First Count Time

First count time

My First Count Time

I wrote at least 2 different entries about “count time” in prison, but I wanted to try to share a more specific experience from it. I want to share with you an excerpt from something I wrote, and then I will follow it up with some discussion:

Sometime later, as I was still learning the new surroundings, there was an announcement over the loud speakers that it was “count time”. This was very new to me; there were no count times as far as I knew in county jail, certainly no announcements of it. Of course I was in a single cell for over a year, so I suppose it wasn’t hard to count me. But now in prison I was to learn about this process. It was probably around 2 or so, one cannot be too sure since I had lost sense of time at Craven. All of the inmates began moving, as if controlled by one person, to their bunks. One of the inmates told me that it was count time and I had to stand in front of my bunk. I was pretty confused about what was going on, but I went on the inmate’s advice and a saying, “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. So I went to my bunk and looked at the other inmates as they began to move to the front of the bunks. Each bunk was numbered on the front metal post, or the foot of the bunk if you prefer. I stood beside the bunk, taking a military stance with my hands behind my back. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, just trying to look like I wasn’t too new to this place. However, one of the other inmates told me that we had to stand directly in front of the number of our bunk; I was kinda wide right. I immediately began to get into position as from the entrance of the dorm 2 or 3 officers entered, followed by one guy who apparently seemed to be in charge. I looked at the chevrons and saw he was a sergeant. All the inmates had to stand quietly and not speak at all while we were each counted by the officers, and supervised by the sergeant. We were counted twice; one officer would count us all, downstairs and upstairs, and write it down, and the next did the same thing. I was not sure what they were going to do next; for all I knew they might throw someone in the hole. But after counting, there was a period of time of us just standing there, doing nothing, but not allowed to speak, even though there were some mumblings, like in school when the teacher tells the class to be quiet; you always have a few that insist on talking. After about 15 or so minutes, there was an announcement that the count was clear, to which all the inmates began moving around normally. I continued to stand there like an idiot, wondering what to do next until an inmate told me we can move around now.
(end of excerpt)

The reason why I am sharing this part is because so many people want to know what goes on in prison, but are not being told about it. I truly believe that there are thousands and thousands of people out there who can’t sleep because they have no idea what their loved ones is going through. Many of them think that if they could just know a little bit about the prison world, maybe it would help them understand just enough to be able to get some decent rest.

One of the hardest things for a mom to go through is the “not knowing” part of prison. Now, I am not saying to know every single detail of what he goes through, because on the other end of this situation, there are indeed lots of people who don’t WANT to know what their loved ones is going through…

Hmmm, kinda…well, problematic if you ask me, since it is almost like turning a deaf ear to someone calling for help, but hey, to each their own.

But you can read from my excerpt kinda how the count time works. I want to emphasize that this was my very first count time, even though I had technically been incarcerated for about a year and a half. Like I said earlier, when I was in jail for 17 months, I was never in a count, but here in prison I would learn that this is very routine.

Yes! You are so right, it is the not knowing that will drive you crazy. I think that is one of the worse things about loving someone who is in. Even a week with no word makes you anxious. Thanks for sharing your experience, it has helped me. I like to know little details because when my baby gets irritated and his complaints all run together then I suspect it is the little things all piled up that is eating at him. I don't take it personal. So when I have insight, I am mentally free enough to be supportive. Keep doing what you do NileMusiq