Inside Century Correctional Institution

April 2, 2012

Today, we begin our exclusive look inside the Century Correctional Institution with a trip through security and a look at what’s behind the fence. Our series will continue tomorrow with a trip inside the medical unit, the chapel and and more.

No weapons, no drugs. Must have a picture ID. Subject to search. No cell phones, no cameras. No Blackberrys.

No Blackberry? That one seemed a little harsh and hard to swallow. I live with my Blackberry in running NorthEscambia.com — always figured the paramedics would pry it from my hands one day.

Otherwise the briefing on entering the Century Correctional Institution seemed simple enough. The same rules apply to family visiting prisoners on the weekends, but we were getting the all-access pass, far beyond the visitation room and yard.

We were told the “no camera” rule did not apply to us — Tallahassee had pre-approved NorthEscambia.com for the tour. But no photos of locks, guard control rooms or anything else related to security. And no photos that showed the identifiable faces of a prisoner. Seems that the state’s rules say prisoners have a right to privacy behind bars unless they sign a photo release.

“The prisoners will not interact with you,” Col. Joseph Schwarz said before the tour. They are much like children in an elementary school room, he added, often gawking at the strange visitor.

Schwarz is in charge of keeping the prisoners in and the rest of the world out as security boss. A commanding voice, with a bit of an accent, he seemed fit to play himself in a movie giving orders and watching over a Southern prison chain gang.

Standing under the razor wire that surrounds the 40-acre CCI campus, the barbs glistening in the sun look like enough deterrent to keep one on the proper side of the fence.

Then it was through the gate into the sallyport. The gate must close behind those entering before one in front opens. There was no slamming sound like the movies. If you are headed into CCI to begin your life sentence, you’ll miss the gate slamming closed sound that momma warned you about. Just the sound of a chain link fence gate closing. And an electrical hum as a lock is opened and closed from a control room. Still, it’s hard to imagine what the feeling would be like headed in for 10, 20 years or even life.

“They are armed with three different types of weapons,” Schwarz said, motioning with his eyes up toward the guard tower. One of the weapons is a shotgun. Aim is not terribly important with a shotgun…not terribly hard to hit the guy trying to get over the fence.

Standing in the small sallyport, it very much feels and looks the typical preconceived idea of a prison. Surrounding by fence and razor wire — and let’s not forget the guy watching with a shotgun — it feels like the outside is already a world away.

(Article continue below photo)

Stepping through the second gate is a bit of a surprise. A two-lane road, bright freshly painted yellow lines in the middle and sides. Staff walks down the middle, while prisoners must walk outside the yellow lines on the “shoulder”. The grass is freshly trimmed, flowers beds are neat and plentiful around the buildings lining the road.

The flower beds — filled with fresh mulch, pansies, petunias and other little flowering plants like grandma would plant — are everywhere around the sidewalks along neatly painted buildings.

Library. Chapel. Security. — neat, hand lettered signs are above the doors of each building. A “Town of Century” water tower close behind the buildings. It really looks more like small town USA than a prison. If you overlook the bars on the windows. Especially on the Chapel.

But at the far end of CCI small town, USA, there’s another fence, razor wire and another guard tower. Beyond those are the dorms — the home of up to 1,400 inmates.

For more photos, click here.

Our series “Inside Century Correctional Institution” continues tomorrow on NorthEscambia.com.

Pictured: Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

12 Responses to “Inside Century Correctional Institution”

  1. Sally Davenport on July 8th, 2012 9:28 pm

    I was told there is no air conditioning indoors for these prisoners. Is this true?

  2. sktmax on April 4th, 2012 10:50 am

    Sheffie and co are both right. Yes they cleaned the place up due to the audits….but also the SES employees or “higher ups” promotions are weighed heavily based on the results of their institutions announced and unannounced audits.

  3. Sheffie on April 3rd, 2012 5:00 pm

    co on April 2nd, 2012 9:40 pm – in reality they were sucking up to an audit team for possible promotions of some “higher ups”

    I would like to say that I believe that your idea of their motives is completely absurd. They did improvements to the compound for the audit and/or accreditation so that Century CI would not wind up on the next list of closures due to budget constraints. Imagine, if you will, what the auditors and/or accreditation team would have to say if they believed that it was too costly to keep Century CI open. That could be really bad for every staff member at Century CI. As you should realize by now, our jobs are of little to no importance to some members of our state government. I believe that the Administration had the best intentions when they had improvements done on the compound.

    Just sayin’.

  4. William on April 3rd, 2012 1:05 am

    >>.I do hope we get to see much more then the outside of the buildings.

    You will, beginning with the chapel and medical facility on Tuesday. We’ll take a look inside other buildings later in the week, including a cell block.

  5. Front Street on April 3rd, 2012 1:02 am

    Since I have never even been inside a jail, I can only comment about being in the military. Yes it is a lot like a military base. I do hope we get to see much more then the outside of the buildings.

    Thanks William for giving those of us who would probably never see this get a idea of what it is like.

  6. co on April 2nd, 2012 9:40 pm

    all the freshly painted buildings and flowers were done a couple of months ago due to an inspections team that came to do an audit….so in reality they were sucking up to an audit team for possible promotions of some “higher ups” and not to north escambia.com…….you should have given them more warning and maybe we could have gotten more improvements. LOL

  7. Century C.I. Veteran on April 2nd, 2012 3:58 pm

    Compound has always looked nice since day one. Staffing on the other hand, has seen better days.

  8. Jim W on April 2nd, 2012 12:58 pm

    Very simular to a military compnd or post. Controlled, secured, well groomed, and very organized. With one exception the military can move about as they please. The public onn the other hand when on military bases are completely controlled as a general rule.

  9. bleeding blue and orange on April 2nd, 2012 11:09 am

    About the paint on the road, lettering on the buildings, and flower beds, they were not for the visit. These all came with our new warden at Century. He is trying to make the place look better and it is working. Looking forward to seeing some more pics of my home away from home. Thanks William for the story.

  10. just saying on April 2nd, 2012 9:14 am

    About the flowers I would not doubt it at all that they planted them for him. I’ve been to a few prisons to visit loved ones and I never seen no flowers but I’ve never been to century prison!

  11. MQ on April 2nd, 2012 8:15 am

    Good job, William. On the cynical side, I wonder if all the freshly painted lines, and flower beds were planted because they knew you were coming! Just a thought.

  12. 429SCJ on April 2nd, 2012 3:57 am

    Sounds like they have a good commandant, in the Col.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News