This is probably the most serious page on this website. These interviews with prisoners were all conducted in the early 1990's through the mail. They are 100% real and worth reading.

Heathen World has beefs against the for-profit prison industry and the "tough on crime" mentality that is so popular in the United States.

The for-profit prison industry, like any industry, is always hungry for more customers. Over 2 million people are incarcerated in the United States, which is more than in any other country in the world. China has 700,000 fewer prisoners. It's good times for the prison industry! Not so good for the population. The half way houses, mandatory probationary classes, etc., are an entire other industry that sucks even more out of the people caught in the system.

Politicians love to look "tough on crime". So catch the bad guys, give them long sentences, run the prisons on as little money as possible (gotta keep taxes low), and the dumb ass public seems to think this is a great idea. Think about it. These guys started out maladjusted enough that they ended up in prison. If they start out maladjusted, are locked in concrete buildings with a bunch of career criminals, are heavily isolated from society and generally treated like trash, then are tossed back on the streets several years later, how positive do you expect that outcome to be? I'd rather not have a bunch of psychotic ex-cons on the street. These interviews were my way of giving a handful of prisoners a bit of interaction with the outside world, and of gaining glances into the reality of prison life without going there in person.

People tend to stay in county jails anywhere from a few hours to a couple months. County jails have a reputation for being miserable, dangerous, and often more out of control than prisons.

This is a military prison in an older, and more imposing looking building than the more famous Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary down the road. Leavenworth, Kansas is a strange little town. Its main industries are the fort and 5 prisons.

Jammer is a first time offender who is a couple years into a long sentence. He gives a good low-down on how people survive in this environment.

Joni is in the odd situation of continuing to pursue his transvestite life style while in a maximum security prison. If you think you've heard it all, wait until you read this.