While I was researching “colleges” that I would anticipate attending, I had a really difficult time understanding what each location offered and how it operated. For this post, I’m going to focus on the accommodations and amenities here at FCI Morgantown, which are quite impressive to some degree. This section may be a bit boring, but hopefully it will better describe what is offered here:
DORMS (aka UNITS)
I described a bit about the units and their set up, but Morgantown has about 8 units, which are different pods where guys are assigned without reason, except for one which is a drug, recovery program. Included in these 8 units is the SHU (pronounced SHOE). The Segregated Housing Unit (SHU) holds those individuals that are unruly, quarantined for COVID or some other illness, and any overflow. Hopefully I will never ever have to encounter this unit, since it is not on my scope of aspirations. Of the 8 units, only 4 are occupied, which is really good since the population has been down to around 460 versus the 1300 that once occupied this facility prior to COVID.
The units are primarily the same: Over the river through a beautiful foot bridge, you enter the central hub of the building that has offices for the three staff members and correctional officers. Primarily, only one or two people are ever present in these offices, which I smirk at the government’s wonderful employment schedule. From the main hub are four individual rooms with televisions. Each room has about 3 50-inch plasma screens without volume. You need to purchase a tiny radio receiver to listen to any of the televisions. Each of the rooms has different programming opportunities (sports, movies, news, and local tv seem to be how the rooms are divided). The rooms are quiet, especially since everyone has their headphones on, so they really are not talking to each other. I was quite impressed with this approach having been in other facilities: no fights over the TV channel or volume. From what I have read, in the past, this area seems to have been where most of the fights have occurred. A great feature of this building is the super high ceilings with windows and skylights. We have quite the natural light, which is why the overhead lights remain off during the day – they are not needed.
Then, down the hall from each dorm is a designated area for computers, laundry, and a cleaning closet. Across from one of these rooms are the pay phones (as I call them) since they are just as useless and annoying as a pay phone should exist today. Scavenger hunt challenge: try finding a pay phone – they are nearly extinct for a reason. Next to the pay phones is a water fountain and the bathrooms.
The bathrooms are quite surprisingly clean. They are divided into two halves: toilets/sinks and showers. One wall has traditional high flush toilets with normal public seats and stall doors. Across from the toilets on the other wall are the sinks with a very old plastic mirror. The other side are the showers. There are about 8 showers, but I have never seen them all in use. In fact, I think I have only seen about 4 showers in use at one given time. The showers have a curtain, then a little change area, then the shower itself, which has incredibly high pressure and are ALWAYS hot. In my research, I had heard of facilities that never have hot water, so I am very very happy that this is not the case. I believe this set-up helps keep the population in general content and happy, which I am sure alleviates many difficulties of past, probably even when Joe Costa was here.
After venturing past the bathrooms, there are two large swinging doors into the dorm areas. This is where the four rows of bunk beds line the walls and center of the room. I have the very first top bunk on the right entering. Even though half of the guys pass through this bunk area, I am more remote and have a corner wall so there is not much interaction with anyone. The bunk itself is metal with each bunk about a foot smaller than a standard bed in both width and length. I am 5’10” and just am big enough to within the parameters of the bunk. The metal bunk comes equipped with a beautifully plush 2-inch plastic mat. To even call this a mattress would be insulting. I am sleeping on an extra thick yoga pad covered in plastic. I do not know how guys who may be overweight, taller, wider, with any physical difficulties are able to cope with these arrangements. I haven’t heard one complaint about the beds, just about the food…it strikes me as counterintuitive to complain about the food and not the sleeping accommodations. Additionally, my little fortress is surrounded by an 8-inch divider about 1/2 inch thick from the person who literally sleeps headed to head with me. He is a friendly guy from NOVA (also known as Northern Virginia, typically Arlington, Frederick, etc..). He keeps to himself as I do, but the slightest movement is certainly noticed and felt (mostly when entering or exiting the top bunk).
Within my bunk area is a small desk, two plastic chairs, hangers, and two storage lockers. These lockers, approximately, 2ft x 4ft must store clothes, food, and any other private items. They do not come with a lock. Everything – I mean EVERYTHING – must be purchased here. From pens, paper, toilet paper, shoe laces, everything, including a lock for the locker. I think this will be one of my first purchases, after all I am in a prison and most of these guys probably lack some moral code. However, stealing from one of the guys is probably one of the worst things a guy could do here. It would be enough to be in trouble with the guards, but a whole other trouble would be ousted by the community, which I hope to never witness. This concludes the tour of my dorm area.
