My life experience in Changi Prison (Cluster B)

[Inmate]

Introduction:
Hi readers, I am a ex-convict whom have served my jail term from July 2011- Augest 2011. Lockup in CPC (Changi Prison Complex) for a month, then served the remaining of my sentence under PPP (Home Detention Program). Throughout my 'short' 2 months lock-up behind bars and at home. I have came across and met numbers of ex-convicts whom have commited all types of offences. They share with me their backgrounds, personal stories which have taught me alot and understand the meaning of happiness in life.

Inspiration from those people whom have supported and helped me get through and start afresh, I decided to create this website aiming to bring those with an interest in the prisoner support community a forum in which their issues and concerns may be addressed by others in similar circumstances and beliefs.

Although I am still struggling with debts after my release, I am no longer in depression. I'll finally found and understand the real meaning of life and regain back my strength and confidence to face the reality again, all thanks to my lock-up experiences and those inmates/ officers I met in CPC.

I sincerely hope and be glad if my life story here can actually helpout any of you readers or people around you. Think again before you commiting a crime and do get prepare on what you will face after you commit a crime!

<Before>

Chapter 1.1: What I have done
I stay with my parents and I can say I have a warm beloved family. I have my own stable decent business which I have been spenting years building up. For the past 28 years I'll have been living in a decent lifestyle.
Like most of the readers here, I always told myself and anyone around me that I will not commit anything which is illegal.

But my life was destroyed by myself soon after the opening of Casino in MBS (MarinaBay Sands) (MBS). Due to my greed, I have lost everything (my savings, my company, my lifestyle) within months in MBS. Neverless to say, I end up commiting a crime soon later due to financial.
I never hide nor trying to escape after I commited the crime. I thought I was already mentally prepared and faced the consequences. I turned myself in the next day after I commited the crime.
I was being summoned to Subordinate Court by my IO from Cantonment Police Station after 1 month from the day of my interview and providing my statement to him. My case was very direct as I decided to plead guilty without hiring lawyer and appeal. I want get my punishment as soon as possible so I can end it all once and for all.


Chapter 1.2: Arrival to Subordinate Court

I turned up with my family members to Subordinate Court, Court 26 (as ordered by my IO), 9am sharp for my mention. I entered court room 26 at 9am sharp and it was already full of people and the trial had just started. Turn by turn, my whole waiting and hearing process took about 2 hours. I am not alone. There are at least about 40+ others including the remands waiting for their hearing.

I was ordered by the judge to attend court 10, 2.30pm (same day) for my sentences after I've plead guility to the judge during my mention.

Like anyone whom are attending court for their first time in their life, it is a very tense, stressful, full of worries and nervous moment for me. But something that have touched my heart is the accompany and support from my familes till that very last moment!

I enter my court room 26 at 9am sharp and it was already full of people. My whole waiting and hearing process took me about 2 hours. I am not alone. There are at least about 40+ others just like me, turn by turn waiting for their hearing.


Advice & Information

1. If you are prepared to plead guility on the same day that you attend court, you will be sent to jail on the same day itself.


2. If you plead guilty on the same day that you attend court, try not to bring cash amount more than $300. As prison will only refund you back in cheque upon your release if your money declared exceed $300


3. Get yourself a full back plastic-made frame spectacle if you wear spectacle as prison do not allow you to wear other type of material-made spectacle frame. (You are only allowed to wear for the first 3 weeks of your lock-up)


4. Make sure you have a heavy lunch before you attend your final sentence as you will mostly be sent and reach CPC (Changi Prison Complex) in the late evening. Prison will only served breads for dinner at night.

As orderd, I arrived Court 10 at 2.30pm sharp for my final sentence. I was not alone, there were other 3 persons seating down at the waiting area, awaiting for their sentences.

Upon the arrival of the judge (Female/ Chinese/ Mid-Thirties). Everyone in the court stood up and make a bow then sat down again.


My offence commited is CBT (Criminal Beach Of Trust) was charged under section 408.


I plead guilty to the judge and was sentence 1 month jail term + $8000 fine (in default 4 weeks jail term) jail term, my total sentence is 1 month 4 weeks jail term as I couldn't payout the fine. But I still feel relieve as I was expecting 3months - 5months jail term. Soon I was being handcruffed by the officer, the first time in my whole life!

My mind is totally blank at that moment when I got handcruffed at that moment. I can strongly feel someone have feel hurt and tears dropping from their eyes at that very moment - My family members whom I have hurt and make them suffer!

