Last week > Anamosa State Penitentiary Prison

On last Monday, we went to Anamosa State Penitentiary Prison, the largest correctional institution of Iowa. The Prison was built 130 years ago by the inmates themselves and holds more than 1200 inmates. We first visited the Museum that explained both the history and the current operation of the prison. There was a replica cell (very small!), explanation about infamous prisoners of past years, the contraband network and the weapons they made with simple objects (knifes, etc.). We made a tour of the prison, visiting the workshops where the inmates worked (they made and sold the tables and chairs for primary schools; they made the license plates for Iowa cars, etc.). It was like a big city within the city. Prisoners could do sport, play cards, study in the library, etc.
We had the great opportunity to meet 2 prisoners: one was very young (28-29 years old) and was in jail for 8 years. He was held for having sex with an underage girl. While he was in the prison, he prepared a degree in management and business. A Spanish university was mailing him books and lectures that he could study by himself. He told us that the prison was for him like a big Campus, where everybody knows one another. He explained that there was not a lot of crime and threats within the prison (as we could see in the movie and on TV). He talked a bit about Spanish prisons: there are more comfortable, prisoners are allowed to have lap tops. However, punishment is longer. Prisoners must serve a minimum of 2/3 of their sentence. This is different in the USA and in Anamosa because each day they can win 1,2 days of liberty if they do some good deeds and have a good behavior.

The other one was in jail for more than 20 years. It was his third time in prison. He was before in California. This prisoner was an ‘exception’ because he was suffering from a cancer. He was about to be sent in another jail to be treat better. If it works he will have still about 10 years to live, and if not, only 2 years. He explained that prisoners are often alone, being separated from and sometimes forgotten by their families. Prisoners are allowed to be visited 3 times a month.

In class, we learned that sometimes witnesses were terrified to testify because of reprisals. Some State Penitentiary Prisons have Witness Protection Program, but in Anamosa there is not this program.

This day was really interesting and we finished our trip with a very good memory of all the activities we did, like this one.

Chicago : the city of skyscrapers

During our Spring break, we went to Chicago. We visited the Art Institute and the Chicago History Museum. We went to the Hancock tower and could see a beautiful view of Chicago’s skyscrapers. We also attended a lot of events: a Jazz concert at Andy’s Jazz Club, a Chicago Bulls vs. New Orleans Hornets basketball game. That was amazing: it is not only a game, it is a show! During break times, a lot of activities were organized: baby race, dances, singing competition, mascot race, etc. People seem to be crazy about that. Moreover, as I said in previous articles, sport is very important for American people, it is really a big part of their culture.
We were lucky to be in Chicago during St Patrick’s Day. We had the chance to see the dyeing of the Chicago River green. This was just incredible! St Patrick’s Day is a big event in Chicago; everybody was disguised and wearing green clothed and accessories. We attended the 3-hour parade, where Irish associations and sport clubs, American army, politicians paraded. The night, we went out and had a drink in an Irish pub. I don’t know how much Irish people are there in Chicago but we went to an area where there were a lot of Irish pubs. It is a kind of community within the city. This day, I really had the felling to be one year ago, because I spent my last year in Ireland, near Dublin. I found the same atmosphere again.