The last couple weeks I’ve been in excruciating pain. Sunday, March 14, 2010
Excruciating pain
The last couple weeks I’ve been in excruciating pain. Friday, March 12, 2010
Getting a job

Thursday, March 11, 2010
EmailingAPrisoner.com
Now there’s great new service that makes it easy to write an inmate.Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Getting a tooth pulled in prison
I spoke with Ted on Monday evening. He had gone to the dentist and they had pulled his upper molar at 11:20 a.m. on Monday. They used Novocaine during the procedure, but he still felt pain, he said.Monday, March 8, 2010
Getting canteen
The one thing anybody in prison can hope for at the end of the day is getting a money receipt saying somebody put money in your account so you can buy canteen.Sunday, March 7, 2010
Work release

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it or not, but I’ve been approved for work release [camp]. Now that I’m approved, I can’t wait. Every week I hope they’ll come and get me so I can go back to my county and be near my family.
It’s so hard being far away from the ones that love me. Plus, once I get to work release, I can get a job and start making money for when I’m released. That will help so much, considering I have nothing when I get out and I have to start over from scratch. I can use the money to pay off my fines ($2,000) so I can get my driver’s license back and put some of it toward a cheap car. Even if I don’t make enough money at work release for a car, it’s all right. The little bit of money I do make can still make all the difference.
At a work release camp, inmates leave the camp and work at a regular job for eight hours, returning to the camp after work. I’ve heard that 45% of their pay goes toward the cost of housing and food, and if they owe restitution (which Ted does), 10% of their paycheck goes toward paying that off.
I did talk to Ted tonight. He saw a dentist. In addition to the wisdom tooth pain, he has a huge hole in another tooth and the nerve is exposed. He is given Ibuprofen (500 mg) at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. It doesn’t help, he says. He mentioned he would see a dentist to fix the hole on Tuesday hopefully.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
People magnet
There are times, when for no reason at all, I get so frustrated.Friday, March 5, 2010
Wisdom tooth pain
I talked again with Ted on Thursday at about 6 p.m. He said his wisdom tooth hurt tremendously and he had finally turned in a dentist request form two hours before. Ted was trying to put off seeing a dentist because he would be transferred back to Lake Butler (RMC) to get his wisdom tooth removed and Lake Butler is not a nice place to be. He doesn't know how long it will take for him to see a dentist and he doesn't know if he will be at Lake Butler for a few hours, a few days or a few weeks. He also doesn't know if his bed will be waiting for him back in Lancaster work camp. He was worried he might be stuck at Lake Butler.Thursday, March 4, 2010
Widespread sickness
I spoke to Ted on the phone tonight. He said almost everyone around him seems to be sick in bed. I didn't think to ask if this meant the whole camp or just his dorm. It seems that a bad flu has hit Lancaster work camp. He told me he was feeling fine right now, but expected that he would come down with it sooner or later.Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Crist, others support inmate rehab programs in tight budget
By John Frank, Times/Herald Tallahassee BureauIn Print: Monday, February 15, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Prison education
When you get to prison, you are assessed to see if you need or want an education. For me, I already had my GED when I came to prison, but I wanted to learn another trade. Unfortunately, even though I asked to learn one, I was never asked what I wanted to learn or told what is even available.I have been told by people that work in prison that I should use my time to get a better education. Apparently, I can’t though. They don’t offer anything here at the work camp. It really didn’t matter to me, though, because I write a lot anyway. But for those that don’t have anything going for them, I don’t see how they can better themselves. It doesn’t seem like the state of Florida offers too many classes. It’s extremely limited.
To me, it seems like it’s almost impossible to rehabilitate a convicted felon in prison. Think about it. The only real classes are GED classes and if already have it or don’t, you spend your whole day around criminals who only talk about selling drugs, robbing people, etc… It seems like prison can only make a person worse. Although I’m sure there are a select few who actually make it because deep down inside they really want to change.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Gain time
It seems like it’s just about impossible to get all your gain time in prison and make your earliest release date. I try so hard to stay to myself (except for a few people who try to do the same thing) and do what I have to do to make my earliest release date.Right now I have about three weeks worth of gain time when I should have about twice that. I can’t really complain though. Three weeks is better than nothing and at least I’m not maxing my time out. There’s a lot of people in her that don’t care about getting gain time. It seems like they don’t want to get out any sooner than they have to. Most people will tell you, “Hey, they can’t hold me in here forever.” Yea well, they can’t hold me forever either, but if I can get out earlier than my current release date, than I will.