Please think again before you commit a crime! In singapore, you can run but you cannot hide forever. When you commit a crimet, you are not only destroying and hurting yourself but you are also hurting all those whom have always shown love and concern to you even deeper! They are the ones suffering the most when you get caught and sentence in jail!


Chapter 1.3: The lock-up at Subordinate Court
Once the court are dismiss, I was escorted by the police officers to a side exit. I can only turn my head to my family to have my last look and goodbye through our eyes contact as I am not allow to communicate with them.

Being escorted, walking through a narrow passage then staircase, I came to the basement where the lock-up cell rooms are located. Walking in, I was bought to a room which there are others like me, being handcruffed and turn by turn, we surrender our belongings, checking height & weight, thumb-print (no signature allowed) some documents. I was later bought to one of the lock-up cell after done.

The lightings in the cellroom are dime and the walls are full of fingerprint markings. Its not stuffy as there are air-con. There was a toilet attached within the cell room but was doorless.

I was not alone in that cell room! There are about 20 other people (all ages, races include foreigners, some wearing normal clothes while some in remand prisoner's clothes = white t-shirt and brown long pants with transport jelly slippers) with me in that cell (about 350 sqf).

My mind was lost and nervous. i can feel there are eyes watching at me. I don't know what's coming next . I can only stand alone at one corner quietly observing the surronding. There are others who are like me. looking lost and nervous from their expression. Some Sitting down quietly on the floor while some chat with each other happily.

Soon I was approach by one of the cell mate (age about mid 40s, skinny, with tatoo on his right arm) and we start chatting. Hes a repeat convict (3rd timer) and I can say he is the one whom have relief me. He told me what will be coming and other infomation/ advices which I thought it is very useful to me when I reach CPC (Changi Prison Complex). He is being charged on drugs case. I was really surpised that the first offender i ever spoke to, is such a easy going and friendly guy which i have never expected to be!

Time pass slowly and soon one officer came and ordered us to get in-line of 2 rows. We did as what was being told. Thereafter, we were being escorted to another large empty room to have our legs shackled. With our hands cruffed and legs shackled, we were then being escorted to the carkpark and enter a prison vehicle. It can contained about 40 prisoners per vehicle. Interior are fully sealed, no windows! We sat down in orderly manner and I know we are on our way to the prison now!

------------ End Of Chapter 1 ----------------

[Inmate]

Chapter 2.1: In-process at CPC (Changi Prison Complex)
Thoughout the 'long; journey from subordinte court to CPC , I still feel hot and stuffy although the air-cons are on. Observing around, I can see some convicts chating with each other happily, some closing their eyes and sat quietly, while some are in depression. For me, in my mind keep wandering what's coming next and what are my beloved family members doing now? Have they eaten? Can they sleep well? Why am I hurting them so much? Will everything be the same, worse or better after my releaset? Why arethey still support me and by my side still the very end even I have commited a crime which haD bring shame to them? Is it the end for me? Do I still have a future? Can I survive in the prison with all these offenders? What is the meaning of life in this world? How and why I end up in these status which I always thought it's impossible? There are just too many ?????????????? in my mind!

Finally we've reached our destination! Alighting at the basement carkpark, we were then being escorted by few officers and their petrol dogs to a place for in-process. Our handcruff and shackles were removed, then was made to wear a blue-colour waist band with our inmate ID number printed on it. Throughout our in-process, we were made to stripe naked for checking, height/ weight check, prison clothes issued ( We are to wear white t-shirts, blue shorts, transparent jelly slipper), photo taking, declaration of our belongings, etc...

Once all of us are done, we were then escorted to another destination, walking in pairs and with our hands at our back. We stripe ourselves naked again for checking by another take-over officer when we reach. Thereafter, everyone received 1 big plasic box, 1 soap, 1 drinking plastic mug with cover, 1 round plasic basin with cover, 1 special-made tooth brush, 1 toothpaste (gel type), 1 roll of toilet paper, 1 plastc spoon (those plastc spoon when we pack takeaway food), 1 small towel, 1 straw mat and 2 gray blanket.

With our items on hand, we were then being escorted to Cluster B2 (For new intake and remands - Inmates claimed Cluster B2 to be former Queenstown remand prison). At B2, we receive 6pcs of breads (apply with jam) from the cookies before we enter our cell room.

Cellroom at B2 can contain max. 4 inmates (Prisoners are addressed as 'inmates'). There are 1 'doorless' toilet and shower tap in every cellroom, Room size about 120 sqf. No fans nor aircon provided. No windows but only small tiny holes through the wall that only enable you to see whether if it's day or night time.

