I'm really interested to know what anyone thinks about how much racism there is in American prisons - not just amongst the inmates themselves, but towards the inmates from the prison officers. The reason I ask is that I visited my penpal (who's white) in prison in South Carolina a few years ago, and, talking to him and to his family, they felt that there was a great deal of racism, and that the white POs would favour the white inmates, and the black POs the black ones. For instance, my penpal was attacked once by a black inmate and he and his mother felt that the officer who dealt with the situation was biased towards his attacker because he (the officer) was also black. I'm interested to know whether this was just my pal's perception of things, or whether it's true.

It’s probably very true. However there is the type of racism you and your pen pal are experiencing now which tends to be at its worst or most noticeable in the Southern states or in that area of the US and then we also have gangs. Gangs are very different yet they do tend to run along lines of ethnicity and in prison, those lines DONT cross. You learn that on your first day inside.

I think in the southern prisons, since some COs are white and others African American, they will feel pressure to enlist themselves in the service of either Caucasian inmates or AA. This may have nothing to do with personal feelings but how these guards survive on a daily basis as do the inmates.

My boyfriend is in Tennessee, so racism is pretty prevalent even outside of prison. However, racism is pretty prevalent in just about any prison. You go in there knowing no one, and the only thing you have in common with someone at first is skin color. Thus, people start separating themselves.

I would also mention that solely based on what I have recently witnessed on a prison documentary show featured on the National Geographic channel called "Locked Up Abroad", the US and its penitentiaries certainly do not corner the market on racism, gangs, or incidents of prisoner abuse and homicide. This show features folks as subjects who are citizens of varying nations and then are jailed in other countries around the world so they are outside of their element so to speak. It’s a good one! I recommend.

Ohh I watched that show the other week, it comes on Monday nights. Though I constantly complain about the prison system we have here... it's the Hilton compaired to others abroad

Yes I agree but we still have WAY TOO MANY people in prison in this country. That’s kind of irrefutable fact I would say. Complain all you want! lol

Well mainly what I have seen so far is the majority is inmates, but yes their are definitely racist amongst some officers. The strange thing among inmates is whites will back Hispanics and Natives if the issue is with blacks. I really honestly want to stay away from all that when I go, it's not my style to go by race and all. I am going to probably spend alot of time alone. In Utah white supremist(sic) are heavy duty. I am not scared to fight if I have to, but I want to avoid the racism, fights and all.

That’s what I was kind of leaning towards also. COs might have pressure put on them by inmates to kind of side with one group or another. So I can’t say with 100% certainty that is what took place with your pen pal Lizzy. It might very well have been the case. I think the greater division actually takes place amongst the inmates themselves and the population. The COs are viewed as simply a nuisance very often. I know I have gotten that impression via letters lol.

As most know i write a couple of guys in different states, and ALL states have different DOC rules and Prison Politics from what i understand. One friend is White and shares a cell with a Black man in one State, but in another state they will only put Blacks with Blacks, etc, but will have Blacks and Whites evenly numbered in the blocks, so no race out numbers another for security reasons. Personally i think this perpetuates racism, but i can understand why it is done in all honesty, and can not see it working any other way anytime soon.

I wanted to share part of a letter i received Thursday. I think it important and relates to the topic. The back ground of this prison.....It is private and houses many inmates from all over the States, but they are segregated by State, and wear separate uniforms to reflect that. Orange, red, yellow etc, so when someone is out of bounds so to speak it is easily seen. My friend is Black..........

"I am frustrated with how everything is going on around here. The California guys politics are trickling down already - on top of all the things i've expressed to you just today the California White guys cornered a White guy from Washington in the gym and told him that he is not to cut anyone's hair who is not White. The guy is the barber for Washington. So here we go......
Next will be no one works out on the weights at the same time - The Blacks will have a certain day, the Mexicans a certain day and the Whites a certain day as to not have to be working out "together." It is going to get ridiculous because everyone won't be willing to subscribe to their politics."

As far as my experiences visiting inside the prison. I am White my friend Black. Many people went out of their way to help me personally, no matter their social standing or race, but what i did notice was groups, and races stuck together. The Blacks, Whites, the CO's etc. It really stood out to me as a visitor and new to it all, although i talked to all. We had to check in, take a seat, a 10 minute bus ride, a 20 minute ferry ride and another 10 minute walk to get to the prison. So i was not just in a reception area waiting to be processed.

I believe inside the prison politics are based more on gang activity on the outs for the most part from what i have been lead to believe. I am sure some people in the position of trust and power, CO's etc abuse that, mis/treat others based on their own life experiences and emotions. So i think it fair to say racism is alive and well.
Where you find one extreme you will ALWAYS find the opposite though, those people that go out of their way to make sure they do their job well and treat all the same no matter what color/race. Same as others inside the walls, they will not subscribe to prison politics and be told who they can and cannot associate with, even if it is life threatening at times, their personal resolve is that strong.
I have had no comments made to me from my friends about being treated badly for their color/race by those in charge, but more in terms of the individual person and who they are. I have been told women are the worse...LOL.....cause we are moody, want to make a point of letting the guys know they do not intimidate us and that a woman can do the job just as good as the next bloke. Kinda over zealous at times, never know from one day to the next how they will treat you. Where as a guy is the same @ss hole everyday of the week if that is who he is.

Interesting take on it. I always love hearing bits of people's letters. I have also been told that women can be very nasty in confined settings (not always just prison either). Sometimes worse than the men but in different ways. More emotional and they tend to NEVER be able to let things go where as men, ya know they fight, they might me moved to physical altercation but then that’s the end of it and they can let it lie. They actually build respect for each other in that sense. Not so with women. They plot and plan and take months to come up with some form of attack or they ostracize one another. Sigh...