Unlike most people that just don’t care, I want my gain time. I have people that love me on the outside and I want to be with them more than anything. I’ll do whatever I’m supposed to do to see them as soon as possible.
Inmates earn a certain number of days off for good behavior each month they stay out of trouble. That means, no write-ups or infractions of any kind. Ted has received five write-ups since he’s been at Lancaster work camp. One for having a piece of paper under his bed, one for sitting on someone else’s bed, one for leaving a pair of his pants on his bed while he went to sleep, one for someone else leaving loose tobacco on his bed, and one for not having his shoes tied.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A really close call

This is a story about old friends of mine. One day a couple of my friends were sitting in their car outside a house drinking. They were sitting there talking about nothing in particular, when one of them pulled out a .22 caliber handgun and started playing with it. They were both drunk at this point, so neither one of them protested. In fact, to them, guns are fun. Plus, if you were living the kind of life my friends and I were, it was almost a necessity to have one.
Anyway, after loading his gun, my friend – who was sitting in the passenger seat – said, “Watch this,” then leaned out the window and took a shot at the stop sign right in front of them.
I guess neither one of them noticed that about the distance of a city block in front of them, there was a group of kids playing in a park. So right when my friend pulled the trigger, all the kids went running and screaming.
Both of my friends took off and came back later to find out that everyone was okay. Nobody even knew what happened. Thank God.
They both decided that day to never drink when guns are around. Sure it would’ve been better if they stopped drinking and messing around with guns altogether, but you can’t convince them to do that. Maybe now they’ll read this and remember just how lucky they were.
Photos: Park where kids usually play; bullet hole near top left of letter "P".
Friday, February 26, 2010
It's great to hear from you
The last couple weeks I’ve been getting letters from so many people all over the world. From Charleston, WV to Belgium and Germany. It means so much to me that people from all over the world (that I don’t even know) can take the time to write me and give me advice and encouragement. I can’t even get people I know to write me, so for someone that’s never met me to take the time to write means more to me than you know.Thursday, February 25, 2010
Joseph Vigliotti
Well, I don’t know where to start. I guess I’ll say who I am. I’m Joseph Vigliotti. My friends and family call me Joe. I’m 20 years old and have been in Lancaster Correctional Institution since June 2009. To the boys in here, I’m Fro Joe, Viggy, Joey and Vigliotti. To the COs, I’m Inmate Vigliotti, G15656.Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Frozen in time
I don’t see how people can do 5, 10, 20 years in prison and not hate life. I only got two years and it seems like it’ll never end. Sometimes it feels like time is flying by, but if I sit and think about it, it seems like it’s dragging on. Days seem to go by quick, but months seem to never end. I really don’t understand how people deal with the fact that they’re not getting out any time soon.Tuesday, February 23, 2010
In prison you're on your own
Keep in mind there’s a lot of things I can’t write about while I’m in prison. Xxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xx xxx xx xxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx. (Sentence scratched out.) Even with that in mind, there are still plenty of reasons why a person should do everything in his or her power to not end up in this place.It’s almost a guarantee that you’ll go to at least two or three prisons during your sentence and at each institution, it’s always the same thing. People will approach you to see where your heart is at. Whether you’re strong or weak, have money or not, whether you’re in a gang and if so, which one. It’s unavoidable. You will be tried.
For instance, I sleep next to someone who had a star tattooed on his arm – which was not gang related, but somebody made him burn it off with a cigarette just because it had five points on it.
So much goes on in prison that the COs never see. Sure they’re aware people do things like that. They can’t be everywhere at once to stop it.
