March 8, 2025 • 8 mins
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This episode was hosted by Sterling Brown
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
If you have ever been told by someone that you're not
capable of attaining success,if you have made mistakes or
lived in an underprivilegedneighborhood, then this podcast
is for you.
You are now locked in toStruggle to Success.
Struggle to Success aims toinspire individuals to navigate
life's challenges with courage,fortitude and unwavering
(00:21):
determination.
So if you're in your carjogging or somewhere else trying
to find the calm in the storm,then join Struggle to Success
airing every other Saturday.
Remember life is trial.
Stay focused.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hello, wonderful people.
Welcome to part one of UrbanIncarceration, titled Life
Behind the Bars, where we'repulling back the curtain on
daily struggles and survivaltactics of urban inmates.
But this isn't just about them.
It's also about what it'sreally like to work inside a
county jail from an officer'sperspective.
So let's step inside.
(00:58):
Every day, after I walk throughthe front glass doors and clear
the metal detector, I grab thecold steel handle of the first
metal door and wait to hear thatfamiliar buzzing sound, the
signal that I'm about to crossinto another world.
One metal door after anotherlocks behind me.
In that moment, I'm fullyinside A place governed by
(01:19):
strict routines, heartened bynecessity and charged with
tension.
Life behind bars isn't just theinmate's reality, it's mine too
.
I've come to understand thatdoing time isn't just for the
incarcerated.
Officers like me serve time inour own way, one shift at a time
.
In this episode, I'm giving youa look inside my experiences
(01:42):
working behind bars.
We'll talk about the dailyroutines that define prison life
, the survival tactics thatkeeps order, and the harsh
realities of violence andpsychological strain.
My goal is to give you aprofessional, yet personal,
glimpse into the correctionalenvironment raw, honest and real
.
I still remember my first day asa correctional officer.
It was right around the timethat COVID-19 pandemic was
(02:06):
getting worse.
I was nervous, excited andcompletely unprepared for what
was waiting for me behind thosepod doors.
As I walked into the facilityfor the first time, my field
training officer, fto, gave mesome advice Keep your head up,
don't overthink it and remember,pick your battles.
At that time I nodded like Iunderstood, but I had no clue on
(02:27):
how much weight those wordscarried.
The moment that steel doorslammed shut behind me, I was
hit with the sounds, the smellsand the stares the echo of
distant shouts, the cold,sterile scent of concrete and
disinfectant and the feeling ofinmates watching me through
reinforced glass sizing up thenew rookie.
It felt like I had stepped intoanother world In a surreal way.
(02:49):
I had been there before, on theother side.
I knew this kind of environment.
It had its own rules and itsown language.
One thing was clear Showingfear was like bleeding in
shark-infested waters.
The inmates could sense it.
So I walked the tears with myFTO, staying cool and controlled
.
Respect is a currency insidethese walls.
(03:11):
A group of inmates tested meright away.
Nothing drastic, just jokesabout my boots.
You know the things that theywould do when they see a new
rookie.
I didn't lose my cool, I didn'tlose my temper, I didn't show
any weakness.
I remember that advice Staycalm, stay consistent.
One morning an older inmatecame to me and said you all
(03:32):
right, you didn't disrespect us.
It was a small comment, but itstuck with me.
It showed me that treatingpeople firmly and fairly could
earn cooperation and evenrespect.
That first day, when I finallywalked out after my shift, I
felt a strange mix of exhaustionand accomplishment.
I had made it through withoutany incidents, but my mind was
(03:54):
spinning.
Nothing in the training fullyprepared me for the reality
inside.
I quickly realized as anofficer, I just wasn't an
enforcer.
I was a guardian, a negotiator,sometimes even a confidant, and
I had to play all those roleswhile never dropping my guard.
That was day one.
From the personal trial by fire.
(04:16):
I soon learned that survival inthis environment, for both
officers and inmates, comes downto routine, vigilance and
understanding the unwritten ruleof the prison life that
complacency will get you hurt,even worse, killed, inside a
prison.
Routine isn't just a schedule,it's survival.
For inmates and officers alike,every day is governed by the
(04:38):
clock and the rules, working thegraveyard shift.
I take count at least 32 times.
I walk the block counting heads, making sure everyone is
accounted for.
It might seem tedious, butaccuracy is literally life or
death.
A simple meal can turn into afight.
A casual conversation can bethe start of a setup.
(04:58):
As an officer, I enforce theseroutines escorting inmates,
supervising recreation, makingrounds, checking cells and
confiscating contraband wheneverpossible.
It's repetitive and methodicalby design.
The routine keeps a fragileorder in place that could easily
explode into chaos.
Yet the rigid structure.
(05:20):
Everyone finds their ownsurvival tactics.
Inmates adapt to the strictrules and limited resources.
I've seen all kinds ofmakeshift weaponry.
They negotiate for everything abar of soap, a stick of
deodorant, extra blanket, eventaller paper becomes currency.
