Contraband...Effects Prisoners AND Guards

Prisoners get severely punished for possessing contraband, but how do the items even get into the facility to begin with? Yes, some inmates manage to smuggle banned items, but we all know there is a much more direct route, security guards. I recently read a blog from Grits for Breakfast, updating us on the current contraband issues in our state prisons.

According to the blog, currently everyone coming in and out, including staff, must be searched when entering and exiting prison facilities, because certain contraband are on the rise. Employees are disgruntled about the requirements. They feel as though, "pat searches are triggering dozens of grievances and formal complaints." Also, employees, "have complained they are not being allowed to bring in lunches and other personal items." Through one of the websites included in the blog, it spoke about how cell phones are making their way beyond bars. In this article, it reveals how some inmates bring cell phones into the prison system. Some get through security by placing the cell phone and charger in their own rectums. Not every visitor was screened on visits. Security guards found it easy to take bribes because they do not feel like they have a high enough salary. The officers did not get as sever of sentences as prisoners caught with contraband.

I believe this blog was written for audiences of all ages. The vocabulary is not all too sophisticated. Although, it depends on who might actually be interested in the contraband problem within the prison system. In that case, I would say this article was written for ages 25 and up. I feel as though this blog is solely informative. The author did not seem to be biased in any way about contraband, merely informing audiences of the current situation. Personally, I think the security guards should not complain about the extra security sweeps. Yes, they may not be able to bring some of their personal items with them to work, but they ought to know that is the requirements of being a security guard. It comes with the territory. Also, the new policies probably would have never come to light if employees would not have taken bribes and brought contraband in to begin with. I think it is completely unfair that prisoners caught with banned items were sentenced from 2 to 40 years, whereas guards only served 8 days.