I am the last one entering my cellroom. There were other 3 chinese inmates staying in the same room. We start to settle down, puting their items on floor arranging it, then one by one, my room mates took off their shirt as it's hot and stuffy at that moment, All I can see are different types of tatoos on all over the 3 room mate's body! Out of sudden, breaking the silence, one start to speak and suggest to finish our dinner first then to shower before lights off at 9pm as the water supply will be off by then. As suggested, we sat on floor together soon, eat our breads and from there, we start to communicate with each other and 4 of us start to get along very soon.

I never expected that my room mates are friendly and easygoing. They spend time guide and explaining to me what to do and expect in CPC when they find out that I am a first timer.



Heres a short intro of my roomates:

ID: 5XX1


AGE: 26


OFFENCE COMMITED: AH LONG RUNNER (AH LONG = LOAN SHARK)


SENTENCE: 6 MONTHS


BIO: He is a guy with tattoos all over his upper body, a 2nd timer to jail. Married and now have a baby girl age about 10 months. He was caught for assisting loansharks distributing namecards. Not much to comment on him and I hope he will find his right path back after his release. Here I have questions for all readers and let's see if you are smart enough to understand my message through these questions!



1) Who will be the one end up supporting the expenses and taking over of his wife who is a housewife and his baby girl for these 6 months?



2) Who is the one suffering the most and is it fair for them?



---------------------------------------------------------


ID: 5XX3

AGE: 40

OFFENCE COMMITED: FIGHTING

SENTENCE: 9 MONTHS

BIO: He is guy with tattoos all over his body till his leg, a 4rd timer to jail. Used to take drugs, rioting, fighting since young. Nothing much to share and comment about his cases and his underworld background. What really interest me to share with you readers is his personal life.

He got a brother and both of his parents are still around. But his only brother (whom he told me every month he make good money on work, but only give and spent for his wife) do not take care and visit their parents for years. Both of his parents are old, one suffering long-term sickness while another hardly walk and move, yet got to go pickup and collect empty cans/ paperbox for survival. 5XX3 is the only one who have support and take care his parents for years. As he is already a ex-convict since young, he can hardly find any job's salary which is never enough for the three of them to survive.

To some of the readers here may think 5xx3 is a hopeless feak, some may think he never try hard enough to change and walk the right path, some even think where did he find money and how they managed to survive till now!

After spent time chatting with him, learning about his past and background, I start to think about it myself and do soul searching. Below are the points that concern me:

1. Do he 'really' have a choice to do what he wanted to?

2. Who's to blame? Himself or the society that led him returning to jail again and again?

3. Even with the help of SCORE and yellow ribbon, can he really get a job that is able to support him and his parents?

4. What can he work and will he walk the right path after his release next year?

5. Can the society really accept him without doubts inspite of his numberous offence records and his image appearance (a body full of tattoos) if he want to change a new life?

--------------------------------------------------


ID: 5XX5

AGE: MID 40s

CASE: CHEATING

SENTENCE: 18 MONTHS

BIO: A guy whom never reveal much on himself nor his offence so I got not much to share about him. But he is always the one encouraging and giving advice to the room mates. All I know is his cheating offence did published in the news paper in mid July 2011.

----------------------------------------------

In prison, inmates normally do not ask name from each other for the beginning. Normally inmates will start conversation with each other by asking their offences, how long is their sentences, etc.. From there inmates start to chat with each other and will become friends without knowing each other name. Most inmates practise remebering the person's ID number instead names. Prison Officers in CPC addressed inmantes by their ID number as well instead names



Chapter 2.2: My 1st night lock-up In Prison (Cluster B2)

After dinner and shower, the lights are off soon. Due to the cellroom's limited space, 4 of us slept in 'manjong formation'. The first night for me is the most suffering. I couldn't sleep, I do not know what time is it but I know I have been lying on the hard floor long enough till my room mates are all asleep. Eveytime i turned my head to the wall look through the tiny holes, nothing can be seen, only sound of areoplane flying past the prison once in a while.

I feel hopeless, weak, meaningless in life, loneliness, mind totally lost and my tears start to drop from my eyes again n again whenever i think back what'll have I done and think about my family. I forced myself to sleep and stop thinking but failed. In that long moment of darkness, its the first time in my life that i really miss them so much although we were still together with each other few hours ago.
" Dear readers, how many of you really miss your family members when you don't get to see them only for a few hours?

