The BOP Rumor Mill

Hi everyone. I'm writing this with best wishes, good vibes and prayers for everyone who has a loved one in the BOP or any prison for that matter. It is an extremely trying time to have a loved one on the inside. I have been reading horror stories that rival Stephen King's best work and my heart goes out to all of you.

Congratulations to those fighting hard and seeing some small victories. There are some victories although not nearly enough. Keep fighting, making noise, not going away and making phone calls. That is the only thing that works.

These people know they're wrong.I'm reading about a lot of things coming out of the BOP with regards to visits being put off until 2022 and more and I just want to share my insight as a former BOP inmate and a critical thinker.I ran into this a great deal when I was in there. That place is a rumor mill that makes high school look like a walk in the park. I have seen and heard people making stuff up in there just because they're bored and having nothing else to do. I'm not joking.

It is absolutely rampant and they say everything they can to lend it credibility. "I heard this straight from the Captain himself," and all kinds of "reliable" sources. It's very easy to fall into this trap too. When you're in there information is like gold and times like we're in now multiply that need to know what's going on. So inmates tend to take what they hear and run with it.

I can tell you with a straight face that 90% of what I heard in there was false and either made up, miscommunication or changed by the time it got around to them. I know that these are very emotional times for everyone, but especially loved ones of inmates. For the sake of your sanity and for your loved one, practice true rational thinking through this crisis.

Realize and know that most of the staff in there doesn't know what's going on. They keep them as much in the dark as they do the inmates. They listen to and follow the rumor mill like all people do and they pass bad information along.I know this isn't much consolation and I wish with all of my being that I could offer you more solace that what I can, but this is what I've got for now.

Don't let yourself get derailed by something that could very well and is very probably a rumor. Don't let it send you over the edge or into an abyss of depression. It's more than likely not true.