Editor’s note: A Corrections Officer from a Florida institution wrote the following:
I was reading your article about the blood knife (Deadly blood pen) and it reminded me of something a little less obvious.
Approximately 2 years ago while working at my institution another officer and myself went onto the floor to conduct searches. A pen knife was found! Unless you broke it apart you would never had known what it was. The pen knife was found in a pipe chase (basically a hole in the wall where the pipe entered) in a restroom. It is easily concealed and can be passed from inmate to inmate, or inmate to officer, with staff never knowing what is in their hands.
I found out that anyone can purchase these knives, and there are also gas canisters that look like ink pens. These pens (both knife and gas) are able to write and are concealed well. Anyone who has $5.00 to $15.00 can purchase one, and that is what angered me. For $5.00 my life was expendable. (Images via BUDK.com)
Have you found some interesting contraband in your institution? Email us with your pictures and stories.