When is the last time you reali gave a good hug to your parents?

Correct me if i am wrong, I believe some of you feel nothing or may feel happy without seeing them for days.

Some would wish that they could shutup and stop asking questions whenever you reach home.

Some even can't wait to sent them away.

Frankly, I do admit I used to be one of those mentioned above as well!

Now thinking back again, thanks to the mental torture and Q&A myself throughout that very first long lonely night at CPC had made me realise something important which most of us have never beware of in our daily life. I try to make it short for you readers and I hope you will spent minutes to think about it and capture my message:

' Those you spent your time most daily hardly provide you love, those you spent your time rarely daily provide you the most unlimited love'

' Only those whom give you unlimited love will standby by your side till the very end no matter how bad the suitation is. Feel it, treasure them while you can and don't take things for granted!'


Chapter 2.3: My 1day lock-up at Cluster B2
Note: As watches and clocks are not allowed in CPC , the timing mentioned are estimate. House rules and timing for each events are briefted by the officers during our in-process.

The lights are switch on at 5am. No alarm are needed to wake the inmates up. We will wake up automatic thanks to the sudden brightness from our ceiling. We wake up, wash up and get ourselves ready before muster check about 7am (there will be 5 x bell ring sounds to inform us to get ready for the muster check). We must arrange our items in standard layout and are to sit down in 1 straight line next to each other, facing our cell door and greet the officer when he/ she arrive.

Breakfast are served to us by the cookies after the mustercheck. We are to eat in our cell room and not in canteen which you normally seem in movies and dramas. Our food are pass to us through a small rectangle hole at the bottom of the metallic cell door and we are to pass our drinking mug to the cookies through that hole for them to pour in the hot drinks into our drinking mug.

Breakfast in prison are standard. We are served with 4pcs of breads which are applyed with either butter cream or strawberry jam and side hot drinks of either coffee/ milk tea on alternate days. Inmates whom have health problem in taking sugar will only entitled breads with butter cream and teh-o (plain tea) daily.

After we are done on our meal, we will walk 1 end to another, left to right then right to left repeatedly in our small cell room for digestion. Another muster check are made at 9am and 12pm. What do we normally do to pass time in our cell room while waiting for the time to pass slowly is mainly exercise without being caught, shower, sing, joke, chat, encourage and share personal views and problems to each other.

Lunch are served to us after the muster check at 12pm. My 1st lunch in CPC are served in a green colour regular plastic plate with plain rice, 1 full-boiled egg, and stir-fry cabbage.It is standardize in CPC, all races are being served with the same dishes.

Colour plate Info: Green = Normal, Blue = Off sugar, Yellow = Off beans, Red = Veg only

We sat and ate our every meal on the same floor where we slept everyday, which make us to clean the floor area using our soap and towel everytime after our meal. We (all the room mates) eat, sleep, clean and do everything together, inspite the difference of our ages and backgrounds!


Muster check is done at 3pm again and our dinner are served to us at 5pm. My dinner for that day was served with plain rice, a oven baked drumstick, side mixed veg and side gravy (I can say the drumstick taste good.) Cleaning of the floor done again after meal, we walk around for diguestion in our cell room, relaxing while waiting for our next muster check at 7pm. We will then shower and settle down before lights off at 9pm. (This is how I spent my 2nd day in B2)


Basically what inmates (whom are not cookies or on programs) will do daily are eat, shower, sleep in their cell room, suffering and undergoing mental torture day by day!


"It will be too late or pointless to think, worry, stress yourself once you are lockup in prison. You need to put aside your emotion while serving your sentenceand and you will make your life in prison to be easier and better!"

[Inmate]

Chapter 2.4: My last 2 days of lock-up at Cluster B2

The lights from our ceiling are switch on at 5am and the water supply are on again.


Water supply are off during mustercheck and lights off 9pm - 5am

A new day has arrive and as usual, we wake up and do whatever we need to do.. Mustercheck at 7am, breakfast served after mustercheck, cleaning of floor in our cell room, walking around for warm-up and dgestion in our cell room . Soon after the muster check at 9am, there are announcements from the intel system next to our cell door and within minutes, our cell door open suddenly and we were ordered to come out from our cell room.


Finally I step out of my cellroom that have trapped me for the past 40+ hours. We are not alone.. All other inmates from all cell room on the same storey came out as well. Officers and cookies We were then gathered by the oficers and cookies, ordering us to sit down on the floor in rows of five at the open space located just outside our cell room. A head count was made by the cookies and a briefing was done by one of the officer informing us of going for our haircut at Yard room.


