Prison Contraband

hey janet are you married? i think ur hot! joseph

What about a cell phone jammer? It would disrupt all cell phone signal inside the prison fence. It seems like that would be the simplest solution to the problem. Even if they smuggled cell phones in they would be rendered useless.

Sorry, fail. This is the most irresponsible reporting I've seen on this subject. Did anyone do any research on this subject before running out to Avenal with a camera? There's nothing new here, and all this film does is create a cheap Hollywood stunt of a documentary around a very complex subject. The low points begin with the overkill on the subject of rectal smuggling, with guards standing holding sausage-style condoms filled with tobacco, andrepeated comments about 'lube' being tossed around. Then, later in the film, you focus, yet again on rectal searches 'Keister' and then stoop to a new low by asking 'how did you find that?' Please!

I work with young prisoners, and to try to punch-up a docu-drama, where you've only managed to broach very serious subjects (gangs, survival in prison, etc.) is more damaging than informative. What could have happened here is a serious dicsussion on the deplorable conditions people are incarcerated under in prisons. You did mention the overcrowding, but stop short of engaging any real subject manner.

Are you surprised that people locked away in these violent, desperate conditions would want food, a cigarette or to be able to talk to people on the outside? Sure they should serve time, but under what conditions? ANd Sure you give a minute or two to the man who admitted to being lonely...that's where the film should have begun - the rest is daytime TV underproduction, and does little to inform the public on anything you can't find on 'COPS'.

I hope you've satisfied your curiosity on anal smuggling and salacious reportage of desperate individuals. Perhaps you can research, re-edit and try again.

excellent edition. Working in a prison in another state and was left wondering what we would find if we did a really good search!

Great edition of Vanguard. Very interesting look at the proliferation of contraband in the prison system.

1) Some of these people are in prison for double murder...just be thankful it wasn't your mother ,father, sister or brother on the other end of that barrel.

2) Prisoners have a right to an attorney

Step One: Daily K-9 sweeps throughout the facilities.

Step Two: Monthly polygraph tests for ALL prison guards, regardless of seniority.

As far as the wannabe geisha journalist, I would have to agree. This aint no tea party, tell her to stay home and assign this to someone who is more qualified.

I RECORDED A WHOLE ALBUM IN THAT BUILDING YEAH WE HAD A RECORDING STUDIO WHEN I WAS THERE

J97339
12 BUILDING WAS MY OLD SPOT

wow. i drive pass this prison (solano) to go to work and never really noticed it until now

i was recently released from the roughest medium security prison in the NY state correctional system. I know firsthand all of the problems surrounding the correctional system. That story was surprisingly one-sided, and totally against any rights Prisoners may hope to receive in the near future. If you want to do a story about prison, it should be about how prisoners' rights are bieng violated on an hourly basis, not on bullshit propaganda about fucking cellphones. Cellphones aren't used for "making hits" or 'drug drops" or "gang related activivty". People just want to be in contact with their loved ones without bieng charged with the rates which are forced up us by a singular company which has a monopoly on all of the phone calls from prisons. Why do you think prisoners want their own cell phones? If you want to do a REAL story about prisons, send somebody in with A LOT more knowledge, and a lot less stupidity.

Funny thing is that the policy they have actually makes it a more vicous circle..for instance .If you allow tabacco to be solded, there would be less debt = less violence ....wtf is up it with the cellphones ? pretty easy to jam ? trace ? ,please make it a bit more convincing and ask the right q's

Ms. Choi,
I really wish that you took this experience more seriously and kept your personal opinions out of the episode. I felt really annoyed with your constant giggling, jokes, and amused reactions. I feel like you were being really disrespectful and rude. Inmates are still people too; they're just trying to do what they can with their current situation.

OK, enough about with prison wallets and keistering. Why is it that everyone except Choi has heard about the hiding of contraband up one's ass? Not much integrity shown from a wanna-be journalist.

While some of the story was interesting, some elements weren't mentioned (e.g. I'm still wondering how they pay their cell phone bills, and why enablers "on the outs" aren't held accountable), the overly-long attention given to keistering could've easily been edited out (unless they just needed space-filler, that is: who did the editing?).

Although some feel that inmates deserve the "right" to have all the benefits of those of us that are free - I feel that they have TOO MANY benefits. And YES- they should suffer as much as possible, that way maybe when they are released they'll realize that you have to EARN little things in life instead of it just being handed to them for free.

When you think about it gangs and corporations have the same philosophy . Profit at all costs .

