My (incarcerated) boyfriend failed a drug test.

To be honest, In the US, people using in jail are often heading in a pretty bad direction. Those drugs have to be paid for some way. Not sure how it is where you are, but in the US Prison Gangs control the drug trade. Members of prison gangs are very rarely someone you ever want to come into contact with.
 
Yeah but in the US boys get raped in jail too, US is pretty screwed up dude.
But the worst ones are the South African (or African, can't remember) prisons I saw this documentary...nasty.

We don't have "prison gangs" in New Zealand lol, although a small minority of people in prison are from our regular outside gangs.
 
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2 years for failing a drug test? That seems a little heavy-handed, no?

I got a letter from him yay! He sounded really down, but I try cheer him up, I wrote him.. and then I wrote him again lol, he probably hadn't even recieved my first letter yet when I wrote him second one but I just missed him and felt like writing. I found his undies and socks in my laundry lol, I thought about not washing them, but then I put them in the wash lol, I'm gonna wear them.

Wait.. what?
 
Yeah but in the US boys get raped in jail too, US is pretty screwed up dude.
But the worst ones are the South African (or African, can't remember) prisons I saw this documentary...nasty.

We don't have "prison gangs" in New Zealand lol, although a small minority of people in prison are from our regular outside gangs.

Men and women get raped in jails all over the world. It is not as prevalent in the US as it is in 3rd world countries. South African jails are rough, but in Latin America they have facilities completely run by prison gangs. Not trying to offend, but all I am saying is using while in prison tends to come with very heavy consequences.

Also, I am very far from a "USA = 1 Always" type of American. Trust me on that. I was in no way suggesting that our prison system is good. Its disgusting the amount of people we put in jail and it is criminal what we have allowed to happen to our most impoverished people here.
 
2 years for failing a drug test? That seems a little heavy-handed, no?



Wait.. what?
Well he was sentenced to life with 10 years no parole. So they can keep him in there forever if he keeps fucking up (like failing drug tests for example).

Yeah he left his undies and socks at mine last week lol.
 
Men and women get raped in jails all over the world. It is not as prevalent in the US as it is in 3rd world countries. South African jails are rough, but in Latin America they have facilities completely run by prison gangs. Not trying to offend, but all I am saying is using while in prison tends to come with very heavy consequences.

Also, I am very far from a "USA = 1 Always" type of American. Trust me on that. I was in no way suggesting that our prison system is good. Its disgusting the amount of people we put in jail and it is criminal what we have allowed to happen to our most impoverished people here.

Yeah I know, and I wasn't trying to be offensive either, just find the notion of prison gangs in New Zealand kinda funny, we have a small population. Our prisons don't have enough people in them for crazy stuff like that to be going down. And if someone abuses someone else in prison I think they get moved into segregation.
 
I think what's confusing people is that you (1) told us that your boyfriend is incarcerated and has done 11 years and (2) that he left his undies and socks at your place last week.

Do you mean that he did 11 years in the past, got out on some type of parole, failed a drug test and they're now trying to make him finish something of a 20 year sentence? He's not exactly "using drugs while in jail"?
 
I already mentioned that prior to this failed drug test he was in prison yes but he was on the release to work programme and he was getting home leave, so he was only PHYSICALLY in prison from 7pm till 6am most days. How did you think I even met him lol? I guess the situation is kinda complicated maybe I wasn't very clear. When his 10 years no parole period was up they told him he could not be released yet because he had not done release to work or home leaves with his sponsor. This is what they do if you have done a long lag in prison, they re-integrate you into society slowly, not all at once. That's why when his next parole board meeting came up we thought he would be released as there was nothing left for him to do now he's been doing everything.. but yeah, failed drug test threw a big spanner in the works..