So if you come to prison, just know you’re on your own. There won’t be anyone there to help you.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Ted's Alaska photography



Saturday, February 20, 2010
Magazine model


Friday, February 19, 2010
Mystery shopping

Thursday, February 18, 2010
Photos from a past life


Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Darren

"A friend sent me this link, my name is Darren 45, I was just like Ted. I was locked up at 12 and did not stop until I was 40. But like you my family stuck by me for all those 24 years of lockup. It was a long haul. But in the end I found my voice, myself and life. I began to write inside and now am a very accomplished poet. I have a five year old son and now a daughter that is going to come and live with me. I have divested parole long ago. And am going to school. Doing the right thing all the time has its rewards, not the huge payoff of an armed robbery or drug deal, but I find that when something good does transpire however small, like a green light, or getting the bills paid, these are rewards that make me smile, I still hope for success as a writer, or to be rich, but now common sense rules that. I love that stories like Teds are getting out there, so many people think building more prisons is the answer. What I do think is that they need more education, and people like Ted or I involved to help the kids slipping between the cracks, like Ted or I. Just recently here a play was put on by a bunch of cons. And I go read my poetry out loud. Tell Ted that life is beautiful, that living among sane people is much better, most of all tell him to like himself. I wish my mom would have had the same devotion. Ted is lucky to have his mom. I hope he know this. Darren"
I asked Darren to email me some poems and I would post one. He wrote back:
"I sent a few that were about being locked up, and ones about the only friends I ever made that are never leaving that place, I sent some that have been written since I have been out. A person can change, and become happy with who he is. The prison enrollment seems to be the thing for so many young, I fight for my son Aiden's future now. Darren"
Here is his poem:
From my little hole on this planet,
I can’t see just where I am
There is a world out there.
I can still hear its calls,
Just can’t envision it anymore.
Lost in this bottomless pit,
I breathe the same air as the people out there.
But like some delirious dog, I am kept at bay.
An electric fence keeps me inside,
A side of society’s face they must hide.
Only when I lay my head down at night
Do I leave this darkness behind.
I then wake here again.
Oh my God, back in the land of the damned.
I wish I could find a bridge to nowhere
Because with all my heart and soul I would be there.
But I am locked in this penitentiary
A madman’s sanctuary
Faced daily with anguish
And myself made slavery.
I only that hope one day
The screams in my head will take over.
Then the inescapable chore of living here
I'd no longer have to fear.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Don't be friendly
I don’t care if you try to stay to yourself while in prison or not. There are always people trying to get things out of you. At first it’s petty – like one cookie or one cigarette. But over time, it adds up. It’s always just one of something.I learned that even before I came to prison. You can’t be friendly. After awhile, people will leave you alone, except the few people who actually want to be your friend. Be careful though – even these people can be deceiving.
The world inside these prison gates are cruel and over time, it kinda hardens you, so to speak. You learn to tell people what you’re really thinking. Sometimes you get so aggravated because people won’t leave you alone, you just sort of snap on people for the littlest things. That’s only happened to me a couple of times and they happened to be some of my friends. I feel guilty for doing it, but an apology would show weakness. So I explained my situation to them and left it at that. Your true friends (at least for your prison term) will understand.
What I guess I’m trying to say is, don’t be friendly in any way. Once you do, you’ll never see the end of it.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Back to court
Last week I got a subpoena to go back to court in March. Only this time it’s not for me. There is this guy I know who got in some pretty serious trouble. I don’t know if he’s guilty or not, but I guess he wants me to come to his trial and speak on his behalf. I truly feel sorry for him, especially because he’s been in the county jail for three years almost.I really wouldn’t mind going to his trial date if I wasn’t in prison. Going back to court from prison is such a pain. I’ll have to be transferred back to the RMC reception center first, then to the county jail for the duration of his trial. I’ll probably stay in the county jail for about three weeks and the worst part is – I’ll most likely have to spend my time there in maximum security. Then once I’m done going to court, I’ll go back to RMC, then come back here to Lancaster work camp. It’s always a real pain. Why can’t they just take me to the county jail a day before the three-day trial and once it’s done, drive me back – instead of weeks at each place? Huh. I’m not looking forward to any of it.
The sad thing is, this particular trial has been postponed four or five times already and will most likely be postponed again. RMC (at Lake Butler) is the prison that was filthy and crawling with bugs.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Mornings
The mornings are the worst. We wake up at 5 a.m., get up to brush our teeth and shave. Also we have to make our beds perfectly with a six-inch collar and 45-degree angles at the end of our beds. Of course, we can’t have any wrinkles in our beds.After we finish making our beds and complete our hygiene, we just sit (not lay) on our beds and wait for breakfast. When we are called for breakfast, we go outside and line up. Once everyone is lined up, we march to breakfast. The chow hall is close, so we don’t have to march far. It’s only two buildings away. We go in and eat, and then line back up outside again. We only have about 10 minutes to eat our food.
