt to socialize, relax. and promote a kindler, gentler, social engineering atmosphere in a prison which houses the worst evil, murderous , manipulative social paths that was sentenced to the highest level security prison… And all this is eventually discovered after two of the worst inmates, manipulate, already week or morally corrupt officers , while having 6 months to plan and execute their escape, have continued sex with workers, tells me and anyone with common sense… This sure as hell should have been expected. Ohh did we also announce… Read more »
Michael–
Free enterprise is alive and well within the prison system.
Gary–
Probably more drugs in the prison system then the general population, plus the mark up is that much better.
Paul–
They actually make more on tobacco than drugs in those systems where they have outlawed cigarettes. but yes, that is generally accomplished via the guards also.
Steven–
This is not at all surprising. Bet there is prostitution too, as well as the drugs etc. DC jails are known for this.