I am an ex-convict who spent 8 years in solitary confinement and 12 years and now helps others better themselves.

At one point during this, I was taken to a strip cell where it was cold and filthy. There was urine all over and puke that they refused to clean up. I was put in shackles for the first hours and stripped of all clothing, bedding, and everything. It was so cold that I had to exercise with the shackles on just to keep warm and they dug into my ankles until I was bleeding all over. At one point, I had to go number two and they refused to give me toilet paper or soap so I had feces stuck to me the next day and they forced me to eat with my hands.

One of the things about solitary confinement was how they had absolute control over our basic necessities. We'd have to act up just to get toilet paper or food. That makes you hate them.

Fucking torture, man. So inhumane.

The worst part of it is that I'm OCD, so that about pushed me over the edge.

No, man; you'll be alright. I've read all of your answers and I see that you want to make a better life for yourself. My sincere best wishes.

I'm trying.

What did you do to get put in there? Did you ever put tp on the walls or camera? Thats usually the only reason they take that away.

To go in the strip cell, I was in a program that was allowing us to work our way to general population. Some guy walked up to me and punched me, we fought but weren't any injuries before they broke it up. I went to strip cell and there wasn't any toilet paper in there to put over a camera, they just didn't give it to me.

I saw in another reply that you have Bipolar Disorder. Did they give you any medications during your time in solitary? I'm assuming they really don't give a shit about that if they didn't even provide you with basic necessities like TP and soap.

They give psyche meds because they want you in a zombie state so you're easier to manage. I was on Depakote for 5 years, but a low dose because it was working. However, that whole 5 years they tried to make me go up in dosage. Eventually I gave in and it almost killed me. My blood platelet levels dropped to the point where I could bleed out and I was really sick. Then I got put on Tegretol, then Lithium. My body had bad side affects with all of that so I quit taking meds. I had to learn to manage it myself through meditation and other means.

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The thing that stuck out, because it was so unexpected, was how very few people stuck to the convict code. It was nothing like the movies.

What do you mean by the convict code?

Just as there's a set of rules for citizens to abide by out in society, there's a set of rules for convicts. Never snitch, never back down from a fight, show respect, never talk to guards without a witness, etc

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They stuck to impulsiveness and living by no set of values. They pretend to be one thing but do another.

How did you spend your time in solitary confinement? how'd you deal with little to zero social interaction?

I studied philosophy, psychology, real estate investing and business management for a few hours every morning while everyone else slept. Then I'd write and work out all after noon. Meditate daily. That's all you can do and I still had major issues when released.

Oh, I was under the impression that you get nothing but a bed and a toilet in solitary

You're thinking of the hole but that's only temporary. Here's a link to the prison I was in http://amadmanspathtoreason.com/2013/07/11/lonely-prisoners/

What was your reaction when you were finally released and were able to interact with other people?

I was shaking uncontrollably for two days and was in a state of panic for a week. I couldn't sleep for a week because all of a sudden I had a comfortable bed, dark room and quiet. I slept all those years with the light on, with people screaming all night and on a hard foam mattress. My social skills were horrible at first, and even now I struggle but push myself so it goes unnoticed. I used to be social and now I'm very much anti-social.

I did a short stint in solitary, just a day, but fuck the screaming. I seriously have no idea what motivates someone to scream and yell all day/night for no reason.

Congrats on getting out and turning your life around. Stay up, fam.

The screaming is HORRIBLE. I was there with guys so mentally ill that they would scream Christmas Carols all night.

What did you do to get 8 years in the hole? Did you lock up for protection, or are you just a general fuck up?

I was a fuck up, bad. I got involved in prison gangs and smashed a rapist. They kept me in there because I refused to snitch on the gang.

Did inmates go after people who committed specific crimes/ did people bond over the crimes they committed?

Sex offenders had it rough, we were hard on them. Child abusers too. The social structure of prison is set up on race alone besides the undesirables.

How did you know what their crime was?

We checked everyone's paperwork when they come in

I don't understand, why would this be available for other inmates to see?

In Colorado prisons, every one has their court papers in case they need to file something.

The same for most of Europe, when you enter prison, you need to show your papers to the other inmates, so they know who they're dealing with.

Right. And prison officials would be smart to just have separate prisons for snitches and sex offenders.

do they not have a special block for the "undesirables"?