As an officer, we have our ownsurvival tactics.
We rely on each other.
(05:42):
We develop a sixth sense,always keeping one eye and ear
open to the mood of the block,and sometimes we use dark humor
to get through the stress.
Prison life is a grind.
It's monotonous.
Still, we all know that at anymoment that routine can be
shattered by violence.
The daily grind providesstructure and stability until
suddenly it doesn't.
Next I'll share what happenswhen the routine is shattered by
(06:05):
violence and how those momentsreveal the harshest truth.
Working behind the bars,violence is always lurking.
We train for it, we expect it,but when it happens, it happens
suddenly and fast.
One morning I was workinganother block when a nurse was
making her rounds.
Out of nowhere, an inmatesucker punched the senior
officer.
Instinct took over.
(06:25):
I rushed in trying to pin theinmate down as he kept swinging.
The call for officer assistancewent out by the time it was
over.
The inmate was cuffed, theofficer had a bruised ego and I
had a broken radius and a tornrotator cuff.
My adrenaline was so high Ididn't even realize it until I
tried to move my arm.
(06:45):
This is the reality of prisonviolence, and it takes a toll.
Many officers carry invisiblescars.
We act tough, but inside itaffects us.
Some officers turn to alcoholto cope.
Others lose their familiesbecause they can't leave the job
at the gate.
Studies show that correctionalofficers experience PTSD at
(07:05):
rates higher than combatveterans.
Some make it and some don't.
Suicide rates amongcorrectional officer staff are
nearly double those of policeofficers and the general public.
And it's not just officers.
Inmates suffer thepsychological weight of
incarceration too.
Living in a place ruled byviolence, isolation and control
(07:27):
leaves deep marks on the mind.
But prison isn't just abouttime served.
It leaves lasting scars.
In part two we'll explore thepsychological toll of
incarceration, the traumainmates carry, the coping
mechanisms they develop and whatthat means for life after
prison.
Thank you for walking a mile inmy boots today.
If this episode resonates withyou, please share it with
(07:48):
someone.
These conversations matter, andplease go on Apple Podcasts and
rate our show.
It helps get the message outthere.
Until next time, remember lifeis trials.
Stay focused.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Thanks for checking out this episode of Struggle2
Success.
Thanks for checking out thisepisode of Struggle to Success.
To connect with the show, youcan email us at struggle2success
.
p@ gmailcom.
Make sure you like andsubscribe so that you never miss
an episode.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And remember life is trials.
Stay focused.
If you have ever been told by someone that you're not
capable of attaining success,if you have made mistakes or
lived in an underprivilegedneighborhood, then this podcast
is for you.
You are now locked in toStruggle to Success.
Struggle to Success aims toinspire individuals to navigate
life's challenges with courage,fortitude and unwavering
(00:21):
determination.
So if you're in your carjogging or somewhere else trying
to find the calm in the storm,then join Struggle to Success
airing every other Saturday.
Remember life is trial.
Stay focused.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hello, wonderful people.
Welcome to part one of UrbanIncarceration, titled Life
Behind the Bars, where we'repulling back the curtain on
daily struggles and survivaltactics of urban inmates.
But this isn't just about them.
It's also about what it'sreally like to work inside a
county jail from an officer'sperspective.
So let's step inside.
(00:58):
Every day, after I walk throughthe front glass doors and clear
the metal detector, I grab thecold steel handle of the first
metal door and wait to hear thatfamiliar buzzing sound, the
signal that I'm about to crossinto another world.
One metal door after anotherlocks behind me.
In that moment, I'm fullyinside A place governed by
(01:19):
strict routines, heartened bynecessity and charged with
tension.
Life behind bars isn't just theinmate's reality, it's mine too
.
I've come to understand thatdoing time isn't just for the
incarcerated.
Officers like me serve time inour own way, one shift at a time
.
In this episode, I'm giving youa look inside my experiences
(01:42):
working behind bars.
We'll talk about the dailyroutines that define prison life
, the survival tactics thatkeeps order, and the harsh
realities of violence andpsychological strain.
My goal is to give you aprofessional, yet personal,
glimpse into the correctionalenvironment raw, honest and real
.
I still remember my first day asa correctional officer.
It was right around the timethat COVID-19 pandemic was
(02:06):
getting worse.
I was nervous, excited andcompletely unprepared for what
was waiting for me behind thosepod doors.
As I walked into the facilityfor the first time, my field
training officer, fto, gave mesome advice Keep your head up,
don't overthink it and remember,pick your battles.
At that time I nodded like Iunderstood, but I had no clue on
(02:27):
how much weight those wordscarried.
The moment that steel doorslammed shut behind me, I was
hit with the sounds, the smellsand the stares the echo of
distant shouts, the cold,sterile scent of concrete and
disinfectant and the feeling ofinmates watching me through
reinforced glass sizing up thenew rookie.
