Welcome to the FedCURE Website - Message from the Director:

Did you see the segment that CNBC aired July 23rd 2004 on CheckPoint that was done by Chris Whitcomb on ClubFed? Let us assure you that there is no such thing as a white-collar prison term. Nor is there a ClubFed. Chris Whitcomb portrayed it exactly the way it is in reality. Some of us know, from experience, otherwise. The CheckPoint segment was deadly accurate in regard to what goes on in a Federal prison. As one of the white-collar criminals that the media constantly refers to, let us assure you that Sam Waksal and Terence Michael Clarke will not find a concierge or maid at any Bureau of Prisons' facility.

 

Some of us have seen the federal system as a lawyer and then as a federal inmate. We have seen it at its best and at its worst. While it is true, that there are no guard towers nor any fences at federal prison camps, there are psychological ones which we can assure you are imminently more damaging that barbed wire. Federal prison is a scary place. We have heard of many cases where criminal defendants have been assured by their high-priced lawyers that they would be in no danger, most self-surrendered at an FPC thinking after all if Leona Helmsley survived FPC Lexington, they figure they could too.

 

Soon, however, they are all shocked to find out that there were no private rooms for white collar criminals, but there dorms, that hold 200 to 400 plus inmates. There are no televisions in any rooms, but there are three that around 350 inmates have to share. If they are really lucky and could afford the $30 radio/headset which they must have to hear since no televisions have sound they might get to watch one of them if the cable was working and if they were lucky enough to snag one of the 20 chairs in the television viewing room. There are no swimming pools. If they are lucky though, they might be able to take a shower if they were able to stand in line for one of the six (6), or so, showers that 150+ inmates have to share. There are no yoga classes, but if there is a inmate who happens to know yoga or Pilates, he/she may be able to informally organize a class if they can find someplace to hold it. There is no spa or health club. Sometimes there is a few exercise bikes, one or two stepping machines, one or two treadmills (maybe one works) and a weight station with most of the parts missing.

 

Furloughs are very, very rare and only occur in the last year of their sentence so there went going home on weekends. The Bureau of Prison's rarely grants furloughs. We have seen countless inmates denied permission to attend the funeral of their spouse, parent or child. Those who were given permission paid for their own transportation and for the salary of the guard who accompanied them. Most prisoners can't afford this cost so if their family can't pay it, they aren't granted a furlough. The fact that there has been no federal parole since the since 1987 means federal prisoners can only reduce their sentence by receiving approx. 54 days per year credit for good behavior. Rest assured that Sam Waksal, Terence Clarke and the rest of the white collar criminals will serve their full sentences and that it will cost the American paying taxes at least $28,000 per year to incarcerate each of them.

 

One thing always mentioned by, Penelope Patsuris of Forbes, is the incredible educational and vocational opportunities offered to federal prisoners. Most inmates earn $5.25/month and work 40 hours per week cleaning toilets, washing cars, before they finally work their way up to where they are allowed to enter a higher paid duty assignment--29¢ per hour maximum. In some cases, the million dollars of court ordered fines and restitution. to be paid while incarcerated is paid at a rate of $25/quarter out of the inmates salary while they could have been performing worthwhile work making a wage that would have more quickly paid those million dollars. This is how America wants it though. Lock up the white-collar criminals and order them to pay millions in fines and restitution.

 

As a taxpayer, do you realize just how little of those millions actually get paid? Post-prison all ex-inmates are working a job where most are paid minimum wage and in case you don't know what it is, it is $5.15/hour which is a huge increase from their maximum 29¢/hour prison salary. Now they can pay the court $25/month against those millions of dollars in fines and restitution they were ordered to repay since they now make in a week what they used to make in an hour. America has succeeded in incapacitating white-collar criminals. We have lost count of the number of doctors, lawyers and bankers doing time in federal prison that tell that they are scrubbing toilets or folding napkins in the kitchen. America has assured that some of the most brilliant minds in America will never again make a substantial contribution to society, nor will they ever be in a position to quickly repay the millions ordered by the federal courts. Do they seriously think that the Bureau of Prisons will allow Sam Waksal anywhere near a lab for him to continue his lifesaving cancer research?

 

Then there is the fact that America believes that it is a cushy ClubFed where everyone adheres to moral principles and life is a breeze. Not so. A lot goes on in those white-collar prison camp, there are many reports of inmates being beaten by other inmates, sustaining serious injury requiring expensive hospital treatment. Americans foot this bill and are spending $28,000/year for each inmate to be incarcerated and in return, they, the American tax payer, are receiving from those who are white collar criminals $25/quarter ($100/year).

It's time to change the way America looks at the federal prison system.  It's time that they know the reality of ClubFed.  It's time for all of us who have served federal prison sentences to stand up and tell America what it's really like in the camps, behind the fences and behind the walls.  It's time for Congress to hear that mandatory minimum sentencing is not working; to reinstate parole--making all inmates eligible; and to increase good time allowances  It's time to hold the Bureau of Prisons accountable for failing to mandate that all BOP medical personnel hold current, unrestricted medical licenses. It's time for the 184,500+ federal inmates and their families to support the efforts of the major prison reform advocacy groups if change is to occur.  It's time that the American media present an accurate account of America's federal criminal justice system. If you agree with each of these statements, it's time for you to join FedCURE as we battle to make each of these statements America's reality.

Sincerely,

Kenny H. Linn, J.D., LL.M

Chairman of the Board
(R.I.P. 28 July 1939 - 28 May 2009)

Federal CURE, Incorporated

P.O. Box 15667
Plantation, Florida 33318-5667
USA

 

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