Escorted by our officer-in-charge, we head to the yard room (which is just nearby our dayroom) in a single line, with our hands at the back while we are walking. Before we enter the yard entrance, we are to stripe ourself turn by turn in front of a officer, with our hands on the air, mouth opened wide with our tongue out, make a squat-down and up, then turn our body with our back facing the officer and squat-down and up again before we are allowed to waer back our clothings.


Yard room is the indoor area where inmates exercise. Unlike what you seen on movies and drama, yardroom in CPC is located indoor within the same building, with only 1 entrance/ exit and fully surronded by solid walls with tiny rectangle holes through the walls. As usual, we can hardly view the outside world through those tiny holes.

In the yard room, turn by turn we will get out hair cut done by the cookies!


Inmate serving sentence more than 1 month will cut botak (Trimmer No.1)
Inmate serving sentence less than i month will only need to trim short (Trimmer No.3)

After we are done on haircut, we have to stripe ourselves for checking again before we head back to our cellroom. We were back to our cellroom about 11am (estimated). We shower and get ready for the mustercheck at 12pm. Lunch are served thereafter. Lunch for that day: Fried mee hoon with a full pcs of fishcake

We are out from our cell room again soon after our lunch. This time we are to head to officer's office for interviews/ declaration and photo-taking of our tatoos/ family & personnal problems faced outside). As usual, we are to stripe ourselves for checking once we reach the other distination.


Everything's completed and we are back to our cell room about 4+pm. Soon dinner are served to us at 5pm. Food served: Plain rice, sardin and side mixed vegetables. Neverless to say, we did everything same again, after dinner, cleaning, then walk around in the cellroom and shower after the 7pm muster check. Lights off at 9pm.
End of my 2nd day stay in CPC.

Another new day has arrived, as usual, we woke up at 5am, mustercheck 7am then breakfast. Soon after the 9am mustercheck, we were inform by the intel system to pack our belonging and get ready for transfer. Our cell door was opened thereafter and all the inmates from the same storey were gathered, headcount by cookies before we proceed. Stepping out of our dayroom, we returned all our belonging (which was issued to us when we first came in) back to the cookies. We were stripe later for checking and proceed to another destination escorted by officers. This time is different, we went through numbers of sercuity doors and staircases. No keys are used by the officers for opening doors, its operated through their electronic sercuity system by the Ops Room

That short journey is a eye-opener for me. It's like a maze in CPC and and no inmates are able to escape through their tight sercuity system!


We walk through a underground tunnel later on and our walking journey took us about 20 minutes to reach the next destination <Cluster>



Thoughout my soul searching and encounters for the few days lock-up at B2, I would like to share with you readers:


a) Get mentally prepared to stripe for checking whenever you leave from your cell room to another destination


b) Cluster B2 (Inmates assume as former Queenstown Prison Remand Center), is a 'Transit Terminal' for remand inmates and new comers (Will get transfered to another cluster within a few days once ready).


c) No yard nor dayroom activities for the new-comers before transfer


d) For those who are facing court case and expecting to go CPC soon. Do not be too afraid. Just follow the rules:


1. Do not commit any crimes inside prison.


2. Do not get into fight


3. Do not smoke if other cell mate managed to smuggle ciggarettes into prison


4. Respect each other in the cell. do not be afraid of those with tatoos.


Those with tatoos are usually not 1st timer. they are the ones who "knows how to sit" in jail. Usually, they are very considerate and corporative. Sometimes, those 1st timer are the in-considerate ones inside the small cell


e) Blame no one, those incarcerated are responsible for their actions. Every adult is responsible to themselves and to those who depend on them. It is all water already flowed across the bridge and now it is too late to regret. The best course of action is to plan for the future and not look back as what had been done cannot be undone.


If you think you are suffering, remember that there are always people worse off. Don't pity yourselves for being where you are or had to go through but take the courage to pick up your lives and start again. You need to be positive for everything is possible if you put your mind to it.



The sun always shines after the rain. I wish you well and hope you succeed in life.


f) If you intend to go and experience prison life, I can assured you that its not gonna be a pleasant experience even thought its for a day or a week and even without a record but for sheer experience.


You will be stressed and your loved ones will be constantly on your mind especially in the early part of your sentence. When your sentence is ending, you will start to think about your loved ones and your future when you are released.


Serving time is not the biggest issue, its the mental torture of losing one's freedom and thinking of your loved ones and the unchartered journey ahead upon one's release.


