Life Behind Prison Walls From a Former New York Inmate

Corrections officers from New York prisons are fed up! They are standing on the picket lines, as a last resort, demanding better working conditions. Our Governor is threatening instead of listening.

New York prison corrections officers have had enough! They’ve taking to the picket lines, pushing for better working conditions as a final measure. Meanwhile, our Governor is choosing to threaten rather than listen.

How bad is it? A former inmate shares what it's really like from behind those prison walls.

I'm a former inmate. Did time for a conviction that was overturned. While incarcerated at Midstate I did an appeal on my own case that got it overturned.

My stay there was, to say the least, absolutely horrific and disgusting. The amount of inmates per CO (60-1) was absolutely terrifying. How and the hell does this state find that to be ANY proper number for an officer?

Another inmate during my stay tried to rape a female CO while everyone was asleep. Luckily I heard the commotion and ran after the inmate tackling him in the bathroom. This was back in 2019.

The fact Albany came and interviewed the inmates and then came back to say the officer provoked it was mind blowing. Was the inmate who attacked the female officer (who was convicted of rape) beaten to death. No. Did I want to...yes. but I didn't want my stay to be longer than necessary.

And watching COs get attacked over an inmate NOT following rules was just unbelievable.

I didn't feel safe. Not one bit.

I can't understand how 60 plus inmates are placed into one housing unit with ONE officer. Some officers saying they were mandated and verbally said. "I don't want to hear a single thing from you guys, I'm in jail just as you are". And they were.

They lived there just like us. We knew about them. Not just of them.

I'm by your side and all the ones in blue.

When even inmates are siding with corrections officers, it's clear something is seriously wrong. If both sides agree that conditions are unsafe, action must be taken before the situation escalates even further.

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