It felt like I had stepped intoanother world In a surreal way.
(02:49):
I had been there before, on theother side.
I knew this kind of environment.
It had its own rules and itsown language.
One thing was clear Showingfear was like bleeding in
shark-infested waters.
The inmates could sense it.
So I walked the tears with myFTO, staying cool and controlled
.
Respect is a currency insidethese walls.
(03:11):
A group of inmates tested meright away.
Nothing drastic, just jokesabout my boots.
You know the things that theywould do when they see a new
rookie.
I didn't lose my cool, I didn'tlose my temper, I didn't show
any weakness.
I remember that advice Staycalm, stay consistent.
One morning an older inmatecame to me and said you all
(03:32):
right, you didn't disrespect us.
It was a small comment, but itstuck with me.
It showed me that treatingpeople firmly and fairly could
earn cooperation and evenrespect.
That first day, when I finallywalked out after my shift, I
felt a strange mix of exhaustionand accomplishment.
I had made it through withoutany incidents, but my mind was
(03:54):
spinning.
Nothing in the training fullyprepared me for the reality
inside.
I quickly realized as anofficer, I just wasn't an
enforcer.
I was a guardian, a negotiator,sometimes even a confidant, and
I had to play all those roleswhile never dropping my guard.
That was day one.
From the personal trial by fire.
(04:16):
I soon learned that survival inthis environment, for both
officers and inmates, comes downto routine, vigilance and
understanding the unwritten ruleof the prison life that
complacency will get you hurt,even worse, killed, inside a
prison.
Routine isn't just a schedule,it's survival.
For inmates and officers alike,every day is governed by the
(04:38):
clock and the rules, working thegraveyard shift.
I take count at least 32 times.
I walk the block counting heads, making sure everyone is
accounted for.
It might seem tedious, butaccuracy is literally life or
death.
A simple meal can turn into afight.
A casual conversation can bethe start of a setup.
(04:58):
As an officer, I enforce theseroutines escorting inmates,
supervising recreation, makingrounds, checking cells and
confiscating contraband wheneverpossible.
It's repetitive and methodicalby design.
The routine keeps a fragileorder in place that could easily
explode into chaos.
Yet the rigid structure.
(05:20):
Everyone finds their ownsurvival tactics.
Inmates adapt to the strictrules and limited resources.
I've seen all kinds ofmakeshift weaponry.
They negotiate for everything abar of soap, a stick of
deodorant, extra blanket, eventaller paper becomes currency.
As an officer, we have our ownsurvival tactics.
We rely on each other.
(05:42):
We develop a sixth sense,always keeping one eye and ear
open to the mood of the block,and sometimes we use dark humor
to get through the stress.
Prison life is a grind.
It's monotonous.
Still, we all know that at anymoment that routine can be
shattered by violence.
The daily grind providesstructure and stability until
suddenly it doesn't.
Next I'll share what happenswhen the routine is shattered by
(06:05):
violence and how those momentsreveal the harshest truth.
Working behind the bars,violence is always lurking.
We train for it, we expect it,but when it happens, it happens
suddenly and fast.
One morning I was workinganother block when a nurse was
making her rounds.
Out of nowhere, an inmatesucker punched the senior
officer.
Instinct took over.
(06:25):
I rushed in trying to pin theinmate down as he kept swinging.
The call for officer assistancewent out by the time it was
over.
The inmate was cuffed, theofficer had a bruised ego and I
had a broken radius and a tornrotator cuff.
My adrenaline was so high Ididn't even realize it until I
tried to move my arm.
(06:45):
This is the reality of prisonviolence, and it takes a toll.
Many officers carry invisiblescars.
We act tough, but inside itaffects us.
Some officers turn to alcoholto cope.
Others lose their familiesbecause they can't leave the job
at the gate.
Studies show that correctionalofficers experience PTSD at
(07:05):
rates higher than combatveterans.
Some make it and some don't.
Suicide rates amongcorrectional officer staff are
nearly double those of policeofficers and the general public.
And it's not just officers.
Inmates suffer thepsychological weight of
incarceration too.
Living in a place ruled byviolence, isolation and control
(07:27):
leaves deep marks on the mind.
But prison isn't just abouttime served.
It leaves lasting scars.
In part two we'll explore thepsychological toll of
incarceration, the traumainmates carry, the coping
mechanisms they develop and whatthat means for life after
prison.
Thank you for walking a mile inmy boots today.
If this episode resonates withyou, please share it with
(07:48):
someone.
These conversations matter, andplease go on Apple Podcasts and
rate our show.
It helps get the message outthere.
Until next time, remember lifeis trials.
Stay focused.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Thanks for checking out this episode of Struggle2
Success.
Thanks for checking out thisepisode of Struggle to Success.
To connect with the show, youcan email us at struggle2success
.
p@ gmailcom.
Make sure you like andsubscribe so that you never miss
an episode.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
And remember life is trials.
Stay focused.
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