Some may remember Janet Choi from her season of the Real World (I think it was San Francisco). While we should all be aware of what is going on in the US Prison system, I think it is time that Current Vanguard take some cues from some of the comments here. Choi's constant laughing, giggling, and lighthearted tone throughout the piece detracts from whatever lukewarm point she is trying to make about cell phones in prisons. There are no real critical thoughts presented other than prisoners use any means necessary to access the outside world. The seriousness of these people's lives within the panopticon of a prison deserves more respect from the "Vanguard" of journalism.

I don't think Ms. Choi saw the seriousness of prison life, I think she was the wrong 'contributor' for this Vanguard piece. The laughs and giggles were definitetly unnecessary, as it's nothing to laugh about. Nice try Vanguard but next time, try someone more professional.

Dear Ms Janet Choi - I'm a loyal Current TV 'consumer'. But you should have taken this 'investigation' more seriously. I understand your enthusiasm and passion for journalism but keep the 'joy' and 'laughs' behind the camera. Leave the 'reality show style' to other channels. If you want, I can send you the number of laughs at different inmates situations. They deserve respect, your audience also deserve respect. This is a constructive criticism and I hope you can keep your good work intentions.

you know the issue is not whether the officers were professional or not, or whethere the inmates committed a crime. These things are all obvious. The issue is how the inmates are allowed to live. What's wrong with them having goodies like music, tv, food and excercise. Do you want them to just live in a sensory deprivation chamber?
Or perhaps they should be tortured as well just so they can learn their lesson.
Jesus christ vanguard, leave people alone and stop criminalizing everyone.
i'm getting sick and tired of the big brother like approach of this show. it's no longer about bringing truth and knowledge to the world, but more like being the world's narc
i'm sick of this show, especially after seeing this particular show.
let the prisoners have their goodies. it's not like they're happy about being in jail.

Prison guards are usually shown as inept people on 'the simpsons' or 'my name is earl', it is refreshing to see how professional they are in real life.

While I understand the challenges of a one-camera location shoot in a high-pressure environment, the camera work in this piece really threw me off. I also thought this was not up to the Vanguard standards, and found it long-winded without much punch. Where are all of these cell phones coming from if not from visitors? The guards have got to be complicit in this whole contraband economy - why wasn't this explored? Felt more like a puff piece for the prison guards than a true investigative story at the vanguard of journalism.

Waterboywalter and Medz87 made the exact points I wanted to make. Interesting documentary, but all of the adolescent giggling by Ms. Choi was nothing short of annoying and unprofessional.

Solid episode, and really informative, though it sort of ended weirdly.

I agree on the fact that some of the shoots we're quite unprofessional due to the laughing, and it wasn't the best documentary that we have seen from the vanguard crew. Even so, personally I had never seen an episode focused on the cell phone contraband of the California prison system, so at least I learned something new.
Good job, and I hope the next one will respect your standards of professional journalism.

Thank you Vanguard for pushing the limit on journalism. You are real life heroes.

I like the idea she is investigating prisons. People need to be more aware of prison living conditions. Some may reconsider committing crime if they knew what prison had in store for them.

My cousin was just sent back to prison. He has been property of the state for more than 25 years of his life. Its unfortunate, but that is life. Who knows what he does to survive in prison? His life is not something to laugh at.

Janet Choi ... giggles to much. I found it very unprofessional. 'Keistering' is a way of prison life. We can consider it odd but she should not giggle or laugh about it. People different from us are not for our amusement.

Janet and production team - Great Work and Thank You for the contribution. I hope to see you improve the next time you are on screen.

very good piece. i think Choi seemed embarassed about the term 'kiestering' though. but then again, who wouldn't be?

if anyone can answer, who is this "contributor" Janet Choi? i liked her. will we see more of her?

It was a good story, but it was a lot like the MSNBC Prison Documentaries. Before watching the episode, I already knew about cell phones being the new contraband for inmates. So I think, if Vanguard wanted to do a great story on the prison system, it should have been done on prison reform, overpopulation or on how states are privatizing the prison system.
Don't get me wrong I did enjoy the program. I just believe it was not up to your usual standards.

Nice job of reporting, but for god's sake, will somebody please teach the cameraman how to shoot without flopping the camera back and forth like a flag in the breeze? Looks real amateurish...

I didn't know it was even possible to put that many items up one's butt.

well it's kinda seems that those prisons in Cali isn't a bad place to be , from a Russian citizen perspective of view , I like vanguard even though they are not the source of pure truth just an opinion .

i think i would quit smoking !!!! probably be able to read very well when i leave

You now I'm sick and tired of Vanguard trying to stop people from living their lives. Especially in prison. She seems to have a problem with them eating snacks and watching tv. What would you suggest Ms Choi, That they have no privileges and suffer as much as possible?

wow, those inmates definitly have everything they want for money and by far this was the funniest episode of Vanguard, even though it's wasn't ment to be a comedy.
Thank's Vanguard team , great job .