If you want to experienced prison life for curiosity, you can do it at home.


Locked yourself in your room for a couple of days, no TV, internet, aircon, communication with the outside World. Cover all your windows with curtains, sleep on the hard floor, etc.


------- To Be Continued on Chapter 3.1: Eight men cellroom in B4 --------

[JR8]

I'm curious, why post on a forum for expats?

[aster]

Very interesting read I must say...

[JR8]

You didn't get butt-f'd by the mandatory Puerto Rican crack head?

Jeez, you had it easy.





You seem to have a one track mind here recently......moderator

[Calmday]

Very interesting read I must say...

I agree.
If every convicted person did as much soul searching as you have obviously done prisons would be a lot less crowded.

Good post.

[Inmate]

Chapter 3.1: The 'Uncle' & The 8-Men Cellroom at B4

While walking from B2 to B4, my mind recalled back a inmate whom I have met and chat with earlier on in the Yard room while we were waiting for our haircut. I addressed him as 'uncle'. Ageing about late 70 , he is a first time offender. He was sentenced for 2 weeks jail Term for not paying fines accumulating up to $6000. He stay with his wife and no children. His wife is only few years younger than him but is not as healthy as him. 'Uncle' is a hokkien speaking inmate whom can't communicate in english. Due to his poor background and health condition of his wife, he still have to work for survival inspite of his current age.

He was being fine for operating and selling fruits without license at public areas such as MRT Stations & Bus Interchange Stations. Needless to say, he was being caught again and again and received his summon tickets (fine up to $300 per ticket). Dragging and unable to pay, he was called up to attend court and was sentences to jail in default of his fines.

Till now, I can remember what he told me: " I will still do back my same trade again after my release although the judge had warned me not to commit again. But what can I do and who is going to support me and my wife's health expenses if I don't work?"

So do he really have a choice?

Even if there are communities which can assist his problem, what concerns me is can assist till what limit?

Beside fines and jail, aren't there any other solutions that are able to solve this issue?

I really hope I can have a chance to meet 'Uncle' again and have a coffee with him!

There are about 40+ of us (Inmates that were being locked up in the same storey of B2) whom have transfer to Cluster B4, We were later bought to HU3 (Housing Unit 3 located at level 5 & 6 of Cluster B4). We proceed to the Yard room of H3, collecting our new set of belongings (the same type of items which we have previously returned to B2). A briefing of the house rules were also conducted by the cookies followed by the officer-in charge at the Yard room. There are a total of 3 dayrooms (divisons) in HU3 and a hugh group of inmates including me were assigned to Dayroom 3. Inside Dayroom 3, there are a total of 10 cell rooms at level 5 and another 10 cell rooms at level 6. Every single cellroom which consists of 2 'doorless' toilet, size about 250 sqt (double the size of my cellroom at B2), can lockup max. up to 8 inmates! Sadly to say, I was separated from my 3 roomates. Together with other inmates whom had been assigned to the same cellroom as me (total 8 inmates), we to proceed cellroom No:629.
Chapter 3.2: My 7 new room mates

The house rules in B4 are the same as B2. But I had warned by one of the inmate that B4 tends to be more strict and there are some 'officers' whom we have to be careful with. Don't ever try anything funny with these 'officers', they will punish you without further warning.

Punishment for misbehave and not following the house rules:

Contribution of 1 - 2 thumbprints from the offender.

2 x thumbprints from repeated offences or 3 x thumbprints from different offences will change you a additional 1 - 3 days of jail term.

For more serious offences (example masterbuting, fighting, etc..), Inmate will get 'tumba' which will change you additional jail terms from few days to few weeks based on case by case basis.

Welfare for the inmates in prison now is much more better compared to years back while the remand prison is still located at Queenstown. Those stories which you readers had heard of or read through do really existed years back. Common stories being passed down for centuries are fighting in cell room, the strongest bully the weakest, food from the weakness are to give to the strongest, smoking in prison, shower and drink water from the toilet flush, using own toothbrush to clean the toilet areas, gay inmates forcing other inmates to XXX, officers whacking the inmates, inmates commit suicide, etc....

Now the darkness world which we used to heard of, are no longer exist. The welfare and prison safety and security system had improve. Mindset of 'most' inmates including those serving LT sentences had changed as well. Inmates have only one common goals in mind, and that is to respect, behave and get back their freedom as soon as possible!

