Hurry Up And Wait

The Florence Camp has unceremoniously canceled the RDAP program completely, and I’m supposed to be transferred in the coming days to a new camp that still offers RDAP as part of its First Step Act (FSA) curriculum. I can only hold my breath to learn about the where and when of my designation and transfer. The waiting game is typical at the BOP; useful information is not forthcoming in a timely manner.

For example, how does a camper plan his commissary shopping each week knowing a transfer could come at any moment? More importantly, how do you persuade a loved one to buy a flight to Colorado for a visit, knowing I might not be here? They could trap me on ‘Diesel Therapy’ for several weeks waiting for a bed to open up where ever it is I end up. The process is frustrating not only for the inmate, but for the family as well. And it’s completely unnecessary.

The staff seems to make everything more difficult than needed. One of the BOP’s mission statements is to prepare inmates for re-entry into society to become productive members of the community again, but I’m not seeing anything like that at this camp. This camp’s mission is to provide a cheap workforce for the prison complex. The campers work at the medium, maximum, and super max facility every day. The FSA curriculum is largely secondary and extremely limited in scope. It seems to me that this is not the camp for achieving success towards minimizing recidivism.

I would have liked to start RDAP at this camp, but it might be a blessing in disguise after all because the opportunity to pursue additional FSA coursework is limited and made difficult by obscenely tiny class sizes. This camp holds several hundred inmates, but each FSA class is between 6 to 12 guys. The availability of FSA classes is troubling given the BOP has had over three years to implement the federal law.

My only concern is getting the help I need from the RDAP program promptly, which means a transfer at this point. I wonder when this might happen? The game of ‘hurry up and wait’ is practiced with regularity around here.

I am thankful that my loved ones are understanding and supportive. I have met many campers that don’t have anyone waiting or willing to support them. It is a tragedy to witness the debilitating effect this environment can have on a man under this type of circumstance, and this is only camp. There are many blessings I am finding, too. Of course, I’d rather get home as fast as possible, but I spend time in meditation thinking about these things.

As for my alcohol addiction, I’m making progress each day at the AA meetings. I have a good sponsor, working through the 12 steps, and have formed a small group of campers that share my desire to overcome our addictions. It is sad I’ll probably have to start all over again at a new camp once I’m transferred, but that’s how the BOP works. I would like to start the RDAP program to fill in the areas where AA hasn’t fully helped. I continue to ‘hurry up and wait.’