Anyway, after we line up, we march back to our dorm where we get a five-minute cigarette break for those who smoke, then we go back inside where we sit on our bunks for the next hour and a half until 8 a.m. when the next [CO] shift comes on.
It seems like the mornings drag and it never seems like you get a full night’s sleep. A lot of times, I stay tired throughout the day and go to sleep really early. That’s the only way to get any decent sleep. Even then, you still have people waking you up until Lights Out. I just can’t wait to sleep in my own bed.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
My ex-girlfriend
Today I got a letter from my ex-girlfriend. I’m not sure how long it’s been since we talked to each other, but I know it’s been awhile. I’m just glad she wrote. She probably doesn’t know this, but she was the first girl I ever really loved.Even though we’re not together anymore and we haven’t talked to each other in awhile, I still love her. I thought that after awhile, my feelings for her would go away, but they haven’t. Sure, I got over the fact that we’re not together anymore, but I still care about her.
About a month or so before we broke up, I surprised myself by asking her to marry me. A lot of people probably thought we were too young, but it didn’t really matter to me. At the time, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Actually, part of me still does, but I know it won’t happen.
I don’t think I could ever feel the same way about anyone else like I did with her. Really I don’t know if I’d want to. In the end it’s too painful.
I just want to say this last thing to her: No matter what, I still love you and I hope we will at least remain friends.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Getting burned
It’s kind of ironic that I just talked about no matter how sick you get in prison, all you can really get is non-aspirin. Well, about 10 minutes after I wrote that, I went to work to start cooking dinner for the compound. I was only at work for about an hour or two before I burned my right hand. I was lifting the lid to the kettle up and a huge cloud of steam came rushing out and burned my hand.At first I thought that it would only hurt for 10 – 20 minutes and then it would feel better, but after about an hour, it only got worse. So they took me to Medical and gave me some cream that doesn’t make the pain go away, non-aspirin (prison’s universal cure) and a no-work pass for three days. Unfortunately, two of the three days of my no-work pass fell on my two days off anyway. Well, at least I get one extra day off work.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Writing to Teen in Jail
Last night, an old friend of Ted's who he hasn't seen in a very long time - "T" - knocked on my door to give my husband a letter for Ted. I had conked out at 7:30 p.m. after riding six hours and sitting for six more hours to visit Ted. I was sorry to miss seeing "T". I know Ted will love getting his letter.While knocking on my door is one way to get a letter to Ted, there's a much simpler way! On the home page of Teen in Jail, Ted's current address is always displayed (right under the site counter). Currently Ted is at the following address:
Braden, Theodore, DC #131948
Lancaster C.I.
3449 SW State Road 26
Trenton, FL 32693-5641
I update that address every time Ted is transferred. If Ted is moved before he receives a letter, the prison will forward it to his new location (although this might take awhile).
For those that hate to hand-write letters and don't have a printer, you can always send an email to teeninjail@yahoo.com. (I usually have to weed through all the notifications that he won 10 million dollars. Boy, wouldn't that be nice?) Sometimes I forget to check that email address, but when I do, I print out the emails and send them to Ted.
You can call him "Ted" (although in prison, they just yell "BRADEN!!!") If you include a return address, he will write you back. (And "T", you can send me your return address to that email!)
Ted can receive greeting cards, but the envelopes must be white or yellow. Don't ask me why they can't be different colors - I don't know. I once sent a Halloween card with an ORANGE envelope (the horror!) and it was returned to me. Another Halloween card had PLASTIC EYEBALLS which apparently is a BIG no-no! So, make sure any cards don't have plastic pieces, glued-on decorations and most terrible of all - no singing cards!
Ted can also receive up to five photos per letter (standard 3X5's or 4X6's). Use discretion when sending pictures, though. No bikinis, for instance, or anything relating to gangs. Make sure you put your return address on the envelope.
Ted loves getting letters. Since he's been in prison, he has received letters from me, his father, his step-father, and just recently - his former girlfriend and two complete strangers. His disabled grandmother, who is completely paralyzed except for one hand, even managed to write him a letter. It completely makes his day to get mail. Strangely enough, the rest of his relatives and friends have not written him.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Being sick in prison
I can write about how much prison sucks all day, but one of the worst times to be in prison is when you’re sick. It doesn’t really matter if you have a simple cold or the flu. The only thing you get for any sickness is generic non-aspirin – which doesn’t do a thing.Plus, since I’m at a work camp, I have to work five days a week and it doesn’t matter how sick you are – you still have to go and do your job.