Not in Colorado prisons but I hear its something they are discussing. Prison violence would lessen if they did.

What happens to East Asians? I imagine there are very few in prison.

Asians actually get along great with the whites in there. There's not very many but they're very close knit and well respected.

Really, glad to hear that. I had always imagined Asians would get destroyed in prison because there aren't many Asian gangs so we'd be stuck to fend for ourselves.

The whites and mexicans would back them against the blacks in Colorado but not sure about other areas. Every state has different alliances, demographics and battles.

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It is a race war in there

I know violence is bad etc but i have gained so much respect for you for smashing a rapist

I'd do it again in a second, don't care how right it is.

Define 'smashed'

He had internal bleeding.

Are you able to say who you were affiliated with? (Not sure if that's the right way to ask that question). Sorry if this is covered in your blog and whatnot.

211 Crew

According to wikipedia the 211 Crew is a white supremacist prison gang where the memembers decorates themselves with swastikas and other Nazi symbolism.

Were you a "Nazi" in there?

Edit: How does the gangs work in there? Is it black vs white vs latinos etc? Or mixed?

I went to prison a naive youngster and got heavily into white supremacy although 211 Crew is really only about having pride, made up of many different extremes, from pride to skinheads. Eventually I found out I wasn't all white and relaxed on all that, also finding that every race has good and bad. Prison is set up socially by race, that's just how it is. Every race has it's own gangs and those who cross those lines are the first to get attacked.

I have known you before you went in, kept in touch with you while you were in, and still have a very solid relationship with you now. What do you feel is the deepest change that you have internally experienced? You have always been highly intelligent, despite your previous choices, and have always been very motivated. So, essentially, do you think your time in prison changed your core values? If so, how?

VERY good question. I went in emotionally unstable, impulsive, insecure and dead set on living the outlaw lifestyle until I died. Not one thing in prison was beneficial. I was tortured psychologically and treated as a sub-human daily. I was denied educational programs, even when my family offered to pay, vocational training and anything else to learn how to be productive citizen. Now I'm balanced and secure. I found my way through introspection and study. I also saw that the outlaw lifestyle was only a facade and I refused to be a martyr for something that doesn't exist. I went from absolute compliance to the criminal code to being the best I can be.

Despite the hardships and trauma of prison, and most markedly, solitary for 8 years; do you think that you would have had the same positive outcomes in your life had you not been to prison?

Absolutely NOT. I was lost the extents that couldn't be fixed unless I saw that what I believed in didn't exist. It ruined me in some ways but fixed me in others. I think that's why my poetry is so deep, because of the level of suffering I felt.

Hi, I took the time to read thru all the answers you have given to all the questions asked before asking the few I have just so I don't ask anything again twice.

Could you please elaborate more on the convict code other than: Never snitch, never back down from a fight, show respect, never talk to guards without a witness, etc

How exactly do you pass messages thru the sewers ?

Do you appreciate things in the outside world better/more then you did before you went to prison?

Do you find you can read faster after reading so many books and literature in prison? I ama slow reader and took me a while to read all the questions and answers for this post.

Thank you in advance !

Most think that the convict code as being more about never showing weakness but it's more about being an outlaw, anti cop and respecting fellow convicts to lessen drama.

We have a line that we make out of boxers and tie a weight around the bottom of it. We flush it at the same time as the other person on another floor. The lines wrap around each other and we can pass things in seran wrap.

I love life out here and appreciate all the small things. I live very simply. I read fairly fast but not sure how fast I read in comparison to before. Good questions by the way.

why were you in prison, and where did you get the money to start a home flipping business?

I went to prison for crimes related to selling drugs. My brother stabbed someone when we were robbed and I intimidated witnesses to keep him out of trouble. I do part time construction for my friend's business and use that to do the marketing. You don't need money besides that.

you failed to intimidate him apparently.

The cops thought that he was stabbed in a domestic with his girlfriend, and they searched their house, finding a meth lab, drugs, guns, fake ID's, etc. So he told on us to get out of that. I'm so high profile in this area that just for mentioning my name, he got out of his charges.

What is the Craziest thing you remember doing while in solitary. Side note. I say remember because I can only imagine there was quite Alot you would block out. Or is that not the case ? Thanks in advance.

I think crazy is a matter of perception. Many things we'd do on a daily basis would be crazy to you guys but normal to us. I passed messages through the sewer lines, stick my prohibited ear plugs up my ass, was tortured, etc. I saw crazier stuff than that though.