Some of the readers may be thinking that inmate's life in prison now must be so relaxing since the darkness day are over. Thinking that what inmates do daily are only eat, shower, sleep and nothing else. Well, all I can say the mental torture still remains the same ever since the first day when Prison were bulid. Spending a day in cellroom is like months. Imagine being trapped in a small empty room almost 23 hours per day. The only thing you get to see and get entertained are only your roomates and the walls. Sleepless night on the hard floor which makes our bones suffer on the following day. Meals that are just enough to fill inmate's stomach.

Till now , I can still remember on what my SOP had told me when I am in B4:

' Prison only provide discipline and you can find no love in here! You can only find real love from your home'

For readers whom are reading my story now and is working as prison officer or is a ex-convict, I welcome you correct me if anything I wrote here is not correct!

In cellroom 629, there were other 7 inmates beside me consisting of 1 hindi, 2 malays and the rest are chinese. Ageing from youngest 20 years old to oldest 55 years old, commiting different kind of offences. But 1 thing in common from all of us is we are all first-time offender. Our cell room is a 'first-timer' cell room.

Everyone in the cell room seems to be friendly and most of them seem to be highly educated and had worked as professional from different trades. Spending a whole day lock-up with my new roomates knowing and understanding their backgrounds ( the offences from these roomates are CBT, not paying fines, assisting shoarkloans, and AWOL from army), I realised that I was not 'alone'............................

[Inmate]

Chapter 3.3: The Security Company Manager

Dear readers, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your comments, regards and feedbacks through forums, emails, pm and fackbook since beginning. Recommended by readers, I had now posted my story in forums lke VR-Zone, SgForums, Flowerpod, Sammyboy, Hardware Zone, Omy, Stomp and SGClub (Do let me know if I have missout any good forums). I never expected my thread responese to be so over-whemling. I had received different comments, encouragement, moral support, feedbacks and had befriended with readers and ex-convicts. Deep in my heart now, I would really like to share this moment of joy with all of you. Without you, I will never have the confidence to continue my story and my doings till this far!

Recently I have receive a reply thread from one of the forum, sharing his personal experience, which I thought it is very meaningful to share with everyone now:

" Hey bro looking at your thread made me want to step forward and share my experience. Not exactly mine but my dad. After reading your thread it made me recall those scenario when i attended court to attend my dad sentence.

Moments like watching my dad being handcuffed saddens me a lot and the last hug i had when my dad's lawyer asked for a stand off to decide if he wanted to

1st : Appeal for his sentence which would be delayed for about 2-3months.

2nd : To serve his sentence immediately

3rd : To serve his sentence 1 week later


My dad chose the 2nd option as his lawyer told him it was the best/ideal choice as the faster he get over with it, he can start a new life earlier rather than appealing and delay the process cause my dad was definitely bound to serve and appealing would only have a 50/50 percent chance.

3rd option was definitely a NO as during that 1 week, you will definitely be unable to sleep etc.

My dad was sentenced to cluster B as well, white collar on the 2nd of June if i didnt remember wrongly. In case some bro are curious what offence my dad actually made, please allow me to elaborate.

My dad runs his own business and in order to be favored, under table give the project manager $ in return of multi-million dollar project and ship repair etc. Though its inevitable in this industry, unfortunately my dad didnt do his paper work properly. Besides, he has a low level of education and was once a taxi driver and worked his ass off to achieve all that this family have currently. His ex-worker who is a burmese ( Operational Manager ) actually quarreled with him and infront of all the staff and challenged my dad to fire him if he wasn't happy with him. Thus my dad terminated him and he went to complain to MOM that when he was working for my dads company, safety measures were not implemented. In the end MOM drop the issue as they visited my dad company and realize everything was up to standard.

So my dad itchy backside also go counter sue him back till that guy bankcrupt and demanded an apology on newspaper. End up that guy bui song go report to CPIB saying my dad under table give $.

The investigation went on for 2 years and in June 2011 was sentenced to 14weeks of imprisonment. My dad was damn devastated upon hearing the verdict as he was expecting 8-10weeks. There was a moment of hesitation in him but he wanted to start anew asap. Thankfully, he served only 5 weeks and went through a course in the jail and was permitted home detention.

He only served 9weeks+ as there is always a 33.33% discount from the final verdict. Means if judge send you to 3 years, you only serve 2 years. Plus 1 month only can visit 2 times. 1st time tele-visit ( webcam ) and 2nd time face to face at Changi prison. Webcam have to go geylang 1 of the police station.

This experienced i went through will always stay with my heart as it made me treasure my father more. The atmosphere at the court was damn solemn and i cried non-stop. The first few days was damn tough for me. But it made me strong and a better person.

