By Joe Bouchard
I recently read an article that Corrections1 called, “Inmate’s map leads to illegal marijuana plants.” This short news item reported that an inmate in Tennessee was caught with written directions to an illicit growing operation. It was hidden in a seemingly innocuous book.
That article brought two thoughts to mind:
1. There are lots of strange things that one can find written in a book.
2. Contraband is not necessarily a tangible, immediately consumable item.
Things written in a book
I am certain that on any given week, I will search more than 500 books for damage and contraband. This is a combination of books to and from segregation units through delivery and also over the counter in general population. When time permits, I search books on the shelves – both law and general library books. That volume contains so many opportunities to uncover bootleg.
Certainly, it is true that one will find typical, tangible contraband in a book, particularly in a hollow or in the binding. Also, smaller items are found between pages adhered with natural and commercial sealing agents. It would not be unusual to find tobacco, pills, small metal, and razor blades in a book at some point.
But the map in the book story made me reflect on the less obvious contraband – things that may be written in a book. Here are some things I have found:
• Gambling slips
• Love notes
• Security Threat Group graffiti
• Writing in code
Of course, these things in and of themselves might not seem dangerous in an immediate way as would a six-inch piece of aluminum from a ceiling light. But, with thought, these items may represent a different, though very real, danger.
The betting slips represent an enterprise with a small paper trail but big possible ramifications.
Some love notes are very graphic and specific to staff. Often, when the handwriting is identified, intelligence is gathered about potential and real threats that were hitherto unknown. In addition, Prisoner to prisoner love notes point to liaisons in the population. When fully traced, this is valuable information in maintaining order.
As any facility inspector can attest, security threat group graffiti are valuable clues in the pursuit of safety. They represent parts of a very complex puzzle. They may confirm suspicions about the existence of a group in a location. Staff who find these in books should photograph or photocopy the report date, location, and share with inspectors and other staff.
Code writing, of course, can mask assault plans, escape route, or violent schemes.
Contraband is not necessarily a tangible, immediately consumable item.
C1’s Editor Erin Hicks and I had a quick email volley over the news item mentioned at the head of this article. When I told her of the many things I have discovered written in books over the years, she wrote, “Contraband isn’t always just drugs and shanks.”
That is a truth that is not always readily evident. In fact, information warrants a separate category of contraband. On further thought, there are easily four basic categories of contraband. They are weapons, consumables, tradable items, and information.
Category 1: Weapons – This is the most obvious category. Examples of these are easy to conceive. Among the long list are shanks, razors, a lock in a sock. A less obvious example is a feces/urine mixture in a cup. The common element is that these are used for assault.
Category 2: Consumables – Narcotics, spud juice, and tobacco, and food stuff are items in this category.
Category 3: Tradeable items – These are things that one cannot (normally) ingest and are not typically used for assault. An MP3 player is a tradeable item. Office supplies and clothing and other non- edible, non-dangerous items are tradeables.
Category 4: Information – Things in this category are not easy to touch. They are written or spoken ideas. Data about staff, exempt policies and a map of the physical plant can pose dangers to the security of the institution.
Certainly, there are different levels of danger in our facilities. We increase the safety of all when we consider that contraband isn’t always just drugs and shanks.
