How many have done time in jail/prison

I've never even had a traffic ticket(knock on wood ).

 

No, but I could have. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

 

Me either, I've never even been stopped by the police.

 

A violation of I Timothy 4:7.

 

Any that have read my testimony know that I was saved in prison.

 

I have not been incarcerated, but did spend one night a week for three years in a medium-security prison here, as well as being asked to preach at the chapel several times. I was a volunteer, basically a babysitter for the inmates who wanted to use the chapel library. It was a wonderful experience, and I can tell you as a fact that SOME prison conversions are real! (We all know that some are not.)

Short story -- In training before serving as a volunteer, I was taught to watch and listen for key phrases that could indicate potential problems. One such phrase was "I'm going to beat your brains out!" On the very first night I was at the chapel library, two men were seated there, and one of them said that exact phrase!

My ears perked up, but after just a few seconds, I could tell these two men were believers who were roll-playing how to react when someone threatened them with physical harm! Boy, was I ever relieved! :laugh:

I actually became friends with these two, as well as prayer partners with them while I was there. Both of them had accepted Chrsit as Savior while incarcerated.

May God bless prison ministries!

Bill :godisgood:

 

I have visited jailhouses many times, and have also done time in the magistrate's office. But, never against my will.

 

:thumbs: :thumbs:

 

I probably should have been on a few occasions. I knowingly drove drunk a few too many nights but made it home ok by the grace of God. Thank God I didn't kill myself or someone else. I've bashed a few mail boxes, rolled a few yards, stolen fish tackle from Wal-Mart, poached fishing ponds and deer hunting club lands, etc. Of course this was all many years ago, and all of which I am ashamed of. Thank God for His grace and while I used to laugh about these things I take them very serious now. In no way do I want my son doing these things.

 

I prefer to say "I helped the State of Virginia maintain it's clean highways for 60 days, once, a long time ago."


:laugh:

 

Only been there to minister. Trust me, it will make you never want to go there.

 

When I was a teenager, I got in a little trouble.

The sherrif just happened to be our next door neighbor and he and his wife and my mom and dad were very close, and their son was a good friend of ours so he was just going to let me go. Of course, unbeknownst to me, my dad went to talk to him behind my back and asked him to teach me a lesson.

So, sure enough, later that day, the squad car pulls up, I'm put in handcuffs and hauled off to jail.

Now, you've got to remember that I had no idea that none of this was real and I was scared out of my mind. My heart was beating so fast that I can't believe I didn't have a stroke or something.

So, they took me in fingerprinted me, took my mugshot and threw me in a cell.

Sherrif Finneran comes to my cell and says, "Well, Mike, I guess you know you're in pretty serious trouble. It just breaks my heart to see a good boy like you have to go to prison for all those years. Mmmm, what a shame."

I just freaked out. I started crying and telling him how sorry I was.

"Yeah", he went on, "Normally, as Justice of the Peace, I could take care of this and, because I know you've been a good kid all your life and probably just got carried away trying to impress some older boys, I'd just tell you not to do it again and send you home. But because you went across state lines, Judge So and So's going to have to preside over this one and that's not a good thing. He's got a real chip on his shoulder when it comes to juvenile delinquents".

So he leaves and I know the deputies were all laughing their heads off at the kid crying hysterically in the cell down the hall, and then he comes back about an hour later.

"Well, I talked to Judge So and So and he doesn't see any reason I can't do this myself. Only problem is, it's 6:00 and I'm going home for supper. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait a second! You mean I've got to stay here until tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. Oh, wait. Tomorrow's Saturday. The prosecutor will never agree to come in on a Saturday and, of course, the next day's Sunday and we can't have court on the Lord's Day. Well, see you Monday."

So I went to sleep and when I woke up the next morning, Sherrif Finneran was there and asked me how I slept and if I was rested. I told him "yes" and he said "Good. You've got a long day ahead of you."

He and I walked out to the park bench in front of the office and sat down and he told me that he knew I was a good kid and that the whole previous evening had been a put on. He explained to me that, even so, I was going to have to be punished. I wasn't going to have to stay in jail and wasn't really going to be charged with anything, but that I was going to work it off over the next couple of Saturdays.

That day, I washed every firetruck, police car, garbage truck, town vehicle, and even a couple of county and state police cars. I washed cars and trucks from 8:00 am until it got dark.