Was thinking more of hallucinations/coversations... I mean crazy crazy... but thanks for answering. But keep in mind I've been in mental hospitals twice so I've seen some shit ! Just wondering if there was anything that really stuck out that you remember.

I have Type 2 Bipolar Disorder so I had my struggles. Mine were mostly with OCD, obsession, cold sweats from lack of sunlight and homicidal dreams. Half of the people in there should've been in a mental hospital though. I saw people smear shit on themselves, kill themselves, beat guards up, etc. One of my friends slit a guard's throat after slipping his cuffs.

Damn... well bud I'm really glad you've turned your life around and trying to make a difference in this fucked up world. Best of luck to you ! Gotta run dinner time. Thanks again

Thanks

I have Type 2 Bipolar Disorder so I had my struggles.

Right there with you although my doc joking calls mine Type 1.5.

Hallucinations are the fucking worst. I've gotten them several times from going 80 - 90 hours with no sleep. What meds are you on for T2BP?

Beyond the different types of Bipolar Disorder, there's also different severity levels and symptoms. I never hallucinate but go into very extreme manic and depressed periods that I have learned to manage. I was on Depakote until they put me on such a high dose that it almost killed me then went to Tegretol and Lithium but the side affects were too much for me. I've been off meds for a few years now and feel great. I manage it through meditation, exercise and caffeine.

Today is a fucking miserable manic day. I've had no sleep and got sent a pic from an anonymous person of my ex and her new BF and its sent me off the deep end. Just wanna crawl into a hole.

Do you ever go into hyper sensitive mode?

Edit: I apologize, I just realized I was turning your AMA into a personal conversation. Sorry.

It's ok. I get into super manic modes but meditate, lift weights and run to calm down. The best revenge for your ex is to succeed and be happy, that'll piss her off.http://amadmanspathtoreason.com/2013/07/11/revenge/

It seems every convict complains about their injustice, the bad people doing them wrong, what about the crimes they/you have committed? Isn't it true for every crime an average con has been caught doing, he's probably committed 20-30 more that he's got away with?Where's the restitution the apology?

Honor trust, the rights of others not to have worry about getting mugged or killed or beaten down for not 'respecting' you

I deserved to go to prison, I can't argue that. I got away with a lot though but never doing ANYTHING to an innocent victim. I'm sure that I got away with 1,000's of criminal acts because I was a drug dealer for a long time. I'm legit but not philosophically opposed to drugs since I'm a Libertarian. Your question seems very general, as if assuming I hurt innocent people. I make things better through action and I've apologized to the people that I owed one to.

Very good, thanks for answering and I wish you the best

Thank you

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If someone gets involved with the criminal lifestyle, they are choosing all that comes with that. Besides, the guy that got hurt in my case tried to rob us. My old customers were adults who had the right to choose if they wanted to get high.

What books (philosophy or otherwise) would you recommend to someone who would like to make their lives better?

"Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand" By: Leonard Piekoff "48 Laws Of Power" By: Robert Greene "The 50th Law" By: Robert Greene "How to Win Friends and Influence People" By: Dale Carnegie "Think And Grow Rich" By: Napolean Hill The Rich Dad Poor Dad series I also have a blog that gets into specifics with video and essays at http://amadmanspathtoreason.com/

Thank you. and thank you for doing this AMA.

Good luck. :)

Thank you

im currently reading Carnegie's book, its really good

One of the best books I've ever read.

Can you tell us why you were in prison and what got you put in solitary? Thx.

I went to prison for crimes related to drug dealing, when my brother stabbed someone who tried to rob us. I intimidated witnesses. I went to solitary for beating up a rapist and for prison gang activity.

Did the person your brother stabbed die?

No, he had a collapsed lung but was okay in a month. He continued to commit crime and is in prison now.

Thank you. Good luck to you.

Thanks.

Do you have any advice for families of those who are newly or soon to be released from prison? What do you feel is the most important support to give in helping our loved one stay on a positive path?

Give them time to adjust. Citizens think that because they're used to freedom, that everyone should be. Trust that being institutionalized is a real thing. After they're right mentally, then they can contribute but also be aware that recidivism is high due to the fact that they're released ignorant and angry. Without my family, I wouldn't stand a chance despite my best intentions.

