an inmate you seems think he owns the prison

[nurse1972]

AN INMATE WHO SEEMS TO THINK HE OWNS THE PRISON

I just wanted to vent some frustration I encountered yesterday in the disp.

I was not in my usual prison but had been floated to another one on the complex. I've been there twice and both times I've had a run in with a particular inmate. More or less he walk into the treatment room, tells the staff what he wants and then helps himself with such a command that no one stands up to him. Except for me, and he of course didn't find that amusing. He glared at me (if looks could kill), mumbled something and pointed his finger at me. I'm unfamiliar with the officer I was working with and he didn't exactly have full control of the inmates as they waited in the bullpen.

After the encounter with the inmate he left and I shortly went to lunch with some other female employees. While we were eating the inmate entered the Officers Dining Room. He had no business being in there and there were no officers eating in the room at the time since it was the end of lunch time. I later found out the inmate is a food service worker (convienient huh) but he was not in his whites like he should have been if he were going to work.

I was so upset I discussed it with a regular nurse in the disp. and she said the inmate is always like that. I left that day frustrated beyond belief and swore never to return to that particular prison. Once I calmed down I wrote an information report and took it to the shift commander before I headed home for the evening. I only wish I would have thought to tell the inmate he was "Out of Bounds" and then written him a ticket.

Now I'm just wondering what kind of backlash I'll be getting when I return to my usual prison disp. on the complex. But at least there I know the officers have my back.

[nambour51]

Congratulations on standing your ground in a difficult encounter! Continue to be alert but don't become over fearful about what will happen in the future otherwise the inmate has 'won' control over you. I pray that you will continue to have the wisdom to deal with tense situations.

[uraqt2]

I am so glad to hear that you stuck to your boundaries. Just recently at the facility I work at we have an inmate that seems to get whatever he wants whenever he wants. He's the admin. porter and has been given way too much leaway. He's been known to eat popcorn with the sgts. and Lts., read papers on the desks, and be present when an officer is trying to talk to the sgt or Lt. Recently he had a medical procedure done and was put on a lay in for 10 days and that was NOT accepted very well by brass. They called him up to work even with the lay in and of course medical had to send him home. Once the next shift came in he was called up again and medical had to send him home. Unfortunaly it was me who got the heat 'cause I was the one who took it upon me to enforce the lay in. As I told brass "To me I don't care what inmate it is, if they have a lay in that's exactly what that means. If it was any other inmate they wouldn't be allowed to work and I don't care if anyone thinks that a certain inmate should be given special treatment. ALL INMATES ARE TO BE TREATED THE SAME. If you're gonna give something to one inmate you have to be willing to give it to all inmates." Needless to say this situation hasn't been compltly resolved but at least staff knows exactly where I stand and that I won't be intimidated into anything. Basicly, way to go and don't let anyone try to change your boundaries. You have them for a reason and they shouldn't change no matter what facility you're working at.

[VegRN]

Basically, way to go and don't let anyone try to change your boundaries. You have them for a reason and they shouldn't change no matter what facility you're working at.

well said

[jill48, ASN, RN]

I just don't know how you guys do it.