If you really wanted to, you can put in a medical request to see the doctor – who will give you something a little bit better than non-aspirin. But if you do that, it takes about three days or so for them to call you out and usually your sickness will be going away by then. Plus they charge you five dollars.
A lot of people, if they’re sick, will declare medical emergencies and go to the doctors right then, but all they’ll do is say that your condition isn’t life-threatening, charge you five dollars, send you back – then bring you back a couple of days later and charge you another five dollars.
No matter which way you look at it, it sucks to be sick in prison.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The Throw Away Kids
The Throw Away Kids Network is a prison outreach program that serves the needs of juveniles who are currently inside Florida correctional facilities - many of whom feel unloved and unwanted and have nowhere to turn.Rita Pearson, the founder of The Throw Away Kids Network, started the program as a means of getting inside a juvenile facility where her son, Jake, is currently incarcerated. Jake was arrested at the age of 17 before he could carry out a plan a shooting at his school. The FBI intercepted Jake’s internet chat room conversation where he was trying to obtain a gun. See a news video of Rita and a photo of Jake here. Ironically, Jake was arrested two days before Ted on October 28, 2008.
Rita now visits several juvenile correctional facilities and arranges to have Christian rap groups, bikers and motivational speakers visit the kids. Her mission is to show them that they are not forgotten and she hopes to bring about a change in some young lives. Rita works full-time for the state and spends her weekends and free time traveling all over the state visiting various juvenile facilities. Help for these kids can be obtained through counseling and talking to parents, teachers and pastors.
Rita told me about Hidden Rage, a movie about Joshua, a high school freshman who gets picked on, bullied and beaten up every day at school. His teachers aren't aware of the situation and his only friend, Stephen, is too afraid to step to his defense. No one sees the signs of Joshua’s hidden rage - until one day he gets pushed too far…
Hidden Rage is a wakeup call and seeks to reach out to kids in today’s culture of violence. It explores many of the possible triggers that would cause a person to snap. At the same time, the movie also demonstrates the consequences of resorting to violence to solve your problems. The goal of Hidden Rage is to act as a starting point for dialogue among parents, students, teachers and law enforcement agencies nationwide.
For movie showings, see Hidden Rage on Facebook.
The Throw Away Kids Network is a pending 501C3 organization and relies on donations for funding. Visit Rita's MySpace page for photos and more info, or email her at ritapearson731@yahoo.com.
Here's a movie trailer of Hidden Rage:
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Ted's injury
I’m currently waiting for more letters from Ted.Ted called me on Monday and told me he had burned his right hand. He was lifting the cover off a steaming pot of potatoes and the steam caused first-degree burns. He told me his entire hand was red (like a really bad sunburn) and hurt a lot. He was given Ibuprofen for pain and cream. He told me tonight on the phone that his hand is better. He did manage to write some more entries and sent them out in the mail this morning.
About three or four weeks ago, I noticed on the Florida Department of Corrections site that Ted’s custody level was dropped from minimum to community. Ted will be eligible to go to a work release camp. A work release camp is different from a work camp (where he is now). He is able to choose two work release camps near his home in Pinellas County. When a bed opens up at one of them and he has been processed, he will be moved. The whole process takes between 30 and 60 days.
In a work release camp, Ted will need to find a job and will be able to leave the compound to go to work. He will return to the compound each day after his shift. Ted doesn’t know much more than this. He doesn’t know if the camp officials help in obtaining a job and if transportation is provided, or if he must take public transportation to the job.
Ted also tells me he’s been written up four times in the past three weeks. Each write-up delays his transfer to a work release camp between 10 and 20 days. So right now, he doesn’t know when he will be transferred. In Ted’s words - “the more I try not to be written up, the more write-ups I get.”
Ted was also issued a subpoena as a witness in a criminal case in Pinellas County which will take place in early March for three days. He tells me that he will be transferred to the Pinellas County Jail for probably three weeks for this three-day trial. While in the Pinellas County Jail, he will not be able to earn any gain time. After the trial is over, he will return to Lancaster Work Camp to await his transfer to a work release camp back in Pinellas County. Ted will then be about 30 minutes from his home, rather than three hours away as he is now.