What was the first thing you wanted to eat when you got out?

Steak or mexican food

Hello and thanks for the AMA!

What did you do to stop going insane in solitary confinement?

I kept the mind active by studying every morning while everyone slept, I worked out and meditated to relieve anxiety and tried to be optimistic.

No pun or snarky comment forthcoming, but can you tell me how you meditate? I get bad anxiety at times for my personal reasons and I think hearing what a MAN did in solitary confinement in prison to relieve his anxiety would go much further than all the crap I have read about anxiety relief in a perfect world.

No pressure, if you don't have the time or want to discuss its groovy.

And WB to "society", proud of where you are going!

I'd be happy to tell you, meditation is a miracle worker.

I sit in a chair with a straight back, put my feet on the floor and hands on my knees. Close my eyes and focus on normal breathing while making myself not think about anything. After 20 minutes or so, My mind stops racing and I just sit in the present, mind only focusing on my breathing. You'll feel muscles get tight but that's only because they're super relaxed. Then it'll feel almost as is they melt. Your body will tingle and mind will be so fresh. You'll feel almost high. Meditation is a present focused state of relaxation, NOT sleep, not thinking about anything. Just being. Right now I'm working on a technique that is supposed to increase intuition and our perception of energy and our subconscious but haven't mastered that one yet.

Thank you very very very much RyanPettiegrew. I will try this today. I need something as I am literally on the edge of a breakdown.

Again, best of luck sir and congrats on your new found life.

you might want to try to jog before just to calm your thoughts down a little before meditation. That'll make it easier.

Have you counted how many cracks were on the wall?

Some did, I kept my mind very active and actually was very busy in there.

before solitary what was your day to day like...

Did you have a cell mate? Did you have a toilet in your cell? if so would you not do #2 there so as not have your cell mate smell it?
were the toilets private? were the showers like a gym locker? what about card games/gambling?

thanks

Before solitary, I had a cellmate with a toilet in my cell, a sink and bunk bed. It was in Buena Vista. I worked in the laundry room, got tattooed and lifted weights. When I took a number 2, we'd put up a blanket and flush repeatedly. Showers were like a gym locker room. We played lots of cards. Mostly poker and pinochle. I ran a poker table and sports books

for the sports book..how did you set the lines? did you have problems collecting? if so what did you do?

THey paid upfront and I had a paper for the lines.

I want to make a penpal with someone who is in prison. I feel that is is a humane thing to do and every person deserves to be treated with some degree of respect. But I have reservations. A lot of dudes just seem like really awful people who have done unforgivable things. And then there are some dudes that just seem dangerous and like I shouldn't get tangled up with them at all. What advice do you have for me? Is it right for me to write to an inmate or is it a bad idea?

Are you a male or female? That's important for my advice. Most want to meet people on the outside to use them for money but there are also some good people in there who would like the conversation. Don't use the prison pen pal groups, try to do it through a church or organization that knows the person. It can be a great thing, just do your homework on the person you may write.

I'm male. Thank you for the reply. I will take your advice.

No problem. If you want help on that, feel free to contact me. https://www.facebook.com/ryan.pettigrew.16

Is solitary confinement 'cruel and unusual punishment' ? If you are against it (as I am) what is a reasonable alternative for an inmate who is a danger to other inmates and prison staff?

It's definitely an 8th Amendment Violation and I'm suing over it pro se. I'm currently in the Tenth Circuit Federal Appellate Court over two main issues: 1) That prison mental health diagnosed me with Bipolar Disorder and long term isolation is known to exacerbate the symptoms of mental illness. They kept me in an environment that they knew would make me worse for 8 years. 2) At one point, they got a little out of hand and tortured me.

Most of the people in solitary confinement are mentally ill or petty prison rule violators, not a danger at all. Prison is always going to be dangerous no matter what they do but all they can do is put the few who commit very violent acts in solitary confinement temporarily, then in high security environments.

In prison, is it realistic how skinny white kids would get taken advantage of like how it is depicted on TV?

Would you recommend the guy to get tatoos?

Is it realistic for the guy to stand up and fight back the first time he is hassled for something, assuming the guy causing problems obviously could cause him serious harm?