Anyway bro, after reading your story maybe by chance my dad know you. Hehe!"


So, how do you think of it and what's in your mind after reading his story?

I would like to share with you readers about this reply thread from one of the forum which I find it very interesting as well:

"moi think gotch a chance inmate ish created by CPC to help building publicity and understanding about Prisons in SG.


the idea ish to use a "First person" narration to deliver this message... in other words, an online storyteller about certain amount of facts mixed with some "fiction" to deliver some message.


Nevertheless, it's a good approach."

Human's mind are just creative!

Well, let's stop making any guess now. I am just another offender whom had just went through the tough life in prison and I am not assisting any organization to deliver any message


In the first day of my lock-up in B4, Cellroom 629, we are not entitled any activities as it's coming to lunch hours once everything are settled down. We were briefed that our 1 hour 'yard' (exercise) falls on every monday, wednesday and thursday while 1 hour 'our dayroom' (watching TV, playing chess, read newspapers) falls on every tuesday, friday and saturday. And sunday will be our 'toilet' cleaning day!


Thoughout our lock-up in the first day, we mainly spend our sharing stories with each other. There is this room mate whom had gave me a very deep impression on the first day. He is the one whom appears to be the 'leader' in our cell room and sharing stories most throughout the day. A well-mannered, outgoing gentlemen whom gained my respect.


So, what's his offence? Well his case did published on news papers . I done a search through the net and manage to find it:

Ex-security company manager jailed for cheating

SINGAPORE: For two and a half years, a former operations manager of a security company cheated his then-employer into paying salary to his wife for work she did not perform.

Mic, 46, also duped King's Security and Safety Management into making Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions to his wife, Madam Lai Lian Joon, within the same period.

Mic committed the offence between January 2006 and June 2008.

In all, the firm was deceived into making 27 salary payments, totalling S$21,800, into Madam Lai's bank account.

It also made the same number of employer contributions, totalling S$2,981, to her CPF account.

The court heard that Madam Lai was Mic's colleague in the company, where she worked as a part-time night shift security guard.

But Mic falsely reported that she also worked for the firm during the day even though she had a day job elsewhere.

Deputy public prosecutor Kwek Chin Yong said that as a result, King's Security paid Madam Lai for work she did not perform.

Defence counsel Kertar Singh told the court in his mitigation plea that his client did not benefit much from the offence as the payments were made to his wife.

He told district judge Jasbendar Kaur that Mic had also made full restitution and even sold his matrimonial home to do so.

Madam Lai and their children are now staying with her sister as Mic is now homeless, said Mr Singh.

The district court sentenced Mic to four weeks' jail on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to 10 cheating charges.

Another 44 similar charges were also taken into consideration during sentencing.

- CNA/ck

Dear readers, what's in your mind after reading this article above? What's your first impression of him? Do you think there may be more unknown causes behind this case?


Chapter 3.4: About My Past (To Be Continued)

[JR8]

You didn't get butt-f'd by the mandatory Puerto Rican crack head?

Jeez, you had it easy.

You seem to have a one track mind here recently......moderator

Que?

I'm merely recalling the experience of someone I know who has been to 'County' in the US. There, a great many inmates are crack-heads, and a large number are Puerto Rican. The first night in the holding cell with a dozen or so of them is said to sort out the hierarchy going forward.

That's all. I thought this was common knowledge

[sundaymorningstaple]

This is Singapore....... Or it was when I woke up this morning. Maybe I ought to go out side and have a look around.

[JR8]

Lol...

I would have thought the inter-prisoner dynamics and psychology of life inside was pretty transferable around the world. Human nature etc.

The impression I have is that the 'accidental prisoner' rather than keeping a diary, experiences little other than 24/7 blind terror.

[sundaymorningstaple]

That depends on how much you had to drink before they threw you in the tank!

[aster]

In Singapore gangs don't run prisons like they do in other countries.

I'm curious though why first-time offenders convicted of non-violent crimes would be kept under lock-up for 23 hrs a day. Is this how the system works?

[JR8]

In Singapore gangs don't run prisons like they do in other countries.

I take your point, although I'm not talking about gang-culture as such. Just put 12 perps in a cell and there will be a very clear hierarchy of one kind or another established within a couple of hours.

I'm curious though why first-time offenders convicted of non-violent crimes would be kept under lock-up for 23 hrs a day. Is this how the system works?

Curious too. Plus who is giving you all the notebooks and pencils to document each of your daily movements.