CAMPUS (aka COMPOUND):
One of the most impressive aspects of this facility are campus grounds. Not only am I surrounded by the spacious hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but the campus grounds are immaculate. No leaves on the trees; thus, no leaves on the ground. I guess all the nearly free labor helps to maintain the grounds. Besides the intertwining river separating the units and the tiny pond in the middle of the campus, the wildlife and foliage is quite abundant. The Canadian geese casually walk and wade in the river and pond, typically distant from the quite fattened Mallard ducks. These are probably the fattest and healthiest looking ducks that I have ever seen. If you were to observe guys leaving the dining hall after a meal, they usually pocket any crumbs or stale bread to feed these ducks. I really can’t explain how large they are but they probably weigh more than a French Bulldog. From what I understand, the geese and ducks all stick around throughout the winter and do not migrate since they have it so well here.
Throughout the campus are several of the buildings, but the fields are utterly impressive too. There is a baseball field, basketball court, tennis court with two practice walls, two bocce courts very well maintained to almost what I think is a professional standard, volleyball court, and two shuffle boards. The baseball field has bleachers – I have so many questions about this. Do we have a team that plays other visiting “colleges”? Are there guards versus inmates competitions? I am struggling to see the point of these bleachers, but they are quite nice. The entire field is bordered with a nicely paved walking trail. About four trips around the path will yield about 1 mile, which is about the size of a standard track around a high school football field.
In center of campus is the education/recreation center. This building hosts a law library, a regular library with average books (some current items and computer stations where you can watch DVDs of older movies and shows), several modern classrooms, a well-maintained gymnasium (its well lit and looks almost new), and a workout room. Actually, the workout room is a full gym equipped with modern treadmills (about 5 of them), a few step machines, various weight machines, benches, weights, and…9 newer pool tables. This baffled me when I first saw them. Dead smack in the middle of the workout room are 9 pool tables with only a handful of them being used. To the right of the gymnasium is a smaller room with a dozen guitars, about 6 violins, brass instruments, and more that may be borrowed during recreation time, which seems to be quite a bit of the time, especially on weekends.
THE CAMPUS STORE (aka COMMISSARY)
Perhaps the heartbeat of this campus is the commissary that is a tiny place big enough for about 6 people to fit inside. This is ground zero for obtaining anything besides the clothes that are issued. As mentioned earlier, the pens/pencils, clothes, bathroom supplies, food, snacks, etc.., are all distributed from this one little place. We only have one opportunity each week to “shop” and have our supplies (pending what is in stock at the time). A few guys that have been to other facilities have indicated that this is the worst store that they have seen. The common complaint is that they are always out of stock on items, takes months to get orders filled for tennis shoes, etc.. The commissary account is funded by the earnings that we make through our “job” and through any contributions from family and friends. We have a limit of $360 per month (it was just raised a month ago from $300 since inflation is affecting them). As a new guy, $360 does not offer much, but it is so much. Unless you shop the commissary, you have to wear the issued uniform, but the commissary offers the clothes for recreation and just lounging, like sweatshirts and pants ($35), long johns ($20), basic tennis shoes ($90), etc. Thus, just to dress comfortably quickly adds up. However, once you have these items they are yours to own – so then other amenities may be purchased like soaps, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, basically the essentials (you get the picture). The sizing is smaller which I guess keeps them coming back for more (a great system to try and rehabilitate addicts).
THE CLINIC (aka HEALTH SERVICES)
This section of the campus is actually quite boring – it is simply a glorified elementary school’s nurses office. There are two beds, and what feels like substandard care. The dichotomy between the recreational availability and the clinic is quite contrasting…promoting further injury and yet not knowing if you’ll ever heal with the treatment from this nurse’s office.
THE CHOW HALL (aka DINING ROOM)
While I’m still learning the difference nuances and facets of the campus, the chow hall is like any other cafeteria with the standard trays, cups, and cheap o’ sporks. I’ve probably overshared on the different meals that were served, but those are captured in the few days of entries. The food, so far, has been great… Hmmm I wonder if there is something to those fat geese and ducks and why we are always served “chicken”.
THE CHAPEL
The most beautiful building on campus is the chapel and located near the center of the campus adjacent to the pond. It is a nondenominational chapel, but it consists of a courtyard that is actually in the building and concaved A-frame architecture that are adorned with stained-glass blue windows, which more than likely was inspired by Mary. I’m assuming that it was originally laid out as a Catholic chapel. It’s really a beautiful space and stunning lit with the natural light against the stained-glass. There are standard pews as the worship space like a traditional Catholic church with a large alter, ambo, and a statue of the Virgin Mary (similar to one that now resides in the Baltimore home), and then some offices for the chaplain and staff.
THE VISITATION ROOM
The visitation is the location where all visitors must enter to meet with someone. The visitation room is simply laid out as a large space with tables and seats. There are few vending machines and restrooms specifically designated for visitor use only. The heat and cooling in the buildings seem to be temperamental so it would be best to dress as though the room would be colder. Overall, it is a quaint place to meet that makes it feel like a parent-teacher conference and waiting on the principal (or warden) to give a progress report. The good news is that the conversations are open and free so anything could really be said during these visits, well at least out of earshot of any officer in the room.
For the most part, this concludes the tour of FCI Morgantown, especially since I ran out of the 13,000 character limit that are permitted by emails.