The next week, I cleaned toilets and cut grass.

I don't remember what else I did, but I do remember that the deputies were pretty cool to me after that and I actually spent a little more time at the police station.

I was too young at the time, but that's actually what led to me becoming a firefighter later on.

 

I have a good friend who's a guard in a maximum security prison in Md and he tells me that if he ever had to go there, he'd kill himself first.

 

Arrested six times, two suspended prison sentences, but total jail time, less than a month.

 

I've always had a lead foot. That is the reason for a handful of speeding tickets. Many just over the posted speed limit. I can't get away with swatting a gnat. Never done any jail time and never been fingerprinted. Although there was that time when near Rome, Georgia while in my 78 Ford Mustang.

My sisters and I (I was driving) were doing a "road tour" from Palatka, FL to Richmond, Virgina where we stayed for a day. Went from there to Washington, DC for 3 more days and visited many historical land marks. We took the tour route through Virginia over to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Great ride BTW, but a little long, we were planning to make Atlanta by that night. We got off the Parkway some where near Lynchburg, VA and picked up I-40 to connect with I-75 in Tennessee. I don't remember the exact route numbers so if I am incorrect on them please feel free to let me know.

Well when we came into Tennessee there was this big billboard for live Fireworks and I stopped. My sister Connie was going on about not buying them but I insisted and sense I was driving and payed for the whole trip, we went in. She knew that fireworks are illegal in Georgia and in Florida and was afraid that we would be caught with them. I insisted that no one in GA or FLA were going to know that we had them. I bought a trunk load.

We were crossing into Carter County on I-75 and were running very late. The later it got the harder I drove. Connie began to speak up, "Melvin, you're going to fast, slow down!" 'Goodness girl, you sound just like Mama', I thought. "I have been driving sense 5am and it is now about 7pm and we are late getting to Uncle's house in Hampton, GA", I said out loud. No sooner had I said that, the blue lights of Carter County's finest came on in the rear view. My jaw dropped. That sister of mine must have a sixth sense. "Now what are you going to do?" she asked. "You have all them fireworks in the trunk," she cried. "Just be quiet, and they won't know," I reasoned. Rolling down my window, came an ominous voice, "Drivers License, please" he said "please." I distinctly heard the man say please. Well I knew these Georgia folk are great people but no Florida Highway Patrolman ever said please. Maybe I'll get away with just a warning. After all my uncle is a Henry, County, Deputy Sheriff, these guy's will let me go with a warning.

Coming back to the car the Patrolman shinned his flashlight in my eye and in my both of my sisters. "I'm taking you in", he said. I almost lost my supper. "Follow me," I heard and proceeded to open my door. He moved his right hand to his pistol and said, "Get back in the car and follow me in your car!" Wow, so much for please. My sisters are now bawling their eye's out. "What are we going to do?" "Are we going to jail?" I was too much in shock to answer and proceeded to follow the Officer. We got to the Patrol Station in Rome, GA and Connie was in hysterics, "Their putting us in jail because of the fireworks." "Calm down, they still don't know they are there," I said. "What if they search the car?" "I'll call Uncle and he might be able to help," I assured her.

Getting out of the car I walked in with the Patrolman and he went behind the counter. I stayed on the other side of the register. He tallied the ticket and said the amount. I do not recall the exact amount but it was under $100. "You can't mail me the bill?" Did I just say that? That voice sounded like mine but somewhat disembodied. "All out of staters must pay all fines on the spot," he explained. "I only have traveler's checks on me, I have no cash," "The Good State of Georgia gladly accepts traveler's checks from Florida." Was that said with a smugness in tone, I asked myself?

Now 9pm and was still 2 hours out of Hampton, GA. We got in about midnight, under the speed limit. That is as close to jail that I ever want to be. :laugh:

I have done a visit to a friends daughter that was taken in prostitution and drugs. As a Coca Cola route driver I have made deliveries to prisons and jails. :type:

Well, you had to ask.:godisgood:

 

Never been inside a prison, but I try not to condemn those that have. Some people who have been to prison are/will be in Heaven, and many self-righteous people who haven't will be in Hell.

 

I quite agree.

 

I've never been 'in' prison as in being the inmate. But I've been in prison(and jails, and halfway houses), not as an inmate. It's an awful place. No day camp or resort that some make it out to be. And I know it's worse then my personal experience, as I've been told by others who've been there.