There are heaps of drugs in prison, but yes this time that he lapsed he did it while on leave.
I feel like it's my fault a little, even though it was his idea, and he got the stuff, he said it would be out of his system by the time they test him, but I should have told him no, I should've said it was too risky, I didnt understand what would happen. They make such a big deal out of such a little thing. Drugs shouldn't even be illegal. Ohh you wanted to feel good and have some fun, what an evil person you are you should be in prison how dare you act as though your body belonged to you don't you know it is property of the government. *rolls eyes*
 
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Anyway I've decided now to just focus on losing 5kg, it makes me feel better, makes me feel like I am accomplishing something. I'm not gonna let myself get carried away and get sick like I have done in the past, just 5kg. And no drugs, just coffee. If I am losing weight, nothing else bothers me. 5 is ok.
 
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Libby, I'm from New Zealand and have been in prison once, and through the justice system many times. If you'd like to talk, I sent you a PM.

Really sorry to hear about your man, hope I can help you in some way.
 
Okay it seems I can't PM very often. Dunno if that's cos I don't have high post count or normal rules.

But anyway, wow, Paremoremo. You meant it when you said maximum security. (For those that don't know, which will be everyone, that is New Zealand's highest security corrections facility)

When is he meant to go in front of the parole board? He will still be seen (to the best of my knowledge, I was never max-security) but it's likely that because of the failed test he will be given a Section 107 and won't be seen again for another 12 months. He should see if they have a Drug Treatment Unit there (though I doubt it) or if he can be transferred somewhere that does, as that looks really good in front of the board -- looks like he's making an effort to overcome drug problems (To them, any use is a problem) however this might not be possible, at least for a period. Where was he before, when he was allowed Release to Work?

Any questions you have, feel free to ask me, and I'll answer as best I can from my experience.
 
It's today. He's schedueled to see the parole board today.
He was in Paremoremo the whole time since he was first convicted, he wasn't in maximum security camp the whole time tho, I don't know what part of the prison he was in before he got sent to the RTW camp, because I didn't know him back then.
He has already done their drug treatment unit, but yes he should do it again if it means he will be out sooner.
Do you think they will let him out in 12 months if he is well behaved until then???
 
He should still see them then. Unfortunately I don't know much about that prison specifically -- I'm down in the South, but he should be allowed to send and receive as many letters as he likes and should be entitled to one 5minute phonecall a week at minimum. You'd need to send in phonecards or money for phonecards, but I assume you know all about the P119 system already.
 
He's only allowed to call landline numbers and even then the number has to have been pre-approved which probably takes ages to do. I havnt got a landline, but we are moving house in couple weeks so I shall get a landline phone on once I've moved and then I'll have send the number to him and sign a form or something and wait for them to approve it. His mum's number is approved, but she is not speaking to me so I cant go talk to him at her place. I think she thinks its my fault he fucked up and isnt getting out. I think she hates me, I would if I were her.
 
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Yeah, numbers have to be pre-approved. Luckily once you do have a landline, calls are only $1.00 for 15 minutes (if he's allowed that long)

Basically he'll fill in your number on a form, the prison will call you and say 'Can <x> contact you on this number' and you'll say 'Yes' and then in about a week it'll be approved. Whole process takes about 10-14 days, depending how busy the screws are.
 
He should at least get some brownie points for returning to prison every night after he took the test before they got the results knowing he might fail it. He could have gone on the run, but he didn't, he was good, and carried on with what he was suppossed to be doing.
 
That actually will count for something, they respect things like that. Especially if he's got a good lawyer to argue for him. He's probably gone to the board already actually, as it's usually lockdown after 4:30pm.
 
Yeah, my partner hated the waiting. Luckily I was moved to Low-Security pretty quickly so I could make a lot of phonecalls which made it a lot easier, but she still had a really tough time with me being away and it wasn't anything compared to the lag that your man is doing.

Props to you for sticking by him, I hope he knows what an awesome chick he's got waiting for him!

If you ever need to know anything about procedure or anything then feel free to PM me. Do you live in Auckland City? Never spent much time there, except for Christmas with family.
 
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