First Timers Guide on How to Survive in New York State Prison

By Kemp McCoy

They say that life is what you make it, and this saying is truly applicable to prison as well as life. Not to put anyone down, most of us go throughout our lives not caring about anything or anyone. The only thing that can awaken someone who has taken everything and everyone for granted is for that someone to lose what it was that someone had. Then, and only then, can that someone learn to appreciate the blessings they had been given. Thus, when first contemplating the drafting of this book, the question that arose in my mind was not, who would be my intended audience, but what is it that I could possibly give to the audience that this book is intended for? That question was quickly answered after reflecting on the past maybe ten years or beyond, as well as recently, through the media watching how many public figures and celebrities are coming to prison for the first time.

It is a good read not just for young people but of all ages. Each person that reads this book will come away with a different outlook on life, values and what being free means.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Nov 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490717760

Kemp McCoy

Kemp “Zac” McCoy, the author of Behind the Wall, has been in prison for the last twelve years on a life sentence with the possibility of parole for the sale and possession of controlled substance. He is currently being housed at Wyoming Correctional Facility.

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© Copyright 2013 Kemp Zac McCoy.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN: 978-1-4907-1775-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4907-1776-0 (e)

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Trafford rev. 11/13/2013

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface

A Word From The Author

Introduction

What To Expect Upon Coming To New York State Prison

Classification

What Happens After I Receive My Classification?

The Differences Between Maximum, Medium And Minimum Security

Maximum Security Living

Stay Away From, And Do Not Talk To The Police

Do Not Take Anything From Anyone

Do Not Discuss Your Crime With Anyone

If You Have Money On The Outside Keep It To Yourself

You Must Know The Three Things Not To Do While You Are Here

Stay Away From The Drugs

Stay Away From The Gambling

Stay Away From The Homosexuals

Medium Security Living

Minimum Security Living

Transfers

The Three Tier Disciplinary System

Tier One

Tier Two

Tier Three

Programs

Recommended Programs

Voluntary Programs

Programs That Teach You Skills

Parole, And Other Forms Of Release

Limited Credit Time Allowance (L.c.t.a.)

Presumptive Release

Merit Time Allowance

Indeterminate Sentences

Determinate Sentences

Supplemental Merit Time

Work Release

Shock Incarceration

Important Addresses And Information

Epilogue

PREFACE

I n New York state alone, there is an average of 22,000 people who are paroled every year, and over the course of a two year period, approximately 13,200 of those will return to prison. According to reports, it costs approximately $36,000 annually to house a prisoner in New York State, and there is an increase in this figure for those who are ill with ailments. For example, the cost of housing an elderly prisoner is $72,000 ann ually.

Be clear that this is strictly business. Nothing more, nothing less. Once you understand that you will know how to do your time. Corcraft industries alone generates hundreds of millions of dollars from the public and private sector annually, off of the sweat and cheap labor of it’s prisoners in the State of New York. If this sounds familiar to those of you who are historically and culturally aware, it’s because it is. This is nothing more than slavery during modern times. The same concepts apply. In here we work for practically nothing. We are stripped of everything, and then taken from our families. If we act up, we get beat and punished. Don’t be a fighter or someone that has a problem with being told what to do, or one of those that decides that you want to buck the system, then the end result for those of us like that is not just placing a bullseye on your back, but could possibly be death.

From the legislators viewpoint (in Albany), there is no such thing as rehabilitation to be gained from this corrective process. There is a constant display of this viewpoint in the denial of the majority of prisoners for Work Release, C.A.S.A.T., and Parole. Programs are set up and established solely for the purpose of federal funding, with the public belief that, their intended goal is to uplift our prisoners, and get them to change their views, actions, behavior and ultimately their lives, to become honest, hard working and productive law abiding citizens. Rightfully so, because in all actuality our focus should be one that wants to become better individuals. So in a sense, the legislators in my opinion, have hit the nail on the head this time, minus the hidden agenda of the construction of certain programs to be eligible for federal funding. However, for rehabilitation, and the embracing of the dynamics of it’s concept cannot be obtained unless it comes from within the individual. Change is not something that can be given to a person, if change is not what the person wants.

This is a place that is easy to get into, but hard as hell to get out of. There are so many people in prison that will more than likely never see the streets again, and for those of you with a sentence of life as a maximum with the possibility of parole, here is a little education for you. Life sentences were created to deal with dangerous and uncontrollable individuals who are a threat to the well being of our law abiding society. You’ll be able to see that mainly racial and ethnic minorities serve a disproportionate number of life sentences. Two thirds of those of us with life sentences are non white (66%), reaching as high as (93.7%) of the life sentenced population in the State of New York, according to studies. Parole board panels who are seen on a monthly basis, refuse to give long-time prisoners a chance to redeem themselves, and end up denying release to lifers who have been before them six, seven or even eight times or more (for an additional twenty four month hold each time), going way beyond the court imposed punishment for a crime that was committed ten, twenty or even thirty years ago.

For those of you who’re my intended audience, allow me to be the first to tell you that there is nothing nice about prison. The hallways are dark, dank and have a very unpleasant smell about them. In here, you will not see many people that will treat you like a human being. In some places, most of the officers talk to you as if you are a child, with you having done nothing to warrant it, and god forbid if you should talk back, or decide that you want to stand up for yourself. You will learn very fast that there is no fairness or justice in prison. You’ll be faced with being denied most liberties, and will even be subjected to having another man look into the crack of your