I'm a skinny white kid and it was nothing like that. If the other races tried to victimize me, there would've been a race riot and I was in one. The thing is that you will be tested but as long as you stand your ground, even if you get beaten or killed, its better than the alternative in there.

can you elaborate on the race riot you were in

The race riot I was in was when I was young. We were playing cards and listening to music on the tv, waiting for dinner when a big black guy walked up and changed the channel. One of the guys at the table told him politely, assuming that it was a mistake, that we were listening to music. The black guy said,"you guy aren't gonna play cards and watch tv." So my friend poured water down the back of the tv and blew it up. The rest of the blacks surrounded us and two of the guys we were with went running. We went swinging into the crowd and luckily, the rest of the white boys saw it and attacked. There was literally 60 guys fighting in the middle of the pod. The cops were too afraid to come in until we were done. One guy was stabbed and one had his head beat in with a lock and sock.

What made you decide to help others become better?

For two reasons: 1) to get my parent's good name back and 2) for the ultimate revenge for what CDOC guards put me through. They psychologically tortured me, tried to prevent self-education and tried to break me. If I can not only succeed but also help others find happiness and success, then I'm not the monster they portrayed me as.

Two things: 1) to get my parent's good name back and 2) to show the prison system that despite their every effort, they didn't break me. And not only did they fail at that, but now I'm one upping it and helping others.

I was actually just wanting to request an AMA like this!

I'm majoring in Criminal Justice looking to be a parole officer, and I find hearing from people's experience inside the system, and with recovering their life.

I have two main questions:

What would you really like to see from society and the government in terms of helping ex-convicts get back on their feet? Do you feel you got proper assistance?

And what would you most like to see from a parole or probation officer in order to help people improve? I'd love to hear what I can do to most help people, and do my job as best as possible.

1) The only thing I want to see from society and government is less blocking me from progress. I don't want any hand outs. I couldn't get a job because of my past and the careers that I would be good at, aren't available to me. I can't be a lawyer or real estate agent due to arbitrary regulations. I just wrote an essay on my plan to lower recidivism but haven't posted it yet. Basically, if people want to lower crime and the threat to them, prison should be set up for rehab, education, vocational training, etc. Do we really want them getting out ignorant and angry without a way to provide for themselves legally? Also, instead of releasing us straight to the street, make us go to half way houses first to ease the process. Plus, since most go to homeless shelters, this will allow them to save up for their own place.

2)I actually refused all help once released since they didn't try to help me when I was in there. I felt like I wanted to be an example and didn't want the gov't to take any credit in my rise since they tried to break me. They even tried to block my education. My parole officer is great because he lets me live. Less restrictions is good. If I'm going to mess up, why delay it? But if I'm going to succeed, why block it?

What kind of food did they give you and how often did you get to eat?

How long did it take you to adapt to the confinement?

What all was in your room?

Thanks! By the way, you're incredibly strong. Shout out to you for making it an opportunity for growth.

The food has fancy labels like "swiss steak" but was just a patty that shouldn't be eaten by humans. Most of the food isn't edible so its important to have money so you can buy your own food.

It took 6 months before solitary confinement was normal for me. I had a tv, bed, desk, toilet and sink.

Thanks

How did you get money to buy your own food and how did you get proper/real food in prison?

Did the TV just have local channels or could you play movies on it or something?

My family sent me money and I ran a sports betting operation even from solitary so I could barter. The tv had cable channels.

Solitary, i assume is hell. But would solitary be tolerable if you could read books and use the internet and reddit?

It was tolerable as it is but because you mentally adapt to it. That's the bad part though because to adapt to that makes you crazy.

Thanks for doing this.

How difficult was it to readjust back into the real world after serving your time? Did you have people who helped you get back on your feet?

It was absolutely insane. One of my brothers and my mom picked me up and I was trembling, that continued for a few days. I remember being so overwhelmed with emotion because I wasn't used to positive emotion. I had found happiness in misery and would break out crying for small things. Just being around family would have me speechless. I couldn't sleep for a week because I went from a lighted cell, hard mat and noise to a tempurpedic bed, darkness and silence. I was weird for a long time and even now, I'm not the same socially. without my family helping me, I didn't stand a chance.

That's awesome that you had such a great family there to support you. I wish you the best in all of life's endeavors!

Words can't even describe how great my family is.

It's good you're not the same... the person you were got yourself locked up in solitary confinement.

Agreed, I would've been dead had I not changed.

Have you read Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, and if so, do you have any thoughts on how his experience might relate or contrast to yours?

Can you summarize his message so I can compare?

I am not sure i feel capable of summarizing such a powerful writer and thinker, but i will give it a try.

As you know, he wrote the book in concentration camps during WWII.

His central theme was that it is arrogant and presumptuous of humans to demand to know the meaning of life. Instead of asking such a juvenile and needy question, we should instead recognize that we are asked this same question every day. It is not our place to demand an answer, it is our duty to supply one. The meaning of our lives is only what we make it.

His proof of concept was the horror around him. Most people just gave up and died. Some struggled for a bit and eventually succumbed. The ones who survived, according to Frankl, were those who had a goal or desire that was so important for them to achieve that they viewed the life in concentration camps only as an obstacle in their path to creating the meaning of their life. For some it was seeing their family again. For others is was revenge. For him it was publishing his book.

The reason i asked the question was to see if you had identified something that was so important to you that it kept you going in times of darkness, or if you thought it was your natural toughness, fate, or just dumb luck that got you through.

As i look at this summary, it is very inadequate, and i probably misstate some things as i am just writing from memory. It's a very short book, and well worth the read.

That was an excellent summary and now I get what you're saying. I'm an individualist (but NOT an existentialist) and I fully believe that the meaning of life is what we make of it. Different for each but a similar core. Basically, we are living creatures who find happiness when we embrace out true self, seek to achieve our highest potential and experience pleasure in a balanced manner. This is what I write about at http://amadmanspathtoreason.com/.

For me, my revenge and achieving my highest potential go hand in hand. This got me through that and now fuels my drive. We make our own fate. Great question by the way.

I'm aware of the book, his experiences in concentration camps but haven't read it myself yet.

Do you think the jury should have the job of sentencing instead of the judge?

No because jurors would make emotional decisions one way or another. I think that the only things that should be illegal are crimes of force (assaults, thefts, robberies, kidnapping, murders, sex crimes, etc) and gambling, prostitution and drugs should be legal. Then take away the mandatory minimum so a judge has more leeway with mitigating circumstances

If one were to be sent to prison, what advice would you give?

Keep your word, don't puff out your chest but never back down, listen more than you speak and be aware of your surroundings. Feed your mind and work everyday to better yourself mentally, physically and emotionally.

Where were you locked up at?

Mostly the Colorado state penitentiary http://amadmanspathtoreason.com/2013/07/11/lonely-prisoners/

Thank you for beating the rapist and anything else you've done against other sex offenders. It's nice to know they truly are getting what they deserve. Are sex offenders targeted for rape in prison? And do the guards typically allow the abuse (physical or sexual) of sex offenders?

There really isn't much rape in prison, at least not in Colorado, just lots of homosexuality. They are targeted for physical abuse but the guards protect them. I told a guard one time after I beat up a child molester, "since you want to protect them, I hope it's your kids he fucks next time."

Did you ever have experiences with prison employees other than guards? If so, what was it like, and if not, what did others say?

Mental health and medical services for the most part had the same attitude as the guards, that we were sub-human. Just imagine how a medical professional would treat you if they despised you. Many times I saw mental health workers making fun of serious mentally ill people when they had break downs. I would speak up and get into trouble because the mentally ill person wasn't able to stand for himself. I saw them watch people die just because they didn't want to help. One time medical had guards shock a person in a diabetic seizure just because he wasn't able to stand.

What did you do to get 8 years in solitary confinement?

I got involved in prison gangs and beat up a rapist

Is the image of large scale prisons and solitary confinement that is painted by the media in movies and TV series an accurate or far of depiction?

Prison has been watered down with all the tough on crime laws. Most people in there aren't hard core criminals but rather mentally ill, drug addicts or people who made mistakes. The few really hard core ones are left in solitary forever or spread out so that they have little influence. Sure there's still violence in there but its mostly from people trying to be cool and play prison rather than actually being hard core. Now if you cross one of the real ones, you can get killed pretty easily but that's easy to avoid, just keep your word and don't disrespect people.

The only movie I saw that was somewhat accurate was "Animal Factory" because the author of the book (Edward Bunker) was in prison for a long time. Most of its bs though.

The solitary confinement problem is very real though, they are locking too many people up in long term isolation for any reason they can.

I just posted my new blog post "The Prison Recidivism Solution" at http://amadmanspathtoreason.com/2013/07/